Husband on Trust(20)

‘Have I made myself clear?’ Alex drawled hardily.

‘But what you’re suggesting is despicable; it’s nothing short of blackmail.’

‘No worse than what you are trying to do. Our prenuptial gives you half a million for a month. No woman is worth that.’

‘But I’m not. I didn’t…’ Lisa could not believe what was happening. He had turned the tables on her. She felt that she was in some nightmare, and that any second she would wake up and discover last night had never happened, or, better still, she amended, the last seven weeks had never happened.

‘I have to return to Stratford today, to work,’ she lied. Anything to get away.

‘You do not. I had a long conversation with Harold last night. I know your second in command has taken over. There is no hurry for your return, and you have your laptop with you. Use the room you used last night as a study.’ And, with another glance at his watch, he bent down and curved a large hand around her chin, and tilted her face up. His dark eyes lit with savage amusement. ‘Try not to miss me too much, lover.’

Her furious blue eyes widened to their fullest extent. ‘Why, you…you…’ She could not think of a word bad enough to describe his sheer arrogance.

‘Hush.’ A finger was placed firmly across her lips. ‘Do not incite my temper any further. You will not like the consequences.’ he assured her, and then, as she watched, a wicked smile curved his hard mouth. ‘But then again, you might enjoy it, if last night’s seduction was a taste of what you are capable of.’ With a husky laugh he released her chin.

Lisa blushed to the roots of her hair at his sensual reminder. She leapt to her feet. ‘You can’t order me around…’

‘I can do anything, and don’t you forget it,’ he drawled his black eyes flashing a warning. ‘Be here when I return, or it will be harder for you.’

‘Wait.’ She grabbed his arm. ‘You can’t make a statement like that and walk away.’

‘Why not? It is no worse than you declaring you want a divorce and walking away.’

‘But… But…’ she stammered.

Lean fingers enclosed the hand she had laid on his arm. ‘Not so nice, is it, Lisa? When the shoe is on the other foot? No?’ And he actually laughed.

‘You don’t mean it,’ she said uncertainly, as he slipped an arm around her waist, drawing her inexorably closer into the heat of his hard body. She was not sure if he was teasing or torturing her.

‘Neither do you.’ Folding both arms around her, his dark gaze steady on her troubled face, he added, ‘Think about it from my point of view Lisa. Last night I fell asleep with my wife in my arms. You get up in the middle of the night, and another woman attempts to climb into our bed. Do you really think I am stupid enough to go to bed with one woman while waiting for another?’

She had trouble holding his gaze. His dark eyes bored into hers, and her own innate honesty forced her to admit that, if it had not been for the knowledge she had gained earlier about Nigel’s involvement with Alex she probably would have stopped Margot at the door. ‘I don’t know,’ she mumbled.

‘Of course I am suspicious of the circumstances. But is your scenario any more valid? I think not,’ he declared firmly.

‘No,’ Lisa conceded in defeat; she had to, unless she told him she knew about his plan to take over her company, and she was not ready to do that. She needed to make some investigations of her own first.

‘Good, then let us make a pact, you and I. We will forget last night ever happened.’

‘Very convenient for you,’ Lisa could not help sniping.

‘Come on, Lisa. Do you really want to go back and face your family and friends after a few short weeks, declaring your marriage to be over? Our wedding was reported in the press. Do you want to look a failure in the eyes of the world? More importantly, do you think for one minute I would allow you to make a failure out of me?’ he demanded, with silken emphasis on the last question.

Lisa tensed, her slender frame taut as a bowstring, as she searched his darkly handsome face for any sign of weakness. There was none. Did she dare take a chance and defy him? More importantly, did she really want to?

‘You are wise not to argue. This was our first fight, probably the first of many; you are a very feisty lady, which is why I adore you. But enough is enough, Lisa. Forget last night, and we start again from today,’ he urged softly.

‘Just like that?’ Lisa shook her head at his arrogant conceit.

His dark head bent and he brought his mouth gently down on hers. ‘No, just like this.’ He mouthed the words against her lips and then parted her lips to the seductive invasion of his tongue.