Secrets of the Playboy's Bride(5)

"You disagree?"

"I believe in family. Marriage is part of family."

He shrugged. "I don't know much about family."

She gave a shrug in return. "Maybe you should learn."

He paused as he lifted his beer. "Is that a challenge?"

"I'll let you decide that," she said with a light laugh.

After dinner, they took a walk along the long dock that led out to the  lake. His cell phone beeped and he glanced at the caller ID. "Excuse me,  I need to take this. Won't be a minute. I've had a few blips with the  China deal." He put the phone to his ear. "Leo Grant," he said and  listened.

Calista walked further down the dock, torn between her next step with Leo and the sound of his voice.

"So our shipping agent in Hong Kong tried to charge more after we'd  already loaded the merchandise for transport? Fine. Pay the surcharge  this once, then call our second choice. After delivery is confirmed, cut  the first guy loose and tell him we will be reporting his behavior to  everyone in the shipping and merchandising business."

The ruthless tone in his voice made her throat tighten.

"That's my final word," he said. He turned off his cell and looked  toward her. "That's done. We shouldn't have any more interruptions this  evening," he said and moved beside her, sliding his arm behind her back.

"Why do I get the feeling that a guillotine has just fallen on some very foolish guy in Hong Kong?" she asked.

Leo shrugged. "He should have stuck to the deal. If someone tries to cheat me, they're history."

She felt a chill and a sliver of bitterness at his hypocrisy. How many  times had his own father cheated people? How many times had Leo been a  part of his father's schemes?                       
       
           



       

"Have I frightened you?" he asked. "There's no need as long as you're  honest with me," he said, drawing her against him as he leaned against  the small building at the far end of the pier. "Now let me make you  forget about that unpleasant phone call."

His warmth surrounded her as he slid his hands down her back to her  bottom and slid one of his hard thighs between her legs. A stab of  sensual shock raced through her. "Leo," she began.

He dipped his head to her throat, rubbing his lips over her skin. "I bet  every inch of you tastes delicious," he muttered, sliding his tongue  over a sensitive spot. "I knew you would from the first minute I met  you. Give me your mouth," he said and coaxed her lips into meeting his.  Skimming one of his hands upward, he touched the side of her breast.

He emanated pure masculine strength and sexuality and gave her the  unmistakable message that he wanted to possess her. The primitive drive  seemed to throb just beneath his clothes. Despite every reason she had  to detest him, she was drawn to him like no other man. Here, she sensed,  was a man with a will to match her own. Without conscious thought, she  responded to him, sliding her arms up behind his neck, arching against  him.

He took her mouth and she took his, drawing his tongue into the  recesses. Heat scored her from the inside out, and her body called to  his. His touch was tender, edged with roughness that only turned her on  more.

He gave a low, carnal growl. "Let's go back to the house. I want you in my bed."

His words threw her into a maelstrom of confusion. She drew back from  him catching her breath, trying to catch her sanity. She wanted to be  with him intimately. She wanted him. But she had a plan. This  relationship wasn't for her pleasure. It was for something far more  important.

She inhaled another deep breath, reaching down deep for her conviction.  "I want-" She broke off when she looked into his dark needy gaze and her  mouth went dry. She couldn't look into his eyes at this close range.  His gaze reflected the ache she felt inside her. She bit her lip and  closed her eyes. "I'm afraid you're not going to understand this."

"Understand what?" he asked.

She forced her eyes open, but turned her gaze to his right shoulder. His strong, broad shoulder. "I want to go to bed with you."

"Good, let's-"

"But I can't," she quickly added.

Silence, so clear she could hear the water lapping against the dock, followed.

"Why?" he asked.

Summoning her courage, she met his gaze. "It's going to sound terribly  old-fashioned, but I want to keep that for the man I marry. I don't  think I'm cut out to be intimate with a lot of men. I don't want to make  the mistake of giving my heart, myself, to a man and then being crushed  because he isn't the right one."

He shot her a considering look then wiped his hand over his face.  "You're telling me that you're saving yourself for marriage? That's the  oldest trick in the book."

"I told you that you wouldn't understand. I'll leave in the morning,"  she said and turned away from him to walk back to the house. She crossed  her arms over her chest, feeling the impending crush of defeat. Holding  off on sex had been a calculated risk, but Calista had suspected that  it would be difficult to motivate Leo to marry her quickly unless she  waited.

Three seconds later, she felt her hand caught by his. "Not so fast," he said.

She stopped in surprise, searching his face.

"The least you can do is give me a chance to change your mind. Or see if you can change mine," he said.

Her heart racing a mile a minute, she shook her head. "I don't want to  deceive you. I heard you talking earlier. You hate to be tricked. Again,  it's best if I leave in the morning."

He lifted her hand to his mouth. "I'm not disappointed, or feeling tricked. I'm just surprised. Your outlook is unusual."

"I know, but I've watched so many of my friends make poor choices and  wish they could take everything back. It's about more than the physical  intimacy. I just think I'm one of those women who jumps all the way into  the pool of commitment. I totally understand if you're not looking for  that. Most men aren't." She added that last statement to spur his  competitive nature. Leo wouldn't want to be compared to another man.

"I'm not most men," he said. "I'll show you to your guest room and we'll see how it goes."

She opened her mouth to tell him she had judged him correctly, but he  covered her mouth with his finger. "I insist," he said in the sexiest  voice she'd ever heard.                       
       
           



       





After Leo led Calista to the guest bedroom, he prowled his balcony,  still aroused from the way she'd tasted, smelled and felt in his arms.  He couldn't remember a time when a woman had turned him away from her  bed. Although she'd done it without malice, it didn't diminish his  sexual frustration. In fact, her desire not to manipulate him aroused  him even more.Many women had tried to trick him into marriage. A few had  even feigned signs of pregnancy, but Leo had been very careful. He had  no interest in binding himself to just any woman. At least, he hadn't  until now. But he saw the advantage of linking himself with Calista. She  was pure. She represented a fresh start.

Glancing out at the still lake, he considered taking a dip in the frigid  water to quiet the heat Calista had generated in him and the longings  he'd buried long ago. Did he really want a family? Was such a thing  possible for him? His upbringing had been one move after another. He'd  never known when his guardian father would take out his rage on him.  He'd spent so many years braced for something horrible to happen to him.  And it had, several times until he'd run away.

Leo wondered what it would be like to be loved by a woman like Calista.  He sensed she was the kind of woman who would marry forever. Look at her  commitment to her sisters. She possessed a strength that drew him like a  light in the darkness.

Was he considering marrying her? The notion shocked him. He barely knew  her. Yet, he knew she was different. She'd known what it was like to be  raised in a loving family-with relationships and ties she still worked  to keep strong. She possessed the core of something he'd been searching  for, for years.

He raked his hand through his hair. It wasn't just sex. He suspected he  could seduce her into his bed despite her lofty goal. The sexual animal  in him roared at the urge to take her, to make her his. He could and he  suspected they would bring each other amazing pleasure.

For some strange, insane reason, however, he hesitated seducing her for  the pure purpose of his gratification. It wasn't out of consideration  for her principles. No. Her reticence called to his competitive nature.  He wanted her to be convinced that he was the man she wanted. The man  she couldn't turn down. He wanted her to come to him.