She held her breath as he stopped a whisper from her.
‘My intention was to find you and explain things better, perhaps even apologise for what I said in my study.’
Her heart lifted, then plummeted again when she deciphered his meaning. ‘Well, I’m waiting.’
‘Oh, you won’t be getting an apology from me now, amante.’
He leaned over and looked into the copper pan bubbling on the stove. Picking up a spoon, he scooped up some sauce and sampled it.
‘Not half bad. What is it?’
‘Oh, I thought you’d recognise it, Narciso. This sauce I’ve named The Valentino Slimeball Special. It’ll taste divine with the freshly made Playboy’s Puffballs I’m planning on serving them with. You’ll love it, trust me.’
Slowly, he lowered the spoon and speared her with those icy silver eyes. ‘Say that again.’
‘I’m pretty certain there’s nothing wrong with your hearing.’
He tossed the spoon into the sink and leaned closer, bracing his hands on either side of her so she was locked in. ‘Say it again anyway. I like the way that pretty mouth of yours pouts when you say puffballs.’
Despite his indolent words, his eyes glinted with fury. Her instinct warned her to retreat, but caged in like this, watching the erratic pulse beating at his throat, she knew any attempt at escape would be futile.
He was hanging on to his control by a thread. The sudden urge to shatter it the way he seemed to shatter hers so very easily made her stand her ground.
‘You’ll have to beg me if you want that.’
‘Ah, Ruby, shall I let you in on personal insight?’
‘Can I stop you?’
‘I think you delight in pushing my buttons because you know it’ll get you kissed. Am I right?’
‘You’re wrong.’
‘Then why are you licking your lips like that? Anticipation has you almost insane with desperation right now.’
‘You have a ridiculously high opinion of yourself.’
‘Prove me wrong, then.’
‘I won’t play your stupid games.’
‘Scared?’
‘No. Uninterested.’
‘Believe me, Ruby, this isn’t a game.’ When his hands went to undo the tie holding her dress together, she batted them away.
‘Stop. What’s wrong with you?’
His laugh was filled with bitter incredulity. ‘I walk in here to find you moaning for another man and you ask me what’s wrong with me?’
‘You’re jealous?’
Right before her eyes he seemed to deflate. His hold on her dress ties loosened. And the eyes that speared hers held hellish agitation.
‘Yes! I’m jealous. Does that make you happy?’