Bridal Bargains by Michelle Reid Page B

beside it, squeezing her eyes tight shut so she could beg whoever it was who could make these things happen that they take back the last thirty dreadful seconds!
    No chance. She wasn’t even allowed a few minutes to recover her composure before that damn door was shooting open again.
    Pausing to scan the room for her, Andreas found her standing there cringing like an idiot against the wall with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Swinging himself around, he slapped his hands on the wall at either side of her head so he could push his face up close to hers like the dark avenger in search of a victim.
    ‘What the hell did you think you were doing barging into my room like that?’ he raked at her furiously.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she choked, feeling his angry breath warm on her face, but keeping her eyes shut because she still wasn’t ready to take on board how she had been so crass as to stare at his body like that. ‘I didn’t think. I just—’
    ‘Didn’t think?’ he interrupted. ‘Have you any idea how close you came to completely embarrassing both of us?’
    Oh, yes, she thought, with a telling little shudder, she had a very vivid idea how close she had come. ‘I’m sorry,’ she repeated. ‘I’m sorry—I’m sorry!’
    Small white teeth appeared, biting hard into her bottom lip, her only good hand clenching into a fierce fist while she tried very hard to dismiss the image that was still cruelly filling her head.
    Another sigh rasped her face. ‘You idiot,’ he murmured, and the anger seemed to be easing out of him. ‘Next timeknock and wait until you are invited before opening that door, and save both our blushes.’
    ‘Ditto,’ she found the presence of mind to counter.
    It took him a moment, then he huffed out a laugh. ‘I suppose you do have a point,’ he conceded. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked then. ‘You have gone a really strange shade of puce. Never actually seen a man naked before, hmm?’
    He was taunting her! she realised. ‘Don’t you dare laugh at me!’ she flashed, her eyes shooting open in sheer reaction.
    Oh, good grief. He was very close. She hadn’t realised just how close until she found herself staring into those devilish black eyes bare inches away. But at least he’d stopped long enough to pull on a robe, she noted with relief.
    ‘And of course I’ve seen men naked before,’ she lied, lifting her chin to throw the words at him like a challenge. ‘Loads of them as a matter of fact,’ she added for good measure. ‘And you weren’t naked.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he drawled. ‘I certainly felt it.’
    His mocking tone sent her eyes tight shut again. This isn’t really happening, she told herself firmly. It’s all just a very bad dream.
    This time it was a soft huff of laughter that brushed across her heated face. Then—thankfully—he straightened away from her. ‘Now, what did you want?’
    Claire shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’ In truth, she couldn’t remember now what had sent her into his room like that.
    ‘You mentioned your aunt, I seem to remember.’ The rotten swine knew she had forgotten.
    ‘Where is she?’ she demanded. ‘Why hasn’t she been in touch with me?’
    ‘Probably because it is more than her job is worth to try,’ he answered laconically.
    Claire frowned, beginning to relax a little now he had put a bit more distance between them. ‘If you dislike her somuch—’ and it was obvious that he did ‘—then why do you employ her?’
    His lips compressed, his dark eyes hooding over in a way that told Claire he wasn’t going to answer that question even before he confirmed it. ‘If you never take anything else from me, Claire, then take this small piece of advice,’ he suggested very seriously. ‘Forget your aunt. Or even that she works for me. She is not worthy of a single one of your thoughts. Now,’ he added, giving her no chance to challenge all of that before he was turning back to his room, ‘I am going for my