Lethal Affair by Noelle Hart

still had
her feet firmly planted on the ground, and the fact that those feet
were ready to go home spoke volumes.
    Drew had other ideas. When she
declined dessert he did a one-eighty as though there had been no
exchange of harsh words earlier and presumptuously led her toward
his bedroom.
    When she realized what was happening
she dug in. “No, Drew. I'm really tired. Monday morning can be a
bitch.”
    He gave her a sharp look. “Don't cuss.
It's not something I can tolerate in a woman.”
    This was news to her. As a rule she
wasn't one to spew out foul language but the occasional slip now
and then was only natural. The cons on her Drew list were starting
to outnumber the pros.
    Kylie angled toward the kitchen. “I'll
load the dishwasher, then I'm out of here.” She carried their
plates to the sink and started to scrape them when Drew folded his
arms around her in a too tight hug from behind, murmuring in her
ear, “C'mon Kylie, let's have a little rumble in the sack. It will
relax you, I guarantee it.”
    She tried to move away but his arms
tightened like steel bands, trapping her.
    “ What's really going on with
you?” he asked with a whine. It grated on her nerves. “Why are you
avoiding sleeping with me?”
    There it was again. That same
question. And now she knew the answer. She tried to jerk free but
he held on tight. “It's this, Drew. You're not giving me a choice
here, physically and otherwise. You're pushing too hard and making
demands that I don't think I can deliver on.”
    “ You can learn. It comes
with the territory. Every woman conforms to the needs of her man.
It's only natural.”
    That piqued, and how! She struggled in
earnest now and he let go. “I know marriage takes a certain amount
of push and pull, but what you're saying is that you want me to
change who I am while you remain the same. That doesn't work for
me.”
    His breathing became shallow and his
eyes sparked and narrowed. She watched in alarm as his fingers
curled into fists. He took a step toward her and she
flinched.
    That one little reaction stopped him
cold. Drew took a deep breath and unclenched his hands.
    She gave him a moment. Then, quietly,
“This is an area of concern Drew. Are you predisposed to follow in
your father's footsteps?”
    She knew she was taking a risk saying
it, knew it might push him over the edge. Better to find out now
though, to see if he had whatever this was under
control.
    His shoulders slumped. “I'm not an
ogre, Kylie. You push my buttons. Why do you do that?”
    “ If it's me causing the
problem, it's not intentional. I don't go in for physical violence
one iota. It's good this is coming out now. I won't be your
punching bag. Now move aside. I'll see myself out.”
    The errant muscle in his cheek did its
little dance but he let her move past him and go to the door. She
turned and looked back at him. Pity. He was such a good looking
man, the kind of looks any woman might fall all over herself to
grapple at in the sack. Too bad it was a tainted
package.
    He said, “What about the dinner on
Saturday at my parent's house?”
    She blinked. “You still want to do
that?”
    He nodded. “I told you before, I'm a
part of your life now. My parents have a right to meet the mother
of their grandchild.”
    Her stomach sank. So this would be
troublesome after all. “Are you planning on telling them? I thought
you said they'd be mortified.”
    His gaze was level if not menacing. “I
intend to work this out, Kylie. You're tired right now. I get that.
But you'll change your mind. I'll pick you up at six on Saturday.
Wear something appropriate.”
    Incredulous, she made her escape. All
the way home Kylie's head swam with the swift turns and shifts in
Drew's personality. Dear God, what if the kid inherited it? Then
she'd deal with it, she raged internally, stamp it out before it
took root. These things were as much developed by circumstances as
they were by genetics.
    Weren't they?
     
    * * * *
     

CHAPTER