will!”
“Not this man,” he told her coldly. “Not when you’ve led me to expect more.”
He set her down and turned to lock the door. While his back was to her, she quickly opened her purse and took out the small knife he had long ago returned toher. It would be the first time she had ever used it other than in practice. She just prayed she could remember all that Johnny Bixler had taught her when she was only a child of ten.
Jared turned around sharply as he heard her slide the knife from its sheath. He laughed heartily at the picture she presented. She was dressed in gold velvet with pearl buttons and lace trimmings. Her dark gold hair was arranged on top of her head with gold velvet ribbons, a few curls escaping on her temples. She held a purse in one hand and the knife in the other.
“Just what do you plan to do with that pretty toy?” he asked, chuckling.
“I’m going to use it if I have to. If you come near me, I will.”
“Didn’t anyone tell you that you can get hurt playing with knives?”
“I happen to know how to use this one. If anyone gets hurt, it will be you,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “Now unlock that door.”
He ignored her demand and stood, his feet planted apart, before the door. “I wondered why you carried a weapon in your purse. Do you often feel the need to protect yourself? Or is it just me you refuse to give in to?”
She glared at him. “So you looked in my purse before you returned it? A gentleman wouldn’t have done that.”
“Well, we both know I’m not one, don’t we?” he replied and began removing his coat.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“I’m preparing to transact our business,” he answered lightly. “After all, you bet only an hour of your time and that time is wasting away.”
“Damn you, haven’t you heard anything I’ve said?You’re not going to touch me. I would sooner make love with the devil than with you!”
“The devil and I are on good terms,” Jared said coolly. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“I hate you, Jared Burk!”
“That hardly makes any difference. Now be a good girl and stop acting as though you’ve never done this before. If you cooperate, you will enjoy it as much as I will.”
Before she could reply, Jared threw his coat in her face, taking her by surprise. He had her wrist in his grip before she could yank the coat away. He jerked her up against his hard chest, bending her arm behind her back and applying pressure until they both heard the knife hit the floor. He stared into her frightened eyes for several moments before he brought his mouth down over hers savagely.
Corinne had never been embraced so tightly before. Her body was molded to his. Even with the pain in her shoulder, for he had not released her arm, her body tingled with feeling, revelled in it.
Jared released her arm and stepped back. “You want me as much as I want you. Why are you pretending otherwise?”
His words were like a slap and Corinne turned crimson. He was right. She hadn’t even struggled to fight his kiss, she had returned it wholeheartedly. What was the matter with her?
She wrung her hands. God, she had to make him believe her! “I can’t, Jared. I’m not what you seem to think I am. I have never been with a man before—I swear I haven’t! I may do some wild things, but that’s not one of them.”
“You’re lying, Corinne. You’re no more virginal than I am.”
“Don’t you care if I’m telling the truth?” she cried. “Are you so bent on having me that you won’t listen? My God, you’re my father’s partner —my partner. Do you think we can ever work together after this?”
“This has nothing to do with the business. You’re paying your debt, Corinne. That’s all.”
“Damn your blackhearted soul!” she stormed. “I owe you nothing!” She had forgotten her fear.
“That’s what this is all about, isn’t it, Corinne?” He grinned sardonically. “You’re just mad
“Not this man,” he told her coldly. “Not when you’ve led me to expect more.”
He set her down and turned to lock the door. While his back was to her, she quickly opened her purse and took out the small knife he had long ago returned toher. It would be the first time she had ever used it other than in practice. She just prayed she could remember all that Johnny Bixler had taught her when she was only a child of ten.
Jared turned around sharply as he heard her slide the knife from its sheath. He laughed heartily at the picture she presented. She was dressed in gold velvet with pearl buttons and lace trimmings. Her dark gold hair was arranged on top of her head with gold velvet ribbons, a few curls escaping on her temples. She held a purse in one hand and the knife in the other.
“Just what do you plan to do with that pretty toy?” he asked, chuckling.
“I’m going to use it if I have to. If you come near me, I will.”
“Didn’t anyone tell you that you can get hurt playing with knives?”
“I happen to know how to use this one. If anyone gets hurt, it will be you,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “Now unlock that door.”
He ignored her demand and stood, his feet planted apart, before the door. “I wondered why you carried a weapon in your purse. Do you often feel the need to protect yourself? Or is it just me you refuse to give in to?”
She glared at him. “So you looked in my purse before you returned it? A gentleman wouldn’t have done that.”
“Well, we both know I’m not one, don’t we?” he replied and began removing his coat.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“I’m preparing to transact our business,” he answered lightly. “After all, you bet only an hour of your time and that time is wasting away.”
“Damn you, haven’t you heard anything I’ve said?You’re not going to touch me. I would sooner make love with the devil than with you!”
“The devil and I are on good terms,” Jared said coolly. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“I hate you, Jared Burk!”
“That hardly makes any difference. Now be a good girl and stop acting as though you’ve never done this before. If you cooperate, you will enjoy it as much as I will.”
Before she could reply, Jared threw his coat in her face, taking her by surprise. He had her wrist in his grip before she could yank the coat away. He jerked her up against his hard chest, bending her arm behind her back and applying pressure until they both heard the knife hit the floor. He stared into her frightened eyes for several moments before he brought his mouth down over hers savagely.
Corinne had never been embraced so tightly before. Her body was molded to his. Even with the pain in her shoulder, for he had not released her arm, her body tingled with feeling, revelled in it.
Jared released her arm and stepped back. “You want me as much as I want you. Why are you pretending otherwise?”
His words were like a slap and Corinne turned crimson. He was right. She hadn’t even struggled to fight his kiss, she had returned it wholeheartedly. What was the matter with her?
She wrung her hands. God, she had to make him believe her! “I can’t, Jared. I’m not what you seem to think I am. I have never been with a man before—I swear I haven’t! I may do some wild things, but that’s not one of them.”
“You’re lying, Corinne. You’re no more virginal than I am.”
“Don’t you care if I’m telling the truth?” she cried. “Are you so bent on having me that you won’t listen? My God, you’re my father’s partner —my partner. Do you think we can ever work together after this?”
“This has nothing to do with the business. You’re paying your debt, Corinne. That’s all.”
“Damn your blackhearted soul!” she stormed. “I owe you nothing!” She had forgotten her fear.
“That’s what this is all about, isn’t it, Corinne?” He grinned sardonically. “You’re just mad
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