Sweet Surrender by Catherine George Page A

again?’ he demanded.
    ‘I’m sure I don’t have to.’
    ‘So why do you think it would be a good thing? From my own point of view it’s a ravishing idea, of course, but—’
    ‘I think it would give me closure.’
    ‘Closure?’ Alasdair put an ungentle finger under her chin to raise her face to his. ‘What the hell does that mean?’
    Kate looked at him defiantly. ‘Meeting you again has revived old ghosts. Maybe going to bed with you would lay them for good.’
    Alasdair’s eyes glittered like ice chips. ‘Any time you go to bed with me, Katharine Dysart, you’ll be too occupied to think of laying ghosts.’
    ‘Ah. I’ve insulted you.’
    ‘Damn right.’ He took her by the elbows and planted her back in the other corner of the sofa. ‘As an ardour-dampening exercise, that was very effective.’
    Kate looked pointedly at his lap. ‘Not entirely.’
    He jumped up, and kicked some logs into place in the fire. ‘All right,’ he snapped, his rigid shoulders very expressive. ‘I’ve changed my mind. Maybe you should go home right now.’
    ‘You’re throwing me out?’
    Alasdair turned on her. ‘I thought you were desperate to go?’
    ‘Not at all. If you remember,’ she reminded him, ‘I was saying it might be a good thing if you made love to me.’
    He glared at her. ‘When a woman makes love with me I prefer it to be for the right reasons.’
    ‘Panting with lust for your body, rather than engaged in an experiment?’
    ‘Exactly. So if your only aim is research, Madame Curie, choose someone else. Your friend Jack, for instance.’
    ‘You’re missing the point,’ she said impatiently. ‘It has to be you.’
    Alasdair stared at her in frowning silence for a while. ‘Explain,’ he said at last.
    ‘Seeing you again made me wonder if you’re the reason why I find close relationships with men so tricky.’ She gazed up at him coaxingly. ‘So perhaps if we did make love I could just get it out of my system and—’
    ‘Stop right there,’ he ordered, his face like thunder. ‘Are you seriously asking me to make love to you to set your libido free for other men? What the hell do you think I am?’
    ‘My friend? A close, valued friend?’ She got up andwent to him, sliding her arms round his waist. ‘You wanted me a few minutes ago,’ she muttered into his chest, and moved closer, triumphant when she felt him harden against her. ‘I think you still do.’
    He gave a smothered exclamation and pushed her away. ‘Stop it, Kate. If you want to play games find someone else.’
    She turned away to hide sudden, unexpected tears. ‘Alasdair, I’m sorry,’ she said thickly. ‘It was a stupid idea. If you’ll get my coat I’ll go home.’
    He turned her round and found her eyes were wet. ‘Kate—don’t, please. Come and sit down again.’ he drew her down beside him on the sofa and put his arm round her, frowning when she stiffened.
    ‘Change of heart?’ he asked, his cheek against her hair.
    ‘No. Embarrassment,’ she said gruffly.
    ‘About what?’
    ‘Suggesting something so idiotic.’
    Alasdair was quiet for some time. At last he turned her face up to his. ‘I know this is a long shot, but tell me the truth. If we did make love, Kate, would it be the first time for you? Is this why you’re choosing me for the experiment?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Then what’s the problem?’
    ‘Me. I’m the problem.’
    ‘Tell me about it.’ He ran caressing fingers through the long, silken strands of hair. ‘Because if some idiot’s said you’re frigid—’
    ‘Not frigid, exactly.’ A quiver of laughter ran through her. ‘But for your ears only, Alasdair, part of me sort of stands apart during the process, amazed I’m doing something so ridiculous.’
    He grinned involuntarily, then sobered. ‘And are you saying this is down to me?’
    ‘In the most peripheral of ways, I suppose it is.’ Kate removed herself from Alasdair’s sheltering arm and sat in the corner of the sofa, facing