part of you is glad that I’m laid up, because it makes me dependent on you. So you can be nice and loving—or stern and commanding.”
The more she thought about his observation, themore accurate it sounded. Sharon wasn’t sure that she liked it. Even though she had accused him of liking to be waited on, she had never thought of herself as liking to wait on him.
“Maybe it’s true,” she conceded. “Any maybe it’s simply human nature—on both parts.”
“How come you don’t want to admit that you like telling me what to do because you know I’m in no condition to do anything about it?” Ridge challenged with a taunting gleam in his eyes.
“It’s definitely a unique feeling,” she admitted, although she was uncomfortable admitting to anything beyond that.
“And you like it?” he persisted.
“I suppose I do.” Her chin lifted a fraction of an inch, tilting to a challenging angle. “It’s nice to have the upper hand once in awhile.” Since he claimed she did in this instance, Sharon took advantage of her position. “Stay in bed and don’t try to get out by yourself while I’m fixing your breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.” His submissive reply was deliberately mocking, denying the obedience and respect implied by the words.
“I think I liked you better when you were Grumpy,” Sharon declared in a parting shot as she turned to leave the room.
“Just like a woman.” Ridge’s taunting voice trailed after. “You like to have the last word.”
A vague sense of irritation threaded through her nerves as Sharon swept into the hallway. There was always an element of truth in generalizations. So tothat degree, the things Ridge had said were true. It simply wasn’t the whole truth.
She had the feeling that she hadn’t handled the conversation very well. She had started out in control, but somewhere it had shifted into his hands. Shaking her head, Sharon realized it was silly to make a contest out of every conversation she had with Ridge. There was no need to feel she had to compete with him at every turn. There might be times when she needed to defend herself against one of his advances—and that was only because her heart was vulnerable where he was concerned, not because she was physically afraid of him.
After fixing his breakfast, Sharon added a second cup of freshly brewed coffee for herself to the tray and carried it to the bedroom. A few minutes were spent helping Ridge maneuver into a sitting position before she could arrange the tray on his lap. He noticed the second cup of coffee as she took it from the tray.
An eyebrow lifted in querying arch. “Aren’t you eating breakfast?”
“Not now. I’ll fix myself something after I’ve washed and dressed.” She sipped at the coffee, cupping the mug in both hands.
There was a slight narrowing of his eyes, although they continued to shine with a blue gleam. His glance flicked from the bowl of oatmeal on the tray to her face.
“I suppose I’m expected to eat this and, later, endure the aroma of bacon sizzling in the skillet.”There was a hint of amusement behind the accusing statement.
“That would be cruel, wouldn’t it?” Sharon agreed with an impish look in her hazel eyes. Actually her menu plans for breakfast had consisted of dry cereal and toast, but she didn’t enlighten him at this stage.
“You know it would,” Ridge countered and picked up the spoon on his tray. It hovered just above the bowl of oatmeal while he cast another glance at her. “There are no knock out drops in here, are there?”
“None,” she promised and lightly crossed her heart, making a playful gesture of taking an oath. She turned from the bed and started for the door with her coffee cup.
“Where are you going?” His question came quickly, light with surprise at her intention to leave.
Sharon half-turned to glance at him. “I’m going to my room to get dressed.”
“You can do that later. Stay here and keep me company while I eat.” The
The more she thought about his observation, themore accurate it sounded. Sharon wasn’t sure that she liked it. Even though she had accused him of liking to be waited on, she had never thought of herself as liking to wait on him.
“Maybe it’s true,” she conceded. “Any maybe it’s simply human nature—on both parts.”
“How come you don’t want to admit that you like telling me what to do because you know I’m in no condition to do anything about it?” Ridge challenged with a taunting gleam in his eyes.
“It’s definitely a unique feeling,” she admitted, although she was uncomfortable admitting to anything beyond that.
“And you like it?” he persisted.
“I suppose I do.” Her chin lifted a fraction of an inch, tilting to a challenging angle. “It’s nice to have the upper hand once in awhile.” Since he claimed she did in this instance, Sharon took advantage of her position. “Stay in bed and don’t try to get out by yourself while I’m fixing your breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.” His submissive reply was deliberately mocking, denying the obedience and respect implied by the words.
“I think I liked you better when you were Grumpy,” Sharon declared in a parting shot as she turned to leave the room.
“Just like a woman.” Ridge’s taunting voice trailed after. “You like to have the last word.”
A vague sense of irritation threaded through her nerves as Sharon swept into the hallway. There was always an element of truth in generalizations. So tothat degree, the things Ridge had said were true. It simply wasn’t the whole truth.
She had the feeling that she hadn’t handled the conversation very well. She had started out in control, but somewhere it had shifted into his hands. Shaking her head, Sharon realized it was silly to make a contest out of every conversation she had with Ridge. There was no need to feel she had to compete with him at every turn. There might be times when she needed to defend herself against one of his advances—and that was only because her heart was vulnerable where he was concerned, not because she was physically afraid of him.
After fixing his breakfast, Sharon added a second cup of freshly brewed coffee for herself to the tray and carried it to the bedroom. A few minutes were spent helping Ridge maneuver into a sitting position before she could arrange the tray on his lap. He noticed the second cup of coffee as she took it from the tray.
An eyebrow lifted in querying arch. “Aren’t you eating breakfast?”
“Not now. I’ll fix myself something after I’ve washed and dressed.” She sipped at the coffee, cupping the mug in both hands.
There was a slight narrowing of his eyes, although they continued to shine with a blue gleam. His glance flicked from the bowl of oatmeal on the tray to her face.
“I suppose I’m expected to eat this and, later, endure the aroma of bacon sizzling in the skillet.”There was a hint of amusement behind the accusing statement.
“That would be cruel, wouldn’t it?” Sharon agreed with an impish look in her hazel eyes. Actually her menu plans for breakfast had consisted of dry cereal and toast, but she didn’t enlighten him at this stage.
“You know it would,” Ridge countered and picked up the spoon on his tray. It hovered just above the bowl of oatmeal while he cast another glance at her. “There are no knock out drops in here, are there?”
“None,” she promised and lightly crossed her heart, making a playful gesture of taking an oath. She turned from the bed and started for the door with her coffee cup.
“Where are you going?” His question came quickly, light with surprise at her intention to leave.
Sharon half-turned to glance at him. “I’m going to my room to get dressed.”
“You can do that later. Stay here and keep me company while I eat.” The
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