He was silent. "Perhaps we can come to some compromise."
She held her breath. "Why?"
"If you'd turn around and face me, I think you'd know."
She couldn't face him. Not yet. "Why?"
"Because I can't fight it any longer. I don't want to fight it. I thought I wanted peace, but peace can be very dull."
"You say that now. But you left me before."
"Not because I didn't love you. It was that damnable relentlessness. But over the years I've found I'm stronger than I gave myself credit for. I've discovered I can do battle with you if necessary."
"And?"
"Why, I deserve you, Layla. For good or ill, for the rest of our years, I deserve you."
"That doesn't sound like a statement of devotion to me. Ill? Do you insult me? Do you think I'd let anything bad--"
"Look at me, Layla. I tire of staring at your back."
She took a deep breath and turned to face him.
He was smiling at her. He held out his hand.
Joy soared through her. She wanted to run to him.
No, she had always been the aggressor. That had been part of their problem. Compromise. This time he must come to her. "You may be right," she said unevenly. "There's a possibility you do deserve me."
And he took a step toward her.
Chapter 21.
"YOU'RE BEING VERY STUBBORN." Selene rolled over on her back and straightened her bodice. "What does it take to convince you that you cannot live without me? I'm sure that I must be as proficient now as any of those women in that house of pleasure where you apprenticed."
"You concentrate on seduction of the body, not the mind." Kadar sat up, picked up a blade of grass, and drew it teasingly over her lower lip. "But, by all means, continue."
She knocked his hand away. "Only because you won't talk to me."
"It's too pleasant a day for discussion. The sky is blue, the sun is bright, and you--"
"The sky was stormy yesterday, and you would not talk then either. It's been over a month and we've done nothing but make love."
He shook his head. "A terrible waste of time."
"It is when I wish to--"
His lips covered hers.
She bit him.
He jumped back, and his hand touched his lower lip. "I take it you're really sincere about this."
"I want to go back to the villa and have you tell Tarik to give me the potion."
He shook his head.
Dear God, he was obstinate. She had not expected to have this much trouble convincing him. "You know you'll do it eventually. I won't have it any other way."
