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She was painfully aware of every movement he made as he leant over her shoulder to discuss her notes, strolled through the grounds carrying her briefcase and folder from place to place, and led her down to the beach so she could view the small harbour with its jetty and boathouse. His hard, powerful thighs, the way the muscles in his body tensed and relaxed as he moved, the line of hair that narrowed from the thickness on his chest into the brief trunks-she was aware of it all. Every moment. Every single moment. And determined not to let him know it.
The anger helped. Anger that she had allowed herself to be put in such a ridiculous position, anger that she had let this man penetrate the barrier she had thought was so strong and firm, anger that he was playing with her, like a satisfied cat with a tiny mouse, and anger that she hadn't won the battle at all. In fact the way she felt was as if the war itself had been well and truly lost. She should have known, when he'd capitulated so easily, that he would have his revenge for her refusal to spend the afternoon in the way he had suggested.
'How much more of the day do you intend to waste?' She had just satisfied herself that the Night Hawk's grand entrance would be able to be seen by everyone in the grounds when Luke spoke, his voice calm and unemotional.
'I have not been wasting anything,' she said hotly as she swung to face him, a slight breeze from the water's edge where she had wandered blowing a cloud of silky red hair across her fact. 'It might have escaped your notice, but I've been working—hard.'
'Nothing you do escapes my attention, Josie.' His mouth twisted in a wry smile. 'Nothing at all. However—' He raised an authoritative hand as she went to interrupt him. 'It is now five o'clock and you have been out here work—' he laid a slight emphasis on the last word '—for three hours. Surely even you would concede that a drink by the pool is in order?'
'OK.' Her voice was reluctant, and his eyes narrowed as he watched her.
'But first you change into something more…suitable.' It was an order, not a question.
'I told you, I didn't bring a swimming costume,' she said evenly, blessing the fact.
'That slight oversight is no longer a problem,' he countered smoothly. 'I think you'll find everything you need in your room.'
'My room?' She stared at him, puzzled. 'I don't understand…'
'I asked Josephine to pop into town with Louis and purchase a few things.' His eyes were like weapons, holding hers. 'It would be a crime not to enjoy the pool and the beach while you are here, don't you think?'
'Y
ou…' Her voice trailed away as anger replaced blank amazement. 'You did what?' she asked tightly.
'And you needn't thank me now.' He took her arm, ignoring the rage suffusing her delicate features as he began to walk back to the house. 'It is the least I can do for a house-guest.'
'I am not a house-guest.' She shook herself free as the feel of the big, almost naked body next to hers did strange things to her hormones. 'And you know it. I'm—'
'An employee,' he drawled resignedly.
'Exactly.' She stared up at him furiously, tiny and ethereal in the sunlight that turned her hair into living fire. 'What will Josephine and the others think about you buying me clothes like that? It looks as if, as if—'
He cut into her splutterings with a mocking laugh that made her want to hit him—hard. The only problem was that she had a long way to move before she could reach his face. 'It looks as if you forgot your bathing wear,' he said with a silky innocence that didn't fool her for a minute. 'Which is what you did, isn't it? Now, stop being so ridiculously narrow-minded. What my staff do or do not think is not your problem; it's mine.'
'I don't believe you,' she spat tightly. 'I just don't believe anyone would resort to such lengths just to get their own way. You've made me look foolish—'
'Not at all,' he said easily, but with a thread of steel now lacing the lazy drawl. 'You do far too good a job of that yourself for me to be able to improve on perfection.' As she raised her hand to strike he caught it easily in his long, capable fingers, shaking his head sorrowfully as he did so.
'Josie Owens, cold, capable career woman, ambitious high-flyer, how could you think of biting the hand that feeds you?' he asked mockingly. 'Hardly the action of a lady with an eye to the main chance.'
'You—'
'But there is fire beneath that cool facade, isn't there?' Suddenly the mockery and cool ridicule had vanished, and his eyes were searching her white face in which two furious spots of colour burnt. 'Fire and a lot, lot more. Who are you really?'
'Now who's being ridiculous?' she asked tightly as she took hold of herself. Losing her temper had been a mistake, a grave mistake, she realised as she looked into the silver-grey eyes that were examining her face. 'I told you before— you are making a mystery where none exists.'
'But you lie, Josie Owens.' He stepped back from her now, folding powerful arms across his chest, and in spite of herself a shiver flickered down her spine in response to the utter maleness of him. 'It's sad but true.'
She disgraced herself further by muttering something very rude that had the black eyebrows rising in sardonic disapproval as he shook his head again, more to annoy her than anything else, she thought waspily. 'Come on,' he said suddenly. 'Enough of this riveting repartee, entertaining though it is. A swim is just what you need.' He took her arm, drawing her into his side as he did so.
It was useless to protest, and she found herself almost carried along by the momentum of his tall, hard body as he whisked her up to the chateau, not stopping until he had deposited her outside her room. With a deep sigh, he looked down into her breathless face. 'You axe going to change into one of the costumes Josephine has so kindly bought for you,' he said expressionlessly, 'and come with me to the pool. If you defy me…' He paused and allowed a twist of his lips that might have passed for a smile if the circumstances had been different. 'I shall come in and undress you myself. OK?'
'You wouldn't dare,' she muttered weakly. 'Not even you.'
'Wrong.' This time the smile was definitely dangerous. 'Quite wrong, my little red-haired sprite, but I won't object if you put me to the test.' He let his eyes run down her slender shape in a mockingly lewd appraisal. 'No, I can promise you that at least,' he said with a lazy thoughtfulness that sent shivers flickering through her again.
She gave him one last glare, opened the door and flounced inside, banging it hard behind her. It was childish but she just couldn't help it, she thought angrily.
