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Wrapping herself in one of the bath sheets, she cautiously stepped out into the lounge to look for the clothes Nicholas had left for her.
There was a rail just by the front door and, to her relief, Nicholas was out on the terrace talking on the phone, so she was able to flick through the clothes in privacy.
After she had got just halfway through the selection it became clear that they were all designer labels and, although she couldn’t find a price tag on anything, she was sure they would all be exorbitantly expensive and well out of her price bracket. They were gorgeous, though … and with each outfit there was a hanger with coordinated underwear, all in the correct size.
One summer dress in particular caught her eye; it was pure silk and the colour of the Caribbean sea on a summer morning.
She pulled it out and held it up to the light, admiring its iridescent sheen as the sun hit it.
‘Strange you should select that dress.’ Nicholas’s voice from behind made her whirl around in surprise. ‘It was the one that caught my eye too. I thought it would be stunning on you.’
‘It’s certainly very beautiful.’ As he walked closer she tightly held the edges of the towel wrapped around her.
‘You should try it on,’ he suggested firmly.
‘Actually, Nicholas, I don’t usually buy designer clothes.’ She put it back on the rail. ‘They are beyond my budget.’
‘They only sell designer labels here.’ He reached behind her and pulled out the dress again, to hold it out towards her. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll pick up the tab.’
When she still didn’t take it from him, he shrugged. ‘It’s either that or go home as you are.’
Slowly she reached out a hand and took the garment from him. ‘Well, I suppose I have no choice, then—but I will pay you back.’
For a moment he found himself captivated by the way she looked up at him. He had to hand it to her; she was a very good actress. There was a husky integrity about her tone, a light of clear principle in her green eyes. He’d have sworn that she really was uncomfortable accepting the gift and that she really wanted to pay him back. But then, to be s
uccessful at conning people you had to be a good liar—her father had been pretty plausible as well when he had agreed that it would be a felony to rip out the heart of a community.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said dryly. ‘I’ll settle for seeing you in the dress—oh, and in these.’ He picked up some blatantly seductive underwear and hooked it over the hanger of the dress. ‘That will be payment enough.’
He noticed how her eyes shadowed as if he had struck her and against his will he wanted to reach out and gather her into his arms.
‘I said I’d pay you back and I will,’ she said tightly. ‘And I won’t be needing these …’ She put the basque and the silk stockings back where he had taken them from and then, with her head held high, she marched back into the bedroom and shut the door firmly behind her.
Cat was shaking as she flung the dress down on the bed. She couldn’t describe it but there had been something in the cool glint of his eyes that had struck her like a whip against raw flesh. He’d just treated her as if she were nothing more than a concubine—someone to be used like a plaything.
How could he look at her like that when he had made love to her so tenderly last night?
Idiot! Cat berated herself fiercely as she struggled with unfamiliar emotions. She couldn’t understand why she was allowing him to get to her like this. Of course last night wasn’t anything serious. But, that aside, she wasn’t going to let him treat her like some kind of kept woman whom he could buy with a few trinkets and treat any way he damned well pleased. She had some self-respect left!
Strengthened by determination, she turned to pick up the dress. She had stepped into it and was just struggling to reach the zip when the bedroom door opened and Nicholas followed her in.
He cast his eyes over the long length of her back. It was strange but he had never found a woman’s back so incredibly erotic before. Something about the light golden tan of her skin made him want to run his fingers over her.
‘Need some help?’ he asked as he noted her struggle to reach the zip.
Blonde hair swished as she glared at him over her shoulder, her eyes like bright emerald splinters. ‘No, thank you.’
Ignoring her words, he walked across towards her and took hold of her, one hand firmly at her waist whilst the other found the zip.
‘What’s wrong?’ He whispered the words huskily against her ear as he ran the zip lightly up.
She closed her eyes, fighting the treacherous weakness that his close proximity always induced. ‘You mean apart from the fact that you’ve just made me feel cheap?’ she muttered sardonically.
‘That wasn’t my intention.’ His hands lingered at the curve of her waist before sliding the zip all the way up, his fingers brushing provocatively against her skin. ‘I ripped your dress last night, now I’ve replaced it. What’s wrong with that?’ He swept her hair away from her neck and kissed it softly.
Immediately she felt the rekindling of fire inside her. What was wrong with her? she wondered hazily. As soon as he held her and kissed her, everything was magically OK again! It was crazy.
‘I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it.’ She pulled away and turned to face him. ‘You think because you’ve got money that you can buy anything you want—anyone you want. Well, I’m not for sale, Nicholas. I’m my own woman and I always will be.’
