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She pouted a little. “I figured I’d have to persuade you.”
Anticipation lit wickedly in his eyes. “Would you like to?”
She fastened her slacks, kept her face bland. “Well, I really appreciate it. And since you’re being so accommodating, I guess this is a good time to hit you with part
two.”
Idly, he poured more coffee, flicked a glance at the monitor as the off planet agriculture reports began to scroll. He’d recently bought a minifarm on Space Station Delta.
“What’s part two?”
“Well, Jess has worked out this one number. He ran it by me last night.” She looked at Roarke, making it up as she went along. “It’s a duet, really impressive. And we thought, if for the party—the live portion of the performance—you could do it with Mavis.”
He blinked, lost all interest in crops. “Do what with Mavis?”
“Perform it. Actually it was my idea,” she continued, nearly losing it when he paled. “You’ve got a nice voice. In the shower, anyway. The Irish comes out. I mentioned it, and Jess thought it was fabulous.”
He managed to shut his mouth, but it wasn’t easy. Slowly he reached over to disengage the monitor. “Eve—”
“Really, it would be great. Leonardo has a terrific design for your costume.”
“For my—” Thoroughly shaken, Roarke got to his feet. “You want me to wear a costume and sing a duet with Mavis? In public?”
“It would mean so much to her. Just think of the press we could get.”
“Press.” Now he blanched. “Christ Jesus, Eve.”
“It’s really a sexy number.” Testing them both, she walked over, began to toy with the buttons of his shirt as she looked hopefully up into his eyes. “It could put her right over the top.”
“Eve, I’m fond of her, really I am. I just don’t think—”
“You’re so important.” She trailed her finger down the center of his chest. “So influential. And so . . . gorgeous.”
It was just a little too thick. He narrowed his eyes, caught the laughter in hers. “You’re putting me on.”
Her laughter burst out. “You bought it. Oh, you should have seen your face.” She pressed a hand to her belly, yelping when he yanked her ear. “I would have talked you into it.”
“I don’t think so.” Not at all sure of himself, he turned away, started to reach for his coffee again.
“I could have. You’d have done it if I’d played it right.” All but doubled over with laughter, she threw her arms around him, hugged herself to his back. “Oh, I love you.”
He went very still as emotion delivered a hard, bruising punch to his heart. Shaken, he turned, gripped her arms.
“What?” The laughter died out of her face. He looked stunned, and his eyes were dark and fierce. “What is it?”
“You never say it.” Swamped, he dragged her close and buried his face in her hair. “You never say it,” he repeated.
She could do nothing but hold on, rocked by the emotions pulsing from him. Where had this come from? she wondered. Where had he hidden it? “Yes, I do. Sure I do.”
“Not like that.” He hadn’t known how much he’d needed to hear her say it, just like that. “Not without prompting. Without thinking about it first.”
She opened her mouth to deny it, then closed it again. It was true, and it was foolish, cowardly. “I’m sorry. It’s hard for me. I do love you,” she said quietly. “Sometimes it scares me because you’re the first. And the only.”
He held her there until he was sure he could speak, then eased her back, looked into her eyes. “You’ve changed my life. Become my life.” He touched his lips to hers, let the kiss deepen slowly, silkily. “I need you.”
She linked her arms around his neck, pressed close. “Show me. Now.”
chapter eleven
