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"That's right."
Laughing in spite of herself, she let him lead her into the apartment. Roxy had made good on her promise. The windows had been opened and the fresh air had rid the rooms of their stuffiness.
Within a half hour her purchases began to arrive. "Oh, you've made a mistake!" Jenny exclaimed as she opened the door for the first delivery.
"No mistake, miss. Excuse me." The man transferred his fat cigar from one side of his month to the other and casually brushed past her as he carried in a chair. "Bring the sofa on in," he yelled back to his helpers, who were climbing down from the truck.
"But wait, that's the wrong one."
"It's the one written on the ticket." He sat the chair down and handed her the green invoice.
Her eyes quickly scanned the invoice, then went back over it more carefully. "Oh, no! Cage, there's been some terrible—"
She broke off when she saw his smile. His backside was trying out the cushiony couch he had chosen, his arms stretched out along its back. He was smiling like a gratified Santa Claus on Christmas morning.
"What have you done?" she grated.
"Sabotage is the word that comes to mind."
That was exactly the word that applied. As piece after piece of merchandise was delivered, she realized that he had gone behind her and ordered the things she had wanted but couldn't afford. "How am I supposed to pay for all this?" she cried.
"Credit. Whatever you paid today went as a down payment. I arranged monthly terms for you that you can afford. A single woman should establish credit. So what's the problem?"
"I can't let you do this, Cage. You're railroading me into making decisions that go against my better judgment. But it's going to stop right now. I won't stay in this apartment if it means keeping all this furniture."
"All right." Those two words of concession should have been accompanied by a sigh and a dejected slump of his broad shoulders. Instead he was grinning broadly. He went to the front door and whistled piercingly. "Hey, fellows, load it all back up and take it out to my place. She's decided to marry me instead of living here alone."
"Oh, Lord," Jenny groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Uncle, uncle!"
Laughing, Cage closed the door and moved toward her.
"Haven't you got anything better to do than baby-sit me?"
"Nothing I can think of."
"Since Hal went away, you've been wonderful. Why are you doing all this for me, Cage?"
The golden eyes wandered over her face. With one index finger, he brushed a strand of her hair off her forehead. "Because I like the color of your hair. Especially when the afternoon sunlight shines on it the way it is now."
He moved closer. Her head tilted back naturally so she could gaze up into his chiseled face. "And I like your eyes," he said softly.
He reached beneath her arm and untied the ends of her shawl. He drew it off slowly, as though he were peeling away a much more personal article of clothing, and dropped it negligently onto the floor.
"I love the way you laugh. And the way the sound of it makes me feel on the inside."
He settled his hands on either side of her waist and lightly seesawed them up and down. "I like the way your body is made."
He lowered his head and nuzzled her ear. "And the shape of your mouth."
A heartbeat later his lips drifted over hers. He pecked her mouth softly, repeatedly, until her lips parted, all but begging to be possessed.
He heeded her silent yearning and melded their mouths together. His tongue slid deep into her mouth and prowled at will. The violence of last night's kiss was gone, but this tender one was just as potent and awakened her body as earth-shatteringly as it had been stirred the night before. Driven by a craving to get closer, she took unconscious steps toward him. When her body was plastered against his from chest to knees, she was almost surprised to find it so.
"God, Jenny," he whispered. His breath was hot and fragrant against her flushing cheeks. His lips were dewy as he caught her earlobe between his teeth and arousingly worried it with small nibbles.
She felt herself slipping into silky surrender again, losing control, turning her common sense and her senses over to a reckless master.
"Cage, we shouldn't do—"
