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"Baby, I'm not like your dad. I'm not going to do to Peter what he did to you."
She wrapped her arms around her waist, holding herself so tightly that he knew he wasn't saying the right thing. Hell, he had no idea what the right words were. It was like being in virgin territory; he knew how to seduce Larissa into his bed, but he had no clue how to keep her there.
"I'm waiting to hear you say you know I won't hurt Peter."
"Of course I know that, Jake. The first time I saw you with him, I knew I'd cheated both of you out of something."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Me," she said, softly. "I'm the problem."
"You know I won't hurt you."
"What if I hurt you?"
"I'm not that fragile," he said. What kind of wimp did she think he was?
"That's what I was afraid of."
"I'm not following."
"I can't hurt you because I'm nothing more than a make-believe wife to you. You don't care for me."
"Don't put words in my mouth. I care for you more than I do any other woman."
"Right now."
"Larissa, there are no guarantees in life. You know that and so do I. I'm not sure what you think you're going to achieve by not sleeping with me."
"I'm trying to keep from falling in love with you, idiot. I don't want to be vulnerable to any man."
"I'm not just any man, Larissa. I'm your husband."
She shook her head and turned away. There was a knock on the door and Jake didn't move to answer it. He wanted to hash this out to a conclusion, but Larissa was already retreating behind that wall of icy cool that she used to keep him out. "Room service," they both heard from the door.
"This isn't over," he warned as he exited the bedroom.
* * *
Larissa was dressed by the time Jake returned. She'd clipped up her hair and was fastening her sandals when he walked back into the room.
"In a hurry?" he asked.
"No. I just didn't want…"
"To appear weak," he said. Cursing under his breath he stalked to his suitcase and removed his clothing for the day.
"Go eat, Larissa," he said without looking at her.
She stood in the doorway. "Didn't you want to finish our conversation?"
He gave a derisive snort. "No. I don't think so. I've had enough of trying to convince you I'm respectable." He walked away from her without a backward glance.
She shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms, feeling colder and more alone than ever. She'd expected Jake to say many things when she told him she wanted to stop sleeping with him. But she hadn't anticipated the depth of his anger.
She picked at the breakfast he'd ordered for them, but could only manage drinking the coffee. The phone rang and she answered it.
"Jacob Danforth please," a male voice said.
"One moment. Can I tell him who's calling?"
"Ted Larson."
Larissa set the handset on the table and crossed their suite to the bathroom door. The shower had stopped. She rapped on the door and Jake opened it, shaving cream on his face and a white towel slung low around his lean hips.
She swallowed. His hair was damp and a bead of moisture trailed down his neck to his chest. Unconsciously she lifted her hand to catch the drop. Jake caught her hand in his and held her captive. She glanced up into his eyes.
She could read nothing in his gaze. Had she just made the biggest mistake of her life by demanding a celibate marriage with this man?
"Change your mind already?" he asked. Sometimes it was as if he could see straight to her soul. Had she changed her mind? It would be so easy to loose herself in the web of sensuality that Jake created, but in the end, she knew she'd have a tough time moving on when he was tired of her. And Jake had never stayed with one woman too long.
She shook herself. "You have a call."
He rubbed her hand over his chest before letting it drop. She flexed her fingers, raking her nails over his skin. His towel stirred. She wanted to stay. What had she been thinking to put the brakes on this? "Take a message for me."
Her hand tingled and her body said her mind was on the verge of insanity. She couldn't live with Jake and not be his woman. "Okay."
She pivoted on her heel, but her legs were weak and she didn't know if she was going to be able to walk away from him.
"Rissa?"
She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Yes?"
"You never answered my question."
"I'm afraid to," she said, and walked away, firmly closing the bedroom door behind her. She needed to regain her perspective. She needed to talk to her son. She missed him. She'd talked to him right before the ceremony yesterday.
She took a message from Mr. Larson and left the note on Jake's briefcase. She dialed the number to Jake's parents' house. The housekeeper answered on the third ring.
