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“You told him we were going to marry!”
“We are.”
“I haven’t agreed.”
He stood and folded his arms. “But you will, because you love me.”
“I do, yes, but I have to have a say in things, Joe. Surely you can see that after what I went through with my grandfather?”
“I’m not getting why this upsets you so much, Bailey. I’m nothing like him.”
She left that alone for now; there would be plenty of time in their lives to make him understand where she was coming from. “We’ll come back to that. You misled me, Joe.”
“About what?”
She paced around his office now, trying to get her words right, because she was hopeless at confrontation. “Lucy. You paid six thousand dollars for her and all that gear.”
“I did, and lied about it because I knew you wouldn’t accept the gift otherwise.”
He was totally unrepentant. His defiance made her want to laugh, but she managed to keep her face serious.
“You know how I feel about manipulation.”
“It’s not manipulation if it’s well-intended, Bailey. I did it because you’re important to me, and you deserve to be spoiled.”
“Joe.” Bailey sighed, looking at him. “You paid six thousand dollars for my birthday present. It’s too much money, especially as when you purchased her you had no idea I loved you or that we were going to have a relationship.”
“Marry me then, and she’ll just be part of our family. Then we can own her together.”
Bailey put her hands in her hair and pulled.
“Feel better?”
“Control and honesty are important to me. I know you bought the horse with good intentions, just as I’m sure you told my grandfather we were getting married for the same reasons.”
“Because I love you.”
“It was thousands of dollars, Joe. I can’t let someone pay that much for a birthday gift.”
“I’m not someone!” His anger was climbing. Hands once again braced on his desk, he glared at her. “I’m the man you supposedly love.”
“You think I’d lie about that?”
“No, and I didn’t lie to you about the horse, I just didn’t tell you the truth… yet.”
“That’s lying, and I’m paying you back.”
“No,” he gritted out. “You are not.”
“I am. I can’t allow that, it’s not right.”
“I’ll be really pissed off if you do, Bailey. It was a gift for the woman I love. The woman who means more to me than any other ever has. If you won’t accept it as a birthday present, then add wedding present to the list.”
“This is not funny!”
“I’m not laughing.”
He held her eyes, and she didn’t look away. She needed to be strong with this man, or he’d walk all over her.
