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"Too late." Pouring himself a finger of bourbon from the well-stocked cabinet, he braced his hip on the marble counter and stared at her. "I like spoiling you."
"See, that's just it." She moved restlessly around the room, her fingers trailing over the furniture. She was tired, the time difference buzzing around inside her, but she was not ready to settle, could not settle. "I am not your latest toy-"
"I resent you thinking that you would be."
"I know of your reputation."
"All right."
She stopped and stared at him. "All right? That's all you have to say?"
"I like women, and I will not insult you by denying it."
"Good." She sat on one of the padded chairs and got back up, to his amusement. "I can never be a kept woman."
"I don't expect you to be." He inclined his head regally, thinking he would have her again in another few minutes. It amazed him that he was being swept away like this. It had never happened to him before.
"Good." She repeated. "What is this?" She pointed between them.
"It seems as if we are entering into a relationship."
She shook her head. "That cannot be. I am practical and independent, and you are-" She sat back down and pressed her hand against her breasts. "I already told you that I am not open to having a relationship."
"And yet, here we are." He finished the drink and came towards her. She braced as he hunkered down before her. "I have never done anything like this before."
Ignoring her snort of disbelief, he took her hands in his and studied the elegant fingers. When she was distracted in thejewelry store, he had picked out a stunning ruby and diamond bracelet. Turning her hand over, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the soft skin, feeling her jolt. "We are in a relationship."
"We just met!" She reared back as if denying it was happening.
"And one meeting was all it took." He exerted pressure and pulled her down on top of him; shifting, he turned so that she was half lying on top of him. Brushing her hair back from her face, he bent to kiss her lips.
"I am bowled over, darling," he admitted with a shaky laugh. "For the first time in my life, I am vulnerable and in a position I have never been in. I am not going to ask you to move in with me-"
"Good." She interrupted huskily, completely shaken by his admission. "Because that's not happening."
"Yet." He plowed on as if she had not spoken. "I will wait until you get used to us being together." He stroked her cheek gently.
"Until you find someone else."
"I have a feeling there isn't going to be anyone else," he said wryly.
Her eyes latched onto his, and she drowned in the green-gold depths. And he was damned persuasive, and she was being drawn in. "I love my career." She realized how defensive that sounded to her ears.
"And I would never interfere." Amusement lurked in his eyes as he watched her. "I love what you do and admire your talent."
"I mean it, Callum."
"I believe you do. I only want to advance your career and celebrate you."
"I cannot be bought." She warned, feeling her defenses crumbling. The man had made love to her for an entire night and morning and on the flight here. He had brought her to Paris and taken her shopping, and now they were in his elegant apartment where the fire was making dancing shadows on the walls.
"That much I know. Investing in the play is a solid business interest, and even though I am intrigued and fascinated by you, my board would not let me get away with throwing money away. Rest assured, I am thinking about business, mostly.
Half," He qualified, dotting his words with kisses trailing from the corner of her eye to her cheek and the sides of her lips until she moved restlessly against him. "Right now, I am not. I am thinking about you and what I want to do to you. How I want to use my mouth all over your voluptuous curves."
"You are going to tire of me."
"Unlikely." He was nibbling at her lush bottom lip and getting so much delight from it that he wanted to swallow her whole. Couldn't she feel how much he wanted her? he wondered dazedly.
