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.'His fingers tightened on the tiny statuette, and she watched in fascination, wondering whether he would snap it in two, but he replaced it on the table and stuck his hands in his pockets.'As I told you before, everything you do is my business.Why did you come here? Why now?'The blue eyes were cold and vaguely threatening.if you must know,' Emma said icily, 'it was the first opportunity I got after my mother's death.I couldn't come sooner, because Mum wouldn't have wanted me to.''She said so?''Not in so many words, no! I refuse to be put throughthis.'She turned to walk away, and felt his hand clamp around her arm.'Not so fast.''Lei me go!' Emma wriggled uselessly against him, her rapid breathing making her breasts rise and fall quickly.'How do I know that you haven't decided to come over here, suddenly full of granddaughterly love, because you know that Alistair is rich and his caring handouts could be very valuable to you?''You don't! But, just for the record, I haven't!'His grip slackened, and she faced him, her mouth going dry as their eyes met.His head dipped down, and before she could pull away she felt his lips on her, savagely forcing open her mouth until his tongue was inside, probing her.A giddy excitement swept through her body, and her hands clenched his shirt convulsively as she returned his kiss, unable to fight the sudden, reckless yearning filling her.This was madness.Part of her mind was screaming for her to stop, but the feverish pleasure she felt was so powerful.She could hardly catch her breath under the force of his kiss.How could she listen to reason?He drew back with a lazy smile.'Well, at least I know now that you won't be another Lisa St Clair.'Emma looked at the devilish, dangerous face and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.Her body was burning when she finally made it to her room and leaned against the door with her eyes shut.What had she been thinking when she'd let him kiss her? He didn't even like her, but even so he had managed to stir feelings in her that had risen from their slumbering depths like alarming, uncontrollable monsters.Where had her common sense been when she had needed it? She breathed slowly, gradually feeling her body relax.She had made a mistake.But mistakes could be rectified, and experiences, even incomprehensible ones, could be lessons.This one certainly would be.When she descended the staircase next morning, she felt totally in control.Conrad was in the kitchen, and he looked up as she came in.His eyes flickered unhurriedly over her and Emma ignored him.is this the ice maiden act?' he mocked.'Has Esther made this bread for lunch?''Yes.Why don't you look me in the face when you're talking to me?''Because,' Emma said blandly, 'there's a host of other things I would rather look at.How's Sophia?''Ah! Reminding me that engaged men don't kiss other women, right?'Emma flushed.That had been precisely her point, not that it seemed to have thrown him at all.'She's fine.Actually, we'll be going to the beach after lunch.Pigeon Point.Would the ice maiden like to come along with us?''No.''Why not?''I have other things to do.' She bit into her sandwich and threw him a glacial stare.'Like what?' Conrad leaned back in the chair and looked at her with a trace of amusement.'Washing your hair? Painting your nails? It surely can't be work, because at the moment, without Alistair, you're a bit superfluous around here.I take it that you do intend to continue working, that your job here wasn't entirely a hoax to get into the family mansion?''You take it right!' Emma said, her pretence at calm giving way to anger.'Then you'll be a bit bored here for a while.Alistair won't be back on his feet for at least a week, if not longer.So, come along to the beach with us.''A threesome?' Emma could have kicked herself for saying it, but it had been the first thing that had sprang to mind.Conrad, Sophia and.her.'Does that bother you?' Conrad was looking at her intently and Emma felt the colour rise to her cheeks.'No, of course not,' Emma said defensively.'I just wouldn't want to get in the way of.''Of what? We won't be doing anything intimate on the beach, you know.'He stared at her and laughed.'I do think I've embarrassed you,' he said lazily, looking at her sideways.Emma could feel her skin going a deeper shade of red and concentrated with unnecessary thoroughness on her sandwich.He was still wearing an infuriating half-smile on his face and she could quite easily have kicked him under the table.'I'd love to come to the beach with you,' she said sweetly.'Since I've been here, I haven't seen anything at all.Apart from the cove at the bottom of the garden.''Ah, yes, the cove.' He grinned and Emma regarded him with stony incomprehension.'Pigeon Point, I have to tell you, isn't quite as private as that.But I think you'll find that the bathing more than compensates for any lack of privacy.'He left the kitchen, whistling.I hope he gets stung by a jelly fish, Emma thought furiously
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