She squared her shoulders and announced, “I’m leaving,” and she was pleased to hear her voice sounded stronger.
“Tell me why,” Colin demanded.
She shrugged, trying to seem unconcerned. “Things aren’t working out between us.”
Without hesitation, he immediately fired back, “That’s an interesting assessment of our situation. Would you care to elaborate?”
She was beginning to realise why he was so successful. He wasn’t just ruthless, he was merciless.
“I…” she began, her mind trying to find a lie he’d actually believe, “well…”
He smiled but instead of being ruthless or belittling, it was magnetic and her stomach lurched pleasantly.
He settled into his stance and crossed his arms on his chest.
“Take all the time you need,” he offered magnanimously. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
In an instant, she did.
“We don’t suit,” she informed him, tossing her hair mutinously because he was beginning to make her mad.
His brows lifted. “And how’s that?”
“You are… well… you.”
“Indeed I am.” His smile returned, deeper, more electric and her stomach pitched then melted with warmth.
“And I’m me!” she snapped when she saw that he was very close to laughing at her. “We’re from entirely different worlds, have different viewpoints. You’re probably a… a… Tory!” she burst out, making the word “Tory” sound like the words “axe murderer”.
“Actually I am,” he admitted without apology.
She threw her hands up. “That in itself makes us impossible,” she announced dramatically.
He shook his head. “You’re forgetting a few very crucial things.”
She didn’t want to know so she didn’t ask. She started to slide away from him to put more space between them but she, of course, had nowhere to go but it gave her something to do.
He didn’t wait for her request to elucidate. “There is the fact that we’re spectacular in bed together.”
“I –” she started to lie.
He chuckled and she could have thrown something at him. “If you tell me you’ve had better, you’re lying. I know you haven’t and neither have I.”
She stopped creeping around the chairs and stared at him in wonder. She could not imagine she was the best Colin had ever had and the very thought made her stomach do a cartwheel of happiness. Then she shook off the result of what that titbit did to her stomach and she said, “That isn’t enough.”
“No?” he asked as she began creeping again. “Then, sweetheart, you force me to play my trump, so I’ll have to remind you that you’re in love with me.”
She halted.
Bloody hell.
Bloody, bloody hell.
She was stupid, definitely stupid, stupid, stupid. She’d led him straight to throwing that in her face and she had no retort. She couldn’t exactly force him to declare his love for her, especially if there was no love to declare.
So she did the only thing she could do, she kept silent.
Colin didn’t. “That fact makes you mine and I don’t let go of what’s mine.”