Gentle Pirate by Jayne Castle Page A

very distinctly. "And the main reason I was waiting when you got home tonight was to see if I was going to have to pull that puppy Williamson out of your bed!"
    Kirsten gasped, a combination of fury and astonishment driving out the fear momentarily.
    "You're out of your mind! You hardly know me, and my relationship with Ben Williamson is none of your business!"
    "It became my business today when you walked into my office acting as if you could care less what I did with your job," he grinned, the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I intended to call you in the morning, but when you appeared at dinner I decided not to let such a heaven-sent opportunity pass!"
    "And so you parked yourself outside my door and waited until I got home from a date with another man so that I could fall immediately into your arms?" Kirsten breathed scathingly, trying to dislodge his grip on her neck. "If you aren't careful, you're going to throttle me!"
    "Never!" he said with great certainty. "I've told you I'd never hurt you. And I didn't exactly expect you to fall into my arms tonight, either. I planned to talk to you. That's all!" Then he added, deadpan, "Of course, if my talking had convinced you to throw yourself at me, so much the better!"
    "You're impossible! Nobody makes up his mind about another person that fast!"
    "I do."
    "Really? And how often during the past, let's say, year or so, have you made up your mind that you wanted a particular woman?" she mocked, feeling desperate.
    "If you're asking if I've lived a celibate life waiting for you, the answer is no," he admitted cheerfully. "But there's a difference between enjoying oneself and really wanting someone!"
    Where have I heard that before, Kirsten thought bitterly. "Isn't there just, though? And you know the difference?"
    "I discovered it today," he stated with satisfaction, finally removing his restraining hand. Kirsten breathed an unconscious sigh of relief and noted that the hook was still tucked politely out of sight in a jacket pocket. "I think it's time we went to bed, don't you?" he added conversationally. "Where are the extra blankets? Hall closet?" He was already striding toward the hall that led to the bedroom, leaving Kirsten standing, frozen, in front of the aquarium. My God! What was she going to do?
    She watched disbelievingly as he helped himself to blankets, filched an extra pillow from her bed, and came back into the living room. He set about making the couch into a bed with suspicious dexterity. A skill he'd learned in the military? Kirsten shuddered. She watched with a sort of mesmerized helplessness as he finished the job and turned back to face her, right hand already at the knot of his tie.
    "Going to stay and watch?" Simon inquired humorously, knowing full well he could face her down.
    Kirsten seethed with righteous anger, knowing she was in a classic no-win situation. She couldn't possibly remove him herself, and if she called the police to do the job, there was no telling how bad a scene Simon might create. Unless he actually made a serious move to threaten her physically, she didn't think she could bring herself to scream. And she sensed he knew it.
    "Someday," she vowed with an intensity of feeling she hadn't known she possessed, "you're going to regret this!" She swung away, toward the bedroom.
    "I'll use the bathroom first," he called after her. "Then you can take your time."
    Kirsten's response was to slam her bedroom door. Feeling a little safer now, she reached out and locked it. The task reassured her considerably. As long as she stayed here she would be safe, she decided, and eyed the window by the bed as a possible escape route. Immediately she regretted having left the keys to the car in her purse, which was decidedly out of reach unless she wanted to risk another trip to the living room. The car had been her means of escape before and she'd use it again if she had to, but, damn it! She was getting tired of running away from powerful,