Jeopardy by Fayrene Preston Page B

and you ask what’s bothering me?”
    She swallowed and discovered a hard lump had settled in her throat. “So then, can I gather from that outburst that you're upset because we had sex last night?”
    His eyes narrowed slightly, as if, she thought uneasily, he were trying to gain a better focus and see into her mind.
    “You’re not?”
    His deep growling tone made her want to seek shelter. She rolled her shoulders in a casual shrug and felt a twinge of pain, her first indication that she’d been holding herself rigidly. “I decided not to let myself get upset. We got into trouble when we tried to pursue what happened with the kiss. There’s no telling what would happen if we tried to pursue the rationale behind last night.”
    “Last night.” He shook his head, and for a moment she thought she saw amazement on his face. “Last night,” he said, continuing. “I want you to know, Angelica, that I didn’t intend for anything to happen.”
    Somehow that didn’t make her feel better. “No, I don’t suppose you did.”
    “But on the other hand, I’m not sorry it happened.”
    Now she felt better. “Thank you for saying so.”
    “I mean it.”
    She nodded, appreciating his kindness. It made her all the more determined to get on with her life—something she was sure she would not be able to do if they made love again. Lord, where had such a thought come from, she wondered.
    There was no chance of that happening, though. His purpose there was obviously to try to let her down easy. But to her chagrin, she was discovering she could not take his polite, gentle dismissal easily.
    She felt as If he had flung her off a cliff last night when he had taken her Into his arms, and now she was about to crash on the rocks below. To come out of this in one piece, she had to go on the offensive, soften the landing.
    "Why did you leave without telling me?” he asked, his voice lowering into its purr.
    Once again he had managed to throw her off balance, she thought, dismayed. “I woke up and decided it was time to leave.”
    “But why didn’t you tell me?”
    “You were sleeping deeply. I thought it would be rude to wake you.”
    He rarely slept deeply, he thought, but then, he couldn’t remember ever staying up all night and making love. And he almost always awoke alone. But this morning, when he had awakened and found her gone, he had been deeply disturbed.
    He averted his gaze from her. Just being near her had his blood heating. He couldn’t seem to look at her too long without wanting to kiss her until she was senseless and then undress them both and repeat last night down to the finest detail. How in hell had he managed to keep his hands off her for so many years? He wished he knew. All this time he must have been walking a tightrope without realizing the enormity of his feat.
    “It was a mistake,” she was saying. “It shouldn’t have happened.”
    His gaze flew back to her. “That’s damned ironic. A day ago I said the same thing about the kiss, and you got angry. Now you’re saying last night was a mistake, and I’m angry as hell. Our opinions have reversed. How did that happen?” She threw up her hands. “This is pointless. I’m not the one with the answers. However, I am the one who’s tired. Please, leave.”
    He suddenly grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. “Dammit, we ignite whenever we’re near each other, Angelica! I want to know why! After all these years, why?"
    She couldn’t think. Being in contact with his hard, muscled body put her in a type of peril with which she could not cope. At this moment the contact seemed an even greater peril than the rocks she was hurtling toward. With an immense burst of energy she broke free of his grip. Taking shuddering breaths, she forcibly pushed air into her lungs. “I told you I don’t know the answers, and we don’t seem to be able to have a sensible discussion about it, or anything else, for that matter. So stay away from me, and I’ll stay