jitters. But the truth was, I wasn't willing to admit to myself that I had been so wrong about you. But last night I had to face the truth."
Garrett stared at her as if she'd taken leave of her senses. He appeared totally unconcerned with his own nudity. His body was lean and powerful in the morning light as he faced her with his legs braced. His eyes glittered with annoyance and a growing frustration.
"Last night," he said, "the only truth you had to face was the fact that you're a very sensual woman. I fail to see what's so devastating about that. From all outward appearances, you liked what you found in my arms."
Katy's anger leaped into a bright flame. "I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking about love. I did not find love in your arms last night, Garrett. The sex isn't much good without it."
The first traces of real anger appeared in his eyes. "What happened between us last night was damned good. Don't try to deny it."
Katy threw up her hands in a gesture of frustrated fury. "Why am I even bothering to argue with you? You don't understand. You never will understand. You married me because I'm Katy Randall. Because you like my father. Because I'm an expert on breeding programs. Because you had reached the point in your life when you wanted to add a wife to your list of possessions."
Garrett raked his fingers through his dark hair. He was still making a bid for patience. "You're right about one thing; I don't understand you. Katy, during the whole time we've been seeing each other seriously during the past couple of months you've been a reasonable, sensible woman. You and I have a lot in common. We've known each other for years. Your father approves of me. We're physically attracted to each other. What more do you want? No one forced you to marry me. You seemed to want it as much as I did. I just don't understand what's wrong with you this morning."
"Last night I told you I loved you," she said, hating to have to repeat the words.
His expression softened. "I know," he said gently. "You were very sweet last night."
She ignored him. "You didn't bother to respond."
"Not respond! Lady, I made love to you."
"That doesn't count."
It was Garrett's turn to swear. He did so, forcefully. "What did you want from me? Some kind of flowery, mushy love poem in the middle of the night? If that's what you were expecting, then you're more naive than I thought."
"All I wanted," Katy said, "was to be told that you loved me, too. I wanted some reassurance that I had made the right decision."
"You did make the right decision. Ours is going to be a good marriage. At least it will be as soon as you settle down and stop carrying on like a filly who's just had a saddle put on her back for the first time."
It was all Katy could do to keep herself from throwing something at him. She lifted her head and pinned him with her eyes. "Are you saying I was wrong? That I'm upset over nothing? Are you saying you do love me?"
He sucked in his breath but his eyes never wavered. "I'm saying that we've got everything going for us. I don't know what the hell's the matter with you this morning, but we're going to make this marriage work."
"Do you love me?"
"I want you, I respect you, I intend to take care of you," he stated with dogged determination. "I've never done anything to make you think otherwise. Christ, I didn't even take you to bed until I put a ring on your finger. I thought you'd appreciate all that gentlemanly restraint, if nothing else."
"But you don't love me."
Garrett's hard face was set in rigid lines. He was obviously fighting an internal battle as he tried to dampen his growing anger. "Don't do this to yourself, Katy. You're tearing yourself apart for no good reason."
"Just answer my question, damn you!"
Something snapped in his self-control. "All right, if you want to hear it spelled out, the answer is no, I don't love you."
Katy felt the last of her naive hope wither and die.
She blinked rapidly and swallowed to get rid
Garrett stared at her as if she'd taken leave of her senses. He appeared totally unconcerned with his own nudity. His body was lean and powerful in the morning light as he faced her with his legs braced. His eyes glittered with annoyance and a growing frustration.
"Last night," he said, "the only truth you had to face was the fact that you're a very sensual woman. I fail to see what's so devastating about that. From all outward appearances, you liked what you found in my arms."
Katy's anger leaped into a bright flame. "I'm not talking about sex, I'm talking about love. I did not find love in your arms last night, Garrett. The sex isn't much good without it."
The first traces of real anger appeared in his eyes. "What happened between us last night was damned good. Don't try to deny it."
Katy threw up her hands in a gesture of frustrated fury. "Why am I even bothering to argue with you? You don't understand. You never will understand. You married me because I'm Katy Randall. Because you like my father. Because I'm an expert on breeding programs. Because you had reached the point in your life when you wanted to add a wife to your list of possessions."
Garrett raked his fingers through his dark hair. He was still making a bid for patience. "You're right about one thing; I don't understand you. Katy, during the whole time we've been seeing each other seriously during the past couple of months you've been a reasonable, sensible woman. You and I have a lot in common. We've known each other for years. Your father approves of me. We're physically attracted to each other. What more do you want? No one forced you to marry me. You seemed to want it as much as I did. I just don't understand what's wrong with you this morning."
"Last night I told you I loved you," she said, hating to have to repeat the words.
His expression softened. "I know," he said gently. "You were very sweet last night."
She ignored him. "You didn't bother to respond."
"Not respond! Lady, I made love to you."
"That doesn't count."
It was Garrett's turn to swear. He did so, forcefully. "What did you want from me? Some kind of flowery, mushy love poem in the middle of the night? If that's what you were expecting, then you're more naive than I thought."
"All I wanted," Katy said, "was to be told that you loved me, too. I wanted some reassurance that I had made the right decision."
"You did make the right decision. Ours is going to be a good marriage. At least it will be as soon as you settle down and stop carrying on like a filly who's just had a saddle put on her back for the first time."
It was all Katy could do to keep herself from throwing something at him. She lifted her head and pinned him with her eyes. "Are you saying I was wrong? That I'm upset over nothing? Are you saying you do love me?"
He sucked in his breath but his eyes never wavered. "I'm saying that we've got everything going for us. I don't know what the hell's the matter with you this morning, but we're going to make this marriage work."
"Do you love me?"
"I want you, I respect you, I intend to take care of you," he stated with dogged determination. "I've never done anything to make you think otherwise. Christ, I didn't even take you to bed until I put a ring on your finger. I thought you'd appreciate all that gentlemanly restraint, if nothing else."
"But you don't love me."
Garrett's hard face was set in rigid lines. He was obviously fighting an internal battle as he tried to dampen his growing anger. "Don't do this to yourself, Katy. You're tearing yourself apart for no good reason."
"Just answer my question, damn you!"
Something snapped in his self-control. "All right, if you want to hear it spelled out, the answer is no, I don't love you."
Katy felt the last of her naive hope wither and die.
She blinked rapidly and swallowed to get rid
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