the glass barrier between the back seat and the chauffeur. Finally, he turned to her, and Julia noticed his tense jaw, along with the frigid rage in his eyes. A muscle twitched in his cheek. Still, he kept his voice smooth and even. She admired his steely control, though it frightened her a little.
"Is there a problem, Julia?"
Her temper flared as she met his eyes squarely with her own. "Yes, there certainly is a problem. Maybe we didn't marry for the usual reasons, but I -- I am your wife, and you can at least treat me with a little respect!"
She waited for an explosion, but instead he raised his blond brows. Puzzlement clouded his classic futures. "Julia, I apologize if I offended you. What exactly did I do or say that showed so little respect?"
"You called me a hog." It sounded ridiculous when she said it, and a flush warm her cheeks.
Adam froze for a moment, his eyes searching hers. Then he threw back his head and roared. The warm, throaty, genuine sound of his laughter filled the back of the limousine. "Oh, hell, Julia," he said, when he recovered himself, "it was only an expression. You're much too sensitive, sweetheart." His gaze swept over her slender form with arrogant, possessive calculation. "You look nothing like a hog." He chuckled again and shook his head in cheerful disbelief.
Adam's laughter only fueled Julia's anger. She wanted to slap away the amusement that sparkled in Adam's eyes and curled the edges of his mouth. He was the most infuriating man she'd ever met. "I'm not one of your lackeys, Adam. You can't order me around," she said. "I won't put up with it."
He stopped chuckling. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her face. "Are you threatening me, Julia? Because if you are. . . ."
Despite herself, Julia shivered. There was no denying the power of the man seated beside her. It wasn't merely his physical presence that overwhelmed her, though he had a solid, muscular build. There was something more, a hint of ruthlessness beneath the smooth charm, perhaps, or a certain steel in his gaze. She suddenly wondered whether she had -- almost literally -- made a deal with the devil.
"Well, Julia? Are you threatening to bring me down? Because you could, you know, if you go to the press with the truth about our marriage." He continued to stare at her, his eyes glacial.
Julia's gathered the tatters of her courage around her. She needed to show Adam that she wasn't afraid of him, and at the same time reassure him of her loyalty. When she spoke, her voice sounded surprisingly calm and steady. "I wouldn't do that, Adam. I'm just asking that you treat me decently when we're alone, not just when some reporter happens to be listening in."
To her surprise, Adam relaxed and slowly nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I can be overbearing sometimes. I know that. Phil's pretty good about calling me on it. Apparently, so are you. Tell you what -- I'll try to be on my best behavior, and when I slip up, you just let me know."
"Fine." Julia felt her anger drain away, but some of her wariness remained.
Adam seemed sincere. Still, she couldn't be sure. What if his apology was also an act? She didn't know her new husband well enough to separate genuine regret from careful political calculation. She stifled a sigh as the limousine whisked them through the city streets. What if, in marrying him, she'd made the biggest mistake of her life?
CHAPTER FOUR
"Here it is -- the honeymoon suite. Enjoy your stay, Senator and Mrs. Carmichael."
Adam tipped the bellhop and glanced around. A huge oak four-poster bed dominated the room, which also held a white leather couch, a full bar, and a small antique table with two chairs. The balcony beyond included an impressive garden and a steaming hot tub. The suite also boasted a commanding view of the city and the lighted dome of the capitol building.
With effort, Adam suppressed a frown. He'd pay for all this from his private accounts, money he would rather spend on his campaign.
"Is there a problem, Julia?"
Her temper flared as she met his eyes squarely with her own. "Yes, there certainly is a problem. Maybe we didn't marry for the usual reasons, but I -- I am your wife, and you can at least treat me with a little respect!"
She waited for an explosion, but instead he raised his blond brows. Puzzlement clouded his classic futures. "Julia, I apologize if I offended you. What exactly did I do or say that showed so little respect?"
"You called me a hog." It sounded ridiculous when she said it, and a flush warm her cheeks.
Adam froze for a moment, his eyes searching hers. Then he threw back his head and roared. The warm, throaty, genuine sound of his laughter filled the back of the limousine. "Oh, hell, Julia," he said, when he recovered himself, "it was only an expression. You're much too sensitive, sweetheart." His gaze swept over her slender form with arrogant, possessive calculation. "You look nothing like a hog." He chuckled again and shook his head in cheerful disbelief.
Adam's laughter only fueled Julia's anger. She wanted to slap away the amusement that sparkled in Adam's eyes and curled the edges of his mouth. He was the most infuriating man she'd ever met. "I'm not one of your lackeys, Adam. You can't order me around," she said. "I won't put up with it."
He stopped chuckling. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her face. "Are you threatening me, Julia? Because if you are. . . ."
Despite herself, Julia shivered. There was no denying the power of the man seated beside her. It wasn't merely his physical presence that overwhelmed her, though he had a solid, muscular build. There was something more, a hint of ruthlessness beneath the smooth charm, perhaps, or a certain steel in his gaze. She suddenly wondered whether she had -- almost literally -- made a deal with the devil.
"Well, Julia? Are you threatening to bring me down? Because you could, you know, if you go to the press with the truth about our marriage." He continued to stare at her, his eyes glacial.
Julia's gathered the tatters of her courage around her. She needed to show Adam that she wasn't afraid of him, and at the same time reassure him of her loyalty. When she spoke, her voice sounded surprisingly calm and steady. "I wouldn't do that, Adam. I'm just asking that you treat me decently when we're alone, not just when some reporter happens to be listening in."
To her surprise, Adam relaxed and slowly nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I can be overbearing sometimes. I know that. Phil's pretty good about calling me on it. Apparently, so are you. Tell you what -- I'll try to be on my best behavior, and when I slip up, you just let me know."
"Fine." Julia felt her anger drain away, but some of her wariness remained.
Adam seemed sincere. Still, she couldn't be sure. What if his apology was also an act? She didn't know her new husband well enough to separate genuine regret from careful political calculation. She stifled a sigh as the limousine whisked them through the city streets. What if, in marrying him, she'd made the biggest mistake of her life?
CHAPTER FOUR
"Here it is -- the honeymoon suite. Enjoy your stay, Senator and Mrs. Carmichael."
Adam tipped the bellhop and glanced around. A huge oak four-poster bed dominated the room, which also held a white leather couch, a full bar, and a small antique table with two chairs. The balcony beyond included an impressive garden and a steaming hot tub. The suite also boasted a commanding view of the city and the lighted dome of the capitol building.
With effort, Adam suppressed a frown. He'd pay for all this from his private accounts, money he would rather spend on his campaign.
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