The Devil To Pay by Unknown

night-dark gaze. It froze her to
    the spot, sending a chill down her spine.
    “I was simply making an observation,“ Julian ground out slowly. “The fact that both of us are free is going to make
    things easier, but if you did happen to have a current lover, it wouldn’t have made any real difference. I’d still want
    you and I would still do my best to make you want me. Do you understand?“
    “Yes, I most certainly do,“ she flung back recklessly. “You’re saying you’d still consider me fair game whether or
    not I had commitments elsewhere! Of all the arrogant, unethical, contemptible…“
    The anger went out of his eyes to be replaced by rueful amusement as Julian firmly silenced her with a palm across
    her mouth. Above the edge of his hand her eyes continued to berate him, but he only shook his head. “Please, Emmy,
    that’s enough for tonight. You’ll hurt my feelings!“
    “Hah!“ she muttered scornfully as he removed his hand. “I doubt that you have many feelings other than…than
    the kind you just exhibited while you were kissing me,“ she concluded a little lamely.
    “You mean other than sexual feelings?“ he suggested helpfully. “Well, I will admit to those.“ He glanced down at
    the still-taut outline of his own body, and Emelina was horrified to find her glance automatically following his.
    Hurriedly she wrenched her eyes away from the sight of his hardened frame and turned to stare fixedly into die flames
    of the fire. “But I do have other kinds of feelings, too, Emmy,“ he added softly.
    “I think I’d like to go home now,“ she stated remotely.
    “Very well.“ Without further protest he collected his jacket and hers and whistled to Xerxes. “Let’s go.“
    Julian saw her politely to her door and waited until he’d heard her lock it before he reluctantly started back to his
    own cottage with Xerxes at his heels. He was wryly aware of the steady ache in his lower body. Emelina would never
    know how close he had come to overriding all her nervous objections tonight. He’d wanted her. Very badly. Julian set
    bis teeth as the night breeze off the ocean caught his hair and chilled him.
    Perhaps the chill would calm his tight body, he decided moodily. With luck it would have the same effect as a cold
    shower. Damn it, but it had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman this suddenly, this positively. His hands
    curved unconsciously as he remembered the soft roundness of her breast and thigh.
    He knew what it meant to desire a woman physically, but he was rapidly coming to realize that what he wanted from
    Emelina Stratton amounted to something much more complicated than physical satisfaction. Face it, he told himself
    grimly, he wanted a large chunk of that loyalty she was prepared to give someone she loved. He wanted to know what
    it was like to have a woman who was loyal to him completely. A woman who would stand with him against the world if
    need be. A woman who would give herself completely to him.
    Now he had struck a bargain with a woman who seemed quite prepared to honor her end of it. What would she do
    when he called in the tab? Would she really pay the price he was beginning to think he would demand? Would she
    repay him with the loyalty and honor and faithfulness he craved?
    God! He was turning fanciful as he neared forty, Julian decided in mocking self-disgust. Had he come to this
    isolated place only to suffer through a mid-life crisis? What was the matter with him? Emelina Stratton owed him
    nothing at all. At least, not yet.
    And even if he could manage to ensure that she was in his debt, how could he also ensure that she would repay
    him in the way he wanted?
    Well, first things first. Step number one was to seal the bargain as thoroughly as possible. She had only allowed
    herself to risk getting this close to him because she thought he might be able to help her get her brother out of the
    blackmailing mess. He’d better see what he could do about that little