An Inconvenient Obsession (12 page)

She flushed. Pushed harder against his chest. “No. I’m not leaving with you, Ethan. I’m sorry, but I can’t. No.”

With that, she ducked beneath his arm and dashed back into the crowded studio.

To her consternation, Ethan didn’t leave. She was convinced he’d remained just to torture her. By evening’s end, she noticed that he’d flirted with nearly every female in attendance. Holding court at the center of the room, he charmed men and women alike with his humor, his smiles and his effortless appeal. He behaved as if having hordes of sighing, panting women fawning at his feet was a normal, everyday occurrence.

The fact that it probably was didn’t help Cate’s mood one bit.

So when he acknowledged yet another vapid fairy who’d drifted annoyingly close to his side, a flare of possessiveness had Cate glaring daggers at the back of his head. Though she knew she had no claim on him, it irritated her that he’d profess
his plans to bed her one minute and then ignore her in favor of every other woman in the room for the rest of the night.

Exasperated by her reaction, Cate deliberately turned away. She’d put in her time at the event; she’d seen the people she needed to see and conversed with those who needed to speak with her. She was ready to return home.

Angry satisfaction suffused her chest and her transparent heels made a lovely, irritated click as she made her way down the empty hallway leading to the coat check room. It wasn’t until she reached the empty elbow of the hall that she heard footsteps trailing her. Turning, she discovered that Ethan had followed her into the narrow, poorly lit corridor.

Cate immediately resumed her walking. She quickened her pace, wanting to leave him staring after her the way she’d stared after him all night. But his longer legs had him catching up to her in fewer than ten strides. He reached for her upper arm, his low voice rippling the air beside her cheek. “Leaving so soon?”

She jerked away from his touch and glared up at him. “Yes.”

He looked down at his empty hand and a smile gathered behind his eyes. “Why?”

Feeling foolish for the way she’d reacted, she lifted her chin and forced politeness back into her tone. “The night’s winding down and I’m tired.”

“It’s barely eleven and you don’t look tired at all.”

Cate ground her teeth, knowing he spoke the truth but too embarrassed to acknowledge it. “Do you have a point, Ethan?”

“Of course I do,” he said with abominable cheerfulness. “Your leaving has nothing to do with your fatigue and everything to do with me. Admit it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Contrary to popular opinion, the world does not revolve around you.”

“Then why are you running away from me?”

“I’d have to be chased before I could run away,” she blurted without thinking, then immediately wished her accident had damaged her tongue instead of everything else that mattered.

The smile deepened, denting his cheek and fanning lines from the corners of his blue, blue eyes. “Do you want me to chase you?”

“No!” She tried to step past him, but he moved, blocking her escape.

“You sure?”

“Of course,” she snapped. She moved right, then left while he remained stubbornly in front of her. “Would you kindly move out of my way?”

“They haven’t announced the winners of the costume competition yet,” he told her, that beguiling smile of his sending sparks of sensation to her fingertips. “And you’ve definitely got my vote.”

“I don’t care about the costume competition,” she said in exasperation.

“How are you getting home?” he asked, changing the subject with a swiftness that sparked her suspicions.

“I’ve called a car. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Why don’t you let me drive you instead?”

She shot him a speaking glance. “Absolutely not.”

“Scared?”

“Pragmatic.” She crossed her arms beneath her breasts, scolding him with a glare. “You’ve shown yourself to be remarkably free of restraint.”

“Guilty as charged.” He smiled. “But I have the papers in my car,” he said. “All signed and ready to go.”

“So? Send them to my office.”

“I’d rather deliver them in person.”

“Go ahead. Janine will be happy to meet with you.”

He shook his head. “I want to deliver them to you. In your study.”

“Why?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already.” Against her better judgment, a small huff of laughter escaped her lips. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“Never.”

“If I allow you to drive me home, do you promise to stop this crazy attempt to seduce me?”

He placed a hand over his heart and solemnly swore, “I promise. The moment I drop you off at your home, I will consider our business complete.”

She studied him through narrowed eyes, debating the truth of his words. He’d never lied to her before, but she still didn’t know if it was safe to trust his word. “Fine,” she relented. “You drive me home, and we’re done. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” He extended a hand, palm up. “Do you have your coat check stub?”

She flushed. “Yes.”

He waited, his palm hovering between them.

“Turn around and I’ll get it.”

Without speaking a word, he turned his back so she could retrieve the small ticket from between her breasts. When she met his eyes again, it was to find blue fire sparking in their depths. “What else do you keep in there?” he asked.

Her blush burned brighter and she shoved past him. He caught up with her in two strides, claimed her ticket and within thirty seconds, he’d collected her cream coat from the bored redhead at the coat check room. He threaded Cate’s arms through the heavy wool, adjusted the lapels beneath her chin and then placed her gloved hand in the crook of his arm.

He looked down at her, his intent blue eyes sending a hum of longing through her veins. “You look good on my arm, Catydid.”

Anticipation skittered through her chest, sending a shiver through her body. “This doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about sleeping with you.”

His voice deepened while a hint of teasing flirted within his eyes. “I didn’t think it had.”

Arousal collected in her womb, mingling with the excitement and confusion being with Ethan wrought. Oh, she was truly, truly in trouble.

She wanted him.

And it was getting harder and harder to remember why she shouldn’t.

J
UST
as Ethan had arranged, the carriage he’d reserved waited for them at the base of the building. The liveried driver dismounted to place a step stool next to the black carriage, sweeping the two of them forward with a bow. Cate’s feet stalled for a moment, her narrow hand tugging against his biceps and her eyes widening in surprise. Ethan smiled down at her shocked expression and then ushered her forward again.

He handed her up into the high bench seat, then vaulted up to settle in next to her. After he’d tucked the heavy blanket over her legs, he wrapped his arm around her slim shoulders, tucking her in close. A faint scent of citrus and vanilla tugged at his nostrils, bringing memories of their night together and teasing tightness back into his groin. Determined to take things slow, he took a moment to congratulate himself on yet another step of a plan well executed. By night’s end, he’d have her back in his arms, then he’d seduce her so thoroughly she’d never push him away again.

The driver clucked the horse into motion and Cate shifted, pulling back to angle a suspicious glance toward him. “You said you were taking me home,” she accused.

“I didn’t say when.”

“So when did you arrange this carriage?”

The minute you tried to dismiss me with your damn paperwork.
“Why?”

“It’s a bit premeditated, don’t you think?” She smoothed her gloved hands over the blanket as she scolded him from the corner of her eye. “And a little presumptuous for you to just assume I’d say yes.”

His unrepentant smile teased a reciprocal grin from her. “Haven’t you heard? The best way to achieve your goals is to behave as if you’ve already met them.”

“Hmm.” She nodded. “And what, pray tell, would you have done had I kept saying no?”

“I’d have ridden through Central Park all alone, wallowing in solitary misery.”

Laughter bubbled from her throat. “You are such a liar! You’d have found a half-dozen willing females—no, make that supermodels—to assuage the pain of your
solitude.”

“Not true.” He sobered, holding her gaze. “If I can’t have you, I’d rather be alone.”

Disbelief marred the clearness of her green eyes while a pretty pink blush rose to stain her cheeks. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

He feigned a wince. “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

“It’s true!” Chastened, but still insistent, she continued, “You don’t even know me anymore. Claiming you’d rather be alone than be without me is crazy!”

“But I do know you, Cate.” He cupped his hand around her shoulder, squeezing delicately as he leaned to peruse her defensive expression. “Better than you think I do.”

She bit her lip and dropped her gaze. “Ten years ago, maybe. But you don’t know me now.”

“Don’t I?” He lifted his free hand to her downturned chin and tipped her face up. “My success stems from an ability to make split-second decisions about any given opportunity. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, whether it’s with property, investments or people. And my instincts are telling me I want you.”

Twin furrows formed between her brows. “But relationships aren’t the same as business. There’s more to human interaction than investment potential and the bottom line.”

“I disagree,” he told her. “There’s always a bottom line, whether monetary or not. And with you, I’m willing to negotiate for the pleasure I know we could share.”

“Negotiate!” She gaped at him as if he’d just spoken in tongues. “I don’t care how much money or property you have or how many businesses you run. You’re still a person. A human being. And human beings don’t interact this way.”

“Of course they do. Whether you admit it or not, every relationship is just a series of negotiated business transactions. Physical pleasure, time, prestige and emotion are the currency we use to barter for what we want. Why ignore that reality, instead of using it to our benefit?”

She reared away from his touch. “No wonder you burn through women like you do. No self-respecting female could withstand that attitude for long.”

“You might think so,” he said reasonably. “But you’d be wrong. Every one of them has begged to stay.”

“Well,” she said, crossing her arms over her ribs, “I guess I have more self-respect than they do, don’t I?”

“Which is why I’m so intrigued.”

“Exactly. What kind of fool would I be if I allowed you to seduce me, only to pay the price when you’ve had your fill?”

He cocked his head and smiled. “See? Even you use the language of business to assess the risk.”

“Only because for you, it would be business. A cold, calculated transaction in flesh that would leave me miserable and hurting.”

“You flatter me, sweet. To think I’d have the power to hurt you. Who knew?”

“Don’t be like that, Ethan.”

“Like what?”

“Sarcastic and mean.” She studied him with a perplexed little frown. “Why are you so hard now?”

Because you ripped my heart out and left me to bleed.
“I prefer to think of it as smart.”

“Smart?” Sadness, or maybe it was even regret, softened her green eyes as she stared at him. “You forget, Ethan. I know what’s beneath that shell you’ve built around yourself. I know you, and you’re not like this.”

An uncomfortable ache fisted within his chest, but he kept his expression impassive. “Now look who’s claiming to know the other, despite ten long years of separation.”

Her eyes narrowed as she turned on the seat to face him. “Can I ask you something?”

The frisson of unease coiled even tighter in his gut. “Depends.”

“Have you loved even one of those other women you’ve so callously discarded?”

“They knew the terms before becoming involved.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“Does it matter?”

“I wouldn’t ask if it didn’t.”

He glared at her, not liking the way she’d derailed the conversation. He’d planned to seduce her, to overcome her resistance with carefully orchestrated romance and blinding pleasure. He’d planned to ravage her, to make her vulnerable without losing one atom of his own control. Discussing
love
had never been on his agenda. “Love is a marketing ploy used to sell flowers and cards to the gullible masses,” he bit out.

“I’ll take that as a no, then.”

“Love just makes people miserable. I have no interest in it.”

“Because of what I did to you?”

He forcibly relaxed the tension in his jaw and hands. “No,
Cate.” He infused the words with a hint of rebuke. “Because I grew up.”

Her expression, soft and filled with remorse, told him she knew he lied. “I’m sorry I made you afraid of love.”

A flare of irritation gathered ground, making him forget his plans for a slow, deliberate seduction. He wanted to hurt her now, to punish her for refusing to acknowledge that
he
held the upper hand and that his emotional barometer was no longer calibrated to her feelings toward him. “I’m not afraid of love.”

“Then why are you still alone?”

“Why are you?” he shot back.

She sucked in a breath, her glorious emerald eyes looking wounded. Bruised.

Steeling himself against the urge to pull her close and apologize, he said, “Can’t handle it when the questions are aimed at you, huh?”

For a moment, she simply stared at him, looking both bereft and defiant at the same time. “I’m alone because I want it all,” she finally said. “I want a family and security and someone to come home to at night. I want a reason to smile, a reason to get up in the morning and a purpose to give my life meaning. I want someone to love me unconditionally. And even knowing I can’t ever have it, I’m not willing to settle for anything less.” She lifted her chin, her trembling mouth and wavering voice tugging hard against his better judgment. “What’s your excuse?”