The Perfect Temptation (13 page)

a snake or two?"

Slithering things? As pets? Alex
suppressed
.
a shudder.

"He's expressed no interest
in having one. Or two. Of anything."

Again he paused to eat. This time
she knew
'
better than to

hope. The man didn't relent, he
simply shifted directions

ever so slightly. She consumed
some of her own lunch, waiting

for the inevitable resumption of
their contest

Preeya continued to look back and
forth between them,

slowly eating, but saying
nothing. In the aftermath, the first

time the two of them were alone,
Preeya would want a summary

of all that had been said. She'd
also remember specific

words and ask what they meant Not
that she'd ever do anything

with them. Which, in this
particular situation, was

most definitely a blessing.
Preeya's refusal to learn English

meant that she didn't know just
how inept her mistress was

at fending off persistent men.

"He doesn't know how to
hunt, to fish, or to sail either,

does he?"

Well, he was indeed predictable.
"Mr.
Terrell," she said

on a sigh,
"Mohan
is going to be a raja someday. He doesn't

need to know how to do those
things."

"He'll be the most
boring-and bored!-man to ever occupy

a throne," he countered, his
tone that of a man of clear

and unshakable convictions.
"More importantly, at the moment

he's an exceedingly bored little
boy. He behaves badly

simply because it's something to
do that affords some degree

of excitement. God knows there's
nothing else that

qualifies in his existence. Why
has he been so boxed up? Is it

that you can't afford to hire a
riding or a sailing instructor?"

What was it about the men who
carne through her life?

Were all men determined to be
overbearing? Or was there

something about her in particular
that attracted such men?

“We have considerable financial
resources, Mr. Terrell," she

answered, squarely meeting his
gaze across the length of the

table.

"It's a matter of Mohan's
safety. Lal--the guard who recently

returned to India-maintained that
Mohan would be

considerably easier to kidnap or
harm if he were out and

about in the city, that he was
far safer when within the walls

of this house. I happen to think
that he's correct."

"Well, if I were bent on
kidnapping him," he quipped, "I'd

certainly appreciate knowing
where I could always find him."

"And there is the matter of
protecting him from accidental

injury," Alex went on,
committed to making him see the wisdom

in the pattern of their lives.
"He could be thrown from a

horse and break his neck. He
could fall out of a sailboat and

drown. We will not even venture
into a discussion of the

types of injuries commonly
suffered by the reckless, self-destructive

fools who play football or rugby.
I promised his

father that I would keep him safe
from
all
harm."

"Then you'd best tell Preeya
to put out the cooking fires,"

he instantly countered, his smile
wide and altogether too confident,

"because every time she
lights one the kitchen stands

a chance of going up in flames
that could very well spread to

the house and kill the boy."

Preeya, in hearing her name,
looked back and forth between

them in obvious distress. Alex
hastily assured her that

the argument had nothing to do
with her and then turned her

full attention back to Aiden
Terrell. "You're being ridiculous,"

she accused. "Absolutely
ridiculous."

And, just as she expected, he was
ready with a rejoinder.

''No more so than you are, Miss
Radford. Life
is
risk. You

can't avoid it. Simply opening
your eyes and climbing out of

bed every morning is fraught with
peril. You could slip on

the rug, fall, and bash your
brains on the bedstead."

''Did you not notice the bed in
your room?"

"Don't split hairs," he
countered, cocking a brow.
"You're

an extremely intelligent woman
and you know full good and

well the point I'm trying to
make. You can't-and most importantly,

shouldn't treat Mohan as if
he
's
some
fragile

piece
of
porcelain.
He needs to be treated as a normal child

and allowed to take reasonable
chances. If you
do,
his gen
eral

attitude will be much improved
and you won't be nearly

as frustrated with him."

''I'm not frustrated," she
lied, putting down her fork,

afraid that he'd notice that her
hand was trembling.

''The hell you aren't."

She blinked at him, not so much
shocked by his language,

but more for the fact that he so
clearly understood how she

felt deep down inside. She'd
tried very hard to keep it locked

away, hidden from the casual
observer. That she'd failed was

more than disturbing, it was
frightening. Alex swallowed and

forced herself to take a breath.
With what she hoped passed

for a serene smile, she shrugged
and said, "We'll simply have

to agree to disagree on that
point. And on the matter of

Mohan's daily activities."

All right,
Aiden
thought,
so it's not easy.
He'd underestimated

her sense of independence. And
her mother-hen tendencies.

But if she thought he was going
to give up the

voyage because he'd encountered a
little patch of rough sea,

then she was underestimating his
tenacity. As well as his abhorrence

of boredom. He and Mohan had
common ground

in that
.

It might well turn out to be the
longest damn day of his

life,
but
he was going to keep pushing until she didn't have

the wherewithal to fight him
another step, until he'd so worn

her down she'd have to trust him
if for no other reason than

to get her exhausted, curvaceous
little body home.

''Tell me, Miss Radford ... Do
you
know how to ride?"

She sighed and closed her eyes
for a second before she

said, "No, I don't."

"Hunt, sail, or fish?"

She looked
as if she
wanted to pick up her fork and throw

it at him. "Of course not.
Nor do I sled or skate. And I

wouldn't play cricket, football,
or rugby even if you held a

gun to my head."

''Would you care to learn?"
Her eyes widened and he

couldn't keep from chuckling.
"Not the rougher sports. Those

are strictly for men. I was
thinking of the others. We could

start with riding. Teaching two
doesn't require much more

effort than teaching one."

"You've
presumed
that I've given my consent for .Mohan

to engage in these activities. I
thought I made It clear

when-"

"I
haven't
presumed
anything of the
so
r
t,"
he
interrupted,

smiling
at
her.
«And
you did make
your position clear.
Now

let
me
make mine just as understood. I
don
't
care
whether

you give your consent or not.
I've
made a
decision
and it's

going to stand."

She stared at him, her eyes wide
again and her lips slightly,

invitingly parted.

"Yes, Miss Radford," he
assured her, placing his napkin

on the table beside his plate.
''This is indeed one of those occasions

I mentioned in the carriage
earlier today. I decide.

You and Mohan acquiesce without
protest. There is no discussion."

"You are positively ...
dictatorial,"
she sputtered
.

He shrugged and nodded. "I
was born to
command
.
I happen

to do
it
well
and you happen to be
in
no
po
sitio
n
to
defy

me." Rising from his seat,
he
added.
I d like to first
our

tour of the house as you
promised. Whenever you're ready.

of course. I'll wait for you in
the hall."

He didn't give her a chance to
object. Turning to Preeya,

he bowed, and said, "Preeya,
thank you for the meal. I have

absolutely no idea what
it
was, but it was delicious."

Still smiling, he left
the
dining room thinking that,

all the exchange had turned out
precisely as he'd envisioned

So far, anyway. There was always
the possibility that

Alexandra Radford would follow
him out for the sole purpose

of summarily dismissing him.

Alex glared at her half-eaten
lunch,
wondering what he'd
do

if she refused to get
up
and
trot
obediently
after him. Preeya

leaned
forward
to place
a
hand
on her
arm
and say in Hindi,

"It is never a good thing to
argue with a man, dear. They do

not like to think of women as
being as strong as they are."

"Women are every bit as
capable as men in every respect,"

Alex maintained angrily.

"Agreed."
The
older woman patted her hand. "But that does

not mean men like to know it. And
there is much to be gained