And to Jade’s astonishment and horror her body began to react to the brutal sexual boast, and she felt her breasts tingle into life, felt a hot frustrated aching begin at the pit of her belly, and the colour in her face deepened.
His eyes flicked to her breasts, to where she knew without having to look that the pointed outlines of her nipples were pushing against the thin material of her shirt, and his mouth gave another mocking twist.
‘And as you know,’ he continued relentlessly, ‘the physical extent of our relationship lasted a little under an hour—’
Jade got quickly to her feet, her eyes flashing with humiliation and fury. ‘I don’t have to listen to a minute more of this, you swine!’
‘Yes, you do,’ he answered icily.
‘I’m leaving right now!’
‘I don’t think so.’
Something in the cool and unswervable determi- nation in his voice made her turn around, startled. ’Just try stopping me!’ she challenged.
He gave a brief shake of the head. ‘I intend to,’ he said harshly. ‘But not the way you want me to, at least not yet.’
Appalled, her mouth fell open. ‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’
He shrugged. ‘Don’t play innocent games, Jade— we’ve already established that your innocence is a sham. I’m talking about the usual scenario. You run for the door. I follow. You struggle. I kiss you and naturally, you kiss me back. And then I lock the office door, to take you right here. You would like it on the floor, perhaps—or do you prefer the desk?’
The blood thundered in her ears. How could she ever have believed that she cared for a man who could talk to her like this? ‘You arrogant, unbeliev- able man—’
‘But that’s what happened last time.’
No, that’s where you’re wrong, she thought. Last time, I thought we were both motivated by love; now he had reduced it to the lowest possible common denominator. Lust. Now it was her turn to curve her lips with distaste. ‘You disgust me.’
‘I know. A pity you find it so exciting.’
She’d had enough. Shoulders back, she made an effort and walked to the door. ‘Herete,’ she slung after her, using the Greek word for goodbye.
‘I told you, you aren’t going anywhere, not until you listen to what I have to say. You have angered me, Jade.’
‘Good! You’ve angered me, too—so maybe we’re quits!’
‘Never before,’ he mused, ‘have I been made to look a fool by a woman—’
‘Then maybe you should have done! And if you had, it might have made you more human!’ she retorted, deliberately putting away the memory of him on the island. He had been human then—de- lectably human. Powerful yet persuasive, strong and yet gentle. She nudged the thought away. That Constantine did not exist; he had been playacting, too.
‘All morning,’ he ground out, his eyes dark and gleaming with anger, ‘I have had family, colleagues and business acquaintances cabling me to offer their sincere congratulations.’
Jade stared at him in confusion. ‘What for?’
Another abrasive laugh. ‘On my forthcoming marriage.’
‘I’m not with you.’ Had he been hiding a fiancee up his sleeve all this time? In which case, he had no right to criticise her for supposedly flirting with Russ Robson!
‘But yes, unfortunately, you are. You told the newspaper that I had asked you to marry me, and that you had accepted, and with those words I’m afraid that you have sealed your fate.’
Something in the way he spoke unnerved her, and Jade felt a shiver of apprehension trickle its way slowly down her spine. ‘What in heaven’s name are you talking about? Sealed my fate, indeed! How?’
The black eyes gleamed menacingly. ‘I’m talking of marriage, naturally.’
Jade opened her mouth and the word squeaked out. ‘Marriage?’
He made an impatient gesture with his hand. ’You will marry me, and as quickly as possible.’
There was a shocked, stunned silence as Jade stared at Constantine in disbelief. He’d flipped! Gone completely mad! She tossed her blonde hair contemptuously back over her shoulders and gave him a chilly smile. ‘It may come as a surprise to you to learn that people who despise one another don’t get married. That’s a cute little custom we happen to have in this country!’