Millionaire's Woman

She wondered if there was any chance Garek would just leave if she ignored it.

The bell rang again—a long, extended ring, as if someone was holding his finger on the button.

“Robbie,” Ellie said. “Could you and Caspar please go into Martina’s room for a few minutes?”

Robbie frowned. “Who’s at the door? That guy you’re in love with?”

“I’m not in love with him! ”she snapped, her patience fraying badly. “I just need to talk to him—privately.”

Robbie didn’t move, his frown deepening. “You’re sure acting strangely, Ellie. Crying over this guy one minute and snapping at me the next—”

“She’s probably pregnant, man,” Caspar said. “That’s how my sister was when her old man knocked her up.”

“Pregnant!” A murderous rage lighting his brown eyes, Robbie took an impulsive step toward the front door.

Ellie caught his arm. “Robbie, I’m not pregnant!”

“My sister denied it too,” Caspar said. “But five months later she had little Willard. Cute kid. Except his head was kind of pointy—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Ellie couldn’t take any more. “Robbie and Caspar, in the bedroom—now!”

Robbie looked as though he was going to refuse, but she gave him a stern look, and reluctantly he allowed her to push him toward the bedroom. “If you need any help,” he said, cracking his knuckles, “just call out and I’ll be glad to—”

Ellie slammed the door closed.

Taking a deep breath, she wiped her damp palms on her skirt, smoothed her hair, then marched over to the door and opened it.

Garek immediately shoved his way past her. “We need to talk.”

“About what? ”she said as coolly as shecould. “About the art foundation you started for your sister? Doreen told me how much she appreciates your efforts on her behalf.”

He gave her an unreadable look. “So?”

“So! So!” She stared at him in disbelief. “May I ask you one question? And please be honest. Did you know your sister would hate Vogel’s?”

He hesitated, then answered bluntly. “Yes.”

Pain lanced through Ellie’s heart. She wanted to creep into the bedroom and hide. But she couldn’t let herself hide from the truth any longer. She needed to know it all. “Did you deliberately choose Vogel’s to annoy her?”

He met her gaze, his own level. “Yes.”

The pain grew worse. “And did you go out with me for the same reason?”

“Yes.”

That was it, then. Her throat was so tight, she could barely speak. “Then there’s nothing more to say.” Afraid she was going to start crying, she turned away.

He caught her arm, and she blinked back her tears. She couldn’t cry—she wouldn’t. Not in front of him. She yanked free of his grasp and folded her arms across her chest, glaring. “Will you please leave? You accomplished everything you set out to do.”

Garek stepped back. He shoved his hands in his pockets, making no effort to defend himself. How could he? Everything she’d said was true. But somehow, at the same time it wasn’t true. He’d certainly started out the way she said. But nothing had turned out as he’d expected. He’d wanted to spite his sister—but it had been a long time since he’d even thought of that. He disliked contemporary art—but he enjoyed listening to Ellie’s enthusiasm for it. He’d gone out with her to teach Doreen a lesson—but somehow, when he was with Ellie, he forgot about his sister. He looked at her flushed cheeks and pursed lips. His gaze flickered down to her rounded breasts pushed up by her folded arms, then back up to meet her angry eyes headon. He wanted her with an intensity he’d never experienced before. He wanted her—and he wasn’t willing to give her up.

“Whatever I intended at the start of our relationship doesn’t really matter anymore. Everything has changed. I didn’t expect it to. I didn’t want it to. But there’s something between us, Ellie, something I can’t deny and neither can you. Come on,” he said, his voice low and seductive.“Admitit. You want me as much as I want you.”

“You’re crazy.” Ellie glared at him, hating the arrogant certainty in his tone. “How could I want you? Everything I thought I liked about you was a lie. You don’t like your family, you don’t like art or music. You don’t even like me.”

“You’re wrong, Ellie.” His hard gaze turned dark and sensual. “I do like you.”

Before she could move, he took her in his arms and kissed her. For a second, everything inside her went limp. He was right. She did want him. She did want to find out what was between them…