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No, more of a dark chocolate mousse, I should think, Coral murmured.
And, Anna continued as if she hadn t heard the interruption, I don t need another bite,
uh, night of him.
A vision of that second night rose up before her eyes: Edward bare-chested, his trousers
undone, lounging in that chair before the fire like a Turkish pasha. His skin, his penis,
had gleamed in the firelight.
Anna swallowed. Her mouth was watering. I can live without Lord Swartingham, she
declared very firmly.
Coral raised an eyebrow.
I can! Besides, you weren t there. Anna suddenly felt as wilted as the dandelions. He
was horribly angry. He said terrible things to me.
Ah, Coral said. He is uncertain of you.
I don t see why that should make you happy, Anna said. And, anyway, it s much more
than that. He ll never forgive me.
Coral smiled like a cat watching a sparrow hop near. Maybe. Maybe not.
WHAT DO YOU mean, you won t marry me? Edward paced from the curio shelf at one
end of the small sitting room to the settee at the other end, pivoted, and came back again.
Not such a great feat since he could cross the entire room in three strides. I m an earl,
goddamnit!
Anna grimaced. She should never have let him into the cottage. Of course, she hadn t had
much choice at the time, since he d threatened to break down the door if she didn t open
it.
He had looked quite capable of doing it, too.
I won t marry you, she repeated.
Why not? You were eager enough to fuck me.
Anna winced. I do wish you would stop using that word.
Edward swung around and assumed a hideously sarcastic expression. Would you prefer
swive? Tup? Dance the buttock jig?
She compressed her lips. Thank goodness Mother Wren and Fanny had gone shopping
this morning. Edward was making no effort to lower his voice.
You don t want to marry me. Anna spoke slowly and enunciated each word as if
talking to a hard-of-hearing village idiot.
Whether I want to marry you or not isn t the issue, as you well know, Edward said.
The fact is, I must marry you.
Why? She blew out a breath. There is no possibility of a child. As you have made
abundantly clear, you know I am barren.
I have compromised you.
I m the one who went to Aphrodite s Grotto in disguise. It seems to me that I
compromised you. Anna thought it commendable that she did not wave her arms in the
air in exasperation.
That s ridiculous! Edward s bellow could probably be heard back at the Abbey.
Why did men think that saying something louder made it true? No more ridiculous than
an earl who is already engaged proposing marriage to his secretary! Her own voice was
raised now.
I m not proposing. I m telling you we must marry.
No. Anna crossed her arms.
Edward stalked across the room toward her, each step deliberate and meant to be
intimidating. He didn t stop until his chest was inches from her face. She craned her neck
to meet his gaze; she refused to back away from him.
He leaned down until his breath brushed across her forehead intimately. You will marry
me.
He smelled of coffee. Anna dropped her eyes to his mouth. Even in anger, it was
disgustingly sensual. She retreated a step and turned her back. I am not going to marry
you.
Anna could hear him breathing heavily behind her. She peeked over her shoulder.
Edward was looking thoughtfully at her bottom.
His eyes snapped up. You will marry me. He held up a hand when she started to speak.
But I ll quit the discussion of when for now. In the meantime, I still need a secretary. I
want you at the Abbey this afternoon.
I hardly think Anna had to stop to steady her voice I hardly think in light of our
past relationship that I should continue as your secretary.
Edward s eyes narrowed. Correct me if I am wrong, Mrs. Wren, but weren t you the one
who initiated that relationship? Therefore
I said I was sorry!
He ignored her outburst. Therefore, I fail to see why I should be the one to suffer the
loss of a secretary merely because of your discomfort, if that is the problem.
Yes, that s the problem! Discomfort didn t begin to describe the agony it would be to
try and carry on as before. Anna took a fortifying breath. I can t return.
Well, then, Edward said softly, I fear I ll be unable to pay you your wages to date.
That s . . . Anna lost her power of speech in sheer horror.
The Wren household had been counting on the money that would be paid at the end of
the month. So much so that they d already accrued several small debts at the local shops.
It would be bad enough, not having a job. If she couldn t have the wages she d already
earned as Edward s secretary, the results would be disastrous.
Yes? Edward inquired.
That s unfair! Anna burst out.
Now, dear heart, whatever gave you the idea that I played fair? He smiled silkily.
You can t do that!
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