Lacybourne Manor (Ghosts and Reincarnation #3)(132)

Maybe she had misread the situation, he no longer seemed unaffected by her packing.

At all.

“I’m leaving,” she blurted out when he was not two of his great strides away. She lifted up her hand, palm out. “Colin, please stop.”

To her surprise, he did.

“Where are you going?” His voice was low and even and she forgot how much it scared her when he used it on her.

“I don’t know. I haven’t figured that out yet.”

He nodded, once, sharply then asked, “For curiosity’s sake, why are you going?”

She blinked.

“For curiosity’s sake?” she echoed.

“Since you aren’t going anywhere, it’s a moot point. However, I’m curious so humour me.”

She squared her shoulders and announced, “I’m leaving,” and she was pleased to hear her voice sounded stronger.

“Tell me why,” Colin demanded.

She shrugged, trying to seem unconcerned. “Things aren’t working out between us.”

Without hesitation, he immediately fired back, “That’s an interesting assessment of our situation. Would you care to elaborate?”

She was beginning to realise why he was so successful. He wasn’t just ruthless, he was merciless.

“I…” she began, her mind trying to find a lie he’d actually believe, “well…”

He smiled but instead of being ruthless or belittling, it was magnetic and her stomach lurched pleasantly.

He settled into his stance and crossed his arms on his chest.

“Take all the time you need,” he offered magnanimously. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

In an instant, she did.

“We don’t suit,” she informed him, tossing her hair mutinously because he was beginning to make her mad.

His brows lifted. “And how’s that?”

“You are… well… you.”

“Indeed I am.” His smile returned, deeper, more electric and her stomach pitched then melted with warmth.

“And I’m me!” she snapped when she saw that he was very close to laughing at her. “We’re from entirely different worlds, have different viewpoints. You’re probably a… a… Tory!” she burst out, making the word “Tory” sound like the words “axe murderer”.

“Actually I am,” he admitted without apology.

She threw her hands up. “That in itself makes us impossible,” she announced dramatically.

He shook his head. “You’re forgetting a few very crucial things.”

She didn’t want to know so she didn’t ask. She started to slide away from him to put more space between them but she, of course, had nowhere to go but it gave her something to do.

He didn’t wait for her request to elucidate. “There is the fact that we’re spectacular in bed together.”

“I –” she started to lie.

He chuckled and she could have thrown something at him. “If you tell me you’ve had better, you’re lying. I know you haven’t and neither have I.”

She stopped creeping around the chairs and stared at him in wonder. She could not imagine she was the best Colin had ever had and the very thought made her stomach do a cartwheel of happiness. Then she shook off the result of what that titbit did to her stomach and she said, “That isn’t enough.”

“No?” he asked as she began creeping again. “Then, sweetheart, you force me to play my trump, so I’ll have to remind you that you’re in love with me.”

She halted.

Bloody hell.

Bloody, bloody hell.

She was stupid, definitely stupid, stupid, stupid. She’d led him straight to throwing that in her face and she had no retort. She couldn’t exactly force him to declare his love for her, especially if there was no love to declare.

So she did the only thing she could do, she kept silent.

Colin didn’t. “That fact makes you mine and I don’t let go of what’s mine.”

She noted he didn’t mention love but possession. Her heart ground to dust as the tears pricked her eyes. She told herself not to cry but she felt the wetness balancing on her lower lids and then sliding down her cheeks.

“You don’t own me,” she said quietly.

“Yes I do, sweetheart, and you know I do.” His tone was gentle and she found it far more difficult to handle than the game they’d been playing. “Why were you packing?” he asked softly.

She could no longer bear up so she gave in.

“I don’t want you to die,” she whispered, her voice broken and small. “If I leave, they’ll let you alone and I’d rather have you alive without me than dead…”She lost her train of thought but soldiered on. “Than just plain dead,” she finished lamely.

It was then he leapt out of his casual stance and, with another surprised yelp, she backed away, all the way to the wall. She slammed against it and before she could flee in another direction, his hard body was pressed against her.

“Colin, I have to go,” she begged, staring at his throat.

“You’re not going.” His voice was uncompromising.

“I have to!” she cried and his hands came up to either side of her face, forcing it to tilt back to see his.