it doesn’t matter, but you continually imply I have loose morals. First you accuse me of sleeping with your father, then you jump to the ridiculous conclusion that I was sharing company information with Nicole.” She shook her head emphatically. “There’s no way I can even begin to contemplate any kind of relationship with you when you don’t trust me at all—over anything!”
“You’re right,” he admitted, deciding to take another tack on this argument.
He had assumed the worst about her all the way. In the beginning that had partly been her own fault, but he was man enough to admit it had been far easier to remain guarded around her than it was to examine just how much he wanted her, or why. He’d hoped that, as with all his conquests, he’d enjoy the ride while it lasted. After all, he didn’t plan to stay in New Zealand forever.
The moment he thought that, though, everything in his mind rebelled. For some reason this had stopped being a temporary fling. He’d gone at this whole exercise looking upon everything as being temporary—expendable even. But somewhere along the line things had changed, and that change started with Anna.
Her voice pulled his attention back. “Of course I’m right. So you’ll agree that we should forget about there being any kind of relationship between us, except for at work.”
“I can’t do that, Anna.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I can’t do that. What I can do, if you’ll let me, is learn to trust you. To get to know you better and to show you that I’m worth you giving me that chance. Will you at least try with me?”
He watched as her emotions played across her face.
“You want me to try to let you trust me? You hurt me, Judd—both on a professional level and on a personal one. After we made love down in Nelson and here, in your office—” Her voice hitched and she paused and swallowed before continuing. “Did you honestly think I was so promiscuous as to go from one man’s bed to another, and back again?”
“Since we’re being honest, I have to admit that it made me furious to think that you could do that.”
“But I’m not like that!” Her voice rose in obvious frustration.
“I know that, Anna. I’m learning all the time.”
“Fine. Okay, I will try with you. But on one condition.”
“What’s that?” he asked, knowing the answer before she even verbalized it and hating that, in this at least, he could read her so well.
“I’m not sleeping with you. Not straightaway. We can get to know each other the way normal couples do.”
“We’ve missed a few steps, that’s true.”
“And I want your word of honor that you won’t try to persuade me otherwise. I’m helpless against you. There, I admit it. Show me that I can trust you. Don’t use that knowledge against me.”
Every particle in his body rebelled against the idea, but he found himself nodding in agreement.
“Agreed,” he managed, even though his jaw felt tight and his throat barely allowed the single word past it. “A date tonight, then. That’d be a good start. I’ll meet you downstairs in the lobby at the house at seven.”
What the lady wanted, the lady was definitely going to get. And while it would be a living torment every second until she capitulated to him, he knew that very soon, she’d be his again. And once she was, no matter what his plans for Charles Wilson, he knew she’d stay by his side.
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