A Woman's Touch

some reason that annoyed him. „Let me get this straight. You’re telling me you don’t find my temper very alarming?“
    Rebecca grinned fleetingly. „I’ll admit it can be quite stunning for short periods of time, but the impact doesn’t last long. As usual, when you get to the bottom of a legend, you find out it’s based on a lot of hot air.“
    „I think I resent that,“ he said, bewildered, „but I’m not sure I want to argue about it right now. If it wasn’t my temper that made you disappear for four days and if you felt you had your revenge for my not telling you the truth about Harmony Valley, then just why did you leave?“
    „I told you, I needed time to think.“
    „About us?“
    „Yes.“
    Kyle allowed himself a flash of real hope. She was still here working for him, and she was through punishing him for the Harmony Valley fiasco. She claimed she wasn’t particularly intimidated by his temper. She must still feel something for him. She had to feel something for him. He licked dry lips and forced himself to stay calm.
    „Come to any conclusions?“ he asked.
    „As a matter of fact, I have.“
    He closed his eyes briefly, trying to read the nuances of her voice. It was impossible. He opened his eyes and met her amber gaze. „Well?“
    Rebecca got to her feet, still holding the clipboard, and stood facing him. „I have decided to marry you.“
    If the window had been open behind him, Kyle knew he probably would have fallen through it. „Marry me?“
    „That’s right. The one thing that has been forcibly impressed on me lately is that Stockbridge males do not have what you’d call a knack for handling relationships with women. I told you the morning we went riding that the men in your family – you included – are not very good at picking out their wives. Therefore, I have decided to take the matter out of your hands. I’m making the decision for you. As you know, I’m very good at making decisions.“
    The world seemed to tilt around him. Kyle stared at Rebecca’s composed face until things righted. „Becky, are you sure? You know what a disaster my first marriage was. Hell, the second time around, I couldn’t even manage to stay engaged.“
    „I realize the thought of marriage makes you nervous. That’s understandable, given your record. However, this time around you can relax. I’m taking charge, and there won’t be any mistakes.“
    „You’re sure of that?“ he asked sardonically. But inside he was awash in a rush of euphoria. A fierce excitement raced through him, leaving him almost breathless. Kyle was afraid to move for fear of breaking the spell.
    „Quite sure,“ she said demurely.
    „When?“ he demanded.
    She tapped a pen against the clipboard and pursed her lips thoughtfully. „Well, there are one or two steps that must be taken before we sign the papers.“

    „What steps?“ he asked thickly.
    „I want a courtship,“ she told him. „A real courtship.“
    Kyle was dumbfounded. „A courtship,“ he repeated weakly.
    „I want it all, Kyle. Everything I didn’t get with you the first time around. Flowers, dancing, sweet talk, a ring and a big wedding. And that’s not all.“ Her chin rose proudly. „I want you to tell me you love me.“
    „I love you,“ he said without even stopping to think. The words came with astonishing ease. They crackled in the air, and he listened to them over and over again, hearing the ring of truth. Kyle suddenly felt raw and vulnerable. „I love you so much, it’s tearing me apart.“
    Rebecca smiled. „That’s an excellent start,“ she said approvingly. „You may pick me up for dinner tonight at seven.
    I’ll give you the address of the hotel where I’m staying.“
    „No. You’ll come home with me,“ he told her fiercely. „I want you back under my roof. We’ll go to dinner, if that’s what you want, but I want you to come home.“
    „Not until we’re married, Kyle. I told you, I want a courtship. We’re going to do this my way. We already tried yours and it didn’t work.“ She sat down again and glanced at her clipboard notes. „Now that we have that clarified, I think it’s time we went over the weekly report, don’t you?“
    It slowly dawned on Kyle that the situation was out of control. She was going to tease him and bait him and torment him for God only knows how long before she came back to him. Rebecca Wade was running amok with power.
    He took one long step forward and snatched the