Lacybourne Manor (Ghosts and Reincarnation #3)(108)
Author: Kristen Ashley

“I’m sorry,” she started and then fibbed again (as she knew perfectly well) by asking, “What question is that?”

He was still stalking her, definitely the big cat had gotten out of the cage and she was his first victim. She felt her heart skip a few beats before beginning to pound.

“What are you doing?” he repeated patiently.

Her glance flew to the semi-packed suitcase on the bed and then back to him. She was close to the wall, she knew, so she changed directions and headed toward the fireplace.

“Doing?” She needed to stall and decided to act stupid, it shouldn’t be that hard.

Colin, however, was losing patience.

“Sibyl,” was all he said and her name was loaded with meaning.

“I was packing.” She pointed out the obvious and rounded a chair. He stopped at her new direction, changed his and she realised why even if she hadn’t noted it before, if she had, she might have been able to make a getaway, but, alas, her flighty mind worked against her, again.

With quick strides, he made short work of heading for the door. Upon arrival he closed it, walked calmly to a dresser by the door, opened one of the drawers and took something out. Then he walked back to the door and she watched him turn a key in the lock.

Her eyes rounded in alarm.

He turned back to her, rested his shoulders against the door and slid the key in his pocket.

Then he asked, “Why were you packing?”

His voice stayed bland, casual, as if they were having a friendly conversation over coffee and he hadn’t just locked her in his bedroom.

She’d stopped behind a chair. She decided, vaguely, lost in the intensity of his eyes, it was not nearly enough protection.

Her mind whirled and she tried to read the situation.

He seemed quite unaffected by the sight of her packing. That, in a way, was good.

He also seemed not to care much that she’d been crying. That wasn’t really good but, for her current purpose, she’d count it as good.

Regardless of this, he’d locked them in the room. That was very, very bad.

When she didn’t speak, he did. “Have you decided to go on holiday?”

She pulled both her lips between her teeth, wondering if she should say yes or no.

He didn’t give her a chance to say either.

“I think that’s an excellent idea, where are we going?” He pushed his shoulders off the door and started after her again.

She couldn’t take much more of this.

“Colin, stay where you are,” she demanded, unfortunately in a shaky voice that made it sound more like a plea.

“I’ve a friend who owns an island. No way on or off without us knowing about it. It would be hard to find us, let alone kill us. You’ve hit on the perfect solution.”

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.