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“Do you work?” Nathan asked, breaking the few minutes of silence.
“Of course I do. Why?”
“You will have to take some time off. I want you to move in here where I can keep an eye on you. I don’t want you running away when I’m not around.”
I nearly fainted again. “Are you serious? My job is my life. I love it. I couldn’t leave Mr Johnston in the lurch like that.” My pulse began to race. My job meant everything to me.
Nathan smiled and there was a hard, cold look darkening his eyes. “I don’t care. We made a deal, Rose. I want you, all of you. Not just on weekends, and I refuse to share you with anyone.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
His question nearly caused me to laugh out loud. A boyfriend? I hadn’t had a boyfriend in years, since high school. I worked too many long hours and had too many bills to pay to worry about a boyfriend. I never ended up dating anyone more than twice.
“No, Mr Davenport, I do not have a boyfriend.”
“Casual acquaintances then?” he asked with another raise of those dark eyebrows.
I shot him a dirty look. “Unlike you, I believe sex is a personal thing that should be shared between two people that love each other, and not something that you should have casual acquaintances for.”
Nathan laughed a deep, mocking laugh. “You are so very young, Rose. It’s the twenty-first century. Everyone has casual sex these days, it’s not that big a deal. There is protection available if you want to test the waters.”
“Well, not me,” I said defiantly. “And I’m not young, I’m very mature for my age.” I had to be with my parents moving away, leaving me to help deal with all of Liam’s problems.
“How old are you? Twenty-four?”
“I’m twenty-five,” I answered, putting my chin in the air.
Nathan laughed. “Sorry.”
I had a good look at him. I hadn’t taken much notice before now, but I could tell he was slightly older than me. It didn’t stop him from being unbelievably handsome, though. He was the type of man who could make a woman swoon. Had this been a different century, I know women would swoon over him. It was his beach-tanned skin, dark brown hair, and large muscular body that easily towered over my five-foot-four frame. And his eyes, I had already noticed three different shades of brown, depending on his mood.
“How old are you then, Mr Davenport?”
“Too young for you to be calling me Mr Davenport all the time. My name is Nathan.”
“Alright then, Nathan, how old are you? Forty-five?” I guessed he wasn’t close to forty-five, but I wanted to see if I could get a rise out of him.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m only thirty-five, Rose.”
“Ooh, did I hit a nerve? Is that what this is? Some attempt to show people you can still catch a young woman?” I read the magazines, I knew he attracted women of all ages. However, taunting him was just too good to pass up.
Nathan stiffened. “Remember what I said about watching what you say? I can be a very unpleasant person.”
I had no doubt. The look in his eyes right now would have been enough to scare anyone. However, I had to at least pretend to be a strong person and show him I wasn’t easily scared. I looked him square in the eye and in an even tone said, “And I told you that you didn’t scare me.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?”
Nathan pulled himself out of his chair and stepped towards me, his movements slow and calculated. Like a lion stalking his prey. He reached down and dragged me to my feet, leaning in so close I could feel his wine-scented breath on my face.
“Am I scaring you now, Rose?” he asked, his voice coming out low and husky.
“No.” My voice wobbled and I silently cursed myself for the small display of weakness.
Nathan leaned in closer, so I was pushed hard up against him. I could feel his body move as he breathed. It was slow and steady, unlike mine, which I could feel start to quicken. “Yet, Rose?” he whispered in my ear.
I took a step back and felt the cool wall of the house against my back. “I told you, you don’t scare me.” My traitorous voice broke.
He stepped towards me and pushed up against me again, completely pinning me between him and the wall. “Your sharp tongue and obvious stubbornness are going to get you into a lot of trouble, angel.” Nathan whispered. “It makes me believe that you are stronger than I first thought and can handle anything I choose to put you through.” His eyes had turned to black granite, piercing right through me. “And trust me, they don’t call me a ruthless bastard for nothing.”
I had heard him called that before. I’d read articles about his unforgiving business takeovers. He was one of Australia’s most feared businessmen. I felt the blood rush to my head again. What had I gotten myself into? I was no match for Nathan Davenport.
