Savage Conquest (9 page)

But what about Reis? her heart screamed. She told
herself she couldn't think about the mysterious Reis
at present. Her way of life was on the verge of
collapse; her future survival and happiness were at
stake. Until she searched her heart and conscience
about both men, she shouldn't see Reis again.

Amanda didn't like what she was thinking and
feeling. Only a few months ago, her conscience
wouldn't have troubled her at all, but today it did. If
she had known Reis longer, or knew him better ...
Reis was a cunning stranger, and she couldn't expect
anything from him. There were strong hints of
genteel breeding and wealth exuding from Reis. If
she confided in him or if he learned the truth, he
might think her interest in him was selfish and
greedy. Could she marry Weber when she wanted Reis? Could she refuse to accept Web's proposal if her
and Miranda's livelihood depended upon her submission to Web? Her decision would have been
simple and quick if Reis Harrison hadn't entered her
life one stormy night. .

Weber would return in a few days; he would insist
upon that talk he had mentioned. Could she risk
losing Web by seeing Reis? Yet, if she didn't see Reis,
how could she uncover his true feelings? Even if she
accepted Reis and his clients, her firm couldn't be
saved. If Reis left as mysteriously as he had appeared,
where would she be then?

Such thoughts and plots made her feel cheap and
heartless. Yet, what choice did a woman have but a
profitable marriage? So many times she had toyed
with men, tempted them with a treasure they could
never have. Now vengeful Fate was dangling a
tempting treat before her hungry eyes and bound
hands, teasing and tormenting her. Reis was a dream;
Weber was reality. Fury and frustration overwhelmed Amanda.

"Hell's bells!" she shrieked, flinging a book at the
wall to reduce her tension and anger. "It's too late,"
she murmured.

"Are you all right, Amanda?" Reis's compelling
voice asked from the doorway. "You shouldn't leave
that door unlocked," he chided for the second time,
wondering at the meaning of her last words.

Startled, Amanda whirled, drilling her fiery blue
eyes into his tanned face and worried expression.
"What do you want, Mister Harrison, besides the opportunity to scold me like a child?" she panted
coldly, her ire directed at the forbidden object of her
desire.

"I know I was rude last night, Amanda, but aren't
you overreacting?" he reasoned tenderly. "I'm
sorry," he stated simply.

She had to get rid of him, to halt this temptation, to
cease this punishment! Her pride demanded she
make him think his deception was behind her
rejection of him and his accounts. "You traitor, I
wonder what I find different about you," she scoffed,
daring to stroll around the towering man as he
remained stiff and alert. She halted before him,
placing her hands on her hips and glaring up into his
inquisitive gaze, her eyes exposing more anguish
than anger.

Reis's hands snaked out and seized her gently but
firmly. "What's gotten into you, woman?" he
demanded. If he didn't know any better, he might
think her hysterical. What did she mean by "too late"
and "traitor"? Was she pledged to Weber? Was she in
trouble?

"What happened to your Yankee accent, Reis?"
she blurted out. "It took a while to comprehend the
change, but I did. Get out!"

"That was a naughty trick, but I had my reasons,"
he began.

"I'll just bet you did," she injected acidly before he
could finish.

"Since two of my friends are Yankees and the other
is what you called a 'sympathizer,' I wanted to know how you felt about Northerners. To pass as one
usually extracts such vital information. I should
have explained when I realized the test wasn't
necessary with you."

Amanda continued to glare at him. "What other
games are you playing with me, Mister Harrison?"
she sneered accusingly. "Is romancing your female
partner a new approach to crafty business?"

"I've never mixed business and pleasure before. Do
you want the accounts, Amanda?" He evaded an
answer which could have been damaging. "Are you
in the mood to settle it now, or shall we wait until
later?"

Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat. She
knew what had to be done and did it bravely. "Since
Weber Richardson handles such matters for me, I
suggest you discuss it with him when he returns," she
bluntly informed him.

Reis couldn't help but show disbelief and anger at
those words. "I was given the authority to assign
them to you, not him. Are you refusing them because
I go along with the deal? Or you're afraid to annoy
dear Weber? Have you suddenly lost your courage
and confidence?"

Amanda couldn't say anything more without
giving away her motives for this behavior. "If you
don't mind, Mister Harrison, I would prefer that you
forget our previous talk and meeting. Any business
you have for Lawrence Shipping must be approved
by Web. I'm really tired, so I'm going home.
Goodbye."

Reis was alarmed by the way she spoke her last
word. He was confused by this change of heart, this
loss of spirit. Richardson hadn't returned, so he
couldn't have threatened or misled her. "Would you
have dinner with me?" he coaxed, smiling at her.

"I can't," she declined unhappily. She retrieved
the book and completed her task. She knew he was
watching her intently, disturbingly.

"Mandy, what did I do to earn this frosty
treatment?" he asked from behind her as he slipped
his arms around her waist.

Amanda stiffened and tried to pull free, but he
wouldn't allow it. There was only one way to make
Reis leave her alone, to stop tormenting her and
tempting her. "I shouldn't be seeing you alone; it's
wrong. Web has asked me to marry him, and
I've..."

When she faltered, Reis's heart skipped a beat as he
feared the rest of her statement. His embrace
tightened, as if he could halt the words from coming
forth. He could feel her tremors, sense her turmoil,
and detect her withdrawal from him. Despite their
closeness, Weber was between them. How? Why?
"Don't say it, Mandy, please," he beseeched her. "If
you loved him, you wouldn't be suffering. Damnit,
you can't marry himl You want met" he stormed at
her.

If only having was as simple as wanting, she
thought. "I didn't say I had agreed to his proposal
yet. But I can't think seriously about it while I'm
seeing another man," she deliberated aloud. "It isn't fair to Weber, or me, or to you. I owe Weber so
much," she murmured.

"No matter what he's done for you, Mandy, you
aren't obligated to marry him to repay a debt," he
argued frantically. "Hell woman, you can't buy or
trade love! "

Amanda remained silent, praying he would say the
words which could change her mind, which could
halt her necessary decision. But Reis kept quiet about
his personal feelings and wishes. She debated sadly,
"Why not? Women have done so for centuries, either
by choice or compulsion. There are things about me
and Weber which you don't know."

Reis turned her to face him, but she lowered her
head. He gripped her chin and lifted it. "Then
explain them to me," he coaxed.

"I can't. Please don't try to see me again," she told
him. She waited to see if he would force answers
from her. He didn't.

Reis's brain was working fast and hard on this
mystery. She was frightened by something. She
might become defensive if he pressed her. She
couldn't love Weber Richardson, but she felt compelled to marry him. What hold did that devil have
over her? Whatever it was, she had discovered it this
morning. Before he made demands on her, he needed
to investigate this problem. He would never allow
her to marry Weber. Not when she wanted him
instead.

"Are you afraid of me, Mandy?" he asked softly. At
her baffled look, he clarified, "Afraid I'll change your mind about Weber?"

"What could you possibly say or do to influence
my decisions?" she inquired, eager for his explanation.

Since he had no proof that Weber was part of the
crimes he was investigating, he would have to keep
his opinions secret for now. Also, he wasn't in a
position at present to force a battle over Amanda. His
only course of action seemed to be in showing
Amanda her own feelings.

"You said it was wrong to see me. But isn't it worse
to marry one man when you have such strong
feelings of desire for another?" The moment he made
his rash statement, he regretted it.

"And who might I desire more than Weber, my
conceited rake?" she questioned.

He chuckled. "I see you know whom I was
referring to, but not from conceit, Mandy." As his
thumb gently rubbed over her quivering lips, he
vowed tenderly, "No woman has ever kissed me as
you did."

"If I misled you, Reis, I'm sorry. You do have a
cunning way of clouding a woman's senses. I've been
under a great strain lately, and I wasn't myself. If
you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving."

"You're misleading yourself, Mandy, not me. As to
clouding senses, you're the expert there. Before you
make your decision, just realize that marriage is
forever," he warned gravely.

"Forever," she echoed the word as if it were a death
sentence which she couldn't avoid.

"Look at me, Mandy, and tell me you love him,"
he insisted.

"Why else would I marry a man?" she eluded his
trap.

"I damn well intend to discover that answer," he
stated boldly. Reis caught her face between his hands
and lowered his head to fuse their lips. When she
tried to prevent this stirring assault on her warring
senses, he skillfully parted her lips, probing the
sweetness of her mouth. His arms entrapped her as he
invaded her heart and mind.

Amanda didn't know how many times Reis kissed
her, but she knew she didn't want him to stop. Her
arms encircled his body as she feverishly responded to
his rapturous invitation. Reis's hands wandered up
and down her back, causing tingles to sweep over her
entire body. An age-old craving grew at her core,
spreading its need over her quivering and fiery flesh.

Amanda snuggled up to Reis as he nestled his face
into her fragrant hair. Such yearning filled her, a
yearning to explore this fierce aching which plagued
her very soul. A soft groan escaped her parted lips as
Reis's hand drifted over a firm breast, his palm
stroking the taut point through her dress. When his
tongue danced merrily around her ear, she shuddered
with intense need. Soon, his mouth fastened onto
hers, taking her beyond the limits of reality.

She swayed in his embrace as his hands and lips
worked magical wonders over her face and body. The
tension built within her until she ardently meshed
her mouth with his and unknowingly dug her nails into his back as she tried to pull him even closer to
her. She desperately wanted him; nothing and no one
else mattered now. She instinctively knew the only
way to appease such an awesome hunger, and she
was willing to feed it then and there. Whatever might
happen after this blissful moment of wild passion,
she knew she must have Reis Harrison this one time.

Reis was snared by his own trap, too enflamed to
think or care about anything but making love to
Amanda. He trembled with the urgency which raced
through his smoldering frame. He wanted her,
needed her completely.

"Yield to me, love," he urged hoarsely. "You're
driving me wild. I hurt all over with wanting you.
You can't marry Web, Mandy; he's no good for you.
He can't make you feel the way I do. If you loved him,
you wouldn't be in my arms. Forget that heartless
Reb," he pleaded earnestly, unaware of his rash error
which struck Amanda forcefully.

It took Reis a while to realize Amanda was pushing
him away from her, that she was suddenly resisting
him with all her might. "Let go of me, Reis. Stop or
I'll scream," she threatened wildly.

Reis leaned away from her. "Mandy?" he whispered huskily.

"I'm not some harlot to be rolled on the floor," she
panted at him. "Stop doing this to me. You don't
want me; you only want to hurt Weber. I don't know
why, but I won't let you use me like this! Get out of
my life and stay out," she demanded weakly, hardly
aware of what she was saying but aware of how she was hurting without really knowing why or how to
stop the knifing pains in her heart.

"Doing this to youl" he thundered in return. "You
can't tease a man with surrender, then go cold on
him! I need you, Mandy. If you don't need me, then
why entice me? You're a witch, Amanda Lawrence.
You enchant a fellow then punish him for his
weakness. If it's only games with you, then stay clear
of me, woman. I don't respect the rules. The next
time you get me this hot, you'd best plan to cool me
down," he warned, anger flashing in his deep blue
eyes. "A man does crazy things when he's pushed
beyond control or reason. If you want me to steer
clear, I will. But first you'll have to convince me
that's what you want."

Amanda was afraid she couldn't convince him
with desperate lies, so she didn't try. Instead, she
snatched her cape and raced out before he could stop
her panicky flight. The office keys were lying on her
desk; the safe was still open. Reis locked up
hurriedly, then followed her to make sure she reached
home safely.

He forcefully cooled his anger and his passion. He
secretively returned to her office to search for the
motive behind her vexing mood. He scanned the
contents of her desk and the safe, then went through
her files. He put everything back in its place, then
locked the safe. He made sure all lights were out and
the door was secured. He stuffed her drawstring purse
into his pocket and headed for her house.

He would leave her purse with Miranda, hopefully without an explanation. Then he would head to the
privacy of his hotel room. He had some thinking and
planning to do. It all made perfect sense to him, even
if Amanda was mistaken and impulsive .. .