Page 51 of Bride By Committee

“What sort of things?” Madison asked cautiously.

“Flowery things.” If matters weren’t so serious, she’d have laughed at his outraged expression. “Petals and herbs that will no doubt end up in places no petal or herb belongs. And if that’s not enough to chase you away, she brought along a tree.”

Her gaze returned to the shrub decorating the table. “Rosy left that for you?”

“No. Rosy left it for you. A‘naughty-but-safe’ tree with leaves made out of very interesting foil packets in every color and style imaginable.”

“Every size, too?” The question escaped before she could utilize an iota of common sense.

“No. Only one.” Brilliant green lights appeared in his eyes, warning that she’d be wise to keep any future smart-mouthed remarks to herself. “Fortunately, Rosy seems to have more confidence in that regard than you. We’re talking about a tree covered in nice, big oak leaves. Not a single scrawny pine needle in sight.”

Heaven help her! She wouldn’t get that image out of her head anytime soon. She scrambled to stay focused. “I’m sorry Rosy upset you. I’ll have a talk with her first thing tomorrow.”

He stopped pacing, pausing a scant few feet away. “She’s not the one who upset me. She’s the one I’m taking my temper out on so I don’t go after the real culprit.”

It didn’t take much brainpower to figure out who he meant. “Me.”

“You. And I don’t mean your disappearing act. That’s just part of it.”

“Then what?”

“I’m talking about the way you’ve been shying away from developing a relationship with me and your fear of commitment. I’m talking about your reaction to what happened at Bradford’s today. And I’m talking about how you run at the first sign of anyone getting too close.” He folded his arms across his chest and fixed her with his lion’s stare. “What’s going on, Madison? Explain it to me.”

She took a deep breath. No more ducking the issue. Harry deserved total honesty and that’s what she’d give him, no matter how much it hurt. “I don’t think it’s working out between us.”

“Why?”

The single, razor-sharp word tipped her off that his emotions still ran hot and passionate, despite his current air of calm. She crossed to the window and swept aside the drapes, fabricating an intense interest in the view. Not that the cityscape made much impression. She was too keenly aware of the man standing behind her to focus on anything else. “We’re too different.”

“This is because of Linc, isn’t it?”

“My cousin doesn’t have anything to do with my decision. He simply brought home certain facts.”

“Like what?”

“Like…” She risked a quick glance over her shoulder. The lion had stalked closer and she inched to one side. “Like we come from worlds that have nothing in common.”

He matched her movements, shifting positions just enough to keep her on edge, while at the same time managing to block all avenues of retreat. She swiveled to face him. It was utterly unfair that he was so large, she silently stewed. An average-sized man wouldn’t have been able to get away with those sorts of tactics.

“I’d say we had a lot in common,” Harry argued.

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I? Let’s see…” He reached for his tie, ripping at the knot. “We’re both practical.”

She lifted her chin with a touch of defiance, pretending not to notice his actions, pretending even harder not to be unnerved by them. “I recently discovered that I’m nowhere near as practical as I once thought. Now that I think about it, Ihaven’t acted with any practicality at all these last couple of weeks.”

The tie came free and he tossed it aside without a second glance. “We both excel at business.”

“You mean you excel at business. Apparently, Iexcel at playing at business.”

He continued as though she hadn’t interrupted, tugging at the buttons of his shirt as he spoke. “We both have a knack for telling people what to do with their money.”

“Don’t you dare pretend we’re in the same category,” she stormed. “If my father knows who you are that means you’re big. Very big.”

“I warned you about that right from the start.” She found the gentleness of his tone disconcerting, perhaps because it was at direct odds with the fierceness of his gaze. “If you chose not to believe me, Ican’t be held responsible. And while we’re on the subject of choosing what to believe and what not to, need I mention the word ‘intimidation’? Iseem to remember telling you I’d been called that on more than one occasion, too.”

“Don’t remind me. Iknew you were a lion the first time I saw you,” she complained. “I should have trusted my instincts from the beginning.”

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