Page 27 of Landen

“Father.”He murmured into the phone as he measured the coffee pods.

“You have notchecked in for two days.” There was no greeting, no ‘Howare you doing, son?’ and he should be used to it, but it left ahollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The call shadowed thememories of last night and the morning he had spent with thatbeautiful woman upstairs.

“I was busy.”

There was a pregnantpause, and Landen waited. “I was under the assumption you wereon vacation.”

“I am. I wasbusy visiting friends and going to parties.”

Another pregnantpause had him tensing up.

“I am countingon you to be discreet and not shame the family name.”

“God forbidI would do any such thing,” Landen said bitterly. “Idrank champagne and cavorted on a friend’s yacht. And I madecertain to stay away from the few reporters present. Is thatacceptable?”

The sarcasm wentright over the man’s head, as usual. “Perfectly. We areexpecting you home in two weeks.”

“Three.”

“You haveresponsibilities-”

“Which I amsure can wait until my return.”

“We haveinvited Sara and her parents over for supper to get to know the younglady better.”

Landen closed hiseyes in weary resignation. “Isn’t that a littlepremature? I have not agreed to marry this woman.”

“You will. NowI have to go. I will tell your mother you are well.”

Hanging up the phone,he went to pour himself a cup of coffee. Perhaps he should change hisnumber, he thought moodily, but his parents would just send someoneover to search for him, and there were some damn good investigatorsin the company. Taking the coffee back, he moved around the widemalachite counter and sat down.

Inviting Sara and herparents over was tantamount to saying that the deal was done, thatthey were already betrothed. Which was pissing him off royally.

“Problems?”The soft, cultured voice had him jolting. He had been so mired in histroubled thoughts that he had not heard her approach.

“Pardon?”

Her tapered browslifted. His frown was on his face, and his accent was morepronounced, making him sound frightfully formal and distant. “Isthe coffee that bad?”

“I apologize.”He tried to divert her by flicking her a charming smile, but it didnot quite reach his amazing eyes. “It’s quite good,actually, and possibly the only use I have in the kitchen. I got ussome pastries from your favorite place.” Jumping to his feet,he went to grab a cup and poured some coffee. “How do you takeit?”

“A littlecream and sugar. I thought the English drink only tea.”

“We mostly do.”He found the creamer and poured some in.

“The sugar ison the counter next to the coffee.”

“Thanks.”He handed it to her and a spoon before reaching for the pastry box.“We are spending the day and night together.”

Her brows lifted. “Icould swear that was an order instead of a question.”

His grin flashed, andthis time, his eyes twinkled. “I figured after the marathonsex, we would be on the same page. And I am assuming you are offtoday.”

“I have thingsto do.”

Sitting across fromher, he gave her a pointed stare. “Such as?”

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