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then there’s the amount I spend on good tea and food every month. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be
    a cheap addition to your collection…!“
    „Damn it, woman! I came here with the intention of making you an honest offer of employment and…“
    „And a straightforward proposition,“ she reminded him smoothly.
    „That’s not it at all!“
    „What would you call it?“ she inquired interestedly.
    He drew a deep breath, obviously making a valiant attempt to hang on to his temper. „I’m sorry if my approach is a
    little too crude for you. But the simple fact of the matter is I want you, and I’m willing to pay your price.“
    The directness of his words was too much, even for Adena’s sense of humor. It was suddenly her turn to feel the
    heat rising in her cheeks.
    „What makes you so sure you want me?“ she managed coolly. „As you said, we’ve only spent one evening
    together.“
    „It was enough,“ he said, his tone softening and a smile shaping his mouth.
    Adena saw the memory of the kiss in his eyes and felt even warmer. The teacup clattered slightly as she placed it
    back on the saucer. „Where in the world did you get the notion that you could put a price on love, Hoh Sinclair?“
    „There is a price on everything, Adena. But as it happens, I’m not buying love.“
    „You’re hiring a new housekeeper?“ she mocked, abruptly incensed. „Or am I to be a fourth for bridge when you
    need one? Or perhaps you need a private accountant?“
    „I shall be happy to demonstrate the role I expect you to play in my life,“ he drawled evenly.
    Adena had the distinct impression he was beginning to feel more than a little provoked. Which was entirely fair,
    she told herself spiritedly. He deserved it.
    „Thanks, but no thanks, Holt. While it’s true that I am looking for another job at the moment, I have no intention of
    accepting your offer. Too many strings attached, I’m afraid.“
    „You’re angry.“
    „You’re so perceptive.“
    „Just because I’m being honest in my approach?“ He eyed her as if he’d expected better of her.
    „Your approach, to put it as clearly as possible, is unsubtle, unromantic, and uninteresting!“
    „Unsubtle, I’ll grant you, but uninteresting? That I can guarantee to fix. And as for unromantic, that’s nonsense.
    What could be more romantic than two people who meet and are immediately attracted to each other?“ he mocked
    lightly.
    Adena smiled recklessly. „Is that what you think happened? Love at first sight?“
    „Attraction at first sight,“ he corrected smoothly. „And don’t you dare sit there looking like a shocked Victorian
    heroine and tell me you didn’t feel some of the same things I did the other evening. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have
    stayed for dinner and you wouldn’t have gone so soft and weak in my arms when I kissed you.“
    „Soft and weak!“ Adena flared, stung by the gleam in his gray gaze. „Are you out of your mind? You virtually
    assaulted me! That wasn’t a response you were getting – that was me doing my best to endure an unpleasant
    moment!“
    For a second she thought she’d gone too far. Something very masculine looked out at her from his silvery eyes.
    But in the next instant Holt was smiling wryly and reaching for the other half of his sandwich.
    „This is, I suppose, the point at which I should haul you arrogantly into my arms, pin you beneath me on the sofa,
    and make passionate love to you until you’re incapable of denying me anything I want Kissing you, in fact, into a
    breathless state of surrender.“
    „Holt!“ Adena felt herself instinctively withdraw into the depths of her chair. It was a useless little movement
    engendered by a fear she refused to acknowledge. For a fleeting moment in time Adena knew what it was to feel
    incredibly vulnerable. And he hadn’t moved an inch.
    „What’s the matter? Wouldn’t that be romantic enough for you? And you can’t say it lacks interest…“
    Adena’s