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in command of the situation. It was only when she caught him off guard with that oddly brittle persona, as she had earlier, that he was at a loss.
    They ate in silence for several minutes. Owen made no attempt to ease the situation. Let her stew a bit, he decided. When he eventually took her into his arms, she would no doubt collapse against him in total surrender, and that would be the end of the problem. The thing to remember when dealing with nervous, excitable creatures such as Angie was that they were their own worst enemies.
    Owen was eating a slice of Brie from the cheese tray when Angie suddenly put down her knife, folded her hands in her lap and sat back in her chair.
    "All right, Owen. I have done a great deal of thinking during dinner and I have made some decisions."
    "Interesting."
    "I would appreciate it if you could refrain from being sarcastic. This is a very serious matter."
    "Making love for the first time? I agree with you. It is a serious matter, but I think we can handle it."
    "Owen, please. This is not a farce."
    "I know, darling. But you’re on the verge of turning it into one, aren’t you?"
    She stood abruptly, liquid silver swirling around her slender frame. She went to stand at the terrace railing and gazed at the fog-shrouded ocean. "I have concluded that I cannot make a rational, intelligent decision about the future of our relationship tonight."
    "You don’t need to make any decisions about it," Owen said quietly, setting down his cheese knife.
    "The decision was made today when I put that ring on your finger in front of three hundred witnesses."
    She shook her head quickly but did not turn around. Her hands were clenched around the railing. "I can’t seem to think clearly tonight. Don’t you understand? I’m confused and I’m frightened. I need time to consider everything."
    "I see." Owen finally began to perceive where this jumbled conversation was heading. He tossed aside the monogrammed napkin and got to his feet. He crossed the terrace to stand directly behind Angie but he did not touch her. "Just how much time do you think you’ll need to figure out that you really are married to me?"
    "Until after the stock offering," she said in a soft, determined little voice.
    Owen saw red. For one blistering instant he nearly lost his temper completely. It took him several seconds to regain his self-control, and even when he was sure he had himself in hand again, he still did not dare to touch her.
    He forced himself to speak slowly and deliberately on the off chance that he had misunderstood.
    "What, exactly, are you trying to tell me, Angie?"
    "That I don’t want us to… to consummate our marriage until after Sutherland and Townsend goes public."
    Owen could not believe what he was hearing. "The stock offering doesn’t take place until the first of next month. That’s three weeks from now."
    "I know."
    He put out a hand and closed it firmly around her shoulder. Very carefully, fully aware of his tightly leashed anger and his fierce desire, he turned her to face him. "You’re saying you don’t want to go to bed with me until after you find out if whoever called you tonight was telling the truth?"
    She nodded mutely.
    "How do you think that makes me feel, Angie?"
    Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. "I’m sorry. But I’m scared, Owen. I’ve allowed you and my family to rush me into this marriage and now I’m wondering if I’ve made a terrible mistake. You know what they say about marrying in haste."
    "You haven’t made a mistake."
    "Don’t you see? You and my family should never have kept me in the dark about the merger. The telephone call and press release hit me like a ton of bricks tonight. They made me realize how willfully naive I’ve been about our whole relationship."
    "Honey, that’s not true."
    "It is true. When you stop and think about it, you must realize I don’t know you very well, Owen. I don’t even know your family, let alone the true depth of your feelings for me.