‘Oh, dear. He can be so tactless at times.’

‘Tactless. But truthful. So tell me, Alanna, just out of curiosity, what kind of female does Mike usually date?’

‘Difficult to say. They come from all walks of life. But they’re always good-looking, with good figures.’

‘I see…’

‘You have a good figure,’ Alanna pointed out.

Natalie laughed. ‘I don’t think it’s a question of my figure, but my whole package. Aside from my too cynical and assertive manner, he thinks my hair lacks pizzazz and my clothes are appalling. He says he’s going to have to take me clothes shopping before the wedding because he doesn’t trust my taste.’

‘Actually, no, he’s not,’ Alanna said.

‘Not what?’

‘Not taking you clothes shopping. I am. That’s the other reason I’m ringing. Mike doesn’t have the time. He’s working.’

‘But he said he was between projects!’

‘Not any more. He’s found some bug in his new program and he has to fix it. Sorry.’

‘He could have at least called and told me personally!’ Natalie snapped.

‘You’re absolutely right. He should have. I suppose you were looking forward to Mike taking you clothes shopping.’

That was such an understatement. Natalie suddenly felt like a balloon that had lost all its air.

‘I wanted to show him he was wrong about my being such a dag,’ she confessed wearily. ‘My silly pride again.’

‘I don’t think pride is silly at all. You can still show him, starting with your wedding day. I’d bet you’d like Mike’s mouth to fall open when he sees you in your wedding dress, wouldn’t you?’

Natalie didn’t know what to say to that. She’d spent every moment since meeting Mike fighting her desires and telling herself not to make a fool of herself over him. But where had that got her? She was down right miserable.

If there was even a slim chance she could make Mike want her—even for one night—she was going to take it.

‘Yes,’ she admitted with a sigh. ‘But do you honestly think that’s possible?’

‘Sweetie, you could knock him for a six. No trouble. By the time I’ve finished with you, Mike won’t be able to keep his hands off. Aside from anything else, I have it on good authority that, come the first week in December, your groom will have been celibate for quite a few weeks, a most unusual occurrence for Mike. His testosterone level is going to be sky-high.’

Natalie winced. Did she really want Mike taking her to bed just because his frustration had reached breaking-point?

The answer was as scandalous as their marriage.

Yes.