‘What do you mean?’ she added with a frown. ‘My trick?’

‘Matchmaking.’

Natalie pulled a face. But there was no point in denying what he’d obviously overheard. ‘She only wants the best for you, Mike. She thinks you could do with a real wife. She also thinks I’m in love with you, just because I slept with you. I tried to tell her that she had it all wrong.’

‘Yeah, I heard you say it was just sex.’

If that was the case, why didn’t he look happier about it? Just sex was all he wanted from her, wasn’t it?

‘What is it with you women?’ he ground out, marching over and plonking the milk and paper down onto the black granite counter top. ‘Do you have to tell each other everything?’

Natalie’s chin shot up. She would not be spoken to like that, certainly not by Mike.

‘Pretty much,’ she said. ‘We women have this awful tendency to need people in our lives. For things other than sex, that is. We need companionship and caring and children and, whoops, oh yes, occasionally we need love. We are such silly fools! But don’t you worry, Mike. I won’t be looking for love with yours truly. I’m not that much of a fool. I can see you’re frightened to death of the word. You couldn’t love anyone if your life depended on it!’

He glared at her, his eyes glittering, his hands balling into fists at his side.

‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Then tell me. I’d like to know. What drives you, Mike? Why are you generous with your money but not with your feelings? What happened to you when you were a boy to make you the way you are?’

He looked furious for a second, but then he laughed. ‘I see Alanna has been telling secrets out of turn.’

‘Being generous and kind shouldn’t be kept a secret!’

‘What I do with my money is my business and my business alone.’

‘Which is what you’re always going to be, Mike,’ she snapped. ‘Alone.’

‘That’s my choice.’

‘It surely is. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can continue with our sexual relationship.’ Even as she said the words, she wished she hadn’t.

His nostrils flared. ‘Why not?’

‘I…I’m not sure I can handle it.’

‘You handled it well enough last night.’

‘Don’t be nasty.’

‘I’m not being nasty. I’m telling the truth. Here,’ he said, snatching up both her hands and spreading them over his bare chest. ‘You couldn’t get enough of this last night. Or of me. Nothing’s changed this morning, Natalie. I’m still the same man and you’re still the same woman.’

But I’m not, she wanted to scream at him. And you’re not.