He made a show of glancing at his watch. “Make it quick—I have an appointment.”

“Oh Sam, you always were such a poor liar.”

He snapped his jaw closed and pulled out a chair. “As it happens, I do have to be someplace in less than an hour. But obviously my word isn’t to be trusted.”

“This will only take a minute.”

He crossed his legs, hoping to give the impression of indifference. Nothing could be further from the truth, but anger was his only defense against Marjorie. It was either yell at her or yank her into his arms and kiss some sense into her.

Her fingers closed around the cold metal keys. “It’s about that ring you offered me.”

Sam shot to his feet. “Listen, Marjorie, we’re talking about our lives here, not a car deal. There are no counteroffers.”

“Yes, I know.”

“The offer stands as it was.”

“All right,” she said, her voice strong and sure.

“All right what?”

“I’ll marry you.”

If Sam had been flustered before, it was nothing compared to the confusion he felt now. “You will?”

“That is…if you still want me for your wife.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “What happened? Did you check around and discover that you couldn’t make a better deal than me?”

“No…That’s not it at all.” This was going so much worse than she’d hoped it would.

He eyed her speculatively. “I’ll call you Kitten any time I please!”

She nodded, because speaking would have been impossible.

“We won’t have a long engagement, either. I want us married before the end of the summer.”

She met his fiery gaze with feigned calm, then answered him with a quick nod.

He mellowed somewhat and lowered his voice. “Do you have to check this out with your manager?”

“No.”

His gaze moved to the shimmering moistness of her lips. He was dying to hold her, starved for a taste of her, and just looking at her disturbed his concentration. His control was slipping fast. Walking around to her side of the desk, he reached for her. Hungrily, his mouth devoured hers as he pulled her hard against the solid length of his body so she would know how desperate he’d been without her. His hand roamed possessively over her, molding her to him, uncaring that anyone outside the office might be watching.

Only partially satisfied, Sam dragged his mouth from her, his hunger sated for the moment.

The iron band of his arms held her a willing prisoner. “Sam, I love you…I’m sorry to be so insecure. I don’t know what made me say those things. It’s just that I’ve been on my own so long that it hurt my pride to think you pitied me, and I…”

“It doesn’t matter, Kitten,” he said, his voice husky and thick against her hair.