“I know he leaked Mrs. Wolburg’s story to the press.” Worked up again, Sydney broke off a hunk of bread. “His anger toward me caused him to put Hayward in a very unstable position. I won’t tolerate that, and neither will the board.”

“You’ll fix it.” He split the last of the champagne between them.

“Yes, I will.” She was looking out over the neighborhood, seeing the clothes hung on lines to dry in the sun, the open windows where people could be seen walking by or sitting in front of televisions. There were children on the sidewalk taking advantage of a long summer day. When Mikhail’s hand reached for hers, she gripped it tightly.

“Today, for the first time,” she said quietly, “I felt in charge. My whole life I went along with what I was told was best or proper or expected.” Catching herself, she shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that sometime over the last few months I started to realize that to be in charge meant you had to take charge. I finally did. I don’t know if you can understand how that feels.”

“I know what I see. And this is a woman who is beginning to trust herself, and take what is right for her.” Smiling, he skimmed a finger down her cheek. “Take me.”

She turned to him. He was less than an arm’s length away. Those dark, untamed looks would have set any woman’s heart leaping. But there was more happening to her than an excited pulse. She was afraid to consider it. There was only now, she reminded herself, and reached for him. He held her, rubbing his cheek against her hair, murmuring lovely words she couldn’t understand.

“I’ll have to get a phrase book.” Her eyes closed on a sigh as his mouth roamed over her face.

“This one is easy.” He repeated a phrase between kisses.

She laughed, moving willingly when he drew her to her feet. “Easy for you to say. What does it mean?”

His lips touched hers again. “I love you.”

He watched her eyes fly open, saw the race of emotion in them run from shock to hope to panic. “Mikhail, I—”

“Why do the words frighten you?” he interrupted. “Love doesn’t threaten.”

“I didn’t expect this.” She put a hand to his chest to insure some distance. Eyes darkening, Mikhail looked down at it, then stepped back.

“What did you expect?”

“I thought you were…” Was there no delicate way? “I assumed that you…”

“Wanted only your body,” he finished for her, and his voice heated. He had shown her so much, and she saw so little. “I do want it, but not only. Will you tell me there was nothing last night?”