The Man's Outrageous Demands (11 page)

“I know.” Sam stepped back and smiled down at her. “I’d be honored if you would just meet me for dinner tomorrow night so we can discuss the issue. Will that be okay?” he asked.

“Sam, please…” but he put a finger over her mouth.

“I asked.”

Marabeth laughed. “Just because you asked means I’m not allowed to say no?”

“Exactly,” he said and smiled charmingly.

“Well, I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

“If I promise to not touch you, will that work?” “Will you?”

“No, but I could try.”

Marabeth couldn’t help but laugh at his unrepentant reply. “I’m not sure that’s a very good promise.”

“It’s the best I can do. Sorry, but now that I know what you’re like in my arms, I don’t think I can wait to hold you again.”

She looked up at him curiously. “Sam, do you ever take no for an answer.”

“Sure. When it is the right one,” he said. He bent down and quickly kissed her lips. “I’ll stop by here at seven o’clock. Dress up,” he said and turned to leave the room.

Marabeth turned and watched him leave, amazed anew now that she had seen his chest and felt the muscles along his shoulders and back. She liked the way he walked, she thought as he opened her door and left without a backwards glance. She wondered what his legs would feel like wrapped in hers as their bodies, completely naked, moved in time with each other.

Stop it! She told herself. Those kinds of thoughts were too dangerous.

She walked into her bedroom and put on a silk nightgown. The feeling of the silk as it moved down her already sexually aroused body was pure torture and she had to pull it off and find a cotton nightgown. That one was only marginally better but she slid between the sheets, frustrated and punching her pillow in her agitation.

Marabeth dressed carefully for dinner the following night. She didn’t want to be alluring, but for some reason, she really wanted to look pretty for Sam. She dressed in a bright blue dress with a chiffon skirt that swirled around her legs. The bodice had a square cut neckline and the sleeves fitted her arms all the way down to her wrists.

Sam knocked on her door exactly at seven o’clock. She opened it and noted his dark suit and was impressed, remembering his muscles. For a split second, she wished they were staying in her suite to continue what they had started last night.

“You look lovely,” he said and his eyes showed his appreciation for her dress.

“Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”

He held out his arm for her and she slid her hand through it, letting him walk her down the hallway.

“How did your luncheon go today?” he asked.

She was surprised that he’d known about it. “It was fine. How did you find out that I was having everyone here for lunch?”

He looked down at her as they rode the elevator down to the garage level. “There’s very little that you do that I don’t know about,” he said.

She didn’t like the sound of that. “I’m not sure that’s very fair,” she said and took several steps back. Not too far because the elevator wasn’t that big.

“Why is that?”

“Because I don’t know anything that you do during the day and yet, you probably know what I ate during lunch and how long my work out was this morning.”

“What’s your point?”

“I don’t like being spied on,” she countered quickly.

“Why do you think of it as spying? It is my job to ensure your safety.”

She thought for a moment, trying to get him to understand her position. “What time did I arrive in my office this morning?” she asked him.

“Marabeth, what’s the point…”

“Just answer the question.”

“Eight o’clock.”

“And what time did the luncheon start?”

“One o’clock.”

“What time was it supposed to start?”

“Twelve thirty.”

They stepped out of the elevator and Sam escorted her to the waiting limousine. Once they were inside, she continued.

“Sam, I didn’t even know if you were in the building today and yet you basically know every move I made today. It leaves me no privacy. If I were to hire spies who would tell me what time you showered today and what soap you used, wouldn’t that make you feel just a little weird?”
“Yes.”

“So why can’t you give me the same respect?”

He waited until the car was moving before answering. “Because I’m here to protect you, Marabeth That’s what your father tasked me to do.”

“No, he tasked you to protect the country and from what I’ve heard, you’re doing a wonderful job of it. But I don’t fall into that category.”

“Yes, you do,” he said harshly. “You’re mine, Marabeth,” he looked into her eyes, determined to let her understand the intensity of his feelings. “I protect what’s mine.”

“Well, if the converse is true, then I should have the right to know what you are doing at every moment of the day. So I’ll start arranging that,” she said and sat back in her seat, frustrated that he wasn’t willing to see her side of the argument.

He sat against the soft, leather seats, smiling smugly.

“What?” she demanded, wondering why he was so happy now when sixty seconds ago he was about to pull a caveman act on her.

“You just let it slip.”

“Slip? What do you mean?”

Sam lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “If the converse is true, then I’m yours and you’ve finally agreed to marry me,” he said, the light in his eyes dangerous.

Marabeth pulled her hand out of his. “No I didn’t. And that brings up another subject. I want to learn karate,” she said.

“No.”

Marabeth laughed. “No? Just no? What do you mean no? Of course I can learn karate. All I have to do is hire a tutor.”

“Why would you want to learn karate? You have two body guards who are trained in martial arts and just about any weapon someone could put in front of you.”

“Don’t be condescending, Sam. I want to learn to defend you and myself. I don’t like being a target with no skills other than ensuring that my shoes match my dress.” “No. You don’t need to learn any self defense.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a girl.”

“Nice of you to notice, but now you’re simply being sexist. I’ll make some calls tomorrow and I’ll find someone to teach me. Manny will have the clearance paperwork on his desk in the morning.” She stopped for a moment and thought about that. “Actually, I’ll just have Rick or Mark teach me,” she said, referring to her two body guards. “You just said they were very skilled.”

“No,” he said and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Marabeth, if you want to learn, then I’ll teach you.”

The car pulled up beside an Italian restaurant that Marabeth had been to before and enjoyed very much. She liked Sam’s choice, but didn’t tell him that. The man was too arrogant for his own good. And hers.

She waited until they were seated and the wine ordered before continuing. “I don’t think I want you for a teacher.”

“Why not?” he asked, sitting back in his seat and enjoying the sparkle in her eyes.

“Because I don’t think you’ll take my instruction very seriously. I want to learn and once I put my mind to something, there’s no way I do anything halfway.”

”I know that,” he said and leaned forward. “Marabeth, I’m not letting you get beaten up by someone else, nor am I going to allow another man to touch you. If you want instruction in martial arts, you’re going to have to take my offer.”

She considered his comment for a long moment. She didn’t mind letting him teach her. In fact, he was one of the best she’d ever seen so if she wanted to learn something, she really should learn from the best.

“Fine, but if I think for one moment that you’re holding back, I’m hiring a tutor on my own.”

Sam relented slightly by saying, “We’ll see. What are you having for dinner?” he asked changing the subject.

Marabeth looked at the menu and chose a pasta dish quickly. There were several thoughts going through her mind, all of which she really wanted to talk to him about.

“I also want to learn hang gliding. There are several other things as well. So you need to get rid of these silly security issues so I can get on with things.”

Sam almost dropped the menu at her comment. “Hang gliding?”

“Yes. What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s dangerous. That’s what!” he said angrily.

“Have you ever done it?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point.”

“Is the point something about the fact that I’m not of the male gender? If so, you really should keep that point to yourself because I’ll only have to kick you,” she said, but her tone was very calm. “And I have very sharp shoes on. Nice point at the toe.”

“Marabeth, you are not being reasonable.”

“No, Sam. I disagree. I am a free-thinking, completely grown adult with needs and desires of my own. But I’m twenty six years old and being told to marry a man that; one I barely know, two I don’t understand and three, I don’t really like. So you tell me exactly how I’m being unreasonable.. I’m forced into a situation that no other person in the world has to deal with and yet I’m trying to make the best of it because I have an obligation to my country and a great deal of respect, not to mention fear, of my father.”

Sam considered her words for a long time. He’d never heard her phrase things quite so eloquently before and he had to admit that she had a very convincing argument. “One hour for each lesson,” he said.

Marabeth was confused. “One hour of what?”

“I get one hour for each hour I teach you. But I have to teach you whatever you’re going to learn.”

“What do you mean, you get one hour?”

He leaned forward and crossed his arms over the table in front of him. “I get one hour with you where you don’t argue with me or try to avoid me.”

She considered that. It seemed reasonable. “The wedding is delayed for six months and I get out of it if I find out you’re totally unreasonable.”

“No way.”

“Why not?” He smiled cheekily. “Because I know I can be unreasonable. I’m not giving you an out that easy.”

Marabeth couldn’t help it. He was too charming for her own good. Her laughter bubbled up despite her vow to make her point. “Fine, but we delay the wedding for at least six months and don’t announce it for three.”

“We keep the date set for two months and don’t announce it for four weeks. And you continue to get ready for the wedding with all the enthusiasm you would if you would just admit you’re in love with me.”

Marabeth wasn’t sure if she should gasp in horror or laugh at his comment. Both seemed applicable. “I get karate, hang gliding and I want to go to an amusement park,” she said. And as if it were an afterthought, “And I get to go out once in a while,” she finished. “These security restrictions are going to really get to me soon.”

“You stay within the confines of the palace unless you’re with me, I’ll teach you both but no amusement park. Too many security issues.”

“When would the security issues be resolved?”

“Do you agree?” he asked.

“Is there an alternative?”

“Sure, you can not learn karate or hang gliding, you can continue to fight me and avoid me and we don’t get to know each other, but we still get married in two months and I get to take you to bed like I want to do right now.”

Marabeth couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing, enjoying the arrogance and irritating confidence he had. Her mother was right about that part. Those two qualities really were two things that attracted her to him.

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

“That’s a yes,” she said.

“Good.”

Their meals arrived conveniently at that moment and there was a great show of freshly grated cheeses and tossing of the salad. The wine was poured and the bread delivered. By the time all the waiters had gone, Marabeth was ready to yell at them all to go away but she kept her mouth shut and waited patiently.

Once they were alone again, she took a big bite of her pasta, knowing she was hungry. “Oh, this is wonderful,” she said as soon as she finished the first bite. “I love this restaurant.”

“When were you here before?”

“My mother had me go out with this irritating Italian count about six months ago. He was yet another in a long line of hopefuls.” She considered that for a moment. “Why didn’t they ask you to take me out a long time ago?”

“They did.”

“They did?” she said, extremely hurt suddenly. If they’d asked, that meant he’d said no. “Well, this is delicious pasta,” she said again, looking down at her meal.

Sam realized where this was going and he put his fork down. “Marabeth, stop right there. Look at me,” he said.

She looked up and tried to hide the hurt but it must have come through on her face.

“At the time, I had one month before I was to take over a new job and all I knew about you was that you were a princess who had just lost her fiancé and you had a beautiful mother.”

She nodded and thought she understood. “So you think the same thing everyone else thought about me. That I was some spoiled little princess who needed to be married off as quickly as possible. But you took it one step further and thought I was an ugly hag, huh?”

Sam nodded his head. “Well, yes. That about sums it up.”

Marabeth wanted to feel hurt, but his honesty somehow made her feel better. “What time is my first lesson?’ she asked, changing the subject.

“Tomorrow morning. Be in the gym at five o’clock.”