Wrapped In Pleasure - Brenda Jackson [3]
Placing her hands on her hips she met his gaze with the Westmoreland glare. “I am not leaving.”
He didn’t seem at all affected when he said, “Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
His jaw suddenly had the look of being chiseled from stone. “In my country women do what they are told.”
Delaney flashed him a look of sheer irritation. “Well, welcome to America, Your Highness. In this country women have the right to speak their minds. We can even tell a man where to go.”
Jamal’s eyebrows shot up in confusion. “Where to go?”
“Yes, like go fly a kite, go take a leap or go to hell.”
Jamal couldn’t help but chuckle. It was apparent Delaney Westmoreland was potently sassy. He had learned that American women didn’t hesitate to let you know when they were upset about something. In his country women learned very early in life not to show their emotions. He decided to try another approach, one that would possibly appeal to her intelligence. “Be reasonable.”
She glared at him, letting him know that approach wasn’t going to work. “I am being reasonable, and right now a cabin on a lake for a month, rent free, is more than reasonable. It’s a steal, a dream come true, a must have. Besides, you aren’t the only one who needs to be in seclusion for a while.”
Delaney immediately thought of her rather large family. Now that she had completed medical school, they assumed she was qualified to diagnose every ache and pain they had. She would never get any rest if they knew where to find her. Her parents knew how to reach her in case of an emergency and that was good enough. She loved her relations dearly but she was due for a break.
“Why are you in seclusion?”
She frowned. “It’s personal.”
Jamal couldn’t help wondering if perhaps she was hiding from a jealous lover or even a husband. She wasn’t wearing a wedding band, but then he knew from firsthand experience that some American women took off their rings when it suited them. “Are you married?”
“No, are you?” she responded crisply.
“Not yet,” he murmured softly. “I’m expected to marry before my next birthday.”
“Good for you, now please be a nice prince and take my luggage into the house. If I’m not mistaken, there are three bedrooms and all with connecting bathrooms, so it’s plenty big enough and private enough for the both of us. I plan to do a lot of sleeping, so there will be days when you probably won’t see me at all.”
He stared at her. “And on those days when I do see you?”
Delaney shrugged. “Just pretend that you don’t. However, if you find that difficult to do and feel things are getting a little bit too crowded around here to suit you, I’d completely understand if you left.” She glanced around the yard. “By the way, where’s your car?”
Jamal sighed, wondering how he could get her to leave. “My secretary has it,” he responded drily. “He checked into a motel a few miles away from here, preferring to be close by just in case I needed anything.”
Delaney lifted a cool eyebrow. “Must be nice getting the royal treatment.”
He ignored her chill and responded, “It has its advantages. Asalum has been with me since the day I was born.”
Delaney couldn’t help but hear the deep affection in his voice. “Like I said, it must be nice.”
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” His tone was slightly challenging as his black eyes held her dark brown ones.
The question, spoken in a deep, sexy voice, gave Delaney pause. No, she wasn’t sure, but she knew for certain that she wasn’t ready to leave; especially not after driving seven hours straight to get there. Maybe she would feel different after taking a shower and a very long nap.
She met Jamal’s dark gaze and almost shuddered under its intensity. A shiver of desire rippled through her. She felt it now, just as she had when she’d first seen him standing on the porch. At twenty-five, she was mature enough to recognize there was such a thing as overactive hormones. But then, she was also