One Night Of Consequences Collection. Annie West

welfare, habibi? I’m touched.’

      He saw her posture stiffen and regretted taking his frustration out on her. But hell, she was partly to blame. Sorting out the leadership issue would be over and done within a matter of hours. Sorting out the rest of his life with a wife and child... He didn’t want to contemplate how long that would take. Particularly given the light of defiance burning hotly in Imogen’s eyes. A defiance he had yet to fully understand.

      ‘Don’t be,’ she responded smartly. ‘It was an aberration that won’t happen again.’

      He smiled. He hadn’t realised she was so feisty when they’d been together back in Paris. Back then she’d always been thrilled to see him, delight written all over her expressive face. And it had been catching. For those all too brief weekends he’d been happy too. Perhaps that had been her allure. That and the red-hot chemistry between them. ‘Whatever you’ve got to say can wait until morning.’

      ‘Really?’ Her eyebrows arched skyward. ‘Because you decreed it, My Lord?’

      No, she definitely hadn’t been this feisty in Paris but part of him—the part that turned caveman every time she was around—liked it a little too much for comfort. ‘Yes. That and the dark circles under your eyes which suggest you need sleep more than conversation.’

      ‘I’m sorry you don’t approve of the way I look.’ She dipped into a mocking curtsy. ‘I’ll try to do better next time, My Lord.’

      ‘I wouldn’t use that term too often,’ he advised softly, tossing back another finger of Scotch. ‘I might like it.’

      She scowled at him but her eyes followed his hand as he rubbed it across his chest and his blood surged as he saw the breath catch in her throat. He’d forgotten Zach had interrupted his shower. Did the sight of him bother her? He’d sure as hell be bothered if she was standing before him half naked. Hell, he was bothered anyway and she still had on her crumpled clothes from earlier.

      A spike of conscience needled him. She might still be as beautiful as ever but she really did look worn to the bone. His eyes scanned over her body and came to rest on her chest. And she was braless.

      ‘So, anyway...’ She cleared her throat and his eyes rose from her round, full breasts to the pulse point beating like a small trapped bird inside her creamy throat. ‘I’ve looked up some options I’d like to go through with you.’

      With his instincts pulling at him to go to her and haul her up against him and tame that defiant look in her eyes until she softened and became once again pliant and wanton in his arms, Nadir forced his mind to recall her words. ‘Options’ was the only word that had stuck but he knew she wouldn’t want to discuss the options he was presently interested in. ‘Now is not a good time.’

      ‘I disagree.’

      Of course she did. ‘You had ample opportunity to talk on the plane. You chose not to.’

      She perched on the edge of the sectional sofa and faced him. ‘Nadeena was awake the whole time. I didn’t want her to realise how tense I was. At this age babies feel everything the mother feels.’

      He gave a short laugh. ‘If that’s true you wouldn’t have fooled her. Even a blind man could see you were about ready to snap in half.’

      ‘And whose fault is that?’

      ‘Mine, no doubt. Did she go to sleep easily?’

      Her lips tightened. ‘Yes, thank you.’

      ‘Thank you?’

      ‘For asking, I suppose.’ Frustration flashed in her green eyes. ‘I...can we just stay on topic?’

      ‘By all means. But you can stop treating me like a stranger. I’m not.’

      ‘You are.’ She rubbed the back of her neck as if it ached and rolled her slender shoulders. ‘But I didn’t come out here to argue with you.’

      Nadir took another swallow of Scotch. ‘What did you come out here for?’

      The air between them thickened and he nearly said to hell with arguing; it was time to relieve some of the tension between them.

      ‘To talk.’

      ‘I’ve got a better idea.’

      She frowned and he saw the moment the meaning behind his rough words became clear because her gorgeous eyes widened in shock. ‘I hope you don’t mean what I think you mean.’

      ‘Oh, I definitely mean exactly what you think I mean.’

      She gasped softly. ‘How can you think about sex at a time like this?’

      He thought about sex with her all the time. ‘Too soon for you, habibi? That’s okay. I’m a patient man. I can wait.’

      ‘Look, Nadir—’

      ‘Look, Imogen.’ He scrubbed a weary hand across his face. ‘I’m not in the mood for a discussion. We can talk tomorrow after one o’clock.’

      ‘Why? What happens at one o’clock?’

      At one o’clock one of his pesky loose ends would be resolved. ‘It’s not important.’

      Her eyes narrowed. ‘Does it have to do with what your brother was talking about before?’

      ‘It doesn’t matter.’

      ‘It seemed to matter to him.’

      ‘He’ll get over it.’

      Her lashes fluttered down to hide her frustrated gaze. ‘Keep your secrets. I don’t want to know them anyway.’

      ‘It’s not a secret. I have business to sort out in Bakaan that doesn’t concern you.’

      ‘Fine.’ Her tone implied it was anything but fine. ‘Let’s stay on topic and discuss something that does concern me.’

      ‘By all means let’s stay on topic. Tomorrow.’

      * * *

      Imogen didn’t like the way his gaze swept over her and wished she’d kept her bra on after Nadeena had gone to sleep because every time his eyes dropped to her chest her nipples peaked. She just hoped that the lighting from the lamps was low enough that he wouldn’t notice. Not that she couldn’t see every muscle shifting on his torso. He raised his hand to rub at the smattering of hair on his chest again and Imogen barely resisted the urge to fan herself. Stay on topic yourself, she admonished silently.

      The last thing she needed right now was to think about the offer he’d just made. Which only reinforced his playboy mentality.

       I’m a patient man. I can wait.

      So much for her earlier assumption that he didn’t want to sleep with her. The man would obviously sleep with anyone but he’d be waiting a long time if he thought he could use her to slake his hunger for a night. Been there, done that and now had the baby to prove it! A baby who didn’t need him.

      Deciding that starting with that statement would be like waving a red flag at an irritated bull, she went straight to the second half of her plan instead.

      ‘So.’ She cleared her throat yet again. ‘Given that you said that you wanted to be part of Nadeena’s life, I looked up some alternative options for us that don’t include marriage.’

      ‘Good for you.’

      His response was frosty but at least it cooled the air between them and she wouldn’t let it put her off. She narrowed her eyes as he crossed his ankle over his knee and then she calmly folded her hands in her lap. ‘So it’s obviously not an in-depth analysis, but from what I can tell there’s legal custody and physical custody and they’re quite different from each other.’

      ‘Are they?’

      His laconic response reeked of disinterest and Imogen did