"Is that to your satisfaction?" Kate was aware of his penetrating gaze as he watched her read through the contract.
"Yes, that's fine." She held her hand out for a pen.
"Not so fast, Kate. This is between you and me, one copy only to be kept in my safe." Magnus handed her another sheet of paper.
Kate's eyes misted, and her stomach lurched as she looked over the contract for her body. She wanted nothing more than to crumple it up and throw it in the bin, but that would achieve nothing. She snatched the pen from his hand and signed it before adding her signature to the water rights contract.
Magnus took both papers from her and locked them in the the wall safe behind a painting of his grandparents.
"Now what?" she asked as he turned back to face her.
"Dinner here tomorrow night, and try to wear something other than your dusty jeans if you don't mind. We can start to get to know each other. Tell Tilly it is a date if you must, final drafting of the water contract, anything to keep her happy. I really don't care. I want to get to know you before I take you to bed, Kate. I'm not the animal you seem to think I am."
"Blame the press then because that's all I know about you." Kate watched his reaction to her words. "If you really aren't the person they claim you are, why have you let everyone believe it for so long?"
"Because it makes it easier if the world thinks I'm a hard-assed businessman. Too many crazies come out of the woodwork if they think you are a touch soft, Kate. Now if you will excuse me, I have things to see to. I'll see you tomorrow night."
* * *
The next night Kate watched his every move, her gaze lingering on his sculptured back in a snug dark T-shirt as he took the steaks out of the fridge.
"Why don't you have someone do this for you?" She watched him slide the steaks onto a cutting board and add seasoning, rubbing it into the fresh meat with his long, supple fingers.
"Because it is one of the things I really enjoy in life. My grandmother taught me to cook when I was a kid. She did the best steaks in the world. Don't you cook at all?" he asked, lighting the stove and pulled a heavy pan from the cupboard.
"No, I leave that to Tilly. She hates anyone to mess up her kitchen." Kate chewed on her thumbnail, her mind a jumble of nerves.
"Are you all right, Kate? Is there something I can get you?" Magnus took a bottle of wine from the small rack and two glasses from the shelf over the kitchen counter
"L-look, this is just…weird," she stammered, her gaze running around the room before dropping to her clenched hands. "If you want to take me to bed, why don't you? You don't have to get to know me. Can we just do this and get it over with?"
She was a bundle of tightly wound nerves and had been unable to get any work done during the day because of tonight's date. She alternated between wanting to go to town and buy new underwear, telling herself it was for her benefit as well as his or showing up in her basic cottons that she always wore. Not that she cared if he saw her old trusty white panties and bra; she just might feel better about the whole deal if she didn't look like she was a country virgin wearing no-name underwear.
Magnus looked over the glass of red in his hand to her face. He watched as the muscles in her throat worked overtime trying to swallow her fear while she put on a show of bravado. The glass clinked when it made contact with the bench, and his gaze locked on hers. He walked around to where she stood, her fingers tearing at the cuffs of her old work shirt.
Magnus towered over her, his shoes toe-to-toe with hers, their legs touching. He raised one hand, then ran a finger down the side of her cheek while her mouth worked soundlessly and the color rose on her face. She held her ground as he traced the full lips that were made for passion. His finger pulled on her bottom lip, the pressure forcing her to open her mouth to him. With a sigh, he leaned down and flicked his tongue inside, tasting and teasing as he explored her mouth. The smell of green apples filled his nostrils as his hand slipped around the back of her head pulling her closer. His blood rushed through his veins, the want shocking him.
Kate stood immobile in his arms as he devoured herlips. Magnus teased her mouth until her body started to respond to him. Seconds later he felt her freeze when she realized what she was doing. He released her and stood back.
"Take off your clothes." Magnus kept his gaze on her while reaching behind him for his glass of wine. He leaned back on the kitchen counter and waited.
"Excuse me?"
"I said take off your clothes," Magnus repeated taking a sip from his glass.
"Wh-why?"
"I was prepared to get to know you before I bedded you. Maybe that was a mistake on my part. Obviously that isn't in your plan, so I repeat, take off your clothes. We can do this your way." He took another sip of wine while watching the confusion on her face and felt like a heel. "It doesn't matter to me if I cook for you
