Paradise Found Read Free

while he had left his twenties, and the gap had been too wide to bridge. And, yes, he had been a lot too much for her to handle.
    Just as if his thoughts were running a course parallel to hers, his lids dropped lower over his black smoldering pupils. ‘I bet I wouldn’t be too much for you now.’
    â€˜Too bad you’ll never know. You’ve left it too late to find out.’
    The atmosphere was electric, had been since he came in, and the moment she opened her mouth it occurred to her that she was going about stopping things the wrong way. She knew that Matt would take her statement as a challenge.
    The vibrant look he sent her stopped her breath. ‘Don’t cheat by marrying Tony.’
    â€˜I won’t cheat on Tony. What just happened was a one-time shot. I’m prepared now. I’m not likely to mistake it for anything other than what it is: a base physical response, which I’m human enough to have found pleasure in. I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again. So don’t worry on Tony’s behalf. I’ll play fair.’
    â€˜Oddly enough, I was thinking of you, not Tony. He’s not strong enough for you, Zoe. He’s not his own master, so he can never be yours. He’s a boy, and always will be. You need a man.’
    â€˜I don’t want a man to be my master. I want to be his equal.’
    â€˜I think balance is a better quality to aim for in a relationship. It’s impossible for a man and a woman to be equal in all spheres. In some things the woman should be superior, in others the man. With the right man, you’d balance well,’
    â€˜You?’ she scoffed. ‘Don’t pretend any interest in me. You haven’t wanted to come near me in the last five years.’
    â€˜There were reasons,’ he said, reflectively stroking his fingers down a hairline scar that crossed his right eye and ran down to his cheek, so faint as to be barely visible. It hadn’t been there when she’d known him.
    â€˜You must have been aware of my engagement to Tony. Why wait until now to try to foul things up between us?’
    â€˜I knew Tony was getting married—to a humdinger, according to him. Odd that he never mentioned your name. I didn’t know that until I turned up at the house and Nerissa divulged it. Otherwise I would have been round sooner to save you from yourself.’
    â€˜What a dog in the manger attitude. You don’t want me, at least—’
    â€˜Before you added that rider I was on the point of correcting you. I could want you very much. But I’m touching on that base physical thing again—the word “base” being your choice and not mine—which you seem to abhor. I think that when two people make the right kind of chemistry they should appreciate it, not turn their noses up at it.’
    â€˜I don’t want a purely physical involvement with you, or with any man, for that matter. You wanted more than a light flirtation, and I wasn’t interested in a heavy but brief affair. And nothing has altered on that score. I want something solid and lasting, marriage and children, not only a shared bed but a shared life, and that’s what I’m going to have with Tony. Nothing, but nothing, is going to come before my marriage. I’m taking this so seriously that I’ve even given up my receptionist’s job at the hotel because of the evening hours involved. When Tony comes home from work, I’m going to be there.’
    She hadn’t meant to work up to such an impassioned speech, but she was trembling with the forces that had built up in her. She had found deep pleasure in being held and kissed by him, but there was more to life than that.
    â€˜Do you love Tony?’
    For the life of her she couldn’t give a straightforward, honest yes, because Matt’s return had confused everything for her. So she parried that one by saying, ‘Would I be marrying him