Читать книгу The Billionaire's Defiant Wife - AMANDA BROWNING, Amanda Browning - Страница 7
ОглавлениеIN HER bedroom later that evening, Aimi pushed the windows wide to gather in what breeze there was, but the warmth already trapped inside her room made her feel hot and sticky all over again. Kicking off her shoes, she reached up and removed the pins that held her hair in place and the blonde locks tumbled in waves over her neck and cheeks. It felt good to let it loose, but tomorrow it would go back up again, reinforcing the look she had worked hard to maintain over the years.
In the mirror she could see the natural waves of her hair softening her features, making her look vibrantly young and alluring—carefree almost. It sent out a message that jarred on her nerves. She wasn’t that person any more. Would never allow herself to be her again. It was part of her self-imposed penance.
Turning away from her reflection, she walked into the bathroom to take a cooling shower. Feeling marginally better, she dried herself on a fluffy towel and slipped into a thigh-length silk nightie. Turning off the light, she stretched out on top of the bed. However, it proved impossible to sleep, and not just because of the heat. Alone in the humid darkness, time passed slowly and her thoughts inevitably travelled back to that moment when she had first seen Jonas. She could visualise the sheer power and magnetism of him. Just thinking about it set her nerves tingling.
‘Damn!’ she exclaimed in exasperation, shooting up into a sitting position. ‘Stop it, Aimi!’ Yet for once her brain refused to obey. It played over the look in his eyes when their gazes had locked, and once again heat swept over her with such stunning force that her stomach muscles clenched in reaction.
That had her scrambling off the bed and padding to the window to draw in deep gulps of warm air. Yet it didn’t help. The memories were too powerful. Too stunning. When she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the brush of his gaze on her lips as her tongue sought to moisten them, and she groaned helplessly.
‘For heaven’s sake, Aimi, get a grip!’ she muttered to herself. ‘You’re not going to do this! So what if the man oozes sex appeal? You cannot allow yourself to be drawn into the flames. He’s a playboy. All he wants is a body in his bed, and that isn’t going to be you!’
Aimi dragged a hand through her damp hair and sighed. Lord, it was hot! Even the water in the shower had been tepid. She longed to feel something cool against her skin and, with sudden insight, knew just where she could find it. Moments later, she had slipped on her silk robe over her nightie and was padding barefoot down the stairs, the robe flying out in her wake like the wings of an exotic bird. Her destination was the large modern kitchen, and she was relieved to find she had it to herself when she passed through the door, closing it behind her. There was no need to turn on the light, for the moonlight gave the room a silvery glow.
It took a few minutes of quietly searching through drawers and cupboards before she found what she was looking for—a napkin, which she took to the counter beside the larder-style combined refrigerator and freezer. There was a delicious blast of coldness when she opened the freezer door, seeking out the bag of ice cubes. Taking a handful, she wrapped them in the napkin, closed the freezer and sat down at the table, sighing with pleasure as she drew the ice-filled napkin over her skin.
They were moments of pure bliss and she almost purred as she wondered why she hadn’t thought of this before. Propping her feet on another chair, she hummed to herself as she lazily cooled herself down. Which was why she was miles away when the abrupt sound of someone tapping on the window made her almost jump out of her skin.
Her head shot round and, to her complete surprise, she saw Jonas standing outside the kitchen door.
‘Oh, my God!’ she gasped faintly, suddenly aware of the picture she must make, sexily draped over two chairs and wearing next to nothing. Her instinct was to rush off, but he was gesticulating to the door, clearly wanting to come in. There was nothing else she could do but put a brave face on it and comply. With a grimace of dismay, she set her napkin of ice down and padded over to the door to let him in, holding her robe together with one hand.
‘Thanks,’ he said, the moment he was inside, locking the door again. ‘I thought I was going to have to sleep on the lawn,’ he added with wry humour, which faded when he turned and looked at her standing in the moonlight, seeing her state of dishabille properly for the first time.
‘Now that’s a sight I don’t see every day!’ he breathed seductively and with obvious pleasure, whereupon Aimi hastily tied the belt of her robe and folded her arms as his blue eyes roved over her, causing her body to respond in a way he would easily recognise. She was as mortified as it was possible to be to have been caught this way. When he finally looked her in the eye again, there was a wicked gleam in the blue depths and a sensual curve to his lips. ‘Were you expecting me? I hope so—you definitely have my attention,’ he queried in a voice that vibrated along her nerves like the purr of a contented cat.
‘Naturally, you would think that!’ she shot back instantly, finding it incredibly hard to keep her composure. She felt unusually edgy and ill at ease. ‘It was hot, so I came down for some ice. I didn’t expect anyone to be about at this time of night. What were you doing out there?’
Jonas drew a hand through his hair, ruffling it rakishly, and she had to stifle a groan as the way he looked registered on her senses. She wondered if it was a calculated move or pure happenstance. Whatever, the effect was the same.
‘Like you, trying to cool down after a hotter than expected evening,’ he responded with more than a dash of irony. ‘I went down to the pool soon after you went off for your walk, and fell asleep. I was trying the doors and windows, and that was when I saw you, draped across the chairs, wearing that provocative bit of nothing.’
‘You should be thankful I was here; otherwise you would have had to stay outside,’ she told him with all the firmness she could muster. ‘And my clothes are perfectly respectable,’ she added for good measure, which drew a rakish laugh from Jonas.
‘Oh, I’m thankful all right, and there’s nothing wrong with what you’re wearing. You look good in it, and that’s the problem. How the hell am I supposed to sleep now?’ he charged sardonically, eyes gleaming flirtatiously.
Her heart lurched in sudden anxiety because the same thought had occurred to her. ‘You shouldn’t say things like that to a family employee. It’s hardly appropriate,’ she returned swiftly, determined to keep the moral high ground at all costs.
The moonlight made it easy to see the way one of his eyebrows rose mockingly and the sardonic twist of his lips. ‘Drop your arms, Aimi, and we’ll talk about appropriate behaviour,’ he taunted, and Aimi felt heat scorch her cheeks at the knowledge that he had seen her body’s response to him before she could hide it.
She watched speechlessly as he walked to the table and opened up the napkin of ice she had been using. Taking a cube, he rubbed it around his neck as he turned to look at her.
‘That was a caddish thing to say!’ she exclaimed in an attempt to sound outraged, and he laughed unrepentantly.
‘I’m sure my brother just got through telling you I am a cad!’
Aimi immediately came to Nick’s defence. ‘He did no such thing!’
Jonas didn’t look as if he believed her. ‘Really? Remind me to thank him the next time I see him,’ he said mockingly, allowing his gaze to roam over her from head to toe. Propping himself against the edge of the table, he crossed his feet and grinned provocatively. ‘You know, that bit of nothing you’re wearing leaves just enough to the imagination.’
Aimi drew in a ragged breath, knowing she ought to be able to handle the situation, yet finding it hard to remain aloof. This was the heat Nick had been talking about. It was pretty potent, and the sanest thing would be to get out of the kitchen. ‘This is pointless,’ she said shortly. ‘I think we should just go to bed.’
Something wicked flashed in his eyes. ‘Now that’s really cutting to the chase!’ he drawled sardonically, and she kicked herself for choosing her words badly.
‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ she corrected hardily.
‘However tempting the prospect might be, hmm?’ he murmured softly and in the quiet of the night the words echoed like thunder, sending shockwaves through her system.
‘You have some nerve!’ she gasped faintly, and Jonas laughed seductively.
‘I think you should go to bed, Aimi, before the need to know undermines your resolve,’ he advised.
To say she was unsettled would be an understatement, and it made her respond in a way she never would have otherwise. ‘What resolve?’ she queried rashly, and Jonas shook his head and sighed.
‘You know already. I’m talking of your resolve to have nothing to do with me,’ he answered softly. ‘That was the conclusion you came to during your walk, wasn’t it?’
‘God, you’re arrogant! My resolve to have nothing to do with men like you was made years ago, not this evening,’ she declared scornfully, and he looked amused.
‘Men like me?’
Her eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down, doing her best to make it obvious she found him wanting in every department. ‘Men who think they can have everything and everyone they want, just by asking. I have nothing but contempt for you.’ It wasn’t strictly true, but she was fighting a rearguard action here.
‘If that is the case, why do you respond to me?’ he asked softly, pulling the rug from under her feet.
Aimi held on by the skin of her teeth. ‘I do not respond to you.’
That produced a soft laugh. ‘I could prove you wrong, but it’s late and we’re both tired. I suggest you go upstairs now. We’ll continue this fascinating conversation tomorrow.’
‘We’ll do nothing of the sort!’ Aimi shot back tautly.
‘By the way, I love your hair like that. You should wear it loose more often. It’s very feminine, very sensual,’ Jonas declared in the next instant, and her hand immediately rose to touch it.
Aimi realised she had forgotten all about it; having him see her with her hair down was like an invasion of privacy. Feeling more vulnerable than she had for many years, Aimi decided she had had enough and that a dignified retreat was in order. However, as she went to walk past him on her way to the door, her foot hit a wet patch on the tiles and slid out from under her. With a gasp of shock, she flailed around for something to hold on to and suddenly found herself caught by a pair of strong hands and hauled in to Jonas’s powerful chest.
‘Easy. I’ve got you,’ he declared into her hair, but she scarcely registered him for her senses, now that she was safe, were being bombarded by the heady male scent of him, combined with the solidity of his powerful chest. It was a sensory overload that had her tipping her head and looking up at him through stunned eyes.
Jonas met that look and, though his eyes gleamed hotly, his mouth curved with wry humour. ‘I think what you’re thinking right now is highly inappropriate for a family employee,’ he declared ironically, pushing her upright but not letting her go.
Dismay washed over her as she realised just how totally she had betrayed herself in that one gesture. What she wanted to do was run away from those knowing eyes, but what she did was tilt her chin at a belligerent angle. ‘Keep your hands to yourself,’ she commanded bitingly, shrugging him off, and walked away. It was hard not to hurry to the door, but she managed it and went out without a backward glance.
Out in the hall, breathing raggedly, she stared at the closed door. She had just made a complete fool of herself. To find herself experiencing an unwanted attraction to the man was one thing. To let him see it, quite another. Something about him just kept getting through her defences, and she didn’t like it. Not one little bit.
Aimi berated herself all the way up to her bedroom, where she spent a restless hour trying to sleep. Before sleep finally claimed her, however, she had promised herself that she would keep well away from Jonas for the remainder of the weekend. It shouldn’t be hard to do, as she was here to do research. She doubted very much if he was the type to spend much time in a library. A harem, maybe, but not a place full of musty books!
One thing was certain—no matter what he thought, she was absolutely not going to be the next notch on his bedpost! She had worked too hard for too long to achieve this level of peace with herself to surrender it now.
The new day dawned as hot and humid as the last. Though she had managed to get some sleep, Aimi didn’t feel the least bit rested, for Jonas had invaded her dreams, haunting them with tantalising possibilities. It seemed as if, waking or sleeping, she was being pulled by her senses into dangerous waters, and the current was incredibly strong. The man was too attractive for his own good, and it didn’t help to remember how he had broken through her defences with incredible ease.
As she took yet another lukewarm shower, she considered the situation a little more logically. What had really happened, after all? She had discovered she was powerfully attracted to a man and that he was attracted to her. That didn’t mean she was going to fall into his arms! Jonas might be an extremely attractive man, but she had known a lot of attractive men before and been able to resist them! But since that awful day she hadn’t looked at a man with interest and, with a strength of purpose she hadn’t been aware she’d possessed, she had simply shut down those feelings and emotions. So Jonas was going to be out of luck. She had come here to work, and that was all.
Taking comfort from that thought, she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. Choosing what to wear wasn’t a problem; she had packed only the bare essentials. Two skirts and a few blouses. Nick had told her to include a swimsuit, which she had done, but she did not expect to wear it. Today she chose her cream pencil skirt and a pale blue short-sleeved silk blouse. She slipped her feet into comfortable shoes and swept her hair back into its pleat with the ease of long practice. Smoothing the material of her skirt over her hips, she examined the view in the mirror. She looked cool, efficient and out of reach—just the way she liked it.
She was twitching her skirt into place when there was a knock on the door.
It was Nick, and he smiled as he stood in the doorway of her room. ‘Good morning, Aimi. You’re looking amazingly cool,’ he greeted her, and her eyes crinkled as she laughed wryly.
‘I don’t feel it, I assure you,’ she observed lightly, reaching up to sort out the collar of his polo shirt, which had gone awry.
‘Well, just looking at you makes me feel cooler,’ he returned charmingly, and she sighed, shaking her head.
‘Nick, Nick, you’re almost as bad as your brother! You must have gone to the same charm school,’ she declared, grinning at him, totally unaware of anyone approaching.
‘Morning, Nick,’ Jonas greeted his brother and, when Aimi gave a start of surprise and glanced round, he nodded to her, lips curving into a provocative smile as he ran his gaze over her like a caress. ‘I like the skirt, Aimi, but, all things considered, I prefer what you were wearing last night,’ he said with a soft laugh before walking on.
She stepped back from Nick, feeling her cheeks grow warm. His remark, innocent-sounding as it was to anyone else, immediately brought back memories of what had occurred in the kitchen last night.
Nick frowned at his brother’s retreating back. ‘Hey, what did that mean?’ he called out after him.
Jonas didn’t miss a stride as he threw his answer back over his shoulder. ‘You’d have to ask Aimi,’ he advised, and jogged down the stairs.
Nick turned to her, eyebrows raised. ‘What did he mean? You weren’t wearing anything fancy last night. Have I missed something?’
She winced, knowing where his thoughts were going. ‘Your brother was referring to later on. He had been locked out, and I just happened to be down in the kitchen when he was looking for a way in. That’s all.’ Looking at him, she saw the sceptical expression he was wearing and sighed. ‘I happened to be in my nightie and robe.’
Nick let out an exasperated tut. ‘Aimi, I warned you to be careful. He’s my brother, and I love him, but when it comes to women…’
She squeezed his arm reassuringly. ‘I know, but give me some credit. I’m not going to fall for his line of charm. I came here to work, and that’s all,’ she reassured him. Last night was a mistake which wasn’t going to happen again.
Nick pulled a wry face and sighed. ‘Sorry. I’m just a bit over-protective. You work for me so I feel you’re my responsibility. I won’t have Jonas playing his games with you.’
Aimi was warmed by his caring, but he didn’t need to worry. ‘Don’t worry. Let’s go down to breakfast and afterwards you must show me the library.’ Working had always been a good way to distract her thoughts.
They followed in Jonas’s wake, entering the breakfast room together, to find it empty. Maisie Astin, the housekeeper, was just bringing in fresh coffee and hot croissants to set out on the sideboard.
‘Good morning!’ she greeted them brightly with a cheery smile. ‘Everyone has been eating outside today. Help yourselves, and let me know if you need anything else.’
‘Thanks, Maisie. What would you like, Aimi?’ Nick asked as he picked up a plate.
‘Some of Maisie’s melt-in-the-mouth croissants and coffee sounds perfect,’ she decided, exchanging smiles with the other woman, who disappeared back into the kitchen.
‘I’ll bring it out. You go find a shady spot,’ Nick ordered, leaving Aimi with nothing to do but wander outdoors.
Of course, then she wished she hadn’t because the only person at the table was Jonas. Had he not looked up, she just might have retreated indoors again, but, as if some invisible sensor had alerted him to her presence, his head came round and he looked directly at her.
‘Deciding whether it’s safe to join me or not?’ he challenged sardonically, and Aimi was compelled to walk forward.
‘Not at all,’ she denied blithely, smiling as if nothing had passed between them mere hours before. ‘I was just enjoying the view.’
His lips twitched. ‘Ditto,’ he responded, and the lazy meander his eyes took as they ran up and down her body told her his view had nothing to do with the garden. It caused her heart to skip a beat and her nerves to start tingling as if he had actually touched her.
Irritated by a reaction she currently seemed to have no control over, she favoured him with a long-suffering look. ‘You’re wasting your time, you know,’ she told him bluntly, keeping her voice down, not wanting Nick to hear. ‘I’m not going to take the bait, however attractive the lure.’
One eyebrow rose mockingly. ‘How many times did you have to tell yourself that last night?’ he taunted, and she drew in a sharp breath.
‘Once was enough. You’re not that irresistible,’ she shot back equally mockingly, and Jonas laughed appreciatively.
‘You know, you’re supposed to cross your fingers when you lie like that,’ he cautioned, never taking his eyes off her for a second as she approached. She was so conscious of it that breathing normally was no easy matter, and she wasn’t used to that.
Having reached the table, Aimi dropped on to a chair opposite him. ‘Contrary to what you might think, I’m not in the habit of telling lies,’ she corrected, feigning an ease she was far from feeling. Just being near him made her feel tense and unsettled.
Jonas raised that eyebrow again, to good effect. ‘Really? Now I would have said most women are natural born liars.’
‘That’s a huge sweeping statement. Your jaundiced view was caused by a bad experience, I presume,’ Aimi declared with heavy irony.
‘It’s a jungle out there,’ he returned with a wicked grin, and Aimi knew that she would never forget that particular look as long as she lived.
‘And men aren’t liars?’ she challenged scornfully, knowing she could name a dozen at least. ‘It would be easier to think the moon is made of cheese!’
Jonas relaxed back into his chair, crossing his legs at the ankles. ‘Now that sounds like the voice of experience talking. Is he the reason you dress the way you do?’
He was so far wide of the mark that Aimi almost laughed. ‘I dress to please myself, not a man,’ she was quick to point out.
He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘Is that so? Are you trying to tell me nobody ever gets to see the exotic lingerie you wear? That would be a crying shame!’
Memories of those moments in the kitchen last night made her wince inwardly. ‘My clothes are none of your business. I would not have gone downstairs had I known you were there.’
‘Then I would have had to spend the night down by the pool, and never have got to see you in that mind-blowing confection of silk and lace. It’s imprinted on my memory even now.’ Jonas shifted, bringing one leg up to prop his ankle over the other knee. ‘Seems to me, I know something about you that no other man does. Under that starchy exterior you like to wear satin and silk. What other secrets do you have, I wonder?’
‘None that you will ever know!’ Aimi shot back curtly but, instead of responding, Jonas merely smiled as he watched her.
‘What happened to your hair last night? You weren’t wearing it up in the kitchen,’ he observed, and her nerves gave a giant leap.
‘I don’t sleep with my hair pinned up,’ she explained calmly, only to see his smile broaden.
‘You know what I think, Aimi Carteret?’
‘Your thoughts couldn’t interest me less!’ she retorted witheringly, making him laugh.
‘I think you practice to deceive.’
That was too close to the truth for comfort. ‘Like I said, your thoughts are of no interest to me. You are of no interest to me!’
‘Whilst you are of considerable interest to me,’ Jonas countered smoothly. ‘I find myself thinking about you all the time.’
‘How boring for you!’ Aimi said, and he laughed—a sensual sound that sent goose-bumps down her spine.
‘Oh, I have the feeling that you will never bore me, darling Aimi.’
The unexpected endearment sent a shockwave through her system, and her breathing went awry. ‘I am not your darling.’
‘Not yet, I agree,’ he conceded, but his assertion didn’t make her feel any better.
Goaded, her temper rose. ‘Never!’
He looked her directly in the eyes before speaking. ‘Ah, you should never say never. I discovered that myself last night. I would have bet good money that I would never find it hard to sleep in my old bed, but last night proved me wrong. I was terribly restless,’ he explained with a wicked grin, mayhem in his eyes.
‘You can’t possibly blame me for that,’ Aimi argued, as her nerves responded with a now familiar skitter. It was as if her defences had totally vanished, leaving her open to react to everything he said or did. She didn’t understand how they could have abandoned her now, when she needed them most.
‘Can I not?’ Jonas countered, lips twitching with barely concealed humour. ‘You were the one who raised my blood pressure,’ he remarked sardonically, taking another mouthful of coffee from the cup on the table.
Somehow Aimi contrived to maintain her cool expression. ‘My blood pressure didn’t need lowering. I went to bed and slept dreamlessly,’ she added for good measure, mentally crossing her fingers at the lie.
‘Hmm,’ he murmured doubtfully, running his hand over his chin. ‘There’s more to you than meets the eye.’ Aimi merely raised her eyebrows. After a moment Jonas continued, ‘Did you know I was supposed to be in America this weekend? Fortunately, the meeting was called off at the last minute.’
‘Much to everyone’s delight,’ she remarked dryly, and something flashed in the recesses of his eyes.
He laughed. ‘Nicely done, Aimi. Very tactful. It’s no wonder Nick speaks so highly of you.’
‘I do my best,’ she replied smoothly, not bothered that he recognised what she was doing, just grateful she had the skill to draw upon.
‘Ah, here comes the cavalry,’ Jonas declared dryly, and Aimi glanced round to see that Nick had appeared with their breakfast. ‘Not a moment too soon, eh?’
Nick had overheard that remark and, as he placed her cup and plate before Aimi, he glanced at his brother. ‘What’s not too soon?’ he queried, frowning, and Jonas grinned at him.
‘Your arrival with the food. Aimi was getting ready to eat the table.’
‘Sorry I took so long,’ Nick apologised, and she shot Jonas a warning look.
‘You didn’t. Jonas is pulling your leg.’
‘He has a habit of doing that,’ Nick confirmed wryly.
Jonas’s lips twitched and he sat up straighter. ‘Actually, I was flirting with Aimi, and she was giving me a hard time.’
‘Good for you, Aimi!’ Nick encouraged her, giving her a wink. ‘There are too many women who fall into his arms at a click of his fingers already!’ He took the chair next to her and started to wolf down his breakfast. Aimi followed suit, and silence fell over the table.
‘What time are the hordes descending?’ Jonas asked some time later.
‘Midday onwards. Then it’s the same old drill. Dad will be doing his usual cremation job on the bangers and burgers!’
Jonas grinned and glanced at Aimi. ‘Have you been to one of our beanfeasts before?’
She couldn’t help smiling at their amusement. ‘No, this is my first,’ she admitted. She was a little nervous about meeting the family. Finding herself amidst a group of strangers had been commonplace once, and she had thrown herself into the party mood with enthusiasm. Since that awful day, though, the thought of laughing and having fun had seemed wrong. How could she ever do that again, as if nothing had happened, when she was the one at fault? She couldn’t and live with herself, so she had avoided parties, and her so-called friends had slowly drifted away. These days she preferred small, intimate dinners with people she knew well.
‘Then you’re in for quite an experience!’ Jonas told her with droll humour, breaking her introspective mood.
Nick clicked his fingers. ‘Hey, do you remember when…’
Aimi tuned out as the brothers took a humorous trip down memory lane. Sitting back in her seat and slowly eating her last croissant, she watched them both closely. They were very much alike. Both were handsome men, but Nick’s face had softer lines. His hair was dark brown, whilst Jonas’s was black. Nick exuded warmth, gentleness and caring, yet it was Jonas’s more rugged lines that drew her attention.
Quite unexpectedly, Aimi found herself wanting to reach out and trace the lines of his face, to commit them to memory. Which was a ridiculous thing to be thinking. She did not want to remember him. The sooner they parted company, the better. Yet, as soon as the thought entered her head, one small part of her suddenly felt lost. She looked down at her coffee cup, frowning in yet more confusion. What was it about him that touched her? Good Lord, he only wanted one thing from her. Yet…there was just something about him.
The sound of laughter made her tune back in and she looked up to see Nick doubled up with mirth and Jonas grinning from ear to ear. It brought a smile to her own lips and an odd twist to her heart.
A piercing whistle cut into the laughter and made all three look round. Michael Berkeley stood at the end of the terrace, beckoning to them.
‘Come along, you two! I need some muscle to set up tables. Get a move on!’
With wry looks at each other, the two brothers got to their feet obediently.
‘Dad likes marshalling his troops,’ Nick remarked fondly.
Aimi grinned at his expression. ‘Have fun!’ she teased and, as he walked away, caught Jonas’s eye. The mocking look was back. As her stomach lurched, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. ‘Was there something else?’
‘Just this,’ he said and, walking round the table, bent to drop a swift kiss on Aimi’s cheek before she could prevent it.
‘Hey!’ she exclaimed, whilst her pulse did a skittish pitter-pat. The feel of the brush of his lips on her skin took her breath away, it was so stunning.
Jonas was unrepentant. ‘I have to have some fun. Consider that a little something on account!’ he riposted neatly and followed his brother, leaving Aimi speechless.
She was left watching his rear view, and quite a view it was. Damn the man, he was just about perfect to look at. Broad-shouldered, with slim hips and long, powerful legs. There was no point trying to pretend otherwise, few men could compete with him. Of course, she immediately berated herself for noticing, when she was trying to keep these wanton wayward thoughts about him out of her mind.
She would have to try harder. Much, much harder. Bad enough that he was occupying her thoughts; she could not allow him to tempt her into breaking the solemn promise she had made. She had to resist.
