"Roberts, Nora - Stanislaski 08 - Dance of Dreams" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

Blast him! she thought furiously. Never at a loss for an answer.
Regally, Ruth rose. Her body moved fluidly under the silk of her robe. Donald's
gaze flicked down a moment, but Nick's remained on her face. "Like you," she
said to him with a cool smile, "I find flattery a waste of time and words.
You'll have to excuse me," she continued. "Donald and I are going to a party. I
have to change."
There was some satisfaction to be gained from turning her back on him and
walking away. She closed her bedroom door firmly. Impatiently, she grabbed the
red dress out of her closet, pulled lingerie from her drawers and flung the heap
onto the bed. Stripping out of the robe, she started to toss it aside when she
heard the doorknob turn. Instinctively she held the robe in front of her,
clutching it with both hands at her breasts. Her eyes were wide and astonished
as Nick stalked into the room. He shut the door behind him.
"You can't come in here," she began on a rush, too surprised to be outraged or
embarrassed.
Ignoring her, Nick crossed the room. "I am in here."
"Well, you can just turn around and get out." Ruth shifted the robe higher,
realizing impotently that she was at a dead disadvantage. "I'm not dressed," she
pointed out needlessly.
Nick's eyes flicked briefly and without apparent interest over her naked
shoulders. "You appear adequately covered." The eyes shot back to her face and
locked on hers. "Isn't a twelve-hour day enough for you, Ruth? You have an eight
o'clock class in the morning."
"I know what time my class is," she retorted. Cautiously, she took one hand from
the robe to push back her hair. "I don't need you to remind me of my schedule,
Nick, any more than I need your approval of what I do with my free time."
"You do when it interferes with your performance for me."
She frowned as he stepped onto artistic ground. "You've had no reason to
complain about my performance."
"Not yet," he agreed. "But I want your bestЧand you can hardly give me that if
you exhaust yourself with these silly partiesЧ"
"I have always given you my best, Nick," she tossed back. "But since when has
every ounce of effort and sweat been enough for you?" She started to swirl away
from him, remembered the robe no longer covered her flank and simmered in
frustrated rage. "Would you please go?"
"I take what I need," he shot back, again overlooking her heated request. "Not
so many years ago, milaya, you were eager to give it to me."
"That's not fair!" The jibe stung. "I still am. When I am working, there's
nothing I won't give to you. But my private life is just thatЧprivate. Stop
playing daddy, Nick. I've grown up."
"Is that all you want?" His burst of fury stunned her, so that she took an
automatic step back. "Is being treated as a woman what is important to you?"
"I'm sick of you treating me as if I were still seventeen and ready to bend at
the knee when you walk into a room." Her anger grew to match his. "I'm a
responsible adult, able to look after myself."
"A responsible adult." His eyes narrowed, and Ruth recognized the danger
signals. "Shall I show you how I treat responsible adults who also happen to be
women?"
"No!"
But she was already in his arms, already molded close. It wasn't the hard,