You’re sweet and kind, Emma, and I’m likely to take advantage of that and walk all over you if you let me. I want the playing field leveled so you never feel as if I have the advantages all on my side.”

She shook her head. “Your logic is so elusive, Jake.”

“I plan on having a half dozen more kids with you. Why? To keep you right here, on this ranch, so there’s no place you can run to. That’s my kind of logic, Emma.”

“You’re supposed to have children because you want them, Jake,” she pointed out, exasperated. “Not to keep me occupied so I won’t run away.”

“I want them because you’re going to love them. I want to watch you love them. I want to watch that look come over your face whenever you look at them. I want to hear the sound of your voice, that special note you have reserved just for them. I could live forever listening to you talk to the children.” He couldn’t tell her what it did to him inside. Made him soft. Happy. Stupidly happy. She scared the hell out of him the way she made him happy.

“Jake, someday you have to realize I’m staying with you because I want to stay with you. You only think you manipulated me. I knew what you were doing all along. I stay because I love you . . .”

“If there’s such a thing as love, Emma, and I’m not saying there is, I trapped you into loving me.”

She burst out laughing, threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, lifting her mouth to his and kissing him in a long, leisurely kiss.

As he held her to him, his heart did that curious melting thing that always alarmed him. He couldn’t have this. He couldn’t be like this with her. She was taking him over and making him so vulnerable he could barely breathe with the way he felt about her. He had to find a way to establish his dominance and take the control back.

He set her firmly aside, trying not to show his breathing was ragged and forced. “No prenuptial, Emma. Let’s just get the thing done.”

“The thing? Meaning our wedding? You’re such a romantic, Jake. Go away. You’re annoying me again and I was just feeling all loving toward you.”

It was obvious to her that Jake, along with having the doctor check her, had scrubbed her skin in an effort to remove the scent of the other man. She couldn’t blame him; as a leopard he was highly sensitive to what he would regard as the stench of another male. But now her skin felt raw in a few places.

Of course he didn’t leave because she’d told him to do so. He watched her dress, heaving a sigh when she put on a bra.

“Why do you have to wear that?”

“Because I don’t want my body to break down as I get older. And I’m not a sex object for you to drool over all day. I’ve got work to do.”

“What’s wrong with being both? I like the idea of you being a sex object while you work.” His voice held sensual speculation and a little too much interest.

Emma frowned at him and hastily finished, clipping her hair up out of the way.

“You know I like your hair down.”

“Which is why I don’t cut it. Be happy with that. You try having hair down to your butt, getting in your way while you’re taking care of children.” She scooted past him. “I’m giving you an assignment today, Jake. Look up the meaning of the word romance.”

“I’m romantic.” He followed her down the stairs. “Ask Susan. She’ll tell you.”

Emma paused by the window in the small breakfast nook where she’d left her day watch. She’d taken it off when she was dressing for the party the night before. “Susan is sixteen and her hormones are running amok. She thinks you’re hot.”

“I am hot. You should listen to her more.”

The window was open and the faint smell of skunk made her wrinkle her nose. “Isn’t this the wrong time of year for skunks to be hanging around under the house? It smells like one sprayed outside.” She closed the window to shut out the odor. “I think I’ll put some potpourri in here.”

“Too much information for me,” Jake said with a small laugh. “It’s your house, honey. Do whatever you want to do with it. I’m going to be working all day in my office, hopefully without the smell of skunk or potpourri, but I might need you later.” Jake gave her a wicked smile, his golden eyes sensual as he patted her on the butt.

“Anytime,” Emma agreed, her body growing hot at the thought as she slapped at his hand. There was something about him that could turn up her temperature in a matter of minutes.

“Susan.” Jake beckoned the teen to follow him as the girl came around the corner. “I wanted to show you the library.”

“I didn’t know you had a library,” Susan said, fascinated. She followed him down the long hall, past the closed doors that led to the wing of his private offices. “I’ve never even come into this part of the house. I stay upstairs or in the rooms with Emma.”

Jake opened the double doors to the huge room. Behind him, Susan gasped as she took in the floor-to-ceiling book-cases, and the ladder on rollers that ran along all four walls on a track. “You’re welcome to use this anytime. You’re extremely intelligent and you can be anything you choose to be. It doesn’t matter if your father is home a lot or not. You’re welcome here. I’ve got a tutor coming for you and a self-defense instructor. If you need anything else, let me know. But this . . .” His hand swept around in a semicircle to encompass the entire room. “This is my sanctuary. This is where I learned to survive.”