CHAPTER 17

          She stopped backing away and put her coffee cup down carefully on the low table by the couch. Cassandra straightened and folded her arms.

“Look, that’s exactly what it is. We both know that. I’d prefer if we could just be honest about it. What I’m saying to you is that I don’t need to be given any kind of platitudes. I’m not going to be weak, or desperate to have more than you are willing to give. If you said to me right now that this is over, thanks but goodbye, I’d have no problem walking out of here.’

          Sébastien had gone very still, his eyes becoming dark as the night without stars. No doubt he wasn’t used to lovers calling the shots, Cassandra thought cynically. And why did her flip words cause an ache somewhere in the region of her chest?

          She pushed it aside. The truth was this: Sébastien wasn