her husband’s lovemaking.
There was another boat tied up at the Sutherland dock when Owen eased the launch into the small
cove. He frowned when he saw it.
"Visitors?" Angie asked eagerly. She would not mind having a friendly face around, she thought.
"More family." Owen got out of the boat and reached down to help Angie. "My stepsister and her husband. This should be amusing."
"I take it you’re not on speaking terms with them?"
"Oh, we speak to each other. Kim and I used to get along fairly well. But things have been different since she married Glen Langley six months ago."
"Why? Don’t you like Glen?"
Owen lifted one shoulder as he started up the path toward the big house. "The problem with Langley is that Kim and Celia seem to think he should be put straight into management at Sutherland Hotels just because he’s married into the family. Apparently Langley feels the same way."
"And you don’t?" Angie asked.
"Hell, no. The man’s an engineer. He’s never been involved in the hotel business."
"And you think he may have married Kim in order to get a chunk of Sutherland Hotels, is that it?"
Owen glanced at her. "I think there’s a very good possibility that’s exactly why he married her."
Angie smiled. "You don’t think there’s just the slightest possibility he might have fallen in love with her? Or is he too much like you in that respect?"
Owen came to a sudden halt and rounded on her, his eyes coldly furious. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Startled at the sudden change in his mood, Angie took a step back. "I was just wondering if you’re assuming your brother-in-law is not in love with Kim because you don’t happen to believe in love."
"So help me, Angie–"
"Owen, you’ve practically admitted you’re not in love with me. Yet you married me. What are we supposed to conclude? That you may have married me for business reasons, after all? In which case, how can you fault Glen Langley for marrying your sister?"
"You are really walking close to the edge, lady." Owen’s expression was ominous. "I’d advise you to stop baiting me about what I supposedly feel or do not feel for you before you go too far. You said you didn’t want to be manipulated with sex? Well, I damn sure don’t want to be manipulated with words.
Understood?"
"Oh, yes, Owen. I think we have an excellent understanding of each other. I guess it’s true what they say about never really getting to know a man until after you’re married to him." Angie swept past him to the front door.
She drew a deep breath when she realized she was out of Owen’s reach. Mentally she wiped her brow in relief. She had pushed him a little too far that time.
"Well, well, well," an amused masculine voice drawled from the doorway. "You must be the latest addition to the clan. Nice to know I’m not the only one who had the nerve to marry a Sutherland. I’m Glen Langley."
Angie looked up quickly and smiled when she saw the good-looking, sandy-haired man on the top step.
Glen Langley looked relaxed and athletic in casual slacks and a sweater. He had an open face with blue eyes that seemed to watch the world with a hint of sardonic humor. She liked him on sight. He
reminded her of her brother, Harry.
"I’m Angie," She smiled. "I expect you’ve already been told who I am and why I’m here."
"Right. You’re Owen’s latest business acquisition, according to the relatives. But I don’t pay much attention to them–a dull and depressing bunch."
"You noticed that, too?"
"The problem is they’re all much too concerned about their precious hotel business. I’m trying to break Kimberly of the habit."
"Fascinating observation," Angie murmured as Owen came up beside her. "I’ve been having a few thoughts along those very lines, myself."
"Hello, Langley." Owen arched a brow. "How was Hawaii?"
"Sutherland." Glen acknowledged Owen with an affable inclination of his head. "Hawaii was fine until I found out why Kimberly was so hot to
There was another boat tied up at the Sutherland dock when Owen eased the launch into the small
cove. He frowned when he saw it.
"Visitors?" Angie asked eagerly. She would not mind having a friendly face around, she thought.
"More family." Owen got out of the boat and reached down to help Angie. "My stepsister and her husband. This should be amusing."
"I take it you’re not on speaking terms with them?"
"Oh, we speak to each other. Kim and I used to get along fairly well. But things have been different since she married Glen Langley six months ago."
"Why? Don’t you like Glen?"
Owen lifted one shoulder as he started up the path toward the big house. "The problem with Langley is that Kim and Celia seem to think he should be put straight into management at Sutherland Hotels just because he’s married into the family. Apparently Langley feels the same way."
"And you don’t?" Angie asked.
"Hell, no. The man’s an engineer. He’s never been involved in the hotel business."
"And you think he may have married Kim in order to get a chunk of Sutherland Hotels, is that it?"
Owen glanced at her. "I think there’s a very good possibility that’s exactly why he married her."
Angie smiled. "You don’t think there’s just the slightest possibility he might have fallen in love with her? Or is he too much like you in that respect?"
Owen came to a sudden halt and rounded on her, his eyes coldly furious. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Startled at the sudden change in his mood, Angie took a step back. "I was just wondering if you’re assuming your brother-in-law is not in love with Kim because you don’t happen to believe in love."
"So help me, Angie–"
"Owen, you’ve practically admitted you’re not in love with me. Yet you married me. What are we supposed to conclude? That you may have married me for business reasons, after all? In which case, how can you fault Glen Langley for marrying your sister?"
"You are really walking close to the edge, lady." Owen’s expression was ominous. "I’d advise you to stop baiting me about what I supposedly feel or do not feel for you before you go too far. You said you didn’t want to be manipulated with sex? Well, I damn sure don’t want to be manipulated with words.
Understood?"
"Oh, yes, Owen. I think we have an excellent understanding of each other. I guess it’s true what they say about never really getting to know a man until after you’re married to him." Angie swept past him to the front door.
She drew a deep breath when she realized she was out of Owen’s reach. Mentally she wiped her brow in relief. She had pushed him a little too far that time.
"Well, well, well," an amused masculine voice drawled from the doorway. "You must be the latest addition to the clan. Nice to know I’m not the only one who had the nerve to marry a Sutherland. I’m Glen Langley."
Angie looked up quickly and smiled when she saw the good-looking, sandy-haired man on the top step.
Glen Langley looked relaxed and athletic in casual slacks and a sweater. He had an open face with blue eyes that seemed to watch the world with a hint of sardonic humor. She liked him on sight. He
reminded her of her brother, Harry.
"I’m Angie," She smiled. "I expect you’ve already been told who I am and why I’m here."
"Right. You’re Owen’s latest business acquisition, according to the relatives. But I don’t pay much attention to them–a dull and depressing bunch."
"You noticed that, too?"
"The problem is they’re all much too concerned about their precious hotel business. I’m trying to break Kimberly of the habit."
"Fascinating observation," Angie murmured as Owen came up beside her. "I’ve been having a few thoughts along those very lines, myself."
"Hello, Langley." Owen arched a brow. "How was Hawaii?"
"Sutherland." Glen acknowledged Owen with an affable inclination of his head. "Hawaii was fine until I found out why Kimberly was so hot to
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