âIâve taken my maiden name back.â
His glance touched on her ringless hands. âThe divorce is final?â
âQuite final. Three months ago.â
âPity.â His eyes had darkened with anger when he lifted them back to hers. âA title suits you so well. I imagine you fit into an English manor as easily as a piece of Wedgwood. Drawing rooms and butlers,â he murmured, then scanned her face as if he would memorize it all over again. âYou have the looks for them.â
âThe reporters are waiting for you.â Asher made a move to her left in an attempt to brush by him. Tyâs fingers clamped down.
âWhy, Asher?â Heâd promised himself if he ever saw her again, he wouldnât ask. It was a matter of pride. But pride was overwhelmed by temper as the question whipped out, stinging them both. âWhy did you leave that way? Why did you run off and marry that damn English jerk without a word to me?â
She didnât wince at the pressure of his fingers, nor did she make any attempt to pull away. âThatâs my business.â
â
Your
business?â The words were hardly out of her mouth before he grabbed both her arms. â
Your
business? Weâd been together for months, the whole damn circuit that year. One night youâre in my bed, and the next thing I know youâve run off with some English lord.â His control slipped another notch as he shook her. âI had to find out from my sister. You didnât even have the decency to dump me in person.â
âDecency?â she tossed back. âI wonât discuss decency with you, Ty.â She swallowed the words, the accusations sheâd promised herself never to utter. âI made my choice,â she said levelly, âI donât have to justify it to you.â
âWe were lovers,â he reminded her tightly. âWe lived together for nearly six months.â
âI wasnât the first woman in your bed.â
âYou knew that right from the start.â
âYes, I knew.â She fought the urge to beat at him with the hopeless rage that was building inside her. âI made my choice then, just as I made one later. Now, let me go.â
Her cool, cultured control had always fascinated and infuriated him. Ty knew her, better than anyone, even her own fatherâcertainly better than her ex-husband. Inside, she was jelly, shuddering convulsively, but outwardly she was composed and lightly disdainful. Ty wanted to shake her until she rattled. More, much more, he wanted to taste her againâobliterate three years with one long greedy kiss. Desire and fury hammered at him. He knew that if he gave in to either, heâd never be able to stop. The wound was still raw.
âWeâre not finished, Asher.â His grip relaxed. âYou still owe me.â
âNo.â Defensive, outraged, she jerked free. âNo, I donât owe you anything.â
âThree years,â he answered, and smiled. The smile was the same biting challenge as before. âYou owe me three years, and by God, youâre going to pay.â
He unlocked the door and opened it, stepping back so that Asher had no choice but to meet the huddle of reporters head-on.
âAsher, how does it feel to be back in the States?â
âItâs good to be home.â
âWhat about the rumors that youâre going to play professionally again?â
âI intend to play professionally beginning with the opening of the European circuit in Rome.â
More questions, more answers. The harsh glare of a flash causing light to dance in front of her eyes. The press always terrified her. She could remember her fatherâs constant instructions: Donât say any more than absolutely necessary. Donât let them see what youâre feeling. Theyâll devour you.
Churning inside, Asher faced the pack of avid reporters with apparent ease. Her voice