|
“It’s a bit chilly in here,” she
fibbed, hoping to distract herself from the outrageous direction her
thoughts kept straying. Thanks to Alex, she actually felt like she
needed to turn on the air conditioning. She hurried from the kitchen by
another door that led directly into the dimly lit living room. Heading
for the large stone fireplace on the left side of the room, she sat on
the hearth and she set the flames to glowing within a matter of minutes.
Brudy nudged her arm as if to say he approved, then trotted over to the
plush couch, jumped up onto the cushion and snuggled down into his usual
spot.
Casey returned her
attention to the fire, the flames adding to the already cozy atmosphere
of her living room. If she wanted to sway Alex to her side she needed
every advantage, and the proper atmosphere for a relaxed evening was
crucial. Especially after the minor fiascos she’d faced at both the
airport and at Heather’s.
When it came to
business, Casey preferred to always be professional, and to be in
control. Several times today she’d lost some ground in that department,
and now she deemed mixing in a dash of sex appeal a necessary tactic.
The trick with relying on seduction in business was knowing how much to
use, and when.
Although in Alex’s
case, she wasn’t sure any type of sexual undertones were a good idea—for
her sake. The guy had a knack for making her heart trip all over itself
the way it was. Two little words from him would have her falling at his
feet.
The flames leaped high
and danced in the grate. That’s how she felt—like those logs trapped in
blazing heat.
“So, when do we eat?”
Alex asked. “I’m starved myself.”
Casey froze, certain
she hadn’t imagined the suggestive undertones in his words. Her nerves
twitched.
“Right after you and I
get out of these damp clothes.” She stood, turned around and bumped into
Alex. “Oh!”
Alex steadied her on
her two-inch heels, his firm and gentle hold exuding a suggestiveness
she’d never experienced before. His gaze caught and held hers captive.
Mesmerized, she watched as his dark eyes flickered between tinges of
anger and desire. A
dangerous combination, she knew, but she couldn’t pull herself away.
He brushed a strand of
damp hair from her face. “I’ve got nothing against spontaneous sex,” he
said, his voice low and seductive.
Warmth that had
nothing to do with the fire behind her inflamed her skin. Neither do I,
she wanted to shout.
With mere inches separating them, Casey struggled to stay composed, to
act the professional. Alex smelled of rain, leather…and man, turning
composure into a foreign word. Her knees weakened.
And, ah hell, she
couldn’t breathe. How was she supposed to focus on business when she
couldn’t even take a normal breath around the man?
His gaze didn’t waver
and the glow of the fire added to the smoldering intensity brewing in
the depths of his eyes. A low moan escaped Casey’s throat. On its own
accord, her body leaned into him as though drawn by some unknown force.
A force she was powerless to stop.
It would be so easy to
fall into bed with this man. So much time had passed since she’d been in
an intimate relationship. She was ready. Needed it. Wanted it.
But then, she wanted
and needed chocolate everyday, too, and she didn’t let herself indulge
in the pleasure. Well…more like her wardrobe didn’t allow it. If she
could limit her chocolate intake, she could limit her daily dose of Alex
as well.
Yeah, right. What the
heck for? Life was short. Didn’t they always say you should eat dessert
first anyway?
Casey reached out to
touch him, dying to know the feel of the shadow of whiskers dusting his
chin.
“Since we might be
working together,” Alex said, “we should probably abstain from such
indulgences.”
Casey’s hand stilled
in mid-air, his words hitting her as fast and hard as if he’d punched
her in the stomach. Oops. She was getting way ahead of things here. She
hadn’t had a serious date in months. Maybe she was losing her touch when
it came to men.
No. She was simply
overacting due to a day that rivaled her worst nightmare. What she was
dealing with here was a man full of ambivalence—one of the most
dangerous types of men there was to get involved with. If she wasn’t
careful, he’d rev up her libido, screw up
her hormones, and drive her insane.
And what was it he’d
said moments before? Might be working together? Might was positive, but
she had a feeling she still had a ways to go to convince him to stay.
She took a deep breath. Alex Roy was going to be one major challenge for
her control department.
“I never said anything
about having sex,” she said, feeling more off kilter around Alex than
any other man before him. A muscle ticked at his jaw and she realized
she’d said the words with more force than intended.
Way to play it
cool, Case. So, she wasn’t having the same effect on him as he was
on her—a major blow to her already fragile relationship ego. She took a
step back,
frustrated and slightly embarrassed by the blunders she kept making
around him.
He released his hold
and let his hands fall to his sides.
Disappointed by the
loss of his touch, Casey resisted the urge to grab his hands and put
them back around her waist.
Brudy lifted his head
from his resting spot on the couch and barked, breaking the awkward
silence surrounding them.
“You can change your
clothes in the spare bedroom,” she said. “It’s the third door on the
right.”
“Thanks,” he said
dryly. Alex widened the space between them. Picking up his suitcase, he
headed up the stairs without saying another word.
Casey groaned. Again
she wondered if this lousy day could get any worse. |
