A Calculated Seduction(22)

“Don’t have to worry about what?” he asked, his voice had dipped an octave and danced along her nerve endings.

She shook her head, unable to form any words. All the moisture had dried up in her mouth and her heart not only skipped a beat, but tripled in speed. Why the hell was she worrying about her heart? She wasn’t even close to falling in love with the man.

But you could fall in love with him, whispered the voice in her head.

Shut up.

Distance. That’s what she needed. She ignored the warmth that flooded her senses at the sight of his windblown hair. There was something just so male about him. From the way he walked, to the clothes he wore, to the very scent of him. Yes, that was the most disturbing thing about him. His cologne, the Texas night air, and brooding male mixed together had sent her hormones jumping.

“Mr. Mac...Ethan. You have to understand, there are already rumors running around the office.” His smile dimmed. “I don’t need any aggravation. When my father died, I promised myself I’d make it on my own. I had to. So, when Bill offered me a job I wasn’t qualified for, I refused and worked my way up the ladder. I won’t have people thinking I kept my job with you for other reasons. ”

He studied her silently. The only sound in her apartment was a loud commercial for a local car dealership. She resisted the urge to sit in the chair. Her body warmed, responding to the heat evident in his eyes. Just one look, and her body craved his touch, wanted his lips on hers, his hands on her skin. Her panties dampened as he continued to stare at her.

After a moment, he looked away. She breathed deeply and sat down.

He sighed. “I guess I should head home.”

They stood at the same time, almost knocking into each other. Her knees bumped against his. His chest grazed her breasts. The heat in her stomach slid lower. Her sex pulsed as a rush of warm blood rushed through her. She yearned to lean closer, allow him to pull her against his chest.

Before she could make a fool out of herself, she stepped back. She bumped into the chair. She glanced up and froze. Sexual intent so potent, she felt it to the tips of her toes, darkened his eyes. Need like she’d never felt before prickled her senses and left her breathless.

But before she could act, he stepped away, allowing her to walk in front of him. Had she been mistaken? Maybe she’d misread his intentions.

Down deep, close to her soul, she knew she hadn’t. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him, but he still controlled his emotions. He apparently hadn’t been so moved he just grabbed her and threw her on the bed to have his way with her.

Images of the two of them on her bed flashed through her mind, sending a wave of tingling heat throughout her body. Oh, she had to stop this. A man who could control his actions to that extent would never jump into bed without an alternative reason.

She was relieved when she opened the door without begging for him to kiss her. She’d feel better when he was gone.

Temptation would no longer threaten her sanity with him out of her vicinity.

“I guess I’ll see you on Monday,” she said to his chest.

He slid his finger beneath her chin and raised it.

“It you’re going to say goodnight, Dulcy, say it to me, not my chest. ”

Amusement laced his voice. The moment she made eye contact, he leaned forward and brushed his mouth against hers. She shivered. This was unlike the kiss in the office. That kiss was heat and anger and pure basic lust. The heat was there, and definitely the lust, but there was something else. Something forbidden. Something much scarier than the lust that had controlled them before.

With a tenderness she didn’t think he’d possessed, he nipped at her lips. Little kisses, so tender it almost did her in. His eyes remained open, shining with a different kind of heat than before. There was a gentle, almost reverent, quality to it. Before she could deepen the kiss, he was moving away from her.

He took a determined step back. “I’ll see you Monday, Dulcy. ”

He turned away and she watched as he walked down the steps and got in his car. After he drove away, she closed the door and leaned against it. Her lips still tingled. Oh, this was horrible. She could protect herself from his lust. But she’d be a fool to think she could control her feelings after a kiss like that. Because, lurking beneath her skin, deep in her soul, she craved the sweetness he’d offered.

She lifted her fingers and pressed them against her lips. Her heart tumbled and almost dropped to her toes. She couldn’t fall in love with Ethan MacMillan. No matter what she wanted, she knew he saw her as a game, a contest to win.