A Clandestine Corporate Affair(17)

Nathan laid a hand on her shoulder, which only made her feel worse. “Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head. The apprehension in Nathan’s voice made her feel like a jerk. He was genuinely concerned, and he deserved an explanation. She just didn’t know what to tell him. Not without sounding like a dope.

“Ana, talk to me.” He turned her so she was facing him. “Are you crying?”

“No,” she said, swiping at the tears with her shirtsleeve. As if denying it would make her tears any less real.

“I’m confused. I thought it went okay tonight.”

“It did.”

“So…why the tears? Are you having second thoughts about this?”

She shook her head. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Why are you so upset?”

She bit her lip, looked down at the floor.

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Ana, we can’t do this if you don’t talk to me.”

Please don’t touch me, she thought. It only made it worse.

“If I did something wrong—”

“No! You did everything right. Max adored you. It couldn’t have gone more perfect.”

“And you think that’s a bad thing?”

“No. Not exactly.”

Nathan’s brow furrowed with confusion. Of course he was confused. She wasn’t making any sense.

“Since the day Max was born it’s just been the two of us. He depends on me for everything. But tonight, seeing you two together—” Her voice cracked. Damn it Ana, hold it together. “I guess I was jealous. I don’t know what I would do if Max didn’t need me anymore.”

“Of course he needs you.”

She shrugged, her shoulders heavy under the weight of his hands, and more of those stupid tears spilled over.

He cursed under his breath, then slid his arms around her and pulled her against him. And, oh God, it was so good. To hell with being strong. She wanted this. She’d wanted it for so long. She locked her arms around him and held on, feeling as if she never wanted to let go again. He would have to pry her loose, peel her away from him. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, rubbed her cheek against the solid warmth of his chest. He was so familiar, and perfect.

God, she was pathetic. She wasn’t even trying to resist him. And Nathan wasn’t making this any easier. Instead of pushing her away, he was holding on just as tightly.

“I think I’m just a novelty,” he said. “A new toy to play with.”

It took her a second to realize that he was talking about Max. “No, he really loved you, Nathan. It’s almost as if he sensed who you were.” She gazed up at him. “And that’s good. That’s the way it should be. It’s what I want. I’m just acting stupid.”

“I’m sure what you’re feeling is totally normal.”

He could have the decency to act like a jerk. To tell her she was being irrational and stupid. Instead of being a tool, and making her hate him, he was doing everything right. Where were those flaws she was supposed to be finding?

“You really need to stop being so nice to me,” she said.

A grin tipped up the corner of his mouth. “Why?”

“Because you’re making it impossible for me to hate you.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to hate me.”

She had to. It was her only defense.

The house phone rang, and she realized that it must be Beth, calling to stop her from doing something stupid.

Too late.

She slid her arms up Nathan’s chest and around his neck, pulled his head down to her level and kissed him, and there wasn’t even a millisecond of hesitation on his part. Everything in her said, Yes! She blocked out the ringing of the phone, and the whisper of her own nagging doubts, and concentrated on the softness of his lips, the taste of his mouth, the burn of his beard stubble against her chin. Good Lord, did the man know how to kiss. He was tender, yet demanding. It was addictive, like a drug, and all she could think was more. Her body ached for his touch.

Nathan’s big hands tightened around her hips, and suddenly her feet were off the floor. Her butt landed on the hard surface of the countertop, and her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.

Closer. She wanted to be closer to him. Needed to feel her breasts crushed against the hard wall of his chest. Nathan cupped her behind and tugged her against him, trapping the stiff ridge of his erection against her stomach. He slid his hands upward, under the hem of her shirt, and his warm palms settled against her bare waist.