Love Handles (Oakland Hills #1)(85)

“The door is open.”

“There’s nobody here, sweetheart. It’s okay.”

She pushed him away. “No.”

His heavy-lidded gaze aimed downward, on her mouth, and lower, to her bare thighs. “Damn,” he whispered, clenching his jaw and running his hand over his eyes. “I am such an idiot.”

She wiggled away from him and pulled her pants up, her heart pounding. “I can’t believe we almost did that here. With the door open.” She hurried over and closed it, though the hallway was dark and silent.

Liam buttoned his jeans. “I’ve got no finesse around you. Ripping your pants off, kissing you, then mentioning security.” Jaw clenched, he looked away from her to the rack of samples next to the desk, his chest visibly rising with each breath. He pulled his cell out of his pocket, glancing at her. “I’ll call my sister and tell her to find somewhere else to sleep tonight.”

He assumed—well, of course he did.

All he has to do to take over Fite is to take over you . . .

“No,” she said. “Liam, I can’t. I know it’s reasonable for you to think I would, but no. I was tired and you have a way of getting to me and I really, no, I really can’t.”

An eyebrow went up. “Reasonable? You think I’m being reasonable?”

“To assume I’d finish what we just started. I should never have let you kiss me again. I’m sorry—”

He shoved his desk chair out of his way with his knee and walked over to her. “Let me kiss you?”

“Great. Now you’re angry.”

“Bev, just what do you think is going on here between us? Do you think I want this to happen?”

She stood up taller. Met his glare. “Obviously.” But she felt herself sinking into a large gray area. She had no idea what he wanted, or why.

“You’re my boss. Which would be bad enough, but you’re a boss I had vowed to get rid of. Every minute I spend with you that might keep you here at Fite is a mistake. It takes me farther from what I want.” He stared at her, calm and terrifying, transformed before her eyes back into the ice cube.

“What else do you want, Liam? You’ve still got your job, more power than ever, and the biggest paycheck around.” She was determined not to add, and my weak, stupid heart. “What else is there?”

“What I deserve,” he said. “I deserve more than this.”

A clammy fear settled over her. She didn’t know if he was talking about his job or their relationship.

They didn’t have a relationship. That was the point.

He looked away from her. “I shouldn’t have said anything. You want to know my deepest, darkest secrets, then get upset when you hear them.” He shoved his hand through his hair again. “Yes, I wanted more than working for you. There is nothing insulting in that. I’ve been here over ten years—you’ve been here ten minutes. I don’t care how smart or talented you are, I shouldn’t have to work for you.”

“You’re just angry I didn’t let you have sex with me.”

“Oh, I’m the one. I’m the one who wants it, not you, of course not you. Not a nice girl like you.”

She poked a finger into his chest, annoyed she was shaking. “While I appreciate your disappointment in your career and, apparently, your minor frustration at not getting laid at the office whenever you want, it is exactly why we are not ever going to touch each other again.”

He glanced down at her finger. His voice fell. “I wouldn’t classify my frustration as minor.”

She pulled her hand back. “Sex with me can’t be your consolation prize for having to work here. My body is not part of your benefits package.”

He stared at her, eyes narrowing to slits. “Your body?”

“That’s what I am to you, right? You were stuck with me and decided to make the best of the situation,” she said. “Isn’t that what you said? You’re an efficient guy?”

“You keep leaving your decisions out of this scenario. You were an active participant in each stage of the game. So tell me, Bev, what did you get out of f*cking the hired help? I doubt it was my charming conversation.” He exhaled loudly and stalked over to the rolling rack, then shoved the samples back and forth, making the hangers squeal on the metal bar. “I see how you look at me. Your body’s not in the benefits package—mine is.”

Silence fell over the room. Bev’s mouth went dry. Did he really think she would use him like that? Had other women made him feel like a piece of meat?

It was too ridiculous. Of course he was gorgeous, but the world was full of gorgeous men. None were as brilliant, talented, and funny as he was. Tough but sweet.

Lovable.

“But you’re right,” he went on, “I was wrong to get involved with you. When Ed died, and he hadn’t left Fite to me—not directly—I should have resigned immediately. To stay on and try to manipulate you was an act of sentimentality and fear. I admit it. I fooled around with you because I couldn’t help myself. I can’t. It annoys the hell out of me to think Ed is getting what he’d wanted all along, but I always admired the brilliant bastard, and he did usually get his way.”

“What he wanted all along was for you to sleep with me?”

Liam stared at her, his brown eyes shining.