Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(14)

"Talking to John."

"Before that? And think hard." Because he'd been with me.

He propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. There was a wicked glint in his eyes, one I knew well. He was about to provoke my fury. Before, that would have excited me because I would have known we'd make love for hours afterward. Now..."I kissed my daughter goodbye and left my wife sleeping in bed. Very, very satisfied."

A blazing mound of dirt suddenly and unexpectedly appeared in the palm of my hand. Rage and jealousy, all blended into one fiery ball. I wanted to jerk my hand under the table so he wouldn't see, but I didn't. It was better he learned what happened when people upset me.

"You're not married," I said stiffly. "You're divorced."

"I know that," he growled. "I left my ex-wife satisfied, then. But it's only a matter of time before she agrees to marry me again." His focus never strayed from the fiery mound of dirt, and before I could start sobbing over his claim, he added, "Impressive."

"Thank you." So badly I wanted to remind him of all the (naughty) things we'd done together, but this conversation was being recorded. Others were listening. My colleagues did not need to know the things I allowed - okay, begged - Rome to do to me. Then again, maybe Lexis needed to hear all about it.

"Now why don't you tell me why you're so angry with me?" I tossed the crackling mound from hand to hand in a mesmerizing rhythm. "If you have no memory of me, you would treat me as a stranger. Polite, but distant. Instead, you treat me as an enemy. Why?"

One of his brows arched, a slash of black topping a barely tolerant expression. "Is that an official question?"

"Why not? I'm the official in this meeting, and I asked it."

"You're not going to like the answer." His gaze returned to the scorching dirt. "And I definitely won't like the consequences."

"Tell me anyway."

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I read your file and it wasn't pretty. My wife told me - "

"Uh, we've already established that she's your ex-wife." And if he called her by that title one more time, something bad was going to happen. I didn't need Miss Know-It-All to verify that, either. Already the flaming dirt ball in my hand was snapping, smoke billowing through it as it prepared to welcome another stream of fire. A fire that would not be so easily contained.

Careful.Any more smoke, and I would soon be coughing for hours, since pollutants were my Achilles'

heel. Apparently, so were gorgeous cat men.

"Wife, ex-wife. It's just semantics," he said. "Lexis told me you were trouble, that you burned down her entire building. Do you deny it?"

One point in his favor: he referred to the building as hers, not theirs. Some of the flames flickered, then died. "No, I don't deny it. I was trying to save your life." I'm sure Lexis had left that part out, though.

Bitch. "Did she also tell you that we made out on her couch?" So much for keeping our private life private. "You had your tongue down my throat and your hands...oh, about right here." I cupped my breast with my free hand. The girls weren't big, but they were perky and I knew Rome loved them.

His pupils dilated and he licked his lips, but he said nothing.

My cheeks were red as I released myself. It had been worth a shot. "Your ex may not like me, but your daughter does. Are you aware of that?"

He nodded stiffly. "I've talked to her, yes, and she asked about you."

"What'd you tell her?"

"That you were busy and would call her later," he said through gritted teeth.

Finally! Progress. "Clearly, you're missing a big chunk of your life. Maybe, just maybe, I was a good part of it."

"Like I told you a little while ago, Weather Wench, I don't deny that. That doesn't mean I want you to be a part of it now."

"That doesn't mean you should go running back to your ex, either. And just a word of warning." Glaring, I tossed the ball into the air, caught it. Several grains of dirt scattered over the tabletop between us. "If you go near Lexis again, you'll soon find her wearing one of these. And my name is not Weather Wench.

Call me that again and you'll be wearing one of these." Rather than upset him, my boast seemed to amuse him. His lips twitched.

That twitch looked good on him; maybe because it was so Rome. The old Rome. My stomach quivered in delight. Could he be losing his animosity toward me? I decided to push a little more. What could it hurt?

With a backward-forward swing of my wrist, I launched the ball over his shoulder. It crashed into the far wall, instantly covering the entire surface in steaming mud.

At the whoosh of air, Rome's head had whipped around to survey the damage. When he faced me again, shock and admiration bathed his features.

More. Push more."After that," I said, "I'll seek comfort from your friend Cody. You remember him, right? Dressed, he's sexy as hell. Undressed, I'm sure he's every woman's downfall." Okay, now I was lying. Only one man could tempt me to fall, and that was Rome. But what if Rome goes back to Lexis?

Bile rose in my throat. Just finish this. "I hear he's an amazing lover, that he won't let his partner leave until she's so sated she can't even speak. It's been a while since I had that kind of experience." Low blow - and untrue - but he deserved it.