waiting for her. She shivered with nervous anticipation. What did he plan to do? And how would she react?
All he had to do was cast a sexy look her way and she'd melt on the spot. If he touched her, she would be his.
But she shouldn't allow intimacy to flourish between them. Their positions demanded they maintain a professional relationship. She couldn't face the prospect of another scandal like the one with Steve. She was established in her job, and her life was progressing the way she wanted… No, she didn’t want to jeopardize it all for a few moments of pleasure. Nevertheless, lately her emotions appeared to be overriding her logic.
"She did it!"
Glancing across the room, Angela took in the lights flashing and the music blaring from the television. The young contestant had just won the game show's top award. Angela looked over at Ricardo.
The way he pumped his fist in the air, you’d think he had won instead of the contestant. His sportsman’s spirit compelled him to cheer another's victory.
He turned and their gazes locked. He lowered his arm and leaned away to drain the last of his iced tea. Surely he didn't think that gesture would create a distraction? She held her breath.
"Are you involved with someone else?" he startled her by asking.
An invented involvement would be an easy out for her. Protection. She was about to say “yes” when his gaze faltered with a hint of what? Hurt, disappointment? Angela knew that feeling.
"No,” she whispered.
"I'm glad."
"And you? Are you in a relationship?"
He shook his head and stared meaningfully at her. "I'd like to be."
She couldn't move or speak. Her eyes widened and her mouth parted in unconscious invitation.
A sharp intake of breath alerted her to his sudden movement. Her gaze traveled up the long columns of his legs as he stood right in front of her. She could see his muscles tensing and flexing beneath his slacks.
A bright plaid shirt covered his chest, but the open vee of its collar revealed smooth dark skin, drawing her gaze upward to see a crooked grin and black eyes that glimmered with amusement.
"Do I pass?" He spoke with wry humor. "Do you like what you see?"
She would have been affronted except that she knew he had perused her just as thoroughly.
"You'll do." She smiled. In a rare mood of playful passion, she scooted against the pillows of the couch and patted the spot beside her. He paused for a second and then sat down.
"I'm glad you think so." He cocked his head with pride.
His assurance suddenly overwhelmed Angela. Her smile faded. She was very aware that he could hurt her.
He traced a finger down her cheek but didn't make any further advances. "You see, I'm very interested in you. You're a remarkable woman."
"I'm glad you approve," she mimicked his earlier response.
He chuckled then and Angela laughed with him. The doubts faded away with their laughter, and, once again, they were staring into each other's eyes. Angela knew there was a very good reason to resist this man—but she couldn't think what it was right now.
"I probably shouldn't be sitting here."
"No." She shook her head but knew acquiescence was in her eyes.
"I want to kiss you. Watching television didn't help."
What could she say? Yes, kiss me? Love me? Her mouth ached from forcing it shut.
There was too much heat in his gaze. "Do you think we could—" He cleared his throat.
"No."
His smile turned rueful. "You're right."
Her fists clenched at her sides as she willed herself not to move when all she really wanted was to wrap her arms around him.
She struggled to remember all the reasons she should want him to walk away, but her desire overruled every argument.
He smiled and gathered her into his powerful arms. With ease, he lifted her so that she lay across his lap and braced her against his chest. "Let me hold you for a few minutes."
" Just hold me?"
"We can try it," he murmured into her hair.
It felt right—too right—to be held by him; his touch was
All he had to do was cast a sexy look her way and she'd melt on the spot. If he touched her, she would be his.
But she shouldn't allow intimacy to flourish between them. Their positions demanded they maintain a professional relationship. She couldn't face the prospect of another scandal like the one with Steve. She was established in her job, and her life was progressing the way she wanted… No, she didn’t want to jeopardize it all for a few moments of pleasure. Nevertheless, lately her emotions appeared to be overriding her logic.
"She did it!"
Glancing across the room, Angela took in the lights flashing and the music blaring from the television. The young contestant had just won the game show's top award. Angela looked over at Ricardo.
The way he pumped his fist in the air, you’d think he had won instead of the contestant. His sportsman’s spirit compelled him to cheer another's victory.
He turned and their gazes locked. He lowered his arm and leaned away to drain the last of his iced tea. Surely he didn't think that gesture would create a distraction? She held her breath.
"Are you involved with someone else?" he startled her by asking.
An invented involvement would be an easy out for her. Protection. She was about to say “yes” when his gaze faltered with a hint of what? Hurt, disappointment? Angela knew that feeling.
"No,” she whispered.
"I'm glad."
"And you? Are you in a relationship?"
He shook his head and stared meaningfully at her. "I'd like to be."
She couldn't move or speak. Her eyes widened and her mouth parted in unconscious invitation.
A sharp intake of breath alerted her to his sudden movement. Her gaze traveled up the long columns of his legs as he stood right in front of her. She could see his muscles tensing and flexing beneath his slacks.
A bright plaid shirt covered his chest, but the open vee of its collar revealed smooth dark skin, drawing her gaze upward to see a crooked grin and black eyes that glimmered with amusement.
"Do I pass?" He spoke with wry humor. "Do you like what you see?"
She would have been affronted except that she knew he had perused her just as thoroughly.
"You'll do." She smiled. In a rare mood of playful passion, she scooted against the pillows of the couch and patted the spot beside her. He paused for a second and then sat down.
"I'm glad you think so." He cocked his head with pride.
His assurance suddenly overwhelmed Angela. Her smile faded. She was very aware that he could hurt her.
He traced a finger down her cheek but didn't make any further advances. "You see, I'm very interested in you. You're a remarkable woman."
"I'm glad you approve," she mimicked his earlier response.
He chuckled then and Angela laughed with him. The doubts faded away with their laughter, and, once again, they were staring into each other's eyes. Angela knew there was a very good reason to resist this man—but she couldn't think what it was right now.
"I probably shouldn't be sitting here."
"No." She shook her head but knew acquiescence was in her eyes.
"I want to kiss you. Watching television didn't help."
What could she say? Yes, kiss me? Love me? Her mouth ached from forcing it shut.
There was too much heat in his gaze. "Do you think we could—" He cleared his throat.
"No."
His smile turned rueful. "You're right."
Her fists clenched at her sides as she willed herself not to move when all she really wanted was to wrap her arms around him.
She struggled to remember all the reasons she should want him to walk away, but her desire overruled every argument.
He smiled and gathered her into his powerful arms. With ease, he lifted her so that she lay across his lap and braced her against his chest. "Let me hold you for a few minutes."
" Just hold me?"
"We can try it," he murmured into her hair.
It felt right—too right—to be held by him; his touch was
Similar Books
