returned to him. âIâm not like those women youâre used to. Iâm . . . just not.â
No, he thought, she certainly wasnât. She wouldnât put up with being used and he had no desire to treat her casually, either.
âI know that,â he replied. âI found it impossible to turn away from you. Thatâs my weakness. Not your fault.â
Her head lowered and she stared at the floor for a while.
âIf I stay, itâs for the work. Not because Iâm interested in playing games. I donât want you to do that again.â
He frowned. âYou mind if I ask why not?â
âWhat kind of a question is that?â
âWhat I mean is, do you have someone in your life?â He didnât really think sheâd answer him, but he wanted to know.
âThatâs totally irrelevant. Because even if I were alone, that doesnât mean Iâd be looking for you.â
He had to smile. âYouâve made that very clear.â
Gradually, the tension left her shoulders and her chin started to drop.
âSo, can we be friends?â he asked, surprised to realize how much that mattered to him.
âNo, we canât be friends.â Her eyes drifted back to the window. âYou and I, we are never going to be friends.â
He didnât like that answer.
âWhy not?â
âWe have nothing in common.â
âUntrue. We both like art. Dogs. Grace Woodward Hall. Iâm sure the list could go on and on.â
She shook her head. âI work for you. Just like the other hundred or thousand or however many people make up the Walker Fund. Iâm simply one of manyââ
âNo, you arenât.â
ââand I want to stay that way.â
âHave you always preferred anonymity or is this just a special case because you want to avoid me?â
âThis time Iâm choosing it.â
Jackâs hunter instincts sharpened. âAnd when was it not your choice?â
Quickly, she turned away. âThis conversation is over.â
She walked across the room and picked up her toolbox, putting it on the table with a declarative sound.
He studied her for a moment, wondering what had caused her retreat. What exactly she was hiding.
âTell me something.â
âNo.â
âYou donât know what Iâm going to ask.â
âAnd I donât care.â
More gently, he said, âI just want to know. Did you get hurt by someone?â
She looked over at him, her eyes sparkling with outrage. âYouâre out of your mindâyou know that?â
He stood up. âIâm just thinking it might explain something.â
âAnd what exactly do you think needs explaining?â
âWhy you pulled back from me.â
The blush that came to her cheeks was just about the most attractive thing Jack had seen in a while. And it was confirmation, regardless of whatever denial she was about to throw at him, that sheâd felt the same way he had in that closet.
Her chin rose again. âMaybe itâs as simple as I didnât like it.â
âThat wasnât what it felt like to me.â
âThen maybe you just enjoyed it enough for the both of us.â Her eyes flicked down to the fly of his pants.
The idea that sheâd felt his arousal made him clench his teeth with need.
He knew he should back off. He knew he should just let it all go because if he pushed her too far, she was fully capable of walking out on the project. On him.
But he just couldnât. Her defiance captivated him, making the compliance he got from other women seem pale and uninteresting.
âCallie, I donât care if you pushed me back because you donât like me or because I was inappropriate or because I moved too fast. All of those are no doubt true. But I would appreciate some honesty. You liked it when I kissed you.â
She gave him a righteous huff. âYou ever have trouble
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