off however. “Do you have something for me, Ms. Sinclair?”
I almost flip him the bird, it’s hard not to. Yes, he let me keep the job, even after he caught me skinny dipping in his pool. As his employee, I should treat him with a degree of respect. All of that, however, isn’t enough to soothe the battered pride of my inner woman scorned. I’d given him pieces of myself I’ve never even shown to other men. I surrendered to him completely.
And he doesn’t remember.
“The delivery is for me, right?” he asks, drawing my focus back to the cardboard box in my hands.
Without looking, I chuck the package into the passenger’s seat and take off across the lawn.
The slam of a car door spurs me into a flat-out sprint. I can’t deal with his tempestuous nature right now. I’m too raw and need to find a corner to hide in and lick my wounds.
The sound of him calling my name drives me faster, my heart lodges in my throat. Why won’t he just leave me alone?
I’m not fast enough. He tackles me right inside the tree line at the secluded north end of the property. The hit knocks the wind from my lungs and I’m momentarily stunned. Connor rolls so he takes the impact of our landing on his back to keep from crushing me.
A few minutes pass, his rough and ragged breaths against my neck remind me of last night when his lack of oxygen came from a different sort of exertion. I fight anew. “Let go of me, leave me alone!”
“Baily, what the hell is the matter? Why did you run like that?”
“To get away from you. Why did you chase me?” I shoot back.
“I don’t know. I just…had to.” His voice is rougher, sounding almost raw.
Despite the rising temperature, I shiver. “I mean it Connor, let go.”
His arms tighten around me. “Only if you promise not to run.”
Fine, I could walk until I got to my cottage and then slam the door in his face. “Agreed.”
The loosening of his arms is reluctantly slow, but he does release my. I scramble to my feet, unable to avoid a quick glance at him. Gone is the unruffled billionaire who’d been so rude to my friend, the common laborer. His shirt is untucked, his hair a wild with a few pine needles sticking out of it. He is huge and rumpled and utterly delicious. Intensity replaces the coldness in his blue eyes, along with a sharp focus on my face. This maddening man is my lover and my knees go weak.
Stay strong for once. Snarkarella, my inner critic, scolds. Don’t be his plaything.
“Why did I wake up in your bed?” Connor asks quietly.
My infamous Irish temper flares. Again with the amnesia act? Is he some reincarnated Russian princess? “We spent the whole night playing Parcheesi of course. Why do you think ?”
Leveling his gaze on me he scolds, “Sarcasm isn’t helping, Baily.”
I shiver under that quelling look, but am too stubborn to back down. And if I‘m honest, too hurt. Am I really so forgettable that he can’t recall the events of twelve hours ago?
Swallowing, I answer. “We had sex. Sex sex this time.”
“Sex sex.” He repeats with a slow perusal down my body.
I can’t help it, I blush. “Yeah.”
“Consensual?” Again, a flash of fear, as though he truly believes himself capable of force.
I step closer, lay a hand on his arm. “Yes, Connor, it was mutual.”
A wicked grin steals across his face. “How was I?”
My jaw drops. “ That’s what you’re worried about?”
He sobers. “I’m concerned over many things. Why I’ve had two blackouts in the last forty eight hours and both of them involve you.”
It sounds as though he’s blaming me for something and my ire rises again. “Listen pal, I didn’t invite you into my bedroom, you helped yourself to the goodies.”
“You just said it was mutual.”
I huff out a breath. “Yes, but when I wake up to find you standing over me in the dark and you work your seductive magic, I can’t be held responsible for giving in.”
He steps even closer, until we are sharing the
I almost flip him the bird, it’s hard not to. Yes, he let me keep the job, even after he caught me skinny dipping in his pool. As his employee, I should treat him with a degree of respect. All of that, however, isn’t enough to soothe the battered pride of my inner woman scorned. I’d given him pieces of myself I’ve never even shown to other men. I surrendered to him completely.
And he doesn’t remember.
“The delivery is for me, right?” he asks, drawing my focus back to the cardboard box in my hands.
Without looking, I chuck the package into the passenger’s seat and take off across the lawn.
The slam of a car door spurs me into a flat-out sprint. I can’t deal with his tempestuous nature right now. I’m too raw and need to find a corner to hide in and lick my wounds.
The sound of him calling my name drives me faster, my heart lodges in my throat. Why won’t he just leave me alone?
I’m not fast enough. He tackles me right inside the tree line at the secluded north end of the property. The hit knocks the wind from my lungs and I’m momentarily stunned. Connor rolls so he takes the impact of our landing on his back to keep from crushing me.
A few minutes pass, his rough and ragged breaths against my neck remind me of last night when his lack of oxygen came from a different sort of exertion. I fight anew. “Let go of me, leave me alone!”
“Baily, what the hell is the matter? Why did you run like that?”
“To get away from you. Why did you chase me?” I shoot back.
“I don’t know. I just…had to.” His voice is rougher, sounding almost raw.
Despite the rising temperature, I shiver. “I mean it Connor, let go.”
His arms tighten around me. “Only if you promise not to run.”
Fine, I could walk until I got to my cottage and then slam the door in his face. “Agreed.”
The loosening of his arms is reluctantly slow, but he does release my. I scramble to my feet, unable to avoid a quick glance at him. Gone is the unruffled billionaire who’d been so rude to my friend, the common laborer. His shirt is untucked, his hair a wild with a few pine needles sticking out of it. He is huge and rumpled and utterly delicious. Intensity replaces the coldness in his blue eyes, along with a sharp focus on my face. This maddening man is my lover and my knees go weak.
Stay strong for once. Snarkarella, my inner critic, scolds. Don’t be his plaything.
“Why did I wake up in your bed?” Connor asks quietly.
My infamous Irish temper flares. Again with the amnesia act? Is he some reincarnated Russian princess? “We spent the whole night playing Parcheesi of course. Why do you think ?”
Leveling his gaze on me he scolds, “Sarcasm isn’t helping, Baily.”
I shiver under that quelling look, but am too stubborn to back down. And if I‘m honest, too hurt. Am I really so forgettable that he can’t recall the events of twelve hours ago?
Swallowing, I answer. “We had sex. Sex sex this time.”
“Sex sex.” He repeats with a slow perusal down my body.
I can’t help it, I blush. “Yeah.”
“Consensual?” Again, a flash of fear, as though he truly believes himself capable of force.
I step closer, lay a hand on his arm. “Yes, Connor, it was mutual.”
A wicked grin steals across his face. “How was I?”
My jaw drops. “ That’s what you’re worried about?”
He sobers. “I’m concerned over many things. Why I’ve had two blackouts in the last forty eight hours and both of them involve you.”
It sounds as though he’s blaming me for something and my ire rises again. “Listen pal, I didn’t invite you into my bedroom, you helped yourself to the goodies.”
“You just said it was mutual.”
I huff out a breath. “Yes, but when I wake up to find you standing over me in the dark and you work your seductive magic, I can’t be held responsible for giving in.”
He steps even closer, until we are sharing the
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