Deceive Her With Desire by Nina Pierce

desire. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel anything for me, Deirdre.” His nostrils flared, and she knew he could smell the arousal on her thighs.
    Damn, he could make her wet.
    “We’re good together,” he said, the words deep and husky. “Don’t leave tonight. Stay and let me prove to you how much I’m beginning to care for you. Don’t run from this.” He lifted his elbows, his gaze sweeping hotly over her face.
    “I don’t know what I can give you, Austin.”
    “Give me tonight, Deirdre.” He leaned over and licked the shell of her ear. “Just tonight.”

 
     

    Chapter 8
     

     
     
    Deirdre lay staring at the sliver of moonlight moving slowly across the ceiling.
    Austin’s body was tangled with hers. His hand possessively cradled her breast, his leg thrown over her thighs as if he needed to hold her captive. She’d decided a while ago, as his breathing slowed to a gentle rhythm, she had no desire to go skulking into the darkness. She liked the solid feeling of his body pressed pleasantly against her.
    What kind of a mess was she getting herself into though? He was a business man from away . Two problems rolled into one incredibly sexy package.
    But Austin wasn’t her only problem.
    Thinking about the consequences of the drug arrest was actually the reason she was still awake. Sleep was a fickle creature, meant only for those with a clear conscience. Hers was filled with uncertainty and apprehension. She hadn’t done anything illegal, but still felt incredibly guilty. Perhaps it had something to do with the expression of doubt that seemed to shadow Austin’s face every time they talked about Shawn and the drugs.
    Deirdre couldn’t help question what this meant to her life. Surely she’d lose the Jameson job and all the money that went with it. And when the rumors churned through the gossip mill in Delmont, as they inevitably would, the townspeople wouldn’t be hiring her to do their landscaping jobs either.
    Hell, her arrest would probably even affect the family business. All of Tilling Gardens and Plants, including Meghan’s floral business and Julie’s accounting clients, might walk away. Even when she was proven innocent, the school board wouldn’t allow Mark to continue having his students work for her. The whole thing was a friggin ’ time bomb, and when the smoke cleared, Deirdre was beginning to wonder if there’d be enough pieces to pull her life back together.
    She’d called Rachel from the bedroom extension sometime after they’d eaten the reheated spaghetti and before the steamy sex in the shower. But for the life of her, she had no idea what she’d said to her best friend. Austin’s tongue had been in her ear and his fingers working magic on her clitoris. She’d rushed off the line just before the orgasm had slammed into her.
    The clock on the nightstand read 2:14. Her body was pleasantly sore in a way it had never ached before. Maybe she should work Austin into another frenzied pitch and see if he could take her mind off the problems looming in the darkness.
    The muffled sound of music wafted up the stairs. It took her a moment to identify the ring tone of her cell phone.
    It stopped momentarily, but began again almost immediately. Who could be trying to reach her at this hour? And why were they being so persistent? She tried to slip out of bed without rousing Austin, but he came instantly awake the second time the phone released its melodic tune.
    “Who’s calling?”
    “It’s my phone on the stairs. I have no idea. Let me find out.”
    “No, don’t go. They’ll leave a voice mail.” The ringing stopped and started again.
    “That’s the third time. Let me get it.”
    Deirdre extricated herself and ran down the hall, bumping down the stairs, fumbling in the dark toward the ominous sound. Her stomach did a somersault as she rifled through her pants, searching for the pocket in the mass of material. She gasped when she saw the number illuminated on the