world behind and make a better life for myself.”
“And a better life means what? More money? Fancy clothes? Shiny, clean places and shiny, happy, fake people?”
She stopped and turned to face him. “You don’t seriously mean to tell me you prefer that squalor to, say, the gentlemen’s club in Denver!”
“I’d absolutely rather hang out with a bunch of fishermen in some rat hole than with a bunch of snooty, blue-blooded hypocrites in some fancy club.”
He was crazy.
“Why do you have such an aversion to that sort of place?” Trent challenged. “Why do you love the trappings of wealth so much?”
“I have no interest in dredging up my past,” she replied tightly.
They hiked a little while in silence as they approached a street that a brave cabbie might venture down. Thank goodness her heels were low and her pumps fit perfectly.
He spoke casually and his steps sped up a little, “I can always have Winston Ops run a full background check on you. They’ll tell me exactly why you don’t like working-class places and where your obsession with money comes from.”
“You wouldn’t,” she exclaimed, appalled.
“Either you tell me, or I’ll find out for myself.” He was walking noticeably faster now.
“That’s an invasion of privacy!”
“We pretty well blew up any notions of privacy between us in Denver. I figure that night gives me the right to know.” He glanced around as if seeking a cab. But no yellow sedans were in sight.
“I wish that night had never happened.”
Something pained passed through his crystalline gaze. He covered it up with a crooked smile, but she didn’t buy it. “Aww, you don’t mean that, baby.”
“Yes, I do,” she declared.
He turned with that breathtaking speed of his and swept her up against him. Before she could draw a breath his mouth closed over hers. His kiss was carnal. Knowing. He invaded her mouth with his tongue, his arm a vise that smashed her against him without any pretense of polite restraint. He knew her most private desires and fantasies, knew she craved being overpowered from time to time, and he didn’t hesitate to remind her of it.
It was no use resisting him. He knew her too well. He exerted the same mastery over her body and senses that he had that fateful night, branding her his all over again. And she melted. Again. She’d asked for a man to take charge of her and take her to the moon, and he had. It was still there. All of it. The fiery attraction. The flare of mutual passion. The synergy that built between them until it incinerated her soul.
He let her go as abruptly as he’d kissed her. “No. You don’t,” he declared quietly.
Huh? Her fuddled mind reached back for the thread of conversation he’d scorched clean out of her mind. Oh. She’d said she wished that night had never happened. Okay, fine, she told herself bitterly. She didn’t wish that. But she was never, ever, going to admit it to him.
Trent resumed walking, and she stumbled, trying to keep up with his long stride. “Slow down,” she finally panted.
“Sorry. Can’t. We’re being followed. Hold my arm if that’ll help.”
She grabbed his elbow and let him half drag her along at a near run. She didn’t see anyone behind them, and Trent muttered an order at her to quit looking.
Scared and desperately trying to distract herself, she picked up the thread of the conversation. “Sunny said you’re from a—I believe her word was stupidly— wealthy family.” His jaw tightened but he made no comment. She continued. “So tell me this. Why do you hate money so much?”
He stopped briefly at the first busy intersection they came to and made a production of adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder. She noticed him surreptitiously watching behind her while he was at it.
“Is he still there?” she asked between her teeth.
“Yup.”
“Now what?” she asked nervously.
“We’re going to run. Now.”
“Huh?”
“Run.”
Chapter 6
C hloe did her
“And a better life means what? More money? Fancy clothes? Shiny, clean places and shiny, happy, fake people?”
She stopped and turned to face him. “You don’t seriously mean to tell me you prefer that squalor to, say, the gentlemen’s club in Denver!”
“I’d absolutely rather hang out with a bunch of fishermen in some rat hole than with a bunch of snooty, blue-blooded hypocrites in some fancy club.”
He was crazy.
“Why do you have such an aversion to that sort of place?” Trent challenged. “Why do you love the trappings of wealth so much?”
“I have no interest in dredging up my past,” she replied tightly.
They hiked a little while in silence as they approached a street that a brave cabbie might venture down. Thank goodness her heels were low and her pumps fit perfectly.
He spoke casually and his steps sped up a little, “I can always have Winston Ops run a full background check on you. They’ll tell me exactly why you don’t like working-class places and where your obsession with money comes from.”
“You wouldn’t,” she exclaimed, appalled.
“Either you tell me, or I’ll find out for myself.” He was walking noticeably faster now.
“That’s an invasion of privacy!”
“We pretty well blew up any notions of privacy between us in Denver. I figure that night gives me the right to know.” He glanced around as if seeking a cab. But no yellow sedans were in sight.
“I wish that night had never happened.”
Something pained passed through his crystalline gaze. He covered it up with a crooked smile, but she didn’t buy it. “Aww, you don’t mean that, baby.”
“Yes, I do,” she declared.
He turned with that breathtaking speed of his and swept her up against him. Before she could draw a breath his mouth closed over hers. His kiss was carnal. Knowing. He invaded her mouth with his tongue, his arm a vise that smashed her against him without any pretense of polite restraint. He knew her most private desires and fantasies, knew she craved being overpowered from time to time, and he didn’t hesitate to remind her of it.
It was no use resisting him. He knew her too well. He exerted the same mastery over her body and senses that he had that fateful night, branding her his all over again. And she melted. Again. She’d asked for a man to take charge of her and take her to the moon, and he had. It was still there. All of it. The fiery attraction. The flare of mutual passion. The synergy that built between them until it incinerated her soul.
He let her go as abruptly as he’d kissed her. “No. You don’t,” he declared quietly.
Huh? Her fuddled mind reached back for the thread of conversation he’d scorched clean out of her mind. Oh. She’d said she wished that night had never happened. Okay, fine, she told herself bitterly. She didn’t wish that. But she was never, ever, going to admit it to him.
Trent resumed walking, and she stumbled, trying to keep up with his long stride. “Slow down,” she finally panted.
“Sorry. Can’t. We’re being followed. Hold my arm if that’ll help.”
She grabbed his elbow and let him half drag her along at a near run. She didn’t see anyone behind them, and Trent muttered an order at her to quit looking.
Scared and desperately trying to distract herself, she picked up the thread of the conversation. “Sunny said you’re from a—I believe her word was stupidly— wealthy family.” His jaw tightened but he made no comment. She continued. “So tell me this. Why do you hate money so much?”
He stopped briefly at the first busy intersection they came to and made a production of adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder. She noticed him surreptitiously watching behind her while he was at it.
“Is he still there?” she asked between her teeth.
“Yup.”
“Now what?” she asked nervously.
“We’re going to run. Now.”
“Huh?”
“Run.”
Chapter 6
C hloe did her
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