turned her to face him.
“Let go of me this instant.” She shoved at his chest with both hands, wanting to slap the smug smile off his face.
Pinning her against the wall, he didn’t budge. “Not on your life, kookla mou .” His blue eyes bore into hers, dark, intense, and unnerving.
Before she had time to utter another word, warm lips covered hers and his tongue slid past her teeth, tangled with her own, and robbed her will-power.
The world reeled around her. She stopped pushing, clutched fistfuls of his shirt between her trembling fingers, and concentrated on the intoxicating taste of him.
One more kiss. One last time.
His palm cradled her nape, tilted her head, and deepened his kiss. Their mouths welded and their tongues waltzed a happy dance. Out of breath, she moaned. His lips slipped to her cheek and trailed warm kisses along her jaw and down her throat.
“Ashley,” he groaned. “I won’t let you go.”
But I have to let you go . The thought doused her passion like a bucket of icy water. Too many women gravitated to him. She wouldn’t be one of the many he tempted with his kisses and discarded when the next beauty came along.
Recalling her tattered poise, she drew in her breath and met his gaze. “Stefano, what exactly do you want?” Her frigid tone should convince him she’d recovered her wits. “We can flirt together, or we can work together, but not do both at the same time. It’s against my work ethics.” She offered him a thin-lipped smile. Lord, give me the strength to continue this act .
His eyes narrowed. He released her. “You wouldn’t mind flirting?” Anger laced his tone.
Still plastered against the wall, she tried not to flinch under his unyielding gaze. “For a few days, no. But then, I will leave. I’d hate to waste more time on pleasant but pointless games when so much work awaits me in Boston.”
“Is that so?” Controlled fury replaced his laidback arrogance. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stepped back. “We are meeting at 9:00 am in my office tomorrow morning.” Turning around, he stomped off along the sidewalk.
Her arms folded against her chest, she watched his proud back disappear around the corner, and then she entered the hotel. Pain knifed through her heart and deflated her fake calm. His kiss had been so passionate, so tender. Did she have to hate him to protect herself?
CHAPTER EIGHT
An almost sleepless night gifted Ashley with a splitting headache. Awake at six, but too tired to get up, she rehashed the events of the previous day and mentally repeated every word exchanged in court and later.
From the legal point of view, the outcome of the hearing sounded like a victory—at least for her grandfather, but Stefano had claimed he’d accommodated his former enemy only because of her. Sure, because he wanted her back in his bed. No other reason. He couldn’t have any other reason. They’d just met two days ago. A successful businessman and playboy of his caliber who collected beauties, the likes of Sophia and Ireny, didn’t fall for a woman so fast. She was the one who’d lost her head like a teenager at her first dance. Disgusting .
She winced as she recalled their torrid kiss on the sidewalk last evening. A heated tide covered her face and her stomach fluttered. Good thing she’d managed to convince him their steamy embrace had been nothing more than a flirtatious game for her.
A game? Oh God, a game when her heart squeezed and desire thudded in the pit of her belly? A game when she couldn’t erase the taste of his mouth or forget the caresses of his hands on her flesh?
And yet, he claimed he wouldn’t let her go. Was he sincere?
Chills tickled her skin. A blazing flame curled up her chest as their blissful night played in her memory. She closed her eyes, still hearing her moans of pleasure when his muscled body had pressed into her, her happy sighs when she snuggled against his naked form.
Stop it, counselor.
“Let go of me this instant.” She shoved at his chest with both hands, wanting to slap the smug smile off his face.
Pinning her against the wall, he didn’t budge. “Not on your life, kookla mou .” His blue eyes bore into hers, dark, intense, and unnerving.
Before she had time to utter another word, warm lips covered hers and his tongue slid past her teeth, tangled with her own, and robbed her will-power.
The world reeled around her. She stopped pushing, clutched fistfuls of his shirt between her trembling fingers, and concentrated on the intoxicating taste of him.
One more kiss. One last time.
His palm cradled her nape, tilted her head, and deepened his kiss. Their mouths welded and their tongues waltzed a happy dance. Out of breath, she moaned. His lips slipped to her cheek and trailed warm kisses along her jaw and down her throat.
“Ashley,” he groaned. “I won’t let you go.”
But I have to let you go . The thought doused her passion like a bucket of icy water. Too many women gravitated to him. She wouldn’t be one of the many he tempted with his kisses and discarded when the next beauty came along.
Recalling her tattered poise, she drew in her breath and met his gaze. “Stefano, what exactly do you want?” Her frigid tone should convince him she’d recovered her wits. “We can flirt together, or we can work together, but not do both at the same time. It’s against my work ethics.” She offered him a thin-lipped smile. Lord, give me the strength to continue this act .
His eyes narrowed. He released her. “You wouldn’t mind flirting?” Anger laced his tone.
Still plastered against the wall, she tried not to flinch under his unyielding gaze. “For a few days, no. But then, I will leave. I’d hate to waste more time on pleasant but pointless games when so much work awaits me in Boston.”
“Is that so?” Controlled fury replaced his laidback arrogance. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stepped back. “We are meeting at 9:00 am in my office tomorrow morning.” Turning around, he stomped off along the sidewalk.
Her arms folded against her chest, she watched his proud back disappear around the corner, and then she entered the hotel. Pain knifed through her heart and deflated her fake calm. His kiss had been so passionate, so tender. Did she have to hate him to protect herself?
CHAPTER EIGHT
An almost sleepless night gifted Ashley with a splitting headache. Awake at six, but too tired to get up, she rehashed the events of the previous day and mentally repeated every word exchanged in court and later.
From the legal point of view, the outcome of the hearing sounded like a victory—at least for her grandfather, but Stefano had claimed he’d accommodated his former enemy only because of her. Sure, because he wanted her back in his bed. No other reason. He couldn’t have any other reason. They’d just met two days ago. A successful businessman and playboy of his caliber who collected beauties, the likes of Sophia and Ireny, didn’t fall for a woman so fast. She was the one who’d lost her head like a teenager at her first dance. Disgusting .
She winced as she recalled their torrid kiss on the sidewalk last evening. A heated tide covered her face and her stomach fluttered. Good thing she’d managed to convince him their steamy embrace had been nothing more than a flirtatious game for her.
A game? Oh God, a game when her heart squeezed and desire thudded in the pit of her belly? A game when she couldn’t erase the taste of his mouth or forget the caresses of his hands on her flesh?
And yet, he claimed he wouldn’t let her go. Was he sincere?
Chills tickled her skin. A blazing flame curled up her chest as their blissful night played in her memory. She closed her eyes, still hearing her moans of pleasure when his muscled body had pressed into her, her happy sighs when she snuggled against his naked form.
Stop it, counselor.
Similar Books
