this?”
Winifred straightened abruptly. She felt as if he had slapped her. “I know you are angry, but there is no cause for these suspicions. None of this is personal.”
“Isn’t it?” Charles looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. Some of the anger lifted from his face, and his brows came together. “So that is what this is all about.”
“What?” she asked, less sure of herself now.
“Last night. You do not want to work with me here, in this office, because you are afraid you will be tempted once more to make love to me.” She started to sputter a denial, but he took her by the shoulders and continued fiercely. “You are afraid of even more than that. You are scared that I might start to mean something to you, that a man might become as important to you as your precious cause!”
“That is ridiculous,” she protested, even though her conscience nagged at her. “I have no idea what you are talking about!”
“Good, I will be happy to show you.” He slid his arms around her waist and yanked her into his arms.
None of this is personal
. Her words had hurt him more deeply than he would ever admit. No one knew better than he just how personal their relationship truly was. With a muffled curse, he ignored her look of surprise and covered her mouth with his own.
He had a fragmented glimpse of her eyes getting impossibly wider, but he didn’t care. Winifred whimpered, making a soft sound in the back of her throat as his lips possessed hers. It was an exciting kiss, filled with all the apprehension of two warriors doing battle, and two lovers undeniably attracted to each other. Charles deepened the kiss, refusing her half-hearted protests, deliberately arousing her and forcing her toadmit that their relationship was indeed personal. Coaxing her lips apart, his tongue met hers, teasing at first, then plunging inside to take full possession of her sweetness. Winifred rose on her toes to meet him and melted into his arms, surrendering completely.
“Ah, so it wasn’t all just an act,” Charles said knowingly when he eased his mouth from hers. Her confused blush delighted him. “And it is not just all on my part. But I am warning you—I have no intention of reverting back to a friendship with you. I will not be tossed aside at the first provocation. I am more attracted to you now than ever, and I will win you, come hell or high water!”
Winifred’s mouth dropped open, but he continued ruthlessly, shaking a finger in her face. “If you continue with this Mrs. Black folly, you will regret it. And if you think for one minute that I will go easy on you in the courtroom because of our relationship, you are badly mistaken. I intend to bring out all the big guns. This woman is a criminal, who committed a heinous crime. I will prosecute her to the fullest and put her behind bars where she belongs. Do you understand me?”
“Certainly, Charles.” Winifred had regained her composure.
Charles had to hand it to her—never had he met a woman who was so clearly his equal, a thought that would appall his male counterparts. Something sparkled in her eyes, and he recognized with a sinking feeling, that it was a challenge—prosecution versus defense, male versus female—in a battle to the finish. Winifred, far from being intimidated or nonplussed by his kiss, was clearly invigorated by it. Yet in that moment, she looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her.
“I would not expect anything else,” she continued. “Give it your utmost, Charles, as I certainly intend to do. May the best attorney win.”
With a flourish, she turned and stormed out of the room.
C HARLES STARED at the slammed door in chagrin. What in God’s name had just happened? He had started that morning thinking the world was his oyster, and now he had lost the pearl.
Even after that incredible kiss, Winifred had dumped a bucket of ice water on him and shown him quite clearly that she did not need him at all. And now she
Winifred straightened abruptly. She felt as if he had slapped her. “I know you are angry, but there is no cause for these suspicions. None of this is personal.”
“Isn’t it?” Charles looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. Some of the anger lifted from his face, and his brows came together. “So that is what this is all about.”
“What?” she asked, less sure of herself now.
“Last night. You do not want to work with me here, in this office, because you are afraid you will be tempted once more to make love to me.” She started to sputter a denial, but he took her by the shoulders and continued fiercely. “You are afraid of even more than that. You are scared that I might start to mean something to you, that a man might become as important to you as your precious cause!”
“That is ridiculous,” she protested, even though her conscience nagged at her. “I have no idea what you are talking about!”
“Good, I will be happy to show you.” He slid his arms around her waist and yanked her into his arms.
None of this is personal
. Her words had hurt him more deeply than he would ever admit. No one knew better than he just how personal their relationship truly was. With a muffled curse, he ignored her look of surprise and covered her mouth with his own.
He had a fragmented glimpse of her eyes getting impossibly wider, but he didn’t care. Winifred whimpered, making a soft sound in the back of her throat as his lips possessed hers. It was an exciting kiss, filled with all the apprehension of two warriors doing battle, and two lovers undeniably attracted to each other. Charles deepened the kiss, refusing her half-hearted protests, deliberately arousing her and forcing her toadmit that their relationship was indeed personal. Coaxing her lips apart, his tongue met hers, teasing at first, then plunging inside to take full possession of her sweetness. Winifred rose on her toes to meet him and melted into his arms, surrendering completely.
“Ah, so it wasn’t all just an act,” Charles said knowingly when he eased his mouth from hers. Her confused blush delighted him. “And it is not just all on my part. But I am warning you—I have no intention of reverting back to a friendship with you. I will not be tossed aside at the first provocation. I am more attracted to you now than ever, and I will win you, come hell or high water!”
Winifred’s mouth dropped open, but he continued ruthlessly, shaking a finger in her face. “If you continue with this Mrs. Black folly, you will regret it. And if you think for one minute that I will go easy on you in the courtroom because of our relationship, you are badly mistaken. I intend to bring out all the big guns. This woman is a criminal, who committed a heinous crime. I will prosecute her to the fullest and put her behind bars where she belongs. Do you understand me?”
“Certainly, Charles.” Winifred had regained her composure.
Charles had to hand it to her—never had he met a woman who was so clearly his equal, a thought that would appall his male counterparts. Something sparkled in her eyes, and he recognized with a sinking feeling, that it was a challenge—prosecution versus defense, male versus female—in a battle to the finish. Winifred, far from being intimidated or nonplussed by his kiss, was clearly invigorated by it. Yet in that moment, she looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her.
“I would not expect anything else,” she continued. “Give it your utmost, Charles, as I certainly intend to do. May the best attorney win.”
With a flourish, she turned and stormed out of the room.
C HARLES STARED at the slammed door in chagrin. What in God’s name had just happened? He had started that morning thinking the world was his oyster, and now he had lost the pearl.
Even after that incredible kiss, Winifred had dumped a bucket of ice water on him and shown him quite clearly that she did not need him at all. And now she
Similar Books
