Seductive Reasoning by Cheryl Gorman Page A

pleasure.
    Unable to stop himself, he folded
his right arm around her and hugged her closer to his side. He’d grown up concentrating
on school and learning as much as he could. Since becoming an adult, he’d kept
a firm hold on his baser instincts. That didn’t mean he never had sex, he did.  But
how could one woman make him want to throw away all his inhibitions and just go
for it? No holds barred, down and dirty sex.
    If he allowed himself to let go,
she could hurt him. Badly. Science was matter of fact. Sex and relationships
were emotional.
    When he woke the next morning, he
was alone in the bed with Kate’s scent lingering in the air.
     
    Seth knew the instant she walked
into the room. He stood by the sink and looked through the window at the
bright, spring day. He held a cup of coffee in his hand and sipped.
    “Good morning.”
    Leisurely, he turned around, hoping
like hell she was dressed in something that covered her from neck to toes. He
nearly wept with relief. She stood in the doorway perfectly groomed and dressed
in a long flowing dress with a simple scoop neck and short sleeves. On her feet
were sneakers and socks. She strolled to the coffee pot and poured herself a
cup. “Thanks for making coffee.”
    “Sure.”
    She moved up behind him, rested a
hand on his shoulder, and sipped her coffee. He shifted away from her and her
touch. If he didn’t, he would take her in his arms and give her one hell of a
good morning kiss. Kate was getting to him, lustfully by degrees, and he
couldn’t let her. Last night, he’d almost made love to her.
    “We need to talk.” But not here. He
needed to get out of this house and go back to his academic world for a while.
“I need to pick up some papers I forgot at my office.” There were no papers
waiting for him at his office, but she didn’t need to know that. “Want to ride
with me?”
    “Okay.”
    In a few minutes, they were in his
truck winding their way through tree-lined streets to Denver University. Kate
rolled down the window, and a lively, spring breeze blew inside the cab of the
vehicle. The wind ruffled her hair and wafted her distinct fragrance past his
nose. He inhaled in spite of himself. Seth glanced at her briefly, letting his
gaze run over her. How was it possible for a woman to look that sexy in a
simple cotton dress and sneakers? This whole thing had to be over soon, or they
would both be in big trouble.
    Seth pulled the truck into a
parking space reserved for him, and they walked inside the school together. The
brightly lit hallway with its smell of wood, books, and paper made him smile.
God, it was good to be back. He needed this. He needed some perspective. It
would be even more perfect if he were alone, he thought, but then he changed
his mind. It was better that Kate was here with him. This was a great
opportunity for him to show her how different they were and how she was never
going to be able to make him give it all up for a simple seduction.
    Only the seduction was anything but
simple. The whole thing was getting more complicated by the minute. It was time
they laid all their cards on the table and took a hard look at each of their
positions.
    When they arrived at his office
door, Seth inserted the key and turned the knob. The office was just as he had
left it on Friday, except that his in box was full of student papers. Work.
Yes, he needed work to keep him busy. He smiled. He’d been saved. Being back
here in his own environment was just what he needed. Kate moved up behind him,
then over to the Orrery by his desk. She gave it a nudge with her finger and
sent the planets spinning.
    “It’s beautiful.”
    “Thanks.” Seth stepped behind his
desk. “My parents gave it to me for a graduation gift.”
    “Nice gift.”
    She moved away, but not before he
caught the flash of emotion in her eyes. There it was again. That undefined
feeling. Why would talking about a gift make her look sad?
    She stood before the wall of
bookcases, tilted