Tempting Taine by Kate Silver Page A

the world existed for her but the touch of his skin and the movement of his body against hers.
    It seemed an age before she came down to earth again and she sank down on to him, her body wrung out from the fierce satisfaction of their lovemaking.  
    Taine gathered her into his arms and laid her head on his chest.   "You did want me."   His voice was all sleepy satisfaction.   Like he had won.   "I knew all along you were just pretending."
    The sound of his voice scratched like fingernails on a chalkboard.   This was not the Taine she had fallen in love with ten years ago.   She had to remember that and not allow herself to become vulnerable just because he had given her a few stolen moments of intense pleasure.   A vibrator could do that almost as well, and it wouldn't spoil things afterwards by opening its mouth and talking to her.   "Yeah, well, we all make mistakes."   She disengaged herself from his embrace and scrambled to her feet.
    "Are you calling what we just did a mistake?"   He shook his head lazily from side to side, like a lion surveying his pride.   "I call it long overdue.   Ten years overdue, in fact."
    "It was a mistake," she repeated firmly.   How could she have forgotten what kind of a man he was?   The kind who turned his back on his own child, that's what he was and she had better remember it.   A light breeze ruffled her hair and she hugged her arms around her middle, suddenly freezing.   "Clothes, please."
    Some of his good mood evaporated at her grim words.   "Get into the hot pool first.   That's what I brought you here for."
    Yeah, like she believed that for a moment.   He did not move, and she faced the prospect of tugging her clothes out from under him to stop herself from freezing, or getting into the hot pool as he suggested.
    With a glare in his direction, she clambered into the hot pool.   The hot water enclosed her, making her feel protected and safe, keeping her from the cold and warming her from the inside out.
    In a moment, he was seated beside her, his legs touching hers in the small pool.   "Worth it, huh?"
    She turned her head away from him and shut her eyes, not wanting to ruin the moment with speech.   The hot water soaking into her bones felt like heaven, soothing her soul along with her body.   Just a few more minutes and she would get up and walk away from him.   She was so warm and comfortable, and she had not slept well the night before.   Just a few more minutes…
    A hand on her shoulder shook her awake.   Taine was standing by the side of the pool, fully dressed once more.   "You'd better get out or you'll turn into a prune."
    Great.   Just great.   First she had let him jump her bones, and then she had fallen asleep on him.   What a way to impress him with her coolness and competence.   He must think her the most unprofessional therapist possible.
    She clambered hastily out of the pool, turned her back on him, and brushed the worst of the water off her skin.  
    "There's no need for modesty.   I've seen it all before."   His voice was satin and honey, and it stripped her soul until she bled.
    Still with her back to him, she pulled on her clothes as quickly as she could.   "Very funny."
    The warmth from the water lingered, preventing her from becoming chilled, but she needed to get away from Taine as fast as she could.   Her feelings about him were such a mixture of long-remembered love and long-fostered hatred, of desire and despising, that she did not know what she ought to feel.
    They walked back to the house in silence.   She did not want to speak, and he sensed her mood and was quiet.   For that she was thankful.
    His silence only lasted until they reached the house.   He took her hand as they walked up the stairs to the bedrooms.   "Come share my bed," he said, as he tugged her towards his room.
    She pulled her hand away.   "No.   I don't think that's a good idea."
    His expression darkened.   "Why not?   We were good together