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Cade swallowed. Mercy. Was she serious?
Focus, Cade. Focus.
“I’d rather you dress as the professional you are,” he explained between gritted teeth.
“And what about you?” She gestured to the open space of his shirt. “You always ask your assistant to come to your room when you’re half-naked?”
“I’m not half-naked,” he retorted. “I just want my schedule.”
Abby slapped the folder down on the end table next to the pale yellow sofa and crossed to stand directly in front of him.
Poking him in the bare chest, she stared up at him. “I have been nothing but professional since I started working for your father a year ago. And if my wardrobe is a problem, then it’s your problem.”
He grabbed her finger. “No, my problem is with your behavior lately.”
“Behavior?”
Damn. He was starting to feel like a fool. When she repeated his own words back to him, they did sound rather silly, but she started it.
Well, hell, now he sounded like a child.
“First your bull-riding exhibition,” he said, glaring down at her. “Then you try to get out of coming on this business trip right when I need you the most, and then you show up at my door tonight looking like sex wrapped in a sheet. If Mona hadn’t called earlier, we would’ve…”
She arched an eyebrow and grinned, her finger, encased in his hand, still poked his chest. “What? Would you have kissed me, Cade? Is that what’s got you all riled up?”
The passion in her eyes, the tinted color in her cheeks and the sweet, floral scent wafting around him had him taking her finger from his chest. He tugged her until she fell against him, her mocking smile now replaced by surprise.
He didn’t wait for another sassy, albeit true comment. He covered her mouth with his and to hell with the consequences. He needed to feel her, to taste her and, damn, she tasted as good as she looked and smelled. Like pure sin.
She resisted for all of two seconds before grasping onto his bicep with one hand, while the other trailed up his bare chest and around his neck. Her fingertips toyed with his hair.
As he swept his tongue through her parted lips, she groaned and matched his demanding kiss. The woman was just full of surprises.
That passion he’d seen in her eyes was real and she freely gave as much as he took. But he wanted more.
With his shirt still unbuttoned, only the thin, wispy fabric of her dress separated them. But he could feel the tips of her nipples and that was enough to drive him positively insane.
Who knew she had all this fire behind her innocence?
He couldn’t get enough of her. As if of their own will, his lips traveled across her jaw line, making a damp line down her smooth throat. Abby arched her back, offering him more. But he had a feeling even if he took everything she had, he still wouldn’t have enough.
Both hands now fisted in his hair, urging him to her breasts. “Cade.”
He froze. Her sultry, pleading tone should’ve had him ripping that material from her curvy body instead of pulling him back to reality. Just as abruptly as he’d pulled her to him, he pushed away.
His body shook. He couldn’t breathe.
They’d been on the verge of taking their professional relationship into territory it had no business going. And he had no one to blame but himself. As much as he’d like to place the blame on Abby and this newfound seductress side of her, he couldn’t.
Even worse than the lack of professionalism was the fact he’d just cheated on his fiancée.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped. God, was that his voice?
Abby wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing one hand up to her moist, swollen lips. She was shaking, too.
“I didn’t mean to…” Cade turned, took a deep breath and looked back to her. “I don’t know what to say, Abby.”
She went over to the table where only moments ago she’d dropped the folder. When she came back, she handed it to him, but remained arms-length away.
“Here’s your schedule with the contractor tomorrow and his credentials.” She shoved her messed hair over her shoulders and smoothed her hands down her dress. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend that meeting.”
He kept his eyes on hers, though he wanted to watch her chest rise and fall. “Why?”
Her chin tilted up a notch. “I think it’s best if I don’t.”
And with that, she spun on her heel and left the room. But, unlike most women who had been rejected, she didn’t slam the door. Though the soft click was just as deafening and just as final.
He’d screwed this up. But, unfortunately his problem wasn’t that his behavior was unprofessional or that he had already promised to marry another woman.
