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Hell, he’d almost forgotten about her child. Had he really been planning on seducing her right here, not caring who might walk in and find them? He’d never met a woman who had turned him on so much in so little time, but that was a serious misstep for a man of his famous control. He gritted his teeth and tried to concentrate.
“I take it Maxie wasn’t planned?”
She let out a short laugh. “God, no.”
“You must have been a child still yourself.”
She felt herself close up. “Twenty two. But I don’t really like to talk about it.” Especially not with drop dead gorgeous strangers. “I guess you must get a lot of vacation time, being a school teacher.”
He winced inwardly at perpetuating the lie. “Where would you travel to? If you could go anywhere in the world?”
She didn’t notice his evasion. “Somewhere beautiful and tropical,” she said wistfully.
Marcus thought of the island home he owned in the Mediterranean. It would fit the bill. God, she’d look hot in a bikini. Or better yet, no bikini, just naked in his Jacuzzi. He banked down the images that seared into his mind, with effort. “You mustn’t get much opportunity for travel, I would think.”
“Not really. Even though we’re quiet in winter, that’s the time I use to work on the house. And Maxie has school. We get up to London a couple of times a year, though, to see mum.”
His fingers, which had been fighting a war with his brain since he’d sat down beside her, finally won the struggle and came to brush lightly against her the side of her neck. He knew it was stupid, but something larger than him was pushing him to own up to the strength of what he was feeling. She was the most enchanting woman he’d ever known. She didn’t move away from his touch, but she took her lip beneath her teeth and gnawed at it worriedly.
“David,” she said with a voice that was nowhere near even. “I’m not…” she furrowed her brow. What was she trying to say? “I haven’t…” She groaned inwardly. She hadn’t been with anyone since Maxie’s dad. And as much as she had suddenly discovered a red-hot passionate streak, she knew she’d regret acting on it.
“You’re not what, angel?” He probed in a gruff whisper.
He dipped his head lower, so close that his lips were almost touching hers. He ran his fingers along the raw column of her exposed neck and he could feel her pulse fluttering wildly. What would she taste like, when he kissed her? Would her body respond to his as his was already dancing to her tune?
“This is … really, really unprofessional.”
For them both. “I won’t mention it in my traveler review.”
He was joking but his words were just the wake-up call she needed. He was a guest! And he could write what he wanted on any number of travel websites. He was a customer. And she’d only met him a matter of hours ago. What the heck had come over her? How did she expect Maxie to grow up respecting women if she was prepared to throw herself at the first available man she’d found attractive in years?
She groaned and dipped her head, rubbing her eyes with her palms. “David, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” She pushed up from the sofa and went as far from him as she could, to the other side of the room. She stood in front of the fire and rubbed her hands together in anguish. “That was absolutely crazy.”
He was very still. He wanted to move to her, pull her into his arms, and show her just how right this would feel. Again, the memory of skittish colts came to mind and he forced himself to stay on the sofa. Non-threatening. Accepting.
“Not so crazy, Katie. We’re two single adults. What we do and feel is only our business.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I have to think of Maxie. I can’t afford to complicate his life. He’s my focus. I’m … sorry.”
He swallowed down the bitter realization that she was completely right. Besides, if she knew who he really was, she wouldn’t want him under the same roof, let alone making love to her as he wished to.
He tossed his head back, his eyes clenched shut. As soon as he’d got back from Iraq, he’d virtually gone straight from the airport to an exclusive members-only bar, with one thing in mind. Getting laid. He’d never found it difficult to meet women, even before he had become too rich for his own good. But now, he generally found he could have his pick. And he’d never wanted to sleep with a woman as much as he did Katie Collins from Wadeford House. He stood, exasperated, wishing he didn’t feel such an overwhelming attraction to someone he really should steer clear of.
“But what about you? What about your needs?” He asked thoughtfully, throwing caution to the wind and moving to stand just in front of her.
Her ice blue eyes were tormented, but her voice was resolute. “I … to be honest, yes, I do find you very… tempting.” She colored at the admission. “But I gave up the ability to put myself first when I brought Maxie into the world.”
“Why do the two have to be mutually exclusive?” He asked with purpose, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her soft body against his own firm planes, as he’d been longing to do all night.
She closed her eyes and swayed into him. A girl could only be strong for so long. She pressed her hands in to his chest, feeling the heat against her palms. “Physical attraction shouldn’t drive action.” She opened her eyes and stared into his face. “I learned the hard way to think with my brain, not my body.”
“Maxie’s father?”
“Yes.” She lowered her head and pressed her forehead against his chest. He ran his fingers up and down her back, tenderly, but it was like stoking a fire. She felt heat flaring through her veins and she was powerless to stop it now.
“He hurt you.”
“Yes.”
