AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You could be happy for me!” she countered, her temper flaring, her chin thrusting forward rebelliously.
“Happy!”
“This is a breakthrough.”
“Wonderful.” He snorted in derision. “And if we make love, are you going to pretend that I’m Neumann? And am I supposed to applaud?”
“You can do whatever you damned well want!”
“But it might just happen, right? You confusing the two of us?”
“Right. It’s a chance we’ll both have to take,” she said, her breasts rising and falling with each uneven, furious breath she drew. Where did he get off, turning this around so that she felt like some cheap tramp? “Maybe you should take me home.”
“This is home.”
“Prove it,” she threw out, angling her head up at him, letting her hair fall down one shoulder. “Show me the marriage certificate!”
The air between them grew still. Aside from the sizzle of the fire and the soft tattoo of rain against the window, there was no noise. Nikki knew she’d thrown her trump card on the table, but he didn’t flinch, didn’t move one solitary damn muscle.
“I don’t have it,” he said, his eyes moving to her lips. She tried not to notice, shifted her gaze downward, to the wide expanse of his chest, then lowered it still farther to rest on the huge silver buckle of his belt. Her throat tightened. This wasn’t working.
“Where is it?” she asked, forcing her eyes upward to meet the smoky hue of his stare again.
“At my office.”
“What?”
“Downtown. We left it there on our way to the airport.” He stepped a little closer to her, close enough that she fought the urge to retreat. There was nowhere to run. Her calves were already pressed against the footboard of the bed.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He reached for her and she swatted his hand away. “You haven’t believed me from the start.”
“It matters. Big-time.”
“We’ll pick up the damned certificate.” He reached forward again, one finger hooking on the V of her blouse. This time she didn’t stop him. She couldn’t.
“When?” she asked, hoping she wouldn’t stammer, but hardly able to focus on the conversation. The tip of his finger brushed the flesh over her sternum and caused her blood to tingle and heat.
“Tomorrow. You’ll want to go into the Observer. We’ll stop by my office then.”
Dear God, if only she could think clearly, but his touch was driving her wild. Standing close enough to feel his breath against her skin, she shivered as he slowly, and oh, so deliberately began working at the buttons of her blouse, his fingers prodding each tiny button free of its bond.
With all her willpower, she grabbed his wrist. “You’re changing the subject.”
“There is no subject.” Leaning forward he kissed the shell of her ear and she melted inside.
“You—you could be lying to me.”
“I could be.” He nibbled at her neck. The blouse parted and he slid his hands around her. His fingers were warm and familiar against her skin as he pulled her closer.
“I need to know that you’re telling the truth,” she protested, though her mind was already spinning. “Please…”
“Later.”
“Trent, please—” He cut off her pleas with his lips, hot and hard and wanting as they claimed hers. He groaned into her mouth and his tongue sought entrance past the barrier of her teeth.
“Come on, Nikki,” he murmured, “let yourself go.”
