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Alexandra smiled. “Yes. He was a dear.”
“Do you remember when he sprained his ankle?”
Her face clouded over. “I do. My father wouldn’t give the gardening staff sick time.”
“And you covered for him. Every time your father wanted to know where he was, you told him Louis was off at the outdoor pool or the docks. He kept his job because of you.”
Her smile returned, soft and cautious. “I’m surprised you remember that.”
“I do. I remember it all.” He reached out and slowly settled his hand over hers. Her sharp intake of breath sent desire bolting through his veins, but he kept his focus on the question he needed to ask. “Which is why I don’t understand what happened that summer. Why it ended the way it did.”
Silence thickened between them. Alexandra stared at him, hazel eyes wide and glimmering.
“I didn’t have a choice, Grant.”
Before he could reply, she shook her head.
“That’s not true. I had a choice. And I made a choice out of fear.”
A hard knot tightened his stomach.
“What are you talking about?”
She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. The knot grew heavier. What could have possibly happened that she couldn’t even look him in the eye?
“Grant...”
A tear trickled down her cheek. He reached up and brushed it away, then gave in to temptation and cupped her cheek. Her lips parted and she sighed, leaned into his touch.
Desire flooded his body as the knot in his stomach disappeared, replaced by a throbbing need. His harsh exhale echoed in the room like a gunshot. Her eyes flew open. A split second later her eyes darkened as her fingers curled beneath his on the counter.
“Grant.”
This time she said his name in a voice roughened by lust. He needed answers, needed to know what had happened all those years ago.
But not now. Right now he needed Alexandra.
It was his last coherent thought as he closed the distance between them and kissed her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ITHADBEENINEVITABLE, Alexandra realized as Grant’s lips pressed against hers and she tangled her fingers in his hair, that this would happen. Somewhere deep inside, no matter how much she’d reminded herself to keep her distance, a part of her had known from the moment she’d laid eyes on him in his office in New York City that they would crash into each other once again. Their love affair had been too passionate, too fiery, too all-consuming, for them to resist each other for long.
He moved with sudden, dizzying speed, lifting her off the stool and pressing her up against the wall. Knowing anyone could walk in at any moment sent a delicious, forbidden bolt of fire through her. He wanted her this badly, craved her as much as she craved him, that it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except feeling him against her again.
Grant’s hands closed around her waist and he lifted her up. She followed his lead, their lips never breaking apart as she wrapped her legs around him and pressed her chest fully against his. He groaned and thrust his hips against hers. He swallowed her soft cry as the sensation of his hardness pressed against her core.
“Grant,” she whimpered. “Oh, Grant, please.”
He wrapped his arms around her, turned and took the back stairs, the steps creaking beneath their combined weight. The last vestige of her rational mind listened for sounds of discovery: a horrified gasp, an exclamation from a guest.
But there was nothing. Nothing but the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears as they continued to kiss, to touch, as he walked up the stairs, turned and entered his room, closing the door with a kick.
She was so focused on returning his fevered kisses that it barely registered that she was falling backward until her back hit the mattress. Her eyes flew open as he released her and stepped back. She pushed up on her elbows, barely resisting reaching out to him as fear pierced through her desire.
Had he changed his mind?
“You’re so damned beautiful.”
