The Millionaire Meets His Match

“Do something?” she repeated, then had the nerve to smile at him.

“You heard me,” he grumbled. “Go.” He waved his hands as if to shoo her away. Dammit, he couldn’t be this close to her without inhaling her luscious scent. He wanted to strip her naked and nail her against the wall. Probably not a good idea to bring that up, given her present mood.

“Adam, please,” she said patiently, as if she were a wise parent and he a recalcitrant child. “I didn’t say I was resigning. I said I’d been rethinking my job here at DDI.”

“Yeah, I heard you,” Adam said, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. “I just don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Rethinking. I’ll probably be sorry I asked, but what the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that things have become complicated,” she said carefully. “It means I don’t think we should…” she huffed out a breath and fisted her hands against her thighs in frustration. “Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

He took another small step toward her. “Yeah, Trish. Spell it out for me.”

“We can’t have sex again,” she shouted, then slapped her hand over her mouth and stared at him in astonishment.

“Okay.” He grimaced and rubbed his ear. “I don’t think they heard you down on the third floor.”

“See what you made me do? I didn’t mean to yell.” The apology was a bit muffled as she still had her mouth covered.

“That’s okay,” he said, and reached for the hand covering her mouth to coax it away. “I don’t agree with your ‘rethinking’ plan but I appreciate your honesty.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do,” he said, keeping a strong grip on her hand. “And I’ve got to say, I also appreciate your feelings.”

“Really?” She gave him a suspicious sideways glance. “Well, thank you.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome. And I’m really glad you’re not quitting.”

“I would never leave you in the lurch.”

“I’m glad.” He stroked her shoulder paternally. “I need you, Trish.”

She nodded earnestly. “I know. And I won’t let you down.”

He continued the stroking, gradually moving his hand up to cradle the back of her neck. “You never have.”

“Um.” She craned her neck ever so slightly to allow him more access. “Thank you, Adam.”

“No problem.”

“Okay.” She bit her bottom lip, then said, “Well then, I guess I’ll just go…do…something.”

“Yeah, one thing before you go,” he said, then bridged the short distance between them by tugging her close to him.

“Um, what are you doing?” she asked warily as they stared at each other.

“Just testing a theory,” he said, and nipped gently at her ear. It was gratifying to hear her moan.

“But-”

“You see,” he murmured as he ran slow, nibbling kisses along her jaw. “In the interests of full disclosure, I should tell you that I absolutely do intend to have sex with you again.”

“Oh,” she said, breathing out a sigh as he licked the pulse point at the base of her neck. “But really, that’s not a good idea. And I-I should get back to…um, work.”

“Yeah, me, too,” he said, eliciting a strangled sob from her as he cupped her breast through her silk blouse. “I won’t keep you too long.”

She arched her back, then groaned, “How can this be happening again?”

“I’ll show you,” he said, and covered her mouth with his in a devastating kiss that left no doubt about his intentions. Dammit, he’d missed the taste of her. Now he wanted to savor every inch of her skin, inside and out. In seconds, he was reaching to unzip her pants while she fumbled for his belt.

He’d thought after one night that he would’ve had his fill of her. He’d figured he’d be calling her bluff this morning, revealing her to be the gold digger that she was. But as soon as Trish had tried to call it quits, he’d known he wasn’t ready to end it with her. The fact that she’d tried to end it first was something he’d have to think about.

Was she playing him? Was she deliberately being coy in hopes that he’d be the one to push for a relationship? A relationship that would lead to him standing at the altar watching her walk down the aisle?

While that vision should’ve been enough to send him running for cover, it didn’t matter right now. He still wanted her, still needed her with a bone-deep passion that was relentless. And until the need faded, he wasn’t about to let her go.

“Adam, touch me,” she whispered.

“Glad to,” he said. Picking her up, he walked her backwards, then pressed her against the wall and urged her to wrap her legs around his waist. “On second thought, I’m keeping you here all morning.”

Her office telephone rang at five o’clock. Trish ran back to her desk, recognized Adam’s cell phone number and grabbed the phone.

“Hey, Trish,” he said, his deep voice sending waves of desire through her entire body. How could the sound of his voice make her so weak? Oh, she was such a goner.

“Listen,” he continued, “I’d like you to stop by my house and drop off the Spirit file on your way home from work tonight. Will that be a problem?”

“No problem at all.” Trish slid back into her chair and mentally smacked herself. Work. He was calling about work. What had she expected? He was her employer, remember? She worked for him. For goodness’ sake, she really needed to get a life.

“If you don’t have plans,” he continued, “I can pay you back by cooking dinner.”

Dinner? He wanted to cook her dinner? She knew she should say no. It was inviting trouble to continue seeing him. And dinner at his house? Oh, please, she would never make it home. Come on, Trish. You can do it. Open your mouth and say, no. Say thanks, but no thanks.

“I really shouldn’t,” she hedged, and wanted to kick herself for not being firmer in her refusal.

“Do you have plans already?”

Tell him yes!

“Uh, no,” she said, then rolled her eyes. What was wrong with her? Why didn’t she just lie? Because he would’ve seen right through it. She was a really bad liar, just as Deb always told her.

“Then stay for dinner.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I thought you were into health and nutrition.”

“I am,” she said, frowning. What did that have to do with anything?

“You need to eat dinner,” he cajoled. “It’s not good to skip meals.”

She shook her head. “I’m not skipping-”

“Look, Trish, you’re bringing me work files. It’s just business. I’d like you to stay for dinner so we can discuss the opening-night festivities.”

She sighed. “Yes, okay, fine.” You wimp!

“Great,” he said jovially. “I’ll grill some steaks. See you in a while.”

She placed the phone down, then her head hit her desk with an audible thunk. What was wrong with her? What part of we can’t have sex again! did she not understand? Of course, as soon as she’d thrown those words at him this morning, he’d taken up the challenge. And she’d bent to his will like a floppy licorice stick. But oh, God, that frenzied round of wild sex against his office wall? Sweet Georgia Brown, for as long as she worked for DDI, she would always look fondly on that particular wall.

“Excuse me,” a soft, female voice said. “Is Adam Duke here?”

With a start, Trish lifted her head. She hadn’t realized anyone was here, hadn’t heard that woman’s footsteps because of the thick carpet that covered the wide hallway.

“Hello.” Trish stood, straightened her jacket and brushed her hair back as she surreptitiously studied the woman who was several inches shorter than Trish and definitely more voluptuous. She didn’t recognize her and wondered who she might be. A client, maybe? The woman wore a lovely coral halter dress that accentuated her remarkable cleavage, and her perfectly highlighted blond hair was pulled up in a sexy updo. She was beautiful and