“Thinking of asking me for a loan?”
“If I remember correctly, it was ninety-seven million dollars. If you had that kind of money, I’d be more on the lookout for a grant rather than a loan.”
“Fair enough. This money comes from the bank. A certain percentage of profits are earmarked for charity.” Riley couldn’t escape the irony of his uncle being willing to give millions to charity, but leaving his own sister to die.
“And you get to pick where they go? That’s kind of cool.”
“Diane does most of that. I sign the checks.” He smiled. “I have to admit, she’s someone I wouldn’t mind taking back to my other business with me. Talk about efficient.”
“The other business being your partnerships in the oil business.”
He nodded. “We have over fifty rigs now.”
She straightened just as the timer dinged, then walked to the oven and rotated the cake. “Amazing how you left here with nothing and did so well. That’s pretty cool. Your mom would be really proud of you. Did she know you were a success before she passed away?”
“Some. I sent her money when I could.” Not that it had been enough. If only, he thought grimly. If only he hadn’t still been angry at her for making him marry Pam. If only she’d told him the truth. If only he’d come back.
“So you’re already rich,” Gracie teased as she closed the oven and turned back to him. “That kind of makes you really attractive.”
He shook his head. “You’re not into guys with money. If they have it you won’t say no, but otherwise you don’t care.”
She stared at him. “How do you know that?”
“Am I wrong?”
“No, but we’ve never talked about it. You barely know me.”
“I know enough. Besides, I married someone who wanted my money. I learned to recognize the signs.”
“Makes sense,” she told him. “So now you keep your wealth a secret?”
“I never get close enough for them to know. As far as the women in my life are concerned, I’m just a guy who works on an oil rig.”
“Women?” She raised her eyebrows. “Like a herd?”
“My own personal harem. But I’m always open to new applicants.”
“As intriguing as that sounds, I’m not very good in a crowd.”
He agreed. She was a woman who wanted a conventional life. “So why aren’t you married with three kids?”
“I really only want two. Maybe a dog. I don’t know. I never met the right one.”
“Dog or guy?”
She laughed. “Guy. I’ve dated, I almost got engaged. Most of them were really nice men. Smart, good jobs, dependable.”
“But?”
“It’s dumb and ridiculous.” She stacked several dirty bowls together then carried them over to the sink. “I want…sparks. You know? That wild, chemical attraction. I want my stomach to clench when the man in my life touches me. I want to hold my breath when the phone rings in case it’s him.”
“Passion.”
She wiped her hands on a towel. “Exactly. I haven’t felt that before. Plus, it’s slightly possible that I might have some trust issues, given my whole family situation.”
“Your mom sending you away.” He stood and walked around the counter. “My dad walked out on me when I was a kid.”
“So you know what I mean.”
He stopped in front of her. “We could be on
“Or
They were close enough that she was all he could think about. Her mouth beckoned and tempted, her body seemed to sway toward him. The kitchen crackled with electricity. When her eyes dilated, he knew she felt it too.
“Oh,” she breathed. “But this was supposed to be a bad idea.”
“It still is.”
“But it’s why you came over.”
Was it? He hadn’t consciously thought about it, but she could be right. “Tell me no and I’ll go away.”
“Just like that?”
He nodded.
She looked at him for a long time, then reached up and rubbed her thumb against his lower lip.
“What is it about good women and bad boys?” she asked softly. “You’re a kind of a temptation I’ve never had to resist before.”
“Do you want to resist?”
Did she? Gracie wasn’t sure she had an answer. Of course not being able to think was part of the problem. With Riley standing so close, staring at her as if he wanted her more desperately than he’d ever wanted any other woman ever, she found herself melting inside.
Her body ached. Every inch of skin longed to be touched by him. She wanted to feel him against her, in her. She wanted to lose control and take him with her. She wanted them both aroused, desperate, helpless in the face of their desire, then she wanted to be with him afterwards, when they touched and kissed in the wonderment of what they’d just done.
Of course this was Riley whose philosophy with women didn’t exactly lend itself to tenderness. Was she prepared for him not sticking around? Was she prepared to be part of the three
He lightly stroked her cheek. The soft brush of his fingers shouldn’t have been all that exciting, but she felt her body respond to the flash of what could only be described as sparks.
And then she knew it didn’t matter about after or what the neighbors would say or her past or his. Because the Riley she’d wanted fourteen years ago had been little more than a cardboard cutout. She hadn’t known enough to make him real. While the man in front of her was pretty spectacular.
“You’re going to hurt yourself with all that thinking,” he said. “Look, Gracie, if you have to talk yourself into it, I’m not interested in-”
She raised herself on tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his, effectively cutting him off in midsentence. The hand by her cheek dropped to rest on her shoulder, but otherwise he didn’t move.
Ah, so he was going to make her prove to him she wanted this. That was fine-she was more than up to the challenge.
As she moved her lips against his, she grabbed his shirt and pulled it free of his slacks. Even as she stroked her tongue against his bottom lip, she slipped her hands under the shirt and rubbed them across his belly then up his chest.
She was prepared to do more-a lot more-to convince him, but it turned out to be unnecessary. His mouth parted and he claimed her in a kiss so deep, she thought she could get lost in it forever, even as his arms came around her and hauled her hard against him.
Her hands were trapped between them, but that didn’t matter. Not when his tongue stroked hers, circled, danced and caused the sparks to explode into a whole fireworks show. He was warm and strong and when she shifted her hips, she found out he was already hard.
Instantly her stomach clenched, as did her thighs. Between her legs she felt both heat and dampness. Wanting exploded.
She pulled her arms free and moved her hands around to his back. She was still under the shirt so she could feel his bare skin. Muscles bunched as she moved over them. She slipped lower to his hips then his butt where she gently squeezed the tight, high curve.
Oh, yeah, this was good, she thought hazily as he surged against her. She rotated her pelvis, bringing herself more firmly in contact with his erection. Desire flowed hotter and faster.
