And he wants you. That knowledge sent fire to her loins. And as he smiled at her across the table, his eyes crinkling up at the corners, his lips parting slightly to show perfectly straight teeth that had probably attracted a massive orthodontist bill, his intense presence stealing away her breath and confounding her senses, she knew she was powerless to resist.
It didn’t matter how right her subconscious was, or how sensible the warning to stay away. Her body had other ideas. The way she was reacting to him right now, with tight, achy breasts and knickers drenched, she knew she was falling for him hook, line, and sinker.
* * *
Settle down, Stevenson. His cock throbbed in his pants, swollen and straining against the fabric of his boxers. Out here in public, away from the stuffy confines of the office, she wasn’t so timid and shy. Glimpses of her personality, her sense of humour, were beginning to show through as she relaxed around him. And the more he got to know her, the better he liked her. The problem was he had a big case coming up. A murder. It was going to trial in just a few weeks and the media had been all over it. A once-successful businessman in a spectacular fall from grace. The sort of thing social media loved. He didn’t have time for a woman. He shouldn’t even be here right now; he should be working. He had to be focused, completely focused—his client’s future depended on it.
The timing was all wrong. He’d been working on this case all year and it was the biggest case of his career, by far. He had to be on his game. He couldn’t afford to be side-tracked by a woman.
He shouldn’t be pursuing Jilly. He shouldn’t be wanting to lift her fingers to his mouth and kiss them.
Jilly had shrugged her jacket off in the too-warm mall and her blouse had slipped as well, revealing the swell of cleavage, the fabric barely skimming the tops of curves that would spill generously out of his hands. He’d never bought into the ‘more than a handful is a waste’ school of thought, far preferring voluptuous, curvy women. Just like Jilly. She might be tiny, but she had delicious curves. Womanly curves.
He longed to reach out, to touch her exposed skin, to slide the silky material back just a little more, but he refrained. He made do with the feel of her smooth chin in his hand, instead. He stroked his thumb down the side of her cheek, lightly, startling at the sparks that shot up his arm. He shouldn’t be doing this. He should let her go.
But he didn’t. Instead, he brushed a stray strawberry blonde lock back off her forehead. He let his eyes glide over what they could see of her body, lingering for a few seconds on her décolletage, imagining what it would be like to kiss her throat. Drifting lower, picturing himself pulling her blouse away with his teeth, drawing her bared nipple into his mouth.
And he watched as, with a cheeky grin, she reached out and stole one of his chips.
* * *
They walked back to the office much the same way they’d walked out, with Matthew’s hand fixed firmly to the small of her back, possessive, protective, guiding. And Jilly had to admit that she liked it. She liked walking so close to him, feeling his solid arm stretched across her back. It gave her a sense of belonging she knew she should not be letting herself feel. You swore off men, remember?
Matthew wasn’t good for her; he was bound to be a player. Weren’t all lawyers? They had the money, the prestige... and myriad girlfriends to parade off their arms. Never mind the hearts that got broken in the process.
Jilly tried to shrug his arm off; she wasn’t interested in being his next victim. But he ignored her and kept his hand exactly where it was. And her traitorous body responded, just the way it had been doing since she’d first laid eyes on him in the office, and she knew it didn’t matter how crazy or stupid this was, she was powerless to resist him. Swearing off men be damned. Her body had other ideas.
Matthew got plenty of looks. Jilly saw them as they walked. Nearly every single woman they walked past turned her head to ogle him. Most of them weren’t even subtle about it, she noticed. They just openly stared.
You’re daft if you think he’s actually interested in you, her self-conscious inner voice warned her. With his looks, he can get any woman he wants. Why would he want you? His palm burned into her back. He’s only going to break your heart, just like Cameron did.
Something in her body language must have changed because Matthew bent his head down toward her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
Jilly shook her head. How could she tell him her fears? That she wasn’t interested in another relationship, ever? He’d just been so sweet to her, buying her lunch and everything. She couldn’t.
She forced a smile to her face. “I’m okay,” she insisted. “Just thinking about my daughter, and all the work I have to catch up on. I should have stayed in and worked.” His eyes darkened in silent warning, and she swallowed. “But I had a nice time. Thank you,” she added quickly, not wanting him to scold.
“I’m glad you enjoyed our lunch, but you should not even be considering missing your lunchbreak. I told you already, it’s not healthy. Don’t you let me catch you voicing such ideas again, Miss Watson.”
His scolding tone nearly undid her.
She swallowed. “Yes, sir,”
