“I try my best to please.”
“Why?”
“This is your first day with Halloran Industries, after all.”
His tone was quietly serious. It was a logical explanation, but she heard the unspoken undercurrents. She put down her spoon and leveled a look at him. “So, Sammy was right. You are aiming to get me into your bed. Or are you trying to scare me off, Mr. Halloran?”
“For some reason, I don’t think you scare that easily.”
“No, I don’t.”
He didn’t look nearly as embarrassed as she had hoped at having his motives questioned. There was definitely no sign of a quick retreat, just an infuriating, lip-curving hint of amusement.
“I think I liked it better when you were snapping my head off. I don’t trust this new act one bit,” she said.
“Funny. I would have guessed it was yourself you no longer trusted.”
Jason sat back and watched in satisfaction as the full meaning of his remark slowly registered. A blush stole into Dana’s cheeks, and the wariness in her eyes increased tenfold. She raked her fingers through her hair.
“Jason, we can’t work together if you’re going to try to turn this into some sort of seduction every time we have a meeting.”
“If you’ll recall, I didn’t bring it up. You did.”
“No, I just…”
“Asked if I wanted to sleep with you.”
If anything, Dana looked even more flustered than she had in the car when she had realized that she had kissed him back with every bit as much fervor as he’d displayed. Obviously there was one area in which they could reach an agreement—they both enjoyed playing with fire.
“Okay, you’re right. I did say that,” she said. “It’s best if we get this out in the open and face the fact that it wouldn’t work between us.”
“I agree,” he said, clearly surprising her. “On the other hand, there’s something at work here that we can’t very well ignore or it will drive us both crazy.”
“No, there’s not,” she denied.
Jason merely regarded her skeptically.
“Okay, so maybe there is this…something. I never expected…”
Jason seized the opening. “What? To get along with me? To want me?”
Dana looked as if she might be grinding her teeth. Finally she said, “I do not want you.”
“I could prove just what a liar you are.”
Her chin lifted. “How?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
“How?” she repeated evenly. The dare in her voice belied the doubt in her eyes.
Without allowing himself so much as an instant to consider what he was doing, Jason was around to her side of the table before she could blink. Hands firmly on her waist, he lifted her to her feet and dragged her against him. He looked into the worried blue depths of her eyes and said softly, “Like this.”
Then his lips claimed hers, tasting the faint sweetness of cherries, the creaminess of ice cream, the flavor that was uniquely hers. This time Jason abandoned gentle persuasiveness in favor of raw hunger. He had to rid himself of this need that had sprung up seemingly overnight. Those kisses had been like drink for an alcoholic, intoxicating and addictive. It was clear he would never be satisfied until he’d made love to her. Perhaps then he could get back to thinking rationally, the way he always did. This wouldn’t be the first time in his life he’d given in to a foolish impulse.
Dana didn’t even pretend to fight the kiss. There was the faintest hint of an astonished gasp, and then she was kissing him back, fitting her body to his with an instinctive need every bit as hot and urgent as his own. He could feel the scrambling of her pulse as his fingers curved around her neck. His own heart pounded, the strength of its beat an affirmation of the passion he knew existed between them. Her skin, soft as silk beneath the hem of her sweater, went from shivery cool to searing hot at his touch.
She was still trembling in his arms, her fingers laced together behind his neck, her lips soft and sweet and yielding beneath his, when the door to his office banged open.
“What the devil?” His grandfather’s startled reaction was quickly followed by a tolerant chuckle. “Maybe this is a bad time.”
“It is,” Jason confirmed, holding an obviously embarrassed Dana tight against him. “Go away.”
Brandon wasn’t about to be turned away so easily. “Not before I say hello to this young woman again,” he insisted, striding across the room.
“Save the charm, Granddad. We’re both on to you.”
Undaunted, Brandon just shrugged. “Just looking out for the company’s interests.” He grinned at Dana. His gaze lingered on her sweater, a crazy quilt of hot pink, lime green and lemon yellow. His eyes narrowed.
“Interesting,” he muttered finally. “Where did you get it?”
Dana was regarding him as if he’d lost his mind. “Get what, sir?”
“The sweater, girl. Cheap yarn, but the design’s good. Bold. I like it.”
She seemed more confused than offended by the criticism of the wool’s quality. “You like it?”
Brandon chuckled. “Sorry. Occupational hazard. Can’t resist seeing what the competition’s up to.”
“I’m afraid I’m not much competition. You have nothing to worry about. It’s a very limited edition.”
“You designed it?” he said, sounding no more surprised than Jason was himself. Jason regarded the sweater more closely and began to wonder about all the others he’d seen her wear. Had she designed those as well?
“Designed and knit it. I’m afraid you’re right about the yarn, but it’s the dimestore’s best.”
She stepped away from Jason. He dragged her back and leaned down to whisper, “Remember, we’re in this together.”
She glared at him, then tried to stare Brandon Halloran down. “Just for the record, sir, I’m not dating your grandson. I don’t even like your grandson.”
Brandon chuckled. “I see. Too bad. Seems to me he could use a woman with a little spunk in his life. The boy doesn’t have anyone around to keep him on his toes. Needs to have a little fun.”
Dana regarded him with an
