Page 23 of Brennan

“Then marry me,dammit!”

“You have togo.”

“I am notgoing to stop, darling,” He told her achingly. “Not untilyou say yes.” His hands framed her face, his eyes roamingrestlessly. “Please say yes.”

“How would itwork?”

“I will takecare of everything.”

“I can’t.”

“You can,”He argued tersely, his fingers applying pressure. “You can, andyou will.” he kissed her again, hands busy taking off her plumjacket and unbuttoning her cream blouse. Unclasping her bra, hecupped her breasts, thumbs torturing her tight nipples.

Lifting her onto thedesk, he bent her over so that he could ravish her throat beforemoving down to her nipple. Madison felt herself fragmenting as histongue tormented the flesh.

Brennen almostabandoned his rigid resolve not to make love to her unless it was ontheir wedding day; so much was the need to have her, just to take herright here and now.

But it was not theright place. Stumbling back, he raked his fingers through his hair inagitation.

“We should nothave done that,” he told her roughly, sizzling green eyeswatching as she buttoned up her blouse and straightened her skirt.“We cannot keep doing this.”

“Then you needto leave me alone.” Madison felt the heat raging inside her,and the unfulfilled need made her want to lash out at him. She wasnot going to beg him to take her, but that was what it had almostboiled down to. “Just go.”

“I am notgoing away, Madison,” He warned. Turning on his heels, he leftthe room.

Groping for thechair, she sat down, her knees trembling. Pressing a hand to herlips, she could still feel it stinging from the kiss. Her nippleswere raw and sore, and the moisture between her thighs was evident.

She could notcontinue like this, she thought dismally. He consumed her; everywaking and sleeping moment was filled with thoughts of him and thesensations he brought out in her.

Not being with himwas a torture she could hardly bear. The phone rang, scattering herthoughts and returning her to the present. She had much work to doand could not afford to be distracted.

“Ms.Connelly.”

“I need youto contact Marion Manchester and have her meet me at the Tea Room infifteen minutes.”

“Her numberwould be -”

“In the addressbook. She is difficult to reach, but I trust you will continue to tryuntil you reach her.”

“Of course.”Hanging up, Madison used the mouse to access the address book. Assoon as she found the number, she made the call. It took afrustrating ten minutes for her to track the woman down and anothertwo minutes to convince her to make the meeting.

By the time she hadfinished doing that, another call came in from Elizabeth with stillmore demands.

She was just reachingfor a file when a knock on the door, and Andre came in.

“I was told weneed to review tonight's menu?”

She gave the littleFrench chef a look of frustration. “Let’s see what youhave.”

“I wasthinking about the small dining room. Would you like to come and havea look?”

Madison stared at thepiles of work on her desk and almost said no. “Of course. Leadthe way.”

Chapter 6

He joined in theconversation around the dinner table as a courtesy. ElizabethConnelly was an excellent host and had years of training under herbelt.

The Whittinghams weredear friends of the family, and Amelia Whittingham was makingnot-so-subtle suggestions that the young people should vacate theroom and leave the old biddies to talk shop.

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