Page 9 of Modern Romance Collection May 2024 Books 1-4

Erin’s hand gripped the door handle tight. She was beginning to recover some very necessary cognitive function. She realised she’d never actually referred to this man by his first name outside of the bedroom, because they’d gone straight from the boardroom to the bedroom with very little interaction in between.

She tried again. ‘How can I help you?’

She would have asked him how he knew where she lived, but for a man like Ajax Nikolau nothing was a barrier to information.

Erin Murphy looked different with short hair, but no less attractive. The minute she’d opened the door and Ajax had seen her his entire body had clenched with recognition and need. Hunger.

He still wanted her. He’d never stopped thinking about her.

Even after almost two years. As each week had gone by, and then months, he’d been sure she would fade in his memory. She hadn’t. But neither had that sense of panic he’d felt that she’d got under his skin on an emotional level. It had been strong enough to stop him from giving in to the temptation to seek her out again.

Until now.

Much to his irritation, no woman had managed to come close to making him feel the way she had. The two nights they’d spent together were engraved on his brain like a brand he would never be able to remove. He’d had many a sleepless night enduring X-rated dreams, waking hard and aching.

He’d resisted the memories and dreams for as long as he could. And life had helped in that respect. He’d never been busier. In the aftermath of the business deal of the century, Ajax’s time had been monopolised by consolidating his position, in case anyone had any doubts he could pull his family’s business together.

In the past year and more he’d silenced any critics or doubters. So much so that in the past couple of months he’d finally had time to take a breath and take his foot off the accelerator, and he’d realised that in spite of the many challenges he faced day to day, and the vast responsibility he had as CEO of Nikolau Industries, he was a little...bored. Jaded.

And, as if it had just been waiting in the wings for the right moment, the tantalising possibility of seeing this woman again had filled his mind. He’d told himself that the impression he’d had of her getting too close had been brought on by their amazing chemistry, nothing more.

She’d lost weight. He didn’t remember her looking so delicate. Her shorter hair drew attention to the fine bone structure of her face. Her huge eyes. The long slim neck. Elegant collarbones visible under the neck of her silk shirt.

His body tightened. ‘Can I come in?’

She didn’t move. ‘What are you doing here?’

Ajax, a man used to people allowing him access to wherever he wanted to go, realised that this wasn’t proceeding as he’d envisaged. His arrogance mocked him.

‘I’m here to see you.’

‘Why?’

The blunt question reminded him of how she’d been able to cut through a lot of waffle and point people towards what was important. She’d been good at her job. He missed that.

Before he could speak, voices became audible in the corridor behind him and Erin seemed to make a split-second decision.

She stood back. ‘You’d better come in.’

The offer was ungracious, but Ajax wouldn’t object. She was flushed in the face, and that made him think of how she’d looked under him as he’d joined their bodies.

He looked away from her and around the apartment, to try and regain some control. It was airy and bright. Homely. Books on shelves. Throws on a well-loved couch. Something about it caught at him, in his chest, creating a kind of yearning. Disconcerting...

‘Mr Nikolau—’

He looked back at Erin, a little more in control of his faculties. ‘Really? You’re going to stand on ceremony?’

Her mouth tightened. ‘It was almost two years ago, and a very brief...thing.’

Thing. That was one way of describing it. It had been a conflagration that had moved Ajax to cut it off, starve it of oxygen, for fear that it would run rampant. But if he’d let it do that then maybe he wouldn’t be here now.

‘I think the time for ceremony has come and gone. Please call me Ajax.’

Erin’s jaw gritted momentarily. Then she said tightly, ‘Very well, Ajax. What can I do for you?’

‘I understand why you might have felt the need to resign from the law firm, but you didn’t have to.’

Erin went pale. ‘You...want me to work for you again?’

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