Page 20 of Do Opposites Attract?

The single word was neither warm nor inviting, but she squared her shoulders and walked in. Surprise, surprise. He was at his desk, poring over papers. ‘Don’t you ever stop working?’

He turned his chair so he could see her. ‘I think we’ve already established I’m fairly boring.’

Brianna bit back a smile. Boring was absolutely the last word that came to mind when she thought of him. With no other seating available, she opted to lie on his bed. It might help herseduction; now he wouldn’t have to imagine her there. ‘I don’t remember saying you were boring,’ she replied softly.

Immediately he tensed. ‘So, what did you want?’ he asked abruptly.

It wasn’t a promising start but it was a cue she couldn’t ignore. Slowly she rose from the bed and sauntered over to where he sat, swaying her hips just slightly more than usual. She could only hope she was getting this right, and not coming across as a desperate call girl. She’d never tried to seduce a man before. Hadn’t had to, hadn’twantedto, until now. Carefully she perched on the corner of the table, knowing full well his head was now level with her chest. ‘I want you to tell me what you wish for.’

She heard him suck in a breath. ‘Why have you really come here tonight?’ he asked roughly.

Brianna couldn’t resist a smile at his obvious discomfort. Since she’d met him he’d been the one in control. The confident, domineering one. But right now, in this tent, the reins had been passed to her. ‘I would have thought that was pretty obvious.’

Mitch shoved back his chair with such force it nearly toppled over. ‘Stop playing games, Brianna.’

‘Who said it was a game? I’m deadly serious.’ To prove it, she reached out her hand and deliberately rubbed it down his fly.

Instantly he hardened under her caress, but before she had a chance to savour the victory his fingers had clamped over her wrist, removing her hand. ‘We’re surrounded by people whose lives have been devastated, and all you’re interested in is a quick romp in the sack?’ he asked coldly.

He might not have physically slapped her, but his cutting words were just as effective. And like a bucket of cold water, they extinguished her desire, leaving her utterly humiliated. The worst part was he was absolutely right in his condemnation. She’d been acting like the spoilt rich girl she so desperatelydidn’t want to be. ‘Sorry,’ she whispered, utterly ashamed. ‘I can see you’re not interested.’ She jumped off the table, anxious to flee as quickly as possible. As she landed, she accidentally bumped into him, bringing her body hard against his.

The spark of lust Mitch had been trying to ignore suddenly ignited. Roughly he grabbed Brianna’s shoulders and pulled her towards him. ‘I didn’t say that,’ he growled before crushing her to him, bending his neck so he could savage her mouth.

The kiss was so hot he wouldn’t have been surprised to find their mouths on fire. But as the passion raged, suddenly a kiss wasn’t enough. Pushing the paperwork aside with one sweep of his hand, he roughly pushed her onto the table. With his lips still firmly pressed onto hers, he pulled at her shirt, popping the buttons in his haste to get at the full breasts beneath. The red mist descended on him. He was out of control.

‘Is this what you wanted?’ he declared harshly, his fingers unclasping her bra and releasing her delicious breasts into his hands. ‘To make love to a bit of rough from the wrong side of the tracks?’

Through the fog of sexual desire, he was aware of Brianna stilling. Of her grasping the hand that had been playing with her nipple and slapping it away. ‘How dare you,’ she spat at him, shoving him off and clutching at her shirt to preserve her modesty. ‘Do you really think that’s what this is all about?’ She shook her head and stood up. ‘How little you must think of me. And yourself,’ she finished coldly.

* * *

Mitch tried to settle back to his paperwork but his mind just wouldn’t focus. His eyes kept straying to the pillow where she’d laid her head for the second time today. When he went to sleep, if he ever did, he was going to smell sultry flowers, or whatever the hell it was she washed her hair with.

With a groan he shut his eyes. Bad idea. Now all he could see was the straight, proud lines of her body as she’d walked away from him. How many other women would have left with such arrogance after what he’d done? The throbbing heat between his legs was still there, a painful reminder of how much he’d wanted her. Still wanted her, damn it. She might have led him on, but he was the one who’d lost control. He was the one who’d shoved her down on the table, mauling her like she was a common slut. His mind flooded with self-disgust. He bet none of the pompous, toffee-nosed men she dated had ever treated her like that.

With a cry of frustration he forced himself to his feet. He was an effing genius. He’d managed to humiliate not just himself, but her, too. And they still had another four days left in each other’s company.

There was nothing else for it. He had to go and apologise.

Feeling like a man on the way to the gallows, he went to find her tent. The entrance flap was down. ‘Brianna,’ he spoke through the canvas.

His word was greeted with silence, and for a moment he wondered if she was actually in there. Then came a muffled reply. ‘What?’

‘Can I come in for a moment?’

‘Why?’

‘I’d rather have this conversation in private, if it’s all the same to you.’ He half expected her to tell him to bugger off, but instead she told him to come in.

He found her lying on the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest. Her hair was loose and her cheeks were wet. She looked young, wary and impossibly vulnerable.

‘Sorry,’ he said quickly, anxious to get this over and done with. He hated eating humble pie. ‘I acted like a jerk.’

‘Yes, you did.’ She held his gaze unflinchingly, though her usually sparkling eyes were rimmed with red.

‘Damn,’ he muttered into the silence. ‘You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you? What else can I say? I apologise. I’m not used to female company on these projects. I guess I just flipped.’

Brianna stared at him for several long, tense moments. Then she dropped her gaze to the floor. ‘Yes, well, I probably provoked you.’

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