Page 154 of Beyond the Cottage

“Gretta.” His voice came out deep. “Look at me.”

Clearing her throat, smoothing her skirt, she looked at him.

He tilted his head. A little furrow appeared between his brows, like he was working something out.

Then, all business, he removed his spectacles and hung them from his pocket. “Would you like to inventory the silver?”

She wanted to get the helloutof there, but she refused to let her emotional hangups keep her from doing her job. “Okay.”

Maintaining his distance, he led her into a sparsely furnished office containing a desk, a chair, and a cabinet-sized safe. He closed the door, clicked the lock, and opened the safe.

“Whoa,” she said when he revealed stacks of silver bars. “We’re going to need better locks. How much is this worth?” She turned to him—and stepped back.

His aloofness wasgone. Naked, predatory hunger had replaced it.

He came closer. Startled and exhilarated, she retreated. When her ass hit the desk, he braced his arms on the edge and leaned in to scent her neck, keeping a dust mote of space between them.

Her body came alive. “What are you doing?”

“Not touching you.” His nose drifted higher, but only his breath grazed her.

“We can’t,” she exhaled. “Remember?”

He looked down her low-cut blouse.

“You have to stop.”Please don’t stop! Take it out of my hands and touch me.

He pulled back. “Is that really what you want?”

No!“…Yes.”

He pushed off the table and turned away, breathing deeply. She stayed on the desk, not trusting her legs.

“What are we fucking doing, Gretta?” he asked the wall.

“Um. Working?”

He spun to face her. “Is that what this feels like to you? Because to me, it feels like something else entirely.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m surprised you noticed. What with all thefriendsyou’ve made.”

“I thought you’d be pleased I made a friend or two.”

“I’m pretty sure the term you mean is fuck buddy.” Or girlfriend. Did he have one already?

Cool again, he slipped his hands in his coat pockets. “If memory serves, you gave me leave to seek my pleasures elsewhere. Have you reconsidered?”

“It’s not like I can stop you.”

“Wouldyou stop me?”

She clenched her jaw.

He lunged forward, slapping his palms down on either side of her. “Would you stop me, Gretta? If I told you a different woman fucked me every night, would you give a shit? Or is this just another of your games?”

Her mouth fell open.

“Answer me!”

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