"It was cancelled." He walkedinto the room and stood just behind her as he glanced at his son."How are you?"
Jason started in surprise at the question.
"Feeling much better. I called Zuriand she came over to see how I was doing." It was spoken in achallenging tone as if he was waiting for Jack's disapproval.
"Ms. Bennett." He acknowledgedher presence with a nod of his head.
"Mr. Hadley." She turned towardshim briefly.
"Might I have a word with you?"
"Dad-"
"It's fine." He sent the boy aslight smile. "I just need to discuss something with her."
"And I need to go and deal with thismatter." Millicent rose and came over to kiss her grandsonlightly on the forehead. "Try and get some sleep."
"You'll come back and say goodnight?"Jason gripped Zuri's hand in his.
"I promise." Leaning over, shebrushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "You don't look ill atall. Sure, you're not faking it?"
His eyes darted over her shoulder to studyhis father's inscrutable expression.
"I'm sure."
"Okay buddy, see you in a bit."She kissed his cheek and rose. Without looking at Jack, she made herway out, with him following her. As soon as they cleared the rooms,he took her arm and guided her along the passageway. Neither of themspoke as he pushed open heavy mahogany doors to his suite.
Zuri got the impression of simple elegancein the sitting room, before he opened the door to a bedroom thatcould easily fit her entire suite of rooms. To her surprise, shenoticed that it was sparsely furnished and very utilitarian. Beforeshe could notice anything else, he was pushing her back and trappingher body between his and the door.
"What-"
That was as far as she got, before his lipswere crushing hers. She made a token effort to resist, but that waspride, and it was no match for the fire that the touch of his mouthand tongue had lit inside her. Giving up the struggle, she sighed,wrapping her hands around his neck.
As soon as he felt her compliance, hedeepened the kiss, hands roaming restlessly up and down her body. Hefelt the familiar sensations hitting him with a force that left himstaggered. Her breath sent him whirling, the feel of her slendercurves beneath his hands was maddening. The entire thing was insane.He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe. And it was scaring thehell out of him. Everything he had said to himself for the past twodays made no sense whatsoever. It took one look at her to make himrealize that the need was not going away.
With a muffled groan and a smothered curse,he dragged his lips from hers to trail kisses down her cheeks. Hikingup the dress over her hips, he eased away the sides of her flimsypanties to touch her flesh. She was wet and hot. With a tormentedgroan, he plunged his fingers in. She came explosively, her bodybucking against him, body arched.
It drove him even further to madness. Witha feral growl, he attacked her throat, savaging the skin. And he washard as steel. Reaching between them, he released his throbbingerection. Hiking up her legs, he wrapped them around his waist andwithout finesse, drove into her hard enough to slam her up againstthe door.
The breath whistled out of his lungs, andhe had to stop to get his bearings. Fighting to regain the control,he took her lips in a slow kiss that surprised them both. His mouthmoved over hers gently, tasting, savoring as his body plunged intohers.
She came again. And the tenuous hold on hiscontrol snapped when she dug her fingers in his hair and then hisneck. He came, emptying himself into her, until his body was drainedand weak. She sagged against him, her face buried in his throat. Hefelt her breath against his skin and had to fight the urge to cradleher and take her to bed.
Feeling him withdrawing, Zuri let hernerveless limbs slide off his back until they hit the floor.Carefully schooling her expression, she straightened her dress andmoved away from him.
"Let me get you a wet cloth." Shestood where she was and waited while he went into the bathroom. Hecame back out within minutes and handed it to her. Giving himapointed look, she arched her brows and waited for him to turn hisback so she could try and repair what she could. She still smelled ofsex, of him and realized she could not go back into Jason's room,smelling like she did.
"I will say your goodbyes," hetold her quietly, when he turned around.
"Thanks." She handed him thewashcloth and opened the door to leave.
Chapter12
She was opening the doors of the sittingroom when he caught up with her.
Clamping his hand on her arm, he spun heraround, his eyes smoldering.
"I don't know what this is."