Page 4 of Seductive Secrets

She stepped back and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, she hadn’t stepped back far enough and her nostrils filled with his scent. It was nice. Too nice!

James smiled slightly at her obvious move. “I’m here because I can’t reach my friend.” He turned and looked up at the building, then back down at her. “I suspect that you’re here for the same reason? You weren’t able to get in touch with Mark at the office?”

She shook her head, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her wool coat. In a couple of hours, her coat would be too warm. But for the moment, it was necessary. “No, I called his cell and his office phone, no answer. I spoke to his supervisor and she said that Mark hadn’t been in for a couple of days. She mentioned that Mark wasn’t normally the type to just vanish, so she’s worried as well. Plus,” she turned and looked up at thebuilding, “I don’t understand why he listed his residence here instead of in Chicago.

James nodded, then gestured to the doorway. “I was also surprised to find that he lived in Baltimore.” He paused and stepped to the side, giving her more space. “I was just going to knock on the door and find out if he was home. I’m hoping that Mark is just too sick to answer the phone.”

She nodded, felt her cheeks heat up and looked quickly away in the hope that he wouldn’t notice. She was a powerful attorney! She’d heard the rumors about her reputation. Angela was known as a “ball buster” during negotiations. She fought hard and relentlessly for excellent contract terms for her company. She loved her job. She loved the law! Knowing the law and how the courts work, understanding how peoples’ minds worked, was a heady, powerful experience. She applied her knowledge of the law and her ability to read peoples’ body language to every aspect of her world.

However, her reaction to James wasn’t…logical. And she couldn’t easily apply the law to his actions. Nor could she ‘read’ his expression. James Rutherford was a powerful man in the investment industry. Apparently, he’d learned how to keep his expression blank and not reveal anything he was thinking.

“Shall we go up together?” he offered, gesturing with one arm, indicating that she should precede him.

“That seems logical,” she reluctantly agreed, mentally scrabbling for ways to get out of the task. Five minutes ago, she’d been determined to find out what was going on with an employee of her company. Now, all she wanted to do was get back on a plane and fly back to Chicago.

Stupid, she thought. And cowardly. She’d never been a coward. She’d been scared before. There’d been a time in herlife when she’d been terrified out of her mind. Yet, even then, she’d not given in to that fear. It was one of the reasons she was still alive today.

“After you,” he prompted when she hesitated.

Angela grimaced, then pasted what she hoped was a professional smile on her face and stepped forward. “Thank you,” she replied. Unfortunately, the two words came out sounding soft and feminine instead of professional and assertive.

Mentally, she shook herself, trying to get a grip on her emotions. This was ridiculous! James Rutherford was just a man! Perhaps he was taller and more muscular than most, but stilljusta guy! She’d crushed men before! Hell, she crushed men before breakfast and gone on to negotiate multi-billion dollar contracts for lunch! She was a powerhouse! She was scary, strong, and determined!

And she trembled when she felt his hand on the small of her back. Darn it!

James watched Angela step forward, admiring her confidence. She didn’t walk with her head down. She kept her chin high, clearly aware of her surroundings as she moved. Her dark, curly hair was pulled back into some sort of twist on the back of her head. He suspected that Angela preferred that style because she thought it made her look professional. But the reality was that the style only emphasized her dark chocolate eyes surrounded by thick lashes. She applied minimal makeup, but the light touch highlighted the angle of her cheeks and the cute, button nose that turned up at the end. And her mouth! Dear heaven, her lips were lush and full! The only way to describe her mouth was sensuous!

He almost laughed out loud at his mental list. James suspected that Angela Bertuccio, legal dynamo with a reputation for crushing her competition, would absolutely hate the idea of any part of her being seen as sensual.

And yet, he also knew that, underneath that expensive yellow coat, she had a figure that made his mind whirl. He’d fantasized about her body, naked and writhing beneath him as he brought their pleasure higher and higher, making love to her in ways that would cause her to cry out, grabbing him as he teased her to even more pleasure. Or her on top, straddling his waist as she rode him, those dark eyes smoldering with her need. Or…!

“Are you going to press the button?” she asked, snapping him out of his contemplation of his creative fantasies.

James jumped and looked around. They were standing in front of the elevator, the call button to his right. He swallowed a sigh, and pressed the button, trying to focus on the present. It was difficult though. He could smell her shampoo. She didn’t bother with perfume. That was probably too feminine for her. No, that wasn’t the right term. She was obviously feminine. In fact, she probably played up her femininity. She was stunningly beautiful with those high cheekbones and dark, mysterious eyes. Angela used her beauty as a weapon, a way to intimidate her competition.

He wasn’t intimidated. Her beauty whispered to him, drew him in. He wanted to strip away her outer defenses and discover the real woman underneath.

The elevator doors opened and they stepped into the small box. He watched as she reached out and pressed the button for the eighth floor. Bare fingernails. Interesting, he thought. Clean and tapered, but no nail polish.

The elevator ride up was silent, each lost in their own thoughts. But he noticed that Angela kept her hands in front of her, clutching her yellow purse tightly, staring up at the blinking numbers indicating the floor.

When the doors opened on the eighth floor, she almost threw herself out into the hallway. Interesting, he thought, following at a more leisurely pace.

“What’s his apartment number?” he asked.

She pulled out her cell phone and looked up the information. “Eight oh nine,” she replied.

There weren’t many doors on this level, indicating that the apartments were large and spacious. They walked side by side along the hallway until they came to the right door, where they stared in surprise.

The door was already open!

James glanced down at her, his eyebrows lifting. She looked up at him with an identical, surprised expression.

“Should we go in or call the police?” she asked.

He contemplated the issue. “Let’s go in first. If we find something suspicious, then we’ll call the police.”

Angela nodded her agreement, took a deep breath, and pushed the door further open with one finger.

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