Page 26 of Tempting Her Forbidden Boss

He could see her breasts rising too quickly as they waited but she walked in, head high. She stood with her back against the wall of the lift. He followed her but didn’t turn to face the door, just stood bang in front of her—only an inch between them.

‘I’m getting a sense ofdeja vu.'He looked her over with deliberate boldness.

‘Don’t even think about it,’ she croaked.

Oh, yes, he totally wanted to distract her that way again. He’d press her against the wall and kiss her senseless so she wound herself round him again. Was that all it had been for her? A way of escaping her stress about riding in an elevator?

Her chest was still rising abnormally fast, but he saw her nipples had peaked now too. So he had her a little distracted.

‘You can’t stop me thinking, Dani.’ Unfortunately he couldn’t stop himself thinking, either—and he was thinking about it all the time.

She flicked a look up over his shoulders, lost colour as the door slid shut. He couldn’t stop her thoughts, either, but maybe he could get her even more distracted—to think about something other than her fear.

He lifted a finger, traced the full curve of her lips. She hadn’t put on much lipstick, but they did have a shine to them. Very pretty, very full, totally kissable. The colour returned to her cheeks in a sweep.

‘I told you not...’ Her feeble whisper died away as he stepped closer.

He ran his fingers up her cheekbone, turning his hand to brush the back of his fingers on her soft skin. She had a sweetheart-shaped face. Those big brown eyes dominated it. Her nose he’d barely noticed because of her drown-you-deep eyes and then there was the lush mouth beneath. But now, as he stood so close, he saw there were two freckles—one off to the left of the bridge of her nose, and one right near the tip. The tip of his finger circled them. He was going to have to kiss them.

Yeah, she was sweetheart pretty all right, with a body soft and curvy and built to contrast with his hard one. And when she opened her mouth it was all sarcasm and sass. The combination had him caught tighter than a fly in a spider’s web—and he wanted her to suck him dry.

Wide-eyed, she gazed back at him, her breathing growing choppier—but he liked to think it wasn’t all about being shut up in a lift. Maybe she was reading his mind. If she was, then she knew she had far more to worry about than any stupid lift. He heard the doors slide. They were there.

He took her hand in his, tightening his grip when she’d have pulled it away. ‘Time to have a ball, Dani.’

SIX

Dani was sohotshe could barely breathe. All the people she’d met tonight must think she was an idiot. She’d hardly been able to talk. It had been full on introduction after introduction, conversation and speculation and adoration—of him. But he hadn’t left her side. He’d turned to her when people asked questions, included her in the answering, not speaking for her but supporting her as she’d quietly replied.

He was doing it deliberately—touching her, looking at her like that—making it feel as if they were the only two in the room when in reality they were surrounded by hundreds. It was obvious everyone thought they were together. Not surprising given he was acting as if they were. And like a mythical beast it uncoiled between them, flexing the kind of strength no human had a hope of beating. It was the one thing that would reduce even the most sensitive, erudite, highly evolved person to the animal they really were—lust.

They moved together on the dance floor—his eyes glinted, teasing as he drew her closer then spun her away again. Oh, he would have all the fancy dance moves, wouldn’t he?

‘I need a drink,’ Dani begged, needing a breather from him more than anything.

He chuckled as if he knew and led her by the hand towards the bar, letting her have her little respite.

‘Alex.’

Dani turned at the unfamiliar voice, at the urgency with which it had spoken. But just as quick she looked at Alex because his hand suddenly crushed hers—his grip had gone boa-constrictor tight.

He’d frozen. His ready smile wiped. He didn’t even say hello to the man who’d threaded his way to where they stood. He was about an inch shorter than Alex and dressed in a suit that Dani recognised as made to order. Flecks of grey peppered his dark hair, but despite his age he was still a good-looking man—a hint of charisma in the smooth face, his smile practised.

‘I hoped you’d be here tonight.’ Yes, the smile was definitely practised, because his eyes were too watchful, betraying a hint of uncertainty. ‘I’ve tried calling you.’

Alex didn’t even blink.

The man shifted, glanced at Dani and offered her a wider version of the smile before his attention flicked back to Alex. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me?’

The silence stretched. The awkwardness excruciating. What was the problem here? Didn’t Alex want to introduce her? But instinctively she knew it was this man that he had the problem with, not her. And it was some problem—she’d never have guessed a master of people skills like Alex could be so impolite.

‘Dani, this is Patrick. Patrick, this is Dani.’ He finally spoke. No qualifiers, no descriptors, no other info. Just names. Totally different from how he’d spoken with any of the others they’d mingled with tonight. His face had gone totally mask-like. ‘I didn’t realise you were in New Zealand.’

‘I thought it would be a good idea. I take it you’ve had the results back.’

‘Yes.’ Alex’s mouth barely moved as he replied, his eyes like stones.

Dani felt goose bumps rise over every inch of her skin. Alex’s voice was blowing a chill direct from Antarctica.

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