Page 53 of Tempting Her Forbidden Boss

‘Dani—’

‘I know now. That’s all that matters. It’s finished.’

‘No, it isn’t. It’s only just started.’

Dani closed her eyes. No. She didn’t want to think on this anymore. Not right now. She didn’t want to take it in.

Jack Parker.

She pushed the name away—didn’t want him to become real; it would only heighten the loss. What she needed now was oblivion. And she’d make the most of the opiate she had right here. She turned back to Alex, didn’t look into his eyes, just looked at his broad chest. In her mind’s eye she could see the muscles beneath the suit—he was the perfect instrument of pleasure. Even now she could see his whole body tense.

‘Dani, you need—’

‘Action.’ She walked towards him.

‘No, you need to talk. To me.’

‘No.’ She shook her head, and pressed against him. ‘I need action. That’s all.’

He caught her hands before she could even try to tease him into play. Damn. She could be mindless in less than a minute if only he’d touch her.

‘This is too important. Dani. No.’ His grip on her wrists eased, his thumbs stroking. ‘It’s okay to grieve, Dani.’

No, it wasn’t. She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to feel anything—she just wanted to forget.

Because if she didn’t forget it—and soon—she’d want to lean on Alex and cry. Dani never cried, certainly not in front of anyone. She drew on the iron will she’d built up inside her over the last year. She was not going to be weak—she was not going to let it out. She didn’t want to be that vulnerable. Her heart hurt too much already. And if she acknowledged it, it would hurt more—she couldn’t bear to be hurt more.

‘There’s nothing to grieve. I never even met him.’ She denied it all. ‘I wanted to know. Now I do.’

‘No, you wanted family. You wanted someone.’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t need anyone.’

‘Dani,’ he admonished gently.

She stood still, fighting the gaping wound inside, determined to stop the hurt gushing out of her. She couldn’t cope if it did. She couldn’t let this becomereal.But she couldn’t stop that last little thread of hope uncurling. ‘You’re sure. I mean, there’s no doubt, is there? It’s definitely him?’

‘The DNA test proved it.’

‘The DNA test?’ Stunned, she pulled her wrists free and stared at him. ‘What DNA test?’

There was no hiding the guilt in his face now.

‘You did a DNA test without my knowing?’ Her voice rose up into screech territory. ‘How the hell did you do that—take a pubic hair or something?’ She felt that violated.

‘Dani.’ He took her shoulders firmly.

‘Did you dig up his grave?’ Raw feeling surged through her veins—the kind of feeling that gave her the strength she needed right now—anger.‘How long have you known?’ He had to have known something to get the tests done. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you thought you’d found him sooner?’

Yes, it was easy to be angry. So easy to be furiously angry with Alex.

‘I didn’t want to get your hopes up until it was certain. I didn’t want to hurt you.’

Well, right now she wanted to hurt him. ‘So last night you knew.’

‘I found out late last night. But I only got the lab confirmation in that call just now.’

She hardly heard him. So it had been pity that had driven his tenderness this morning. ‘You’re a bastard, Alex. You’re such a bastard.’

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