"No." He shook his head. "I want her for the entire weekend. The offices will be closed on Friday and Saturday." He eased out a breath. "My family has plans..."
"You want to take over, is that it?" Her eyes blazed as she pushed away from her desk. He had noticed the boots on the area before the sofa and suspected that she had taken them off. He was right.
The sheer nylons allowed him to catch a glimpse of pearl pink painted toes as she rounded the desk. "You bastard. You think you can just come into her life and snap your fingers. I did all the heavy lifting..."
"Enough."
His voice had her stopping just in front of him. "I did not come here to fight with you damn it. I want us to be civil about this. I never knew about her and the fact is I'm here now. Accept it or not, but I'm going to be in her life."
"Go to hell." She started to turn away, when he gripped her arm and hauled her against him.
"You're still pissed about that night years ago. I get it."
"I don't care. I got over it."
He shook her slightly. "That's a damn lie and we both know it. You're pissed off at me and because of that, you're trying to make things difficult for me with regards to my daughter. So, let's get this out in the open." He hauled her over to sofa and sat, pulling her down.
"I left. Back then I was careless and irresponsible. I wasn't into relationships. I took what was offered and when I was finished, I left. You did something to me that night." He eased out a breath. "You touched something deep inside me, that scared the hell out of me. I ran." His grip tightened when she started to pull away.
"I ran and never looked back." His fingers bit through the thin silk of her sweater. "You've haunted me for years and I could not bloody well get you off my mind."
"Please let go of me." She refused to let herself believe a word coming from him. "Like I said before, I got over it."
"Prove it." He taunted.
"I don't have to prove anything to you. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She did not get to finish. He moved with such quick precision that she was already on his lap before she could counter the move.
"I'm afraid I cannot take your word for it."
Shock held her immobile for a minute. He took that minute and used it to his advantage. Clamping a hand around her neck, he held her still and closed his mouth over hers.
Panic came first but did not last. She tried to press her lips together to deny him access, but he had anticipated her move and was prepared for it. His tongue slid over her tightly closed lips, persuasive, probing.
Instead of demanding, he was pleading. When that did not work, he used his teeth to nibble, pulling the flesh into his mouth. She weakened. Need washed through her like a flood and had her sagging against him. Her hands had come up in defense to try and push him away, were now curling into fists.
Her lips parted, but instead of swooping in, he teased and titillated, tongue touching and then retreating, until she was maddened.
It wasn't a fluke. That was what ran through his mind. Her scent surrounded him, tantalized him until he was as hard as steel. His heart was pounding, drowning out everything else.
He wanted her, craved her more than he thought was possible. She was sweet and wildly evocative. Five years ago, her innocence had staggered him. Now, it was simply something he wanted more than anything else. More than his next breath.
He took the kiss deeper. Moving his hand from her neck, he tugged at the pins she had used to style the tidy chignon at her nape. He wanted his hands all over her. As soon as her thick hair tumbled free, he gripped strands, lifting her head so that he could dive even deeper.
Someone moaned, he had no idea if the sound came from him or her. Dragging his lips from hers, he trailed kisses along hercheek and her neck, until he was tonguing the hollow of her throat.
Sensations chased each other through her body and made her unable to think. Somewhere deep inside her, there was a warning for her to stop this madness, but she was beyond reason. Beyond rational thinking. It was even better than before. Five years ago, he had taken her to the point of madness, now she felt as if she was flying off a cliff.
Finally, the persistent ringing of the phone on her desk, got through to her and had her surfacing from the thick cloud of desire.
Horror and shame crippled her at first. Then somehow, she found the strength to push away from him and stumbled to her feet. Forcing her weakened knees to cooperate, she rushed towards the desk and picked up the receiver.
Taking a deep breath, she listened and then responded. "Give me ten minutes." Putting the phone back in the cradle, she sank down in the chair and refused to look at him.
"Abigail..."
"No." Her hair flew around her face wildly as she shook her head. "This was a mistake. I would like you to leave."
"You can lie to me..."
