Emmett’s bare feet carried him back into the other room as he returned to the stainless steel fridge. The blast of cold air was a welcomed sensation when it struck the warm skin on his face. He stood with the door propped open wide, scanning the scarce shelves for something he felt he could eat.
“You’re back.”
Janie’s soft rasp sent his heart leaping into his throat, and Emmett had no choice but to turn and face her. He nearly choked on his own tongue the second he saw her.
Her long, damp hair fell over one shoulder in a waterfall of shimmering waves. Her skin held a glow, having been freshly washed clean of any makeup. And the shirt she had on was a white button-down that looked to be about four sizes too big.
Hold up. Was she wearing what he thought she was wearing?
“Is that . . .” Emmett swallowed. “Are you wearing my shirt?”
Holy hell.
Even more surprising than her mouthwateringappearance was the fact that she had nothing covering her legs.
Long, bare, and from the way they shone beneath the overhead lights, skin he was confident would be silky to the touch.
“I’ll answer your question as soon as you’ve answered a few of mine. Let’s start with one that’s easy.” She smiled with a lift of her chin. “True or false.”
“I’m not into playing games,” he told the seductive woman point-blank.
Though, he could think of a few hewouldn’tmind playing with her.
“Oh, this isn’t a game, Emmett.” Janie’s chuckle was deeper and even sexier than before. “You want me to trust you to keep me safe; I need you to answer my question. True or false.” She took another small step toward him. “You wanted to kiss me that day in your office, when we were looking at the pictures on your shelves.”
He didn’t like to play games, but he also wasn’t a liar.
“True.” He swallowed hard. “But that was also when I told you we couldn’t?—”
“True or false. You would’ve kissed me that night at the safe house if that man hadn’t broken in.” Janie’s blue eyes remained on his as she brought herself even closer to where he stood.
Emmett’s pulse spiked, his hear beating a wild pace inside his chest. “True,” he admitted. But he didn’t stop there. “I also want to rip that shirt from your body, lift you into my arms, and press you against that wall right over there.” He pointed behind her. “And I want to takeyou the way I’ve fantasized about doing from the moment we first met.”
The tiny gasp that escaped when she sucked in a breath was a clear-cut tell that his confession had taken her by complete surprise. But in the span of his very next breath, Emmett watched as Janie recovered with impressive speed.
“Why don’t you, then?” She moved in closer. “If that’s really what you want?”
“You know why.”
Didn’t she know he was trying like hell to be good?
“Client. Right.” Janie followed this up with a small grin. “It’s okay, Emmett. I promise I won’t come after you for sexual harassment.”
“Janie . . .”
Her name was meant to be a warning, but the confounding woman carried on as if he hadn’t said a word.
“And if you’re worried I’ll write a scathing op ed in the Washington Post once this is over, don’t be.” She covered the remaining distance between them with a few additional, silent steps. “Trust me, your reputation is perfectly safe with me.”
“I do.” Another audible swallow sounded from his working throat. “Trust you, I mean.”
“That’s a start.”
Damn, she’s beautiful.
Emmett started to point out the situation hadn’t changed. Or rather that it had changed, and now she was the target. But he didn’t get the chance because she interrupted him again. And this time, her rebuttal was filled with emotion.
“Janie, we?—”
