by Sandy Loyd
“Sheath your claws, woman, I’m here on a mission of mercy,” he said, stepping over the threshold when she moved aside to let him in.
“Nice place. I take it you decorated it yourself?” He turned a full three-sixty while he absorbed her taste.
“Yes, but that still doesn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”
The foyer split a formal dining area on one side of the hall and the formal living room on the other. Both rooms were decorated with flair, could make the cover of one of those home magazines his mother was always reading. Cream and a cranberry-red color were juxtaposed throughout to create an inviting atmosphere despite the formality of expensive and traditional furniture. He liked the rooms because they told him that while Judith followed convention, she couldn’t hide her creative streak.
“Well?” The one word drew his attention. She stood and stared at him with hands on her hips.
Grinning, he gave her body a slow perusal, starting at the top of her head and ending at her elegantly shaped bare feet, made sexier with red toenails. He’d obviously gotten her out of bed. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was a mess and she had no makeup on this morning. She wore a knee-length sleeveless t-shirt with a scalloped edge and no collar. The shirt fell over an elegant shoulder, exposing it, while also outlining a perfect pair of breasts.
An instant shot of lust hit him. Thoughts of bending over to kiss one of those breasts bounced around his brain before he could catch and subdue them. Her allure was tempting. Almost too tempting, but he quickly willed his libido to shut down. Lust would have to wait.
“Get dressed.” Since grabbing her and heading for the nearest bed were out of the question, he added, “I came to take you to the building for an early inspection before they start gutting the inside this afternoon. I want to snap a few ‘before’ shots.”
“Really?” Judith appeared torn. Dev could plainly read the mental debate on her face; her longing to tell him he was nuts warring with her desire to be at the site.
He relaxed when he saw her smile. He’d won this round.
“I’m usually an early riser, but not this morning. It’s going to take me a few minutes and I need coffee. So, while I’m showering make yourself useful. You can make coffee, can’t you?” she said in a voice full of laughter. “It’s easy, you just grind and pour.”
Fascinated, Dev watched her turn and sashay toward her bedroom. Such a contradiction. An enticing, arousing goddess one minute and a laughing, innocent kid the next.
Before she could take another step, he grabbed her hand, twirled her around, and hauled her up to him. Her surprised expression had his grin widening. He rather liked surprising her.
“Such a smart mouth and so demanding this early in the morning. Punishment for a comment like that is a kiss.” His mouth then descended over hers.
At first, the kiss was playful, meant only to be a flirtation and she responded in kind. Yet, it deepened and changed to something more serious.
Judith’s lips were soft and yielding and, as he remembered, the contact electric. From the moment he’d spotted her walking into his office the day before, he’d been dying to see if she tasted as good as he remembered. Reality was better. The woman was made for him. She twisted his stomach inside out now as easily as she had all those years ago.
When her hand slid tentatively around his neck, he didn’t hesitate to take advantage, maneuvering them both against the wall. Fully aroused and under her spell, he stepped closer to her warmth so she could feel his need.
A powerful, primal urge to lift her shirt and seduce her with sensation was all encompassing and too much like their last encounter.
Somehow through the erotic haze he sensed her withdrawal. Immediately, he stopped. She managed to turn her head and break the connnection with his lips. When she tried to pull away, his arms tightened. He rested his chin on her head, closed his eyes to gain control of his senses, and didn’t allow her to move.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered a moment later. “I never meant for that to happen. Why don’t you go in and shower and I’ll get coffee?”
He then let her go and turned toward what he thought was her kitchen.
~
Judith scampered into her room and stood with her back against the closed door for support, taking countless deep breaths. She was in big trouble. No, she was in humongous trouble.
How could she not be, after awakening to him standing in her living room all sexy and tempting? She’d have to be dead not to appreciate Dev’s blatant masculine appeal. How could she deny an attraction to him, especially after that kiss? Who wouldn’t be unsettled after that? Paul’s kisses had never curled her toes. If they had, she might have married him.
She tried to block the mental image of Dev dressed casually in a navy polo that brought out the blue of his eyes. His worn jeans were old, faded, and had shrunk a bit, fitting him like a second skin, hugging his butt and showing off muscular, well-developed thighs. Her insides quivered from the memory.
Oh, good grief! Why was she having such thoughts? It was so unlike her. She closed her eyes and continued breathing slowly, trying to forget—everything.
By choice, she still rarely dated, and she was used to keeping guys at a distance. She certainly didn’t kiss many. What was it about him? None of the men she currently knew made her want to have hot, uninhibited sex after only one dinner and a kiss.
Sighing, she headed for the bathroom.
She needed to keep her equilibrium and not let sex get in the way. If she succumbed to lust, it could screw things up, making it difficult to work together. She turned on the shower and stepped into it. While soaping up, she thought about how she could slow things.
Judith resolved right then to talk to Dev and get his agreement to keep his hands to himself if he wanted her to work on his project. It was an empty threat because nothing would keep her off the project at this point, but the decision made her feel better.
~
In the kitchen, Dev found the coffeepot, beans, and grinder. Thankfully, she liked fresh-ground coffee. He needed a jolt of caffeine to settle his nerves and get his mind off sex.
He wasn’t a teenage boy who couldn’t keep it in his pants, for God’s sake. He was thirty-three years old and proud of the fact that his control made women moan with pleasure. The one person who had ever made him lose his control was taking a shower at that very moment.
It took supreme effort not to run in and take her there, wet and slippery. He seriously considered it, knowing he could achieve his objective considering her response.
Hell, what was wrong with him? Where was his control? His resolve?
If he acted on his urges, the game would be over and he’d be the loser. Again. The thought kept him in the kitchen.
He was truly in deep shit. Judith affected him too much. Much more than he’d anticipated, so he had to rethink his strategy.
Dev’s original plan hadn’t taken into account this strong sexual pull between them. Eventually he’d get what he wanted out of her, but he wanted it to be on his terms, with her out of control, not him. Besides, he enjoyed her company…didn’t want the game to be over so quickly. Once he walked away, their ties would be severed forever. That thought unsettled him.
He heard the bedroom door open. Seconds later Judith rounded the doorway and walked toward him wearing an expression etched in determination.
She’d applied her makeup sparingly. Now fully dressed in jeans and a casual shirt, she had a fresh, youthful look about her, seeming so calm and reserved, not at all like the siren in his arms moments ago. Dev grinned. He doubted many knew about those hidden passions lurking just below the surface of her cool detachment.
Steeling himself for the verbal battle obviously about to begin, he watched her walk up to the coffeepot and pour the fragrant, steaming liquid into a cup he’d set out.
She took a drink and inhaled.
When she looked over at him, all he could see was her soft, kissable mouth, slightly
swollen from their antics not fifteen minutes earlier.
With effort, he moved his focus higher and met her defiant gaze. Damn, if she only knew how provocative she was when she stared at him with those icy, calm eyes.
“Look, Mac—I mean, Dev. I’ve been thinking.”
Oh boy, here it comes.
“I’ve always tried to be honest in my dealings with people. Because I’m not about to stop the habit now, I won’t sugarcoat this, so here goes.” Judith inhaled deeply, as if extra air gave her added courage, and continued. “I find you extremely attractive. I’d love nothing better than to jump into the nearest bed and have what I think would be a mind-blowing experience. However, I’m going to refrain because I want to work with you on this job. We can’t let sex and feelings get involved, so we need to come to an understanding.”
“I’m listening,” he said, her honesty drawing his admiration. He certainly hadn’t expected this tack.
“The way I see it, we need to set a couple of ground rules. We’re both adults who should be able to work together without falling all over each other.”
He nodded in agreement. “Tell me your rules and I’ll see if I can live with them.”
“Okay, first…no kissing. Kissing only gets us into trouble.”
“No!” Dev stated firmly. He could never agree to anything so ludicrous. Whenever he got within a foot of her, all he could think about was kissing her; when he was kissing her, all he could think of was getting her flat on her back. So the rule was definitely out of the question.
“What do you mean, no?” she asked, straightening her shoulders and eyeing him cautiously.
“I mean no, I won’t agree. I’ll never agree to something when I know I can’t follow through. However, I’ll promise to try not to kiss you.” He offered his most charming smile and said, “How’s that?”
“You’re something else,” Judith said, grinning back and shaking her head. Then sobering, she added, “I don’t know. We need to keep our distance. We’re embarking on a professional endeavor, so let’s keep everything on a business level. Surely you can agree to that?”
“I always keep business and pleasure separated. I promise you when we’re working together, it’ll be about business and only business. However, I reserve the right to pursue you when the whistle blows at the end of the day.”
“But I don’t want you to. Haven’t you been listening?”
Dev’s smile grew when he caught her frustration. Frustration was good. Kept her off balance. “That’s not what your lips told me a few minutes ago.”
~
Judith gaped at him. Was he serious? This wasn’t going as planned. She had to make him understand.
“Dev, I’m not going to sleep with you.” At least not until after the building was done.
“Oh?” His eyebrows shot up. Then his manner turned smug. “Honesty begets honesty, Judith. I want you and your reaction tells me you want me. I’ll never force myself on you, but I’m giving you fair warning. A sexual relationship is my main goal, and exactly where my efforts will be directed. All you have to do is say no and I will stop. But…make no mistake, we will make love…eventually. When it happens, you’ll definitely be saying yes.”
His arrogant confidence irritated her. Still, she wasn’t naïve enough to ignore his warning. Not when he spoke the truth. Unsure how she got herself into this position, she could only sigh. At least she understood his intentions. Hopefully, her stay of execution would allow her to hold him off until she could come up with another plan.
“Can we get croissants on the way?” she asked. “I’m starving.”
Dev chuckled at her obvious diversion and didn’t answer.
She walked to the cupboard over the sink, reached in to take out two travel mugs, and proceeded to fill one up. “I have an extra travel cup if you want more coffee. We can drink it on the way. I’m anxious to get to the building, so let’s go.”
“Yeah, I’d like more.” His eyes bore into hers, the implication clear.
Judith averted her gaze, feeling heat seep into her face. She bit her lower lip to avoid answering, and held out the extra cup.
His self-satisfied expression told her he hadn’t missed her uneasiness as he took the pot and filled the cup she handed him. He snapped on the lid and started toward the door.
“I’ll drive. No sense taking two cars when parking’s such a pain.”
Judith wasn’t exactly thrilled with his suggestion, but she kept it to herself and followed him out. “I’ll agree to anything as long as I get my croissants.”
Dev hit the keyless entry and the locks clicked on a sporty black Lexus parked in front of her house. He opened the passenger door and waited. Once she was seated, he raced around and slid behind the wheel in a fluid motion.
“Do you have a favorite bakery in mind?” He spared her a brief nod after driving a block. “If not, there’s one on the way.”
“No, I’m not fussy about my indulgences.” She bit her tongue, wishing she’d chosen her words more carefully. She chanced a glance at him.
Judging by his smirk, he definitely caught the double meaning.
“Well, I can certainly try to satisfy one of your cravings.”
“Will you stop?” She tried not to smile.
“What? I’m stopping for croissants.”
Dev’s expression turned so innocent she couldn’t stop the laugh that burst free. “Behave,” she warned. “You promised to be professional.”
“You started it. Remember, Judith. Don’t start something if you’re not willing to finish it. I only have so much patience.”
Though spoken in jest, what she glimpsed in his intense gaze told her he wasn’t joking. She swallowed hard and looked away.
Neither spoke until he stopped in front of a bakery and glanced at her with eyebrows raised.
“I’ll buy, if you’ll run in.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out a ten. “Get me a couple of cheese croissants.”
“Sure. I’ll be right back.”
She was in and out in no time.
Minutes later he parked the Lexus in front of the building because it was still early and no other cars lined the street. At the entrance, Dev was about to hand his coffee over to her when Judith shrugged, holding up coffee in one hand and the croissants in the other.
He nodded. One-handed, he finagled the key into the lock and turned it, then used his shoulder to push open the big heavy door. He held the door open with his body, waiting for her to go in ahead of him. As soon as he stepped inside, it slammed shut.
“Let’s eat first. I left the camera in the car. I’ll go back and get it when we’re ready to take pictures.”
Dev headed toward a window ledge about thigh high. He shoved clutter to the floor and sat. “Come on, Judith, you can sit here.” He patted the spot next to him. “I won’t bite. It’s not a four-star restaurant, but it’ll do.”
Judith walked over and sat down, setting down the bag between them.
They ate for a moment in silence that was easy rather than awkward.
When he finished with his first croissant, Dev started talking, telling her about the building. He knew most of its eighty-year history. After they finished their quick meal, he took her on a tour.
He led her up the first floor stairwell to the second floor. “Watch your step.”
She avoided piles of debris and glanced around. The ravages of time and use had taken their toll. Rotten wood was noticeable everywhere. So was rust.
“You can tell this building hasn’t been remodeled since the fifties.” Wherever she turned, she saw faded wallpaper or paint that begged to be redone, or outdated fixtures that needed replacing.
“It’s pretty ugly,” he replied, brushing a smudge of dust off his pants. Looking at the mess, he added, “I’m sure we’ll see big differences in before and after.”
Judith walked over to a corner and pulled at a piece of curling linoleum. “Look at this.” She knocked on what lie underneath. “Thi
ck. Hard. Wood. What I call hidden treasure. Most old buildings were built using wood and stone meant to last centuries. After this old junk is removed and it’s refinished, this floor will shine like new.” When he merely nodded, she said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice, “They don’t make solid wood plank floors like this anymore.”
She made a sweeping motion with her hand. “In a couple of months, once the place is gutted, new walls put in, moldings repaired and new fixtures installed, it’ll look like new.”
“Hidden treasures. Hmmm.” Dev smiled. “I trust your talent.” He started for the stairwell door. “I want to get my camera. I’ll be right back.”
Judith nodded. As promised, his business demeanor hadn’t slipped once. While he was gone, she began to relax and inspected further. Before long, she lowered her guard even more; she was enjoying herself too much to continue worrying when worrying took some of the fun out of the experience.
Dev eventually returned with his camera in hand and began snapping pictures as they finished the tour.
It wasn’t until they headed in the direction of his car when Judith remembered his board meeting. She waited until he pulled away from the curb, before asking, “I thought you had to get approval from your board today. Wasn’t the meeting supposed to be at eleven? If so, you’re late.”
Startled by the question, Dev’s eyes narrowed in confusion. Then he smiled and replied smoothly, “Oh, I took care of it and had a subordinate submit your plans. With my stamp of approval, it was merely a formality anyway.”
“I thought you were going to be busy this morning. How come you’re free all of a sudden?” Judith asked, suddenly suspicious.
Dev shrugged. “Those plans included inspecting the building. I decided you might want to join me is all.”
She accepted his reasonable answer and for the rest of the drive neither felt they had to entertain the other with inane chatter.
Soon he pulled up to her house and turned off the ignition, shrouding them in complete silence. Instantly, the space in the car shrank.
