The Dare Collection November 2018. Christy McKellen

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СКАЧАТЬ he faced me, his features were drawn tight, his jaw locked in tight control.

      Before he could speak, I raised my chin. ‘I’m not sure exactly what’s going on here but I’m not going to apologise for anything.’

      ‘Nor do I want you to.’ His tone was terse.

      ‘Good, because I could’ve sworn we were both into it,’ I blurted before I could stop myself.

      Again he dragged his fingers through his hair, then shoved both fists in his pockets. He rocked back and forth on his heels, his gaze dropping to his feet for a moment before he started towards the door. ‘I gave you what you wanted, Leonora. But I can’t give you more.’

      Can’t or won’t? The question trembled on my lips, all the reasons why he was denying me flying like crazed bats around my head. I’d sensed his reluctance all along but being rejected still hurt. Not on the scale of my fiancé running off with another woman, but still...

      ‘Come on, I’ll take you home.’

      ‘No, you won’t. I came here on my own and am perfectly capable of seeing myself home.’

      ‘You’ve had more than a couple of drinks.’

      ‘What’s it to you?’ The bewilderment I’d caught in his face moments ago now pulsed through my own voice and I was more than a little irritated with myself for it. This was supposed to be a one-time hook-up. The fact that he was calling a halt to it should’ve pleased me. Yet I couldn’t contain my sense of loss.

      ‘It’s simple, Leonora,’ he drawled. ‘I’m not letting you get behind the wheel of a car when you’ve had a drink.’

      ‘I wasn’t planning to. I’ve got a perfectly good car service on speed dial.’

      Impatience twitched across his face. ‘Since we’re both heading in the same direction, why bother?’

      ‘Don’t you have a client to entertain?’

      ‘Vadim can take care of himself. I’m not his babysitter.’

      ‘That still doesn’t mean I’m willing to go anywhere with you.’ Especially not after that rejection.

      ‘Not even after seeing to that incredible pussy of yours and making you scream my name?’

      I couldn’t stop from blushing like a hormonal teenager, but I could glare at him and I used the full force of my befuddled anger. ‘That was enjoyable enough, sure. What’s happening right now isn’t, though. Is playing hot and cold your thing, then?’

      He muttered something under his breath I didn’t quite catch, then he advanced towards me, his eyes roving up and down my body as if he couldn’t get enough of watching me. Which was even more puzzling.

      When he reached me, he slowly drew his hand from his pocket and rubbed a knuckle down my cheek. ‘Do you really think I don’t want to fuck you? That every cell in my body isn’t yearning to lay you back down on that table and pound us both into next bloody Wednesday?’

      I opened my mouth to ask him why the hell wasn’t he doing exactly that but I’d already begged him to fuck me, twice, and he’d responded by turning his back on me. I wasn’t going for thirds.

      Right then, another terrible thought hit me, drenching me with ice water. ‘Please don’t tell me you performed oral sex on me but finally grew a conscience and stopped because of another woman. Because no matter how much you justify it to yourself, what we did already crossed the line the moment you laid a finger on me.’

      His face turned to stone. ‘One thing you should know about me, Leonora, is that loyalty and fidelity are paramount in my book. I don’t forgive easily and I never forgive the smallest betrayal. Remember that.’

      Relief crashed over me, as did the unsettling question of why he’d stopped himself from doing what we clearly both wanted. I wasn’t going to ask, though. With my orgasm now a hazy memory, my brain was circling back to the initial reason for coming to this room. I hadn’t told Gideon about my decision not to join the crew Monday.

      I opened my mouth to speak but he was striding towards the door. ‘Hang on a second.’

      He didn’t stop. ‘No, sweetheart, I can’t.’ Again there was that painful throb in his voice. ‘I bloody well can’t stay in this room much longer, smelling you, remembering how you taste, how you screamed my name when you came, the way you roll your body when you’re lost deep in pleasure. You’ve damned well pushed my control to the limits twice already. I don’t want to test it a third time. So I’m taking you home right now.’ He yanked open the door and stepped out into the hallway.

      The forceful delivery of his words and the renewed fireworks erupting through my body struck me dumb for several seconds, the questions that bubbled to the tip of my tongue forgotten.

      When he raised his eyebrow, I forced myself to move.

      In silence we left the casino. At the front entrance, a limo pulled up. He held the door open for me. I slid inside, stowing myself at the far corner.

      His admission that he wanted me affected me in ways I couldn’t describe.

      I’d never once taken advantage of my feminine power but, watching Gideon’s masculine body slide in after me, I was tempted to push his buttons, tempt him into taking things further.

      The door slamming yanked me back into my senses. Was it only yesterday that I’d condemned him for being just like my father in his brazen playboy attitude? And here I was, contemplating playing the siren.

      Shame dragged through me, rendering me silent as Gideon pulled his bow tie free and flung it away. It landed on the adjacent seat. Then he tugged on a few buttons before reaching for a decanter of cognac.

      When I shook my head at his raised eyebrow, he poured himself a shot and knocked it back.

      He was clearly wound tight, and, fresh from examining my own questionable feelings, I chose the safer subject of business. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’

      ‘Is there?’ Clipped words, as if he was barely holding himself together.

      ‘I won’t be joining the crew on Monday.’

      Grey eyes snapped to my face. ‘Why the hell not?’

      ‘I redid the ratios and I’m confident you’ll be fine without me. I also spoke to the captain and his assistant. Between them they can tell you everything you need to know about the vessel.’

      ‘You knew all of this when you came to meet me. You knew this when I signed the agreement. So you deliberately misled me?’ Anger throbbed in his voice as he disposed of his glass.

      ‘I thought I could make it work but I can’t.’

      ‘Bullshit. You waited until I signed on the dotted line before attempting to renegotiate the terms. Well, too bloody bad for you, Leonora. I’m holding you to what we agreed.’

      ‘Your guest list isn’t so extensive that it needs the extra staff member, so it all works out—’

      ‘It СКАЧАТЬ