Page 76 of Planned Seduction
“It was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here.” Her body was stiff, poised to bolt at the slightest hint of him weakening.
“Yeah, but you are, and I want to know why. What were you trying to tell me?” His voice was low, and his breath tickled her neck.
Every nerve ending stood to attention. “It’s not important.”
“Five minutes ago, it was important enough for you to wake me up in the middle of the night.”
“Five minutes ago, I didn’t know you were with her.”
He spun her around. “Her?”
“Janine. Remember? The woman walking around half-naked in your apartment?”
He dropped his hands and took a step back, muttering a few choice expletives. “You must pride yourself on your low opinion of me.”
“You don’t leave me much choice.” She was hurting, and she wanted to hurt him back. Hell, she wanted to punch his lights out.
“I suppose it makes sense. You see a woman in my apartment and automatically assume I’m sleeping with her.”
“What else am I supposed to think?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “That you’re working on your article at three in the morning?”
“Something like that.”
“‘Something like that’? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means she’s staying at my place until we finish the article.” He was shouting now. Well, not quite shouting, but his voice was much harsher than usual. “Is that such a crime?”
“It is if you’re fucking her.”
“And why is that? Because you’re jealous?” This time when he spoke, his voice was soft and much, much colder.
She glared at him. She was jealous. She was sick with jealousy.
“You lost your right to that emotion five weeks ago.”
The fight drained out of her and her shoulders sagged. What could she say? She didn’t have the right to be jealous. “Look, I’m sorry I woke you. I shouldn’t have come. Go back to Janine. I’m going home.”
“Christ, you’re stubborn.”
She stared at him.
“I’m not sleeping with her.”
Somewhere, a flicker of hope began to burn. “You’re not?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Why the hell do you think not?” He grabbed her shoulders and hauled her against him. “Because I love you,” he bit out before crushing his lips to hers.
The world tipped off its axis as relief filtered through Amy’s tumultuous emotions. He loved her. He held her so tightly she couldn’t breathe, but it didn’t matter. His mouth assaulted hers, bruising it, but she didn’t care. He loved her.
He wrenched his lips away. “Wait…you still haven’t told me what you’re doing here.”
Her voice was unsteady, breathless from the ferocity of his kiss. “I…came to…tell you I love you.” It felt good to be back in his arms again. She was content to stay there for the rest of her life. “And to say I’m sorry for being such an idiot and not believing in you or in our future.”
“Has that changed? Do you believe now?” Although his arms tightened around her, his tone was unforgiving.
