name?”
“The night you were attacked, your father called on your cell. I noticed his last name was Hughes and assumed. Was I wrong?”
“No.” He shook his head, his gaze unfocused as if he was considering what to admit. “No, you’re not wrong. I am Stone Hughes.”
She set the egg down she’d taken out and put her hands on her hips. “You say that like you’re somebody important, and I’m beginning to wonder the same. I mean you drive a Lamborghini for Pete’s sake, and you have a secretary named James.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off and turned back to the food. “That’s not important right now. Don’t worry about it. Your growling stomach is hinting that if I don’t make this omelet quick you’re liable to eat me for dinner.”
In that minute, Tielle was grateful for her dark skin. She blushed, something she never did, when she said he was liable to eat her. Did everything she blurted out have to have sexual overtones? Her usual cool teasing had gone out the window the moment they were in her private space and he wasn’t flat on his back unconscious.
She faced the eggs and worked like her life depended on it. About to demand what the hell was going on with him, she lost her nerve and stopped him from answering. This was way out of character for her, and if she didn’t get a grip quick, tonight and maybe the next few days would be full of regrets.
* * * *
Stone vacated the position he’d taken up a few feet from Tielle so he could watch her cook. He moved to stand behind her and let his hands come down on her shoulders. A tremor went through her body. Something told him Tielle wasn’t used to being out of control, and that’s just what she felt in his presence. Knowing it pleased him. He liked to keep the woman he had interest in guessing about him. That is, until she learned how rich his family was. Then all the mystery was gone, at least on her part. She’d become a clingy simpleton that he couldn’t remove without a fight, and he would be forced to find a new bed partner. Tonight, he considered looking for Tielle in a rental, something less flashy and expensive, but deep inside, he found he wanted her to know the truth right from the start, to judge whether she was like every other woman. He didn’t expect her to be different, but he wanted to her to be. Maybe that was unfair.
For a moment, while he pressed close to her and feathered kisses along her slender neck, he thought about leaving her in the dark about who he was. He could lie and say he had borrowed the car from a friend because he loved the speed and the power. He could say he was Joe Average and enjoy a longer time with her, enjoying her sexy body.
From his position above her, he caught the soft swell of her breasts inside her dress. He envisioned licking those tight buds while watching and listening to her reaction. His cock swelled with his thoughts, and from the way she jerked whipping the eggs, he knew she’d noticed.
No, Tielle deserved the truth, for whatever reason he didn’t care to identify. “You might have heard of The Einin Hughes Corporation.”
She gasped and looked up at him. “Your father?”
“My great-grandmother. The family owns several companies under the parent conglomerate, the main one being a whiskey distillery.”
Tielle seemed dazed. “Irish Whiskey. Go figure.”
He nodded. “So now you know. And yes, my bumbling secretary was the one who followed you. I apologize for that if he frightened you.”
She rolled her eyes. “He didn’t. But now that you’ve admitted you’re made of money…”
He stiffened, feeling a frown settling over his features, and he narrowed his eyes. “Yes?” He knew what she was going to say.
“I’m just not sure if we should go any further. I don’t think I’d want to date someone like you.”
“What?” She could not have shocked him more. He blinked. “Let me get this straight. My having money puts you
“The night you were attacked, your father called on your cell. I noticed his last name was Hughes and assumed. Was I wrong?”
“No.” He shook his head, his gaze unfocused as if he was considering what to admit. “No, you’re not wrong. I am Stone Hughes.”
She set the egg down she’d taken out and put her hands on her hips. “You say that like you’re somebody important, and I’m beginning to wonder the same. I mean you drive a Lamborghini for Pete’s sake, and you have a secretary named James.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off and turned back to the food. “That’s not important right now. Don’t worry about it. Your growling stomach is hinting that if I don’t make this omelet quick you’re liable to eat me for dinner.”
In that minute, Tielle was grateful for her dark skin. She blushed, something she never did, when she said he was liable to eat her. Did everything she blurted out have to have sexual overtones? Her usual cool teasing had gone out the window the moment they were in her private space and he wasn’t flat on his back unconscious.
She faced the eggs and worked like her life depended on it. About to demand what the hell was going on with him, she lost her nerve and stopped him from answering. This was way out of character for her, and if she didn’t get a grip quick, tonight and maybe the next few days would be full of regrets.
* * * *
Stone vacated the position he’d taken up a few feet from Tielle so he could watch her cook. He moved to stand behind her and let his hands come down on her shoulders. A tremor went through her body. Something told him Tielle wasn’t used to being out of control, and that’s just what she felt in his presence. Knowing it pleased him. He liked to keep the woman he had interest in guessing about him. That is, until she learned how rich his family was. Then all the mystery was gone, at least on her part. She’d become a clingy simpleton that he couldn’t remove without a fight, and he would be forced to find a new bed partner. Tonight, he considered looking for Tielle in a rental, something less flashy and expensive, but deep inside, he found he wanted her to know the truth right from the start, to judge whether she was like every other woman. He didn’t expect her to be different, but he wanted to her to be. Maybe that was unfair.
For a moment, while he pressed close to her and feathered kisses along her slender neck, he thought about leaving her in the dark about who he was. He could lie and say he had borrowed the car from a friend because he loved the speed and the power. He could say he was Joe Average and enjoy a longer time with her, enjoying her sexy body.
From his position above her, he caught the soft swell of her breasts inside her dress. He envisioned licking those tight buds while watching and listening to her reaction. His cock swelled with his thoughts, and from the way she jerked whipping the eggs, he knew she’d noticed.
No, Tielle deserved the truth, for whatever reason he didn’t care to identify. “You might have heard of The Einin Hughes Corporation.”
She gasped and looked up at him. “Your father?”
“My great-grandmother. The family owns several companies under the parent conglomerate, the main one being a whiskey distillery.”
Tielle seemed dazed. “Irish Whiskey. Go figure.”
He nodded. “So now you know. And yes, my bumbling secretary was the one who followed you. I apologize for that if he frightened you.”
She rolled her eyes. “He didn’t. But now that you’ve admitted you’re made of money…”
He stiffened, feeling a frown settling over his features, and he narrowed his eyes. “Yes?” He knew what she was going to say.
“I’m just not sure if we should go any further. I don’t think I’d want to date someone like you.”
“What?” She could not have shocked him more. He blinked. “Let me get this straight. My having money puts you
Similar Books
