Read Online ReclaimedSurrender by Riley Murphy - Free Book Online Page A

cloth,
adjusting the tented wrinkles and folding and unfolding the edges, while she
tried to figure out her feelings.
    That took all of thirty seconds. There was no figuring out
to be done. She was hot for him. Anger or no anger. That was the truth. Maybe
it was time they put what happened behind them. Time for her to forgive him for
what he’d done and make him promise never to do it again. Why couldn’t she have
found a birth control pill that worked for her? It would have made all this so
much easier.
    “Rene?”
    “Yeah.”
    Her hand fell away from the cloth. Knowing he was right
behind her, she tilted her head to let him see that she was considering things.
“I don’t see how me doing our chores is getting us anywhere. I mean,”
she turned and shook her hair behind her shoulders, “it makes no sense. Why
don’t we just,” she shrugged, “you know, do it.”
    “Do.” He sat on the arm of his Burmese leather chair. “It?”
    “I’m sure you’re not loving this intimate awkwardness
either. It’s as if we’re virgins or something.” She made a face. “Maybe we
should think about rediscovering each other kind of like ripping off a
Band-Aid. It’s over fast and then we can relax and do it without the worry.”
    “I’m not worried.” But his look told her she should be.
“Start polishing.”
    “Why should we prolong the inevitable?”
    “Are you telling me you’re ready to beg me to get back into
my bed?”
    She blinked, wondering where he’d gotten that idea. “No.”
    His lips pressed together and his eyebrows arched. He didn’t
need to say the words that’s why because they were written all over his
face.
    “Fine.” She turned and snatched the oil and cloth off the
credenza and then whirled back around. “But this is no way—”
    He held up a hand. “To get back into your good graces?”
    Her nod may have been curt, but the look that accompanied it
was mutinous. At least she hoped it was.
    “Honey, if I thought I had done something wrong and I needed
to get back into your good graces because of it, I would have already done so
six months ago. This whole time hasn’t been you denying me. Far from it. It’s
been me denying you. But now that I’ve discovered it’s not totally your fault
I’m prepared to forgive you.”
    “You? You’re prepared to forgive me?” She nearly dropped the
lemon oil. His audacity knew no bounds. “It’s been me denying you. A-and…” She
knew it was childish but she did it anyway. She raised her chin a couple of
notches and sniffed. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not ready to forgive you.”
    That lofty comment was ignored while he zeroed in on
another. “You deny me?”
    He was totally amused. His dark eyes sparkled and his
gorgeous lips curled up in the wickedest, most infuriating grin imaginable.
Damn him. “Yes.”
    “Babe, if I wanted to get into your pants or your mouth or
any other part of you I desire, it would take me less than five minutes to do
it.”
    That hit her like a slap in the face because they both knew
it was true. He was like a drug to her. Dangerous. Her present predicament
proved that, didn’t it? She’d only spent an hour and half with him, doing
housework no less, and she was ready to cave and forgive him. She wasn’t that
weak, was she?
    Yes, you are, that’s why you’ve been smart keeping your
distance.
    “Less than five minutes, huh?” She tossed the bottle of
lemon oil up in the air and caught it, trying to appear somewhat cocky and
confident even though she was dying inside. It was one thing to give up your
power and another to have it taken away. “So why don’t you?”
    His jaw tightened. She watched in fascination as his cheek
muscles shifted and flexed under his stubble-roughened skin as if he were
gnashing his teeth together. A moment later she knew he was because he spoke
through those pearly whites without unclenching them. “This is the last time
I’m going to say this. You are the one who has to