worried look, he offered her a boyish grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll have someone come by tomorrow to take care of it.”
She drew in a deep breath before she asked the que s tion that plagued her. “Do you think someone broke it i n tentionally?”
He crossed the distance to rub her arms with his hands. “It was probably just an animal.”
She knew it was a lie.
They both knew it.
And when she looked up into his eyes, she realized that the episode in the parking lot was far from over.
It was just beginning.
* * * *
Melanie awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh-brewing coffee. She stretched languidly, the sheets sliding over her naked body. Slipping out of bed, she pulled her robe on before walking into the kitchen. Connor stood in front of the stove, the muscles on his bare back flexing as he leaned over. The dress slacks he wore revealed the outline of firm buttocks.
As if he sensed her presence, he looked over his shou l der. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. The sheepish grin he offered her made her heart beat faster.
“Coffee?”
At her nod, he filled a mug before handing it to her. She took a sip, savoring the flavor as he continued.
“I’d hoped to give you breakfast in bed,” he confessed.
She tilted her head to the side. “You make a pretty good cup of coffee,” she observed.
He turned his attention back to the stove, letting out a low chuckle. “I do have my good points, you know,” he quipped.
Her eyebrows arched, the corners of her mouth tilting up. “So you’ve said,” she teased.
He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow arced. “You doubt it?” he prodded.
She shrugged. “I’m still waiting to see more evidence before I make my final judgment.”
Pulling the pan from the burner, he flipped the dial. Setting it to the side, he began to advance toward her, a hungry predator stalking its prey.
“I’d be happy to prove it to you,” he offered.
Her nipples peaked under the thin robe, begging to be touched. He backed her up against the wall, his body brus h ing against hers as his mouth hovered over her lips. Just as he was about to kiss her, her stomach let out a low rumble.
Color crept into her cheeks as his eyebrows lifted.
“Maybe we should satisfy that appetite first before we start on the other,” he suggested playfully. “Besides, I worked too hard on breakfast to let it get cold, and I have a feeling that proving myself is going to take quite a bit of time.”
The words were spoken lightly, but she knew that the meaning was much more intense. Rather than pursue it, she let him lead her to the table. He carried the food out before taking a place next to her at the table.
“So, are you coming into the office today?” he queried.
The slight clenching of his jaw was the only thing that showed how much her answer meant. She set her mug down on the table, her eyes meeting his.
“I have to,” she chided. “I still owe you two weeks.”
He pinned her with an intent stare. “And after that?”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
He leaned back in his chair before looking away. The silence seemed to cover them like an unwelcome, swelte r ing blanket. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Connor, you don’t understand.”
Shaking his head, he let out an exasperated sigh. “No Mel, I really don’t. You love that place. You’ve spent years helping build it. Why are you running now?”
She lifted her chin at the implication. “I’m not running. It’s just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to explain the r e percussions of her actions.
“Is this because Jill saw us together?”
When she didn’t answer, he continued.
“Mel, it will blow over,” he affirmed.
She rolled her eyes. “Assuming the entire office isn’t in on the joke by now,” she replied.
His eyebrows furrowed together on a frown. “What joke?”
Drawing in a deep breath, she plunged forward. “That I’m sleeping with you to keep my
She drew in a deep breath before she asked the que s tion that plagued her. “Do you think someone broke it i n tentionally?”
He crossed the distance to rub her arms with his hands. “It was probably just an animal.”
She knew it was a lie.
They both knew it.
And when she looked up into his eyes, she realized that the episode in the parking lot was far from over.
It was just beginning.
* * * *
Melanie awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh-brewing coffee. She stretched languidly, the sheets sliding over her naked body. Slipping out of bed, she pulled her robe on before walking into the kitchen. Connor stood in front of the stove, the muscles on his bare back flexing as he leaned over. The dress slacks he wore revealed the outline of firm buttocks.
As if he sensed her presence, he looked over his shou l der. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. The sheepish grin he offered her made her heart beat faster.
“Coffee?”
At her nod, he filled a mug before handing it to her. She took a sip, savoring the flavor as he continued.
“I’d hoped to give you breakfast in bed,” he confessed.
She tilted her head to the side. “You make a pretty good cup of coffee,” she observed.
He turned his attention back to the stove, letting out a low chuckle. “I do have my good points, you know,” he quipped.
Her eyebrows arched, the corners of her mouth tilting up. “So you’ve said,” she teased.
He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow arced. “You doubt it?” he prodded.
She shrugged. “I’m still waiting to see more evidence before I make my final judgment.”
Pulling the pan from the burner, he flipped the dial. Setting it to the side, he began to advance toward her, a hungry predator stalking its prey.
“I’d be happy to prove it to you,” he offered.
Her nipples peaked under the thin robe, begging to be touched. He backed her up against the wall, his body brus h ing against hers as his mouth hovered over her lips. Just as he was about to kiss her, her stomach let out a low rumble.
Color crept into her cheeks as his eyebrows lifted.
“Maybe we should satisfy that appetite first before we start on the other,” he suggested playfully. “Besides, I worked too hard on breakfast to let it get cold, and I have a feeling that proving myself is going to take quite a bit of time.”
The words were spoken lightly, but she knew that the meaning was much more intense. Rather than pursue it, she let him lead her to the table. He carried the food out before taking a place next to her at the table.
“So, are you coming into the office today?” he queried.
The slight clenching of his jaw was the only thing that showed how much her answer meant. She set her mug down on the table, her eyes meeting his.
“I have to,” she chided. “I still owe you two weeks.”
He pinned her with an intent stare. “And after that?”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
He leaned back in his chair before looking away. The silence seemed to cover them like an unwelcome, swelte r ing blanket. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Connor, you don’t understand.”
Shaking his head, he let out an exasperated sigh. “No Mel, I really don’t. You love that place. You’ve spent years helping build it. Why are you running now?”
She lifted her chin at the implication. “I’m not running. It’s just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to explain the r e percussions of her actions.
“Is this because Jill saw us together?”
When she didn’t answer, he continued.
“Mel, it will blow over,” he affirmed.
She rolled her eyes. “Assuming the entire office isn’t in on the joke by now,” she replied.
His eyebrows furrowed together on a frown. “What joke?”
Drawing in a deep breath, she plunged forward. “That I’m sleeping with you to keep my
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