“Aw, that’s so sweet,” she said, laughing.
“No, it wasn’t.” He shook his head. “I can laugh about it now and I can be grateful for all those hours in the lab. I started my software company back in high school.”
“You did?” Celine could have guessed he was the genius type but he’d far exceeded her expectations.
“Your parents must have been so proud.”
“They were, but at the time I almost wished I could have been a normal kid. It wasn’t easy being the school geek.” He shrugged but there was a pain in his eyes that he could not hide.
“You were bullied?”
“Yeah,” he said casually. “Like most nerdy kids I was the brunt of jokes. Got beat up a fair number of times.”
“Oh, no,” she whispered. Her heart went out to the kid he’d been. He must have suffered so much.
“But, hey,” he continued, “it all worked out great. It was all those hours spent hiding in the computer lab that made me the man I am today.”
And what a man that was. He was as far from geek as could be. He had a sophistication about him, an aura of self-assurance that made him compelling. And it didn’t hurt that he was extraordinarily handsome. No wonder she found him irresistible.
As if thinking similar thoughts Celine and Pierce turned to each other at the same time. When their eyes met she knew he was thinking exactly what she was thinking. She wanted him so much her mouth went dry.
There was nothing she wanted more right now than to have his arms around her, his lips on hers. But as she gazed back at him she knew he would not make that move.
So she did.
With newfound boldness Celine slid across the sofa, closing the few inches that separated their bodies. Then before she could change her mind she reached her hand up to touch his cheek.
He stared down at her, his green eyes sparkling with emotion, but still he made no move. He was waiting for her to take the lead.
Sliding her hand to the back of his head she tilted it down until his lips touched hers. She moaned as her body tingled in anticipation.
Only then did he move. Sliding his arms around her he leaned into the kiss, taking full control as she knew he would. She gasped as his tongue slid past her lips to taste her, tease her then plunder her till she felt like her very bones had turned to liquid.
As they kissed, Celine slid her hands inside the neck of his T-shirt to caress his shoulders and then as the passion of his kiss intensified she clung to him as if for dear life.
The moment he lifted his mouth from hers she dipped her head and caught his ear lobe between her teeth. She felt a thrill of satisfaction when she heard him groan. She pressed her advantage, sliding her lips down his neck. Then she was lifting his T-shirt to feather soft kisses across the broad muscles of his chest now bare to her gaze.
She did not meet his eyes. She refused to look at him, knowing there’d be questions there. This time she wanted nothing to get in the way. Just as he’d done to her she moved her lips lower, lower until she’d caught a taut flat nipple between her teeth. When he moaned she smiled and she did not stop. She covered that sensitive part of him with her lips and sucked and nibbled until his chest heaved and his heart pounded in his ears.
Next, she slid her hands down his taut, muscled belly and stopped just shy of the top of his sweatpants. Dared she go farther?
Yes, she dared. She loved this man. She knew that without a doubt. And now, whatever the consequences, she was ready.
She was sliding her hands under the waistband of his sweatpants when she felt firm hands on hers.
“Celine, stop now or else I won’t be responsible for my actions.” His voice was hoarse, his breathing labored. She knew he was trying hard to resist her.
But she wouldn’t let him get away. Not this time.
“You won’t be responsible,” she whispered. “I will.”
With a groan he reached for her and hauled her up so he could capture her mouth. He gave her a searing kiss that told of pent-up passion and want.
And then, ever so gently, he pushed her away, sat up and shoved his T-shirt back down.
Celine stared at him in shocked silence. It took several seconds before she could speak. “What are you doing?” she asked, totally bewildered. “Why did you stop me?”
Tucking the T-shirt into his sweatpants, almost as if to shield himself from her, he looked at her with an expression she could not figure out. “I had to stop you. I didn’t want you doing something you would regret.”
“But I wanted it,” she said. “I’m ready, Pierce. I really want this.”
He stared back at her, his face a reflection of the battle raging inside him. But then he shook his head. “No. You don’t. Not yet.” He got up and when he looked back at her his face was serious and his lips tight. “I’m going to turn in now. I suggest you go to bed.”
Then he turned and walked to the door and just like that he was gone.
Celine sat on the couch, unable to move. Tonight had turned out to be one of the worst nights of her life. She’d come to Pierce ready to give him everything, and he refused the one thing she had to give. What else could she give a man that had it all? What else but herself?
But he’d rejected her most precious gift and now she knew it was no use trying. She’d never be good enough for Pierce D’Amato.
CHAPTER NINE
The days that followed were difficult for Celine. It was hard having to put on a cheerful face, laughing and playing with Kylie, when inside she was dying. Each time she was in the same room with Pierce she felt the heat of embarrassment rise in her face as the memory of his rejection came rushing back. Each time he spoke to her she avoided his eyes, not wanting to see amusement or scorn reflected there. She would not be able to live with that. When she left she wanted to remember the good times she’d had in this house. She did not want to spoil those memories any more than they’d already been blemished by that night.
By the following week, though, things began to improve. She’d finally accepted the fact that outside of their working relationship there would never be anything between her and Pierce. Of course, she’d known that from the beginning. Still, she’d been stupid enough to let herself fall under the spell of their situation living under his roof, spending so much time together. She’d forgotten her role. Now, though, things were back in perspective. She knew where she stood and she would never let herself forget it.