‘Oh! I thought since you arrived earlier than I did, you might have already dealt with them,’ she gabbled, sick with relief that he was prepared to continue working with her.
‘No, I haven’t.’ A positively arctic response.
‘Fine. Okay. I’ll get right onto them.’
She fled, her heart almost bursting with pain. It was finished…
James watched her swift exit, seething over her air of crisp efficiency. The saucy little skirt twitched provocatively as she turned her back on him, reminding him of how little she wore under it. How he was going to block that knowledge out of his mind for the rest of the day he didn’t know, but be damned if he’d let her pull his strings any way she liked.
Whether Buffy had said those things or not, Lucy had definitely used them to gain the upper hand on him, reducing him to nothing more than an experience she’d fancied trying. He’d almost been goaded into whipping her off home with him for a day-long session in bed. But he didn’t have to prove anything to her and he wasn’t about to invite any further critical appraisal, either on his physique or his performance.
Lucy Worthington was not going to dominate him, not physically or mentally. She could play those manipulative games with her other lovers, but she’d find him a harder nut to crack. He’d satisfy her curiosity in his own good time, and on his terms. And one thing he was determined on with her—exclusive rights! If she thought she could juggle both him and Josh Rogan and anyone else she took a fancy to…
A bolt of shock hit him.
He strode to the connecting door, needing the question instantly settled. Lucy was seated at her desk, fingers tapping away at the keyboard with the firepower of a woodpecker—efficiency plus!
‘Do you have a clean bill of health?’ he shot at her.
Her head snapped towards him but her expression seemed totally blank, as though her mind hadn’t connected to what he said.
‘We just had unprotected sex, Lucy,’ he bit out tersely. ‘Is there a problem I should know about?’
‘Oh!’ Heat scorched her cheeks. ‘Do you mean…could I get pregnant?’
‘No.’ He frowned over her interpretation. ‘I mean you’ve been with Josh Rogan and God knows who else.’
Enlightenment dawned, along with a look of stricken horror. ‘You’ve been with Buffy Tanner and God knows who else,’ she shot back at him.
‘I’m clean. I always use protection.’
‘So do I. You have nothing to worry about.’
Clearly she was highly discomforted by the conversation. Her face was glowing with heat and her gaze jerked back to the monitor screen, her long loose hair swinging forward to block him out.
‘Do I take it today was exceptional?’ he drawled, pleased at getting under her skin and making her burn.
‘You…umh…took me by surprise,’ she excused in an embarrassed mumble.
‘That doesn’t usually happen to you?’
She visibly took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. ‘No, it doesn’t. What excuse do you have for not practising safe sex?’
‘I was taken by surprise, too,’ he answered, barely repressing a grin. ‘Interesting, don’t you think?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Oh, just interesting,’ he drawled and retreated to his office, his heart considerably lighter.
She hadn’t gone along with him out of curiosity. There’d been no control at all, just hot wild passion all the way. Same as himself. Highly mutual desire running rampant.
It made James feel really good. He had the truth of it now. Measuring him and his performance had absolutely nothing to do with Lucy’s response to him. Sheer wool over his eyes to put herself on top after the event. Well, it wasn’t going to work. He’d have Lucy Worthington and he’d whittle down her defences until she confessed she wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her.
Let her simmer over what they had already shared. He was confident in his own mind she would want to try it again. It was only a matter of time. Meanwhile, he would revel in being master of the situation. Nothing to worry about.
James was in top humour for the rest of the day, getting through a prodigious amount of work with Lucy. He found it intensely gratifying that she was slightly on edge, watching him apprehensively as though on guard against being grabbed again and responding as she had this morning. It was further confirmation that this was new ground for Lucy Worthington. He’d stirred something in her that no other man had.
James exulted over this thought. He was also incredibly excited by it. In fact, he couldn’t recall ever having been so excited by a woman. He could barely contain himself. He started watching the clock, determined on waiting out the full work-day, but impatient to set up another intimate encounter with his secretary.
He noticed Lucy checking her watch, too, as the afternoon drew closer to leaving time. Was she eager to get away? Finding the undeniable sexual tension between them tearing at her nerves? Control not so easy any more?
At ten to five she picked up a bunch of files from his desk to return them to the cabinet in her office. She walked so fast, the butterflies on her skirt flipped from side to side. Flight in progress, James thought, and was instantly compelled to lay down a trip-wire.
‘Do you have any special plans for when we finish up here?’ he tossed at her, keeping his tone casual.
She halted, her back going ram-rod straight. For several nerve-tingling seconds she stayed like that, not moving, not answering. James sensed an inner conflict raging, and with all his energy, willed her to give in to what he wanted. What he was convinced they both wanted.
‘Nothing special,’ she finally replied, half-turning to look at him, her expression very guarded and wary. ‘Why do you ask?’
He shrugged, leaned back in his chair, offered an encouraging smile. ‘I wondered if you’d have dinner with me.’
‘Dinner?’ she repeated as though stunned by the idea.
‘I’m not doing anything. If you’re not doing anything…why not enjoy a meal together?’ he reasoned affably.
She stared at him.
He could almost see the wheels going around in her head. He didn’t really mean…just dinner. He meant bed and breakfast, too. And where would that lead? She had her job to consider. The sensible thing to do was…
‘All right,’ she said.
His heart leapt at the victory.
Temptation had won out.
‘Good!’ James approved, doing his utmost not to reveal his elation. He didn’t want her to feel threatened in any way. He wanted her with him.