He bit off a curse then his eyes narrowed on her. He took in the black dress, the heels, and Terrie watched in fascination as sensuality filled his expression. He went from handsome, darkly dangerous, to sexual pirate within seconds. She fought to still the trembling in her legs as she lifted her hand, flashing the envelope she carried.
He frowned. “Another one?”
Terrie shrugged. “It’s not as bad as the others, but I’ll need your lawyers to set up the payments…”
He snorted. “Come in here. I’m not going to discuss this standing up.”
He turned and disappeared back into his office. Terrie followed slowly.
When she entered the large room, she glanced at the seating arrangement in the corner. He was sitting on one end of the leather couch there, closing out whatever he had been working on in the laptop before pushing it back.
“Sit down.” He motioned beside him as he watched her walk to him.
The dark intensity in his green eyes hadn’t changed. He looked ready to fuck, and Terrie was suddenly more nervous than she could ever remember being in her life.
She sat perched at the edge of the couch, handing him the envelope carefully.
“If you could just get the payment schedule set up…”
“I’m sure you have enough to cover it.” He took the envelope from her and pulled the legal paper from inside. “Thomas was stupid but I wasn’t. His shares in the company are safe, Terrie.”
Those shares had kept her solvent despite Thomas’s death and how quickly he had emptied out both their accounts during their marriage. Jesse had never traced the money, but at least she hadn’t suffered in the theft.
Silence filled the room for long moments as he read the letter.
“Stupid bastard,” he muttered as he threw the paper to the table. “He’s lucky he died. I would have killed him myself by now. Don’t worry about it. I’ll have the accountant take care of it tomorrow.”
“Should I watch my spending for a while?” she asked him carefully. “I don’t want to cause any added problems, Jesse.”
His mouth tilted with a small grin. “I’ve invested your money wisely, Terrie. You’re fine. Stop worrying.”
She wondered if he ever got tired of taking care of her. From the moment news had come that Thomas had died in the car wreck, Jesse had been there. He had taken care of the burial, the horrendous news of the mounting debts. Everything. And he had been taking care of her ever since.
She smiled back nervously, wondering what the hell she was supposed to do now? How did you seduce a man like Jesse? He would give her anything, she knew, but at what cost to himself? How could she be certain she was what he wanted? That he could love her?
“Going somewhere?” He flicked a look at her dress-covered breasts. It was a heated, brooding look, a stroke of carnal interest.
She shrugged nervously. “I thought I’d go to the club today for lunch.”
“Stay away from Conover, Terrie,” he warned her softly as he turned to her, his eyes blazing with irritation. God, was it jealousy? “I’m telling you, you don’t want to push me on this.”
Her eyes widened in surprise a second before she frowned back at him. His gaze had narrowed, sensuality vying with a dominant glitter that made her stomach tighten with nerves.
“I didn’t mention his name, Jesse.”
“You and I both know he’s likely to be there,” he said. “You’re playing with fire. I let you run from me once, Terrie. I won’t let you do it again.”
She wanted to gape at him. Once again he was making very little sense. “Jesse, I had no intentions of seeing Conover today or ever. It’s not my fault you gave him the impression he could help you screw me. And for that matter, what gave you that impression?”
She was angry now. She could feel her veins throbbing with the pulse of blood, the heat that filled her face.
“You’re pushing me again, Terrie,” he growled. “It’s not wise to bait hungry men, baby. Keep it up and you may get more than you bargained for, and we both know you’re not ready for that.”
She was ready for him. She was ready to take her life back and find the happiness she had denied herself for so long.
“Ready for what?” she snapped back, her fists clenching now. “Ready to be touched? To be a woman for a change? Sorry, Jesse, you’re way off base there. I’m more than ready for that. Too bad you’re not.”
She moved to jump from the couch, to leave the office, to stomp home and scream and curse him as she had more times than she could count already. Unfortunately, Jesse didn’t seem ready to let her leave.