Well, a normal, frustrated woman's reaction.
How long was it since she'd had a man? In the early years she'd tried a few times, picked up some stranger, gone home with him. The sex had been okay, but had never lived up to what she'd had before, and the whole experience had felt tainted, not right, and she'd given up in the end. There had been no one since she left the army. That was over five years. And in that time she'd made do with her vibrator and believed she'd never missed sex. Yeah, definitely deluded.
She cast him a swift sideways peek. He was watching her out of heavy-lidded eyes. He caught her glance and slowly raised his glass.
"To old times."
Then he gently placed the glass on the table and reached for her.
Chapter Four
No way.
Jess slammed her glass down on the table beside his, the scotch sloshing over her fingers. She jumped to her feet as his hand touched her arm and then put the sofa between them. Declan turned to look at her and something glinted in his eyes. Amusement maybe.
She gritted her teeth. Did the bastard find her funny?
Much as she really wanted to make some cutting remark, she decided that just this once, she was going to keep her mouth firmly closed and make a dignified retreat. A fast, dignified retreat. She backed away a few steps as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Going somewhere?" he murmured.
She licked her lips. His eyes followed the movement and something hot and dark settled in her stomach. She cleared her throat. "Well, this has been nice. Old times and all that, but I must get back to the office."
"But you haven't convinced me I need protecting, yet."
"You haven't convinced me you're worth protecting," she snapped.
His lips twitched at the corners, and she got the distinct impression he liked her loss of control. "Good to see the old Jess is still there."
Why the hell would he think that was good? He'd run a mile-thousands of miles actually-from the old Jess. "No, she's not." She whirled around and stalked for the door.
She could sense him watching her. Expected him to try to stop her. But of course he didn't.
As his office door closed behind her for a second time, she heaved a sigh of … Actually, she wasn't sure what it was a sigh of. Hopefully relief, but she suspected disappointment. What had she wanted to happen in there? She was supposed to be proving to herself that she didn't care, that she was ready to move on, that he meant nothing to her. Instead, her skin felt sensitive, her nipples were tight, and she was uncomfortably aware of the moist heat soaking her panties. And he hadn't even touched her.
She'd forgotten what desire felt like. A craving in the blood. A deep need to sink into sensation and never come up for air.
Someone cleared their throat. Declan's assistant was studying her from behind his desk. He looked amused as well. Christ, she was a laugh a minute today.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing. Do you need another appointment?"
"No. I won't be coming back." She said it more for her benefit than his. She'd just have to find another way to persuade Jake she could do his job. Keeping her pace slow and controlled, she crossed to the elevator. She didn't want to look rattled. All the same, she couldn't stop the nervous tap of her boot against the carpet as she waited, totally aware of the doors behind her. She didn't turn as she heard them open.
"Come on," she muttered to the elevator. She huffed out a breath of relief as the doors finally slid open. Stepping inside, she stabbed her finger on the down button. The doors were closing as Declan stopped them with a hand. He stepped in beside her, filling the small space, and the doors closed, sealing them in together.
Her stomach lurched as they started to descend. She took a deep breath. No time to be a wimp. "Was there something else you wanted?"
"Oh yeah." The low, husky tone sent shivers through her. Her gaze flashed to his face, but his expression was blank.
She crossed her arms over her chest and attempted a bored expression. "And that would be?"
"I want to know why you came here today. I had no clue, but you were expecting me. So why did you come?"
"Why not? You were just another job."
"Don't lie. And why come back a second time … Why do you care if I take the protection or not?"
Maybe it was time to inject a little truth. "I'm in line for a promotion. My boss said if I impress you, I get the job."
"Impress me?"
"Yeah, you know … be nice." She shrugged. "He reckons I have an attitude problem."
"Really?" His lips quirked. They were facing each other now. His gaze ran over her, and she had to hold herself still to prevent a little squirm, and then his eyes narrowed as he locked gazes with her.