The Billion Dollar Bachelor(38)

Jax lifted his gaze from his contemplation of the tablecloth. “I screwed up an incredibly fragile situation and I can’t afford to do that again. Especially not when I’m the one leading Morrow, when things are so delicate with the company’s reputation right now. I lost it with you the other day and—”

“And what? Gave me a mindless, screaming orgasm? That’s not screwing anything up as far as I’m concerned.”

His mouth tightened. “I’m sorry, Pandora, but this company is too important to risk on something as insignificant as lust.”

The cold, sharp hurt deepened, her earlier satisfaction sliding away. “So, what we have together is insignificant, is that what you’re saying? That the sex we had was meaningless? Do you have any idea how worthless that makes me feel?” She took a breath, her voice gone tight. “That night freed me, Jax. You freed me. After twenty-five fucking years. And now you’re telling me it was insignificant?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Shit, that’s not what I meant.”

“Isn’t it?” Anger had ignited inside her, a glowing, hot furnace of hurt. “I think that’s exactly what you meant.” She picked her napkin up and tossed it on the table, determined to teach him a lesson, public restaurant or not. “Well, don’t worry, I won’t continue to inflict my insignificant self on you any longer.”

Jax tensed. “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to need to manufacture an argument or two in order to make our breakup believable, right? So let’s have our first argument right now.” She stood up and leaned across the table, staring into his dark blue eyes. “I’m not insignificant, you prick. And I won’t let you make me feel as though I am. I won’t let anyone make me feel like that ever again.” She picked up his champagne glass and held it experimentally. “Hmmm, I wonder. In the face? Or in the lap? Your choice.”





Chapter 10


He’d headed into this evening intending to be firmly back in control, planning to tell her of his decision to stop sleeping with her calmly and logically. Then he’d seen her in the foyer of the Morrow Tower. In a strapless red cocktail dress with a slit in it that nearly went to her hip. With her black hair in a silky veil around her shoulders. Glossy red lipstick on her beautiful mouth.

And all he could think of doing was sliding his hand up the length of pale thigh revealed by that goddamn sexy dress she was wearing. Or perhaps pushing down the top of it so he could see her small, beautiful breasts. Or hell, even ripping it right off her then and there.

Which made it even more imperative that he not do any of those things.

So he’d busied himself with work phone calls and tried to ignore the beautiful woman sitting opposite him. Tried to stay detached and in control.

But that detachment had been steadily slipping through his grasp all evening and now it was nowhere to be found. Which was unacceptable. Especially with Pandora leaning over the table, giving him a magnificent view down her dress, waving her champagne flute threateningly, with her cheeks flushed and fire in her dark eyes.

Because he didn’t think he would be able to resist her. No matter what he might want to believe, the desire that gathered in him right now wasn’t in any way insignificant. It raged. Consumed. And it wanted to consume her. All her fire and lightning. Her anger and her passion. All that bright emotion she seemed to have no problem sharing.

His hand shot out, curling his fingers around her wrist, holding her tightly. “In my lap,” he growled. “And I’m not talking about the damn champagne.”

The anger in her eyes flared, a spark of heat that sent an electric shock all the way through him. “Really? And what are you talking about?”

The other diners were beginning to glance in their direction. A few raised their eyebrows and a couple leaned over to whisper to their dining companions.

Good Christ, he was losing it. What he should be doing was calmly defusing the situation and yet he couldn’t seem to find his usual calm. Or logic. Or detachment. They had all utterly gone.

“You,” he said roughly.

Her dark eyes widened theatrically. “You mean you want me in your lap?”

“Yes.”

“Gee. That’s too bad, Hunt. You missed your damn window. I’m out of here.”

Well done, asshole.

Fucking hell. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how detached or logical he was, no matter how in control of the situation he tried to be, he always ended up hurting people. Even when he thought he’d got himself under control, he said things that caused people pain. That screwed things up.