Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

temple. "The memory I told you about."
    She set her briefcase beside her desk. When he moved out of the way and headed toward the door without touching her, she relaxed a little. Instead of walking out the door, however, he closed it.
    With a calm she didn't feel, she sat down at her desk and opened a file. "Please reopen that door then walk through it. I have a lot to do today, and exchanging witticisms with you is not on my agenda."
    "Would you rather exchange kisses?" He sauntered around her desk then perched on the corner next to her. "Hmmm?"
    She wished she could answer as casually as he had asked the question, but since she couldn't, she simply ignored him.
    "Still trying to convince me you're not interested?"
    "I'm not."
    "Then why'd you keep this?" He pulled open the bottom drawer where he had tossed the photo when he heard her voice in the hall. Her gasp told him what she refused to admit. "I've got better ones at home, but you'll have to ask real nice." She groaned, but still didn't lift her eyes from her file. He took a breath then asked her the question he swore he wouldn't. "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"
    His words were softened by a sincerity that sounded alien coming from him. It was enough to make her look up and give an answer. "I thought you needed the sleep."
    He slid off the desk and swiveled her chair toward him. Grasping each of the padded arms, he leaned forward so that she was caged by his body. "Try again."
    Tilting her head back, her gaze moved from his eyes to his mouth and back up. This was no time to be thinking about his mouth. "I thought we both said goodbye very eloquently."
    His head dipped down until his nose rubbed hers. "I like the fact that you can't say something like that without blushing. But it's still not the truth. Try again."
    With him this close, it was impossible not to think about his mouth, and his hands, and every other body part he had. "I didn't want to say goodbye. I wanted to stay. If I had awakened you, I wouldn't have gone, and I had to."
    "Much better," he whispered against her mouth. "For that the pretty lady wins the prize." He ran his tongue over her lips and waited. When he did it again, she extended her tongue to caress his with the same leisure. He caught hers between his teeth and sucked as his mouth pressed forward.
    As soon as she was kissing him back he stopped and murmured against her mouth. "Meet me for lunch today."
    She took a deep breath and cleared her fuzzy brain. "I can't. I'm really backed up."
    Moving his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "I have a bag of your clothes in my car. Do you remember why you left them behind? I want you to think about what happened the last time you wore them. Now, if you don't promise to meet me, I'll get back to kissing you senseless then take you right here on your desk." To prove his point, he dove into an eating kiss that had her clinging to the front of his shirt. He eased away an inch and whispered, "The correct answer is 'Yes, David.' Say it."
    Raising her eyelashes, she offered him a reminder of how she looked the afternoon they had made love. "Yes, David."
    They figured out a time and place that was most convenient for them both. He gave her one quick kiss, started to leave and returned for two more before he left for good.
    Holly heard him whistling as he departed and allowed herself a satisfied smile. Yesterday she had begun to worry that he wouldn't recontact her. Now she was certain everything was going to work out just fine. The pleasure she had discovered in his arms was an unexpected bonus to her plan and harmless enough as long as she remembered it was only temporary.
    She made a point to be precisely five minutes late to lunch—late enough for him to wonder if she would come as commanded but not so late that he would be annoyed. Her scheme did not take into account that he would not be there when she arrived. He had made reservations, however, and the hostess seated her immediately.
    After five more minutes passed, she ordered lunch. When he arrived, he would see that she had not sat waiting docilely for him to make an appearance. He finally showed up at the same time as her meal. Barely sparing him a glance, she started on her chef's salad.
    "Sorry I'm late." Without looking at a menu, he asked the waitress to bring him a lunch steak, medium rare, fries and coffee. "It couldn't be helped," he told Holly as he watched her fork a tomato and place it in her mouth. "I'm glad you didn't