A Billionaire's Redemption - By Cindy Dees Page 0,31

breath and studied him for a minute. Seeming to make some sort of decision, she nodded to herself and began to speak. He listened in disbelief as she described finding a secret folder on her father’s computer dealing with a covert Congressional committee doing violent and illegal stuff. His jaw dropped as she described the intruder at the Merris mansion last night and the secret folder’s mysterious disappearance in the interim.

“So you think whoever broke into your father’s home and deleted or stole that file broke in here tonight, and took the hard drive out of your computer?” he asked as she finished her recitation.

“It seems logical, doesn’t it?”

“What the hell was your father involved in? What has the bastard dragged you into?”

“He didn’t drag me into anything. Governor Graham did that when he named me to my father’s job.”

Gabe shook his head. He’d known John Merris was dirty, but he had no idea how dirty. “What was in those files?”

“They were classified. I think I’m not supposed to tell you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’ll let you shoot me if I tell anybody else. But we’ve got to figure out who and what you’re up against here, baby.”

The endearment slipped out before he even realized he was thinking it. He never called women “baby.” Not even in the heat of passion. He made a point of knowing his lovers’ names and using them when appropriate. If he’d have ever called Melinda “baby,” she’d have bitten his head off. She’d been nothing if not a raging feminist. So unlike the vulnerable and sexy woman shivering on the couch beside him.

“Come here, Willa.” He held out his arms to her and was immensely gratified when she crawled into his embrace of her own volition. He leaned back and she cuddled against his chest like a contented kitten. He felt more macho then he had in years. Which wasn’t exactly the kind of thing he usually thought about. But she was all woman and seemed to find him all man. It was a heady sensation.

“You’re so warm,” she murmured against his chest. Her lips moved against his skin as she spoke and his body reacted sharply. He swore mentally. His flimsy pajama bottoms weren’t going to leave a thing to the imagination pretty soon.

Desperate to think about something other than steamy, hot sex with this bombshell, he asked, “Do you think the intruders are operatives from this secret senate committee?”

She nodded, her hair sliding silkily against his skin. Lord, that was distracting! “Honey, if you don’t stop wiggling, I’m going to embarrass us both. And I know you’re a bit...sensitive...about such things right now.”

“Oh.” A pause as his meaning obviously sunk in. “Oh!” Damned if she didn’t settle more firmly against his chest and throw her arm around his waist. “I’m not scared with you here,” she whispered.

He about jumped out of his skin as she actually pressed her lips against his sternum, just below his collarbones. Crap. No, not crap. Good that she wasn’t terrified of touching a man. But he mustn’t think about sex. She felt safe with him? That was progress, right? His brain leaped from thought to thought, disjointed and...oh, God. So horny. Must control himself. Not gonna happen, buddy.

“Willa. This isn’t going to work. I mean, I do want to comfort you. I’m glad to hold you. But neither one of us is wearing a lot of clothes, and umm...well, hell. You’re incredibly sexy and attractive.”

Her hand around his waist moved up his chest and curled around his neck, her fingers playing seductively in the short hairs at the back of his neck.

“Gabe. Look at me.”

He stared down at her in distress. He wanted to make love to her right now just about worse than he wanted to breathe.

“I’m not scared of you.”

Was she inviting him to... Oh, holy God. No way. He was not going to fall on her like some sex-starved beast. Like James Ward.

“Yeah, well,” he retorted gruffly, “I’m scared of me.” He squirmed out from under her and surged to his feet. He turned his back fast to hide his arousal from her. No matter what she said, he wasn’t going to chance scaring her off men for good.

Arms snaked around his waist from behind, and her delicious chest pressed against his back. He could all but feel the firm globes cupped in his hands. Swelling sweetly into his mouth. He groaned aloud. “I’m trying to be a gentleman, here, dammit. You’re not helping,