Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,30

inexperienced.’ Was he talking to her or to himself? ‘To take this to its natural conclusion would be unthinkable on so many levels.’

The pragmatic part of her brain told her she should be thankful he seemed to be talking himself out of it. If Connor decided to turn on the charm and pursue her, she wouldn’t be safe. She’d be powerless to resist the pull of her own desire.

Safe.

There was the word that had dominated her life ever since she’d been a little girl.

Safe meant staying alive, yet Violet had questioned whether Mia was truly living.

Searching Connor’s profile as he turned away from her, Mia considered her options. For her, relationships couldn’t be completely honest so they had to be avoided. But Connor didn’t have relationships. He’d avoided true relationships since his divorce. Now, he only had affairs.

Wouldn’t it be better to have a passionate affair than to remain a virgin for the rest of her life?

And, as well as an almost iron-clad guarantee of fabulous sex, any affair she had with Connor wouldn’t involve hurt feelings. He would be the one to break it off which would mean that she didn’t have to worry about hurting him.

Chemistry, he’d said.

If he was truly attracted to her, how dangerous could it be to indulge in a little flirtation with him as they spent the next four days together in two of the most beautiful cities in the world? No one would end up heartbroken, and she’d enjoy a hot, sexy, once-in-a-lifetime fling.

A little imp in Mia’s ear said she needn’t feel guilty about deceiving Connor about her past. The future couldn’t be built on lies of the past, but if Connor was never going to be interested in offering her a future, the imp told her should consider seizing the present.

To hell with it. She was more than open to it. If Connor’s kisses could blow her away so much, his lovemaking would surely be as incredible as she’d always imagined it would be.

But maybe he didn’t want to make love to a virgin. Or maybe he wouldn’t want to complicate matters between them when he was her boss and his grandmother was her friend.

Courage, Mia, she told herself. You’ve been playing safe most of your life.

Live for the moment.

Live a little dangerously, but LIVE.

‘Connor?’

He turned back to face her.

‘I’m not actually here as your employee, am I?’ she asked boldly. ‘Despite what you told Mike, this trip has nothing to do with work.’

He stared at her for a moment. ‘Don’t tempt me, Mia.’

He turned away from her and looked out at the canal, but not before she saw his inner struggle. The indecision in his eyes was both thrilling and disappointing. That he was fighting against his attraction confirmed he wasn’t a selfish cad. He was considering how it would play out for her, too, if they indulged in an affair. On the other hand, it was bitterly disappointing. She’d played her hand and lost.

Where to from here?

Keep calm and drink tea.

The very British adage was good advice. As soon as they’d toured the Doge’s Palace, she’d sit back on the square and order a cup of Earl Grey even if she’d rather have a stiff shot of vodka.

No, screamed the part of her who’d spent the first sixteen years of her life as an American. Don’t give into the stiff upper lip attitude when this is something you want so much; something that’s in your reach if you’re brave enough to grab it.

Perhaps the American in her had been suppressed for too long because now she was breaking free with vengeance. For once in her life she was going to push the safety barriers away and embrace a little danger.

Chapter Ten

Irrational.

Insensitive.

Selfish.

Connor berated himself and wondered what it was about Mia that made him lose control and behave so badly out of character.

First, he’d launched a scathing, unwarranted attack on her in her office and now he’d abandoned his principles about employer-employee relations and kissed her.

Kissed her when she’d never damned well been kissed before!

What was wrong with him?

Yes, their dinner in London had been the most enjoyable and memorable he’d had. Yes, he admired Mia’s fiery spirit and respected the passion she had for her work. And yes, both her personality and her made-over appearance had turned her into one of the sexiest women he’d ever met, but none of that mattered.

It was imperative he control his physical attraction to her. He should never have given into the moment