it this morning when I opened the newspaper. You made the social columns today in headline grabbing fashion.’
Her words were distressed and he saw the flash of hurt accusation in her eyes.
‘You know I was told to be photographed with a woman.’
‘It looked like it was a real chore for you, too.’
‘Hey!’ She was jealous. He’d be a liar if he didn’t admit that a small part of him was pleased, but a larger part of him wanted to reassure her—to make her understand she could trust him. ‘I played the part and achieved what Carlisle and Stanley asked me to achieve. That’s all I was doing, but I needn’t have bothered because this Sully’s found you anyway.’
She covered her mouth with the palm of one hand and her cheeks went from pale to bright red. ‘I’m sorry. I… I’m just shocked and scared and… I lashed out at you. I had no right to comment.’
‘You have a right, Mia. I gave you that right when I told you I wanted our relationship to continue.’
‘No.’ She shook her head and stood up. Every movement was stiff as she walked around the table, seeming to want to put a physical barrier between them. ‘Our affair is over. You’re entitled to do whatever you like with whomever you choose.’
‘Were you jealous when you looked at the newspaper photos, Mia?’
‘Jealous?’ Her laughter sounded forced. ‘More like amazed at the ease with which you can go from one lover to another, but then I guess you’ve done it so many times since your divorce. I’m truly envious, but I guess I’ll be able to do it too, with practice.’
No bloody way! ‘I haven’t moved on and nor will you. I’m the only lover you’re going to have.’
‘Damn you, Connor. Don’t say things like that to me!’
‘I don’t want another woman by my side or in my bed, Mia.’
‘You had me and the rest of London fooled!’ As he rounded the table, so did she, keeping the distance between them.
‘That was the idea, but all I shared with Skye was dinner.’ He had to make her believe him. ‘The only woman I want in my bed is you.’
A hiss of self-loathing escaped from her lips. ‘Yeah, right. You gave last night’s date such a scorching hot look of sexual desire, I’m surprised her clothes didn’t melt off!’
This was the same Mia who’d faced him down in her office. The one who barely paused for breath while she ranted at him, except now he knew she cared.
‘And the looks she sent you. My God, I’m surprised there’s anything left of you because it looked like she had every intention of taking you home and eating you up!’
He’d closed the distance as she’d railed at him, and now he stood directly in front of her. ‘I’m sorry you’ve been turning yourself inside out about those photos—’
‘I have not!’
‘—but if you didn’t care you wouldn’t be jealous.’
‘I don’t care. You can date all the models in the world.’
‘Don’t say what you don’t mean, Mia.’
Her jaw dropped open and he made the most of her speechless outrage. He slipped her glasses off her nose, placed them on the table and took her in his arms.
‘What do you think you’re—?’
Like a man driven to the brink, he kissed her with all the pent-up passion that had been building up within him since the last time he’d kissed her.
God, but it’d been too long.
Mia didn’t resist. After a few moments she took control, unleashed all her sensuality and kissed him hungrily. Ravenously. She nipped at his lower lip and her body plastered against his. Each kiss sent his pulse rocketing and every nerve ending sang in a sweet symphony of bliss.
Mia was everything to him and he longed to mean as much to her.
‘I could report you for sexual harassment, Connor,’ she panted when they finally paused for breath. But his forehead rested against hers and she made no move to pull away. Instead she used her fingers to knead the muscles of his shoulders. ‘We’re both at work. You’re my boss and you promised to leave our affair in Europe.’
‘That presentation was sheer bloody torture,’ he groaned. ‘All I want to do is to take you to bed and show you how much I love you, Mia.’
Her head jerked back and she looked at him wide-eyed. ‘What did you say?’
‘I love you, Mia.’ He hoped his love shone from his eyes. ‘I should’ve told you when we were in Paris—hell,