Michael's Discovery - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,47

problem,” Michael said succinctly. “We’ve done our good deed for the day, maybe for the year.”

He leveled a look straight into Kelly’s eyes that made her stomach flip over.

“Unless there’s some reason you want to back out on our deal?” he suggested lightly.

Honestly, she had been sure that Michael would be the one backing out. After all, he was the one who’d listed all those reasons why they should keep their emotions in check and their hands to themselves. Her promise had been made half in jest, though with at least a modicum of wistful hope. Now that it appeared he was taking her up on it, she had to wonder if she’d made a mistake. As desperately as she wanted it, were they really ready to take this next step? Maybe they should think it over a little longer, weigh the pros and cons.

Was she crazy? This was exactly what she’d been wanting from the day she’d set eyes on him years ago. If they were finally on the same wavelength, why wait?

She held his gaze, her expression serious. “Lead on,” she said quietly, accepting his challenge.

For an instant, Michael seemed startled by her acquiescence. Then he latched on to her hand and pulled her down until her face was even with his.

“Once we get in your car and head for my place, there’s no turning back,” he said tightly.

“We’re not playing some silly game of chicken, Michael. I know that,” she told him.

“Just so we’re clear.”

“Never more clear,” she replied evenly. She was amazed at how cool she sounded, when her heart was hammering at least a hundred beats a minute. This was it, then, the night she’d been waiting for forever. And she was going to blow it by asking the one question guaranteed to bring on an attack of conscience in Michael.

“Why tonight?” she asked, studying his face intently.

His expression faltered ever so slightly. Most people wouldn’t even have noticed, but Kelly did. She sighed heavily as regrets came crashing down around her.

“I thought so. No real reason, except that I offered you a deal, right?”

Now it was his turn to sigh. “That, and the fact that I’m an idiot. Scratch that. I’m a randy idiot. I want you, and you gave me the perfect excuse to take what I wanted.”

“You still can,” she said and meant it, even if the warm and fuzzy glow was fading rapidly.

He pressed her knuckles to his lips and kissed them. “Another time. Go back in there and keep an eye on your brother and your friend.”

She knew it was the smart thing to do, the only thing, really. “How will you get home?”

He gestured toward the street where a taxi sat waiting, its motor running. “I already had Ryan call a cab for me. For a minute there, I was going to send it away, but saner minds prevailed.”

Kelly stared at him incredulously. “You were testing me?”

“And myself,” he said. “It was a stupid thing to do, and I apologize. At least we both learned a valuable lesson.”

She wasn’t much in the mood to view things in a particularly generous light. “Oh? What’s that?”

“That it’s increasingly likely that we’re going to tempt fate once too often.”

She frowned at him. “Don’t be too sure of that,” she said heatedly. “I think the lesson I learned is entirely different.”

“Oh?”

“When it comes to playing games, you’re a master, and that is definitely not a compliment.”

That said, she whirled around and went back inside, leaving Michael to stare after her, his mouth open. Whatever words he’d been intending to say to try to pacify her this time, she hoped he choked on them.

Michael was getting exactly what he deserved, no question about it. Kelly’s frosty attitude when she’d walked away on Friday night had lingered all through Saturday’s therapy session and on into the couple of calls he’d made to try to apologize again for his inexcusable behavior. He’d taken something important and turned it into a contest to see which of them was stronger. He’d expected to be the winner by a mile, but he had to admit it had turned out to be a draw. Kelly was no slouch when it came to good sense and willpower.

Which left them exactly where? Truthfully, he was surprised she’d even shown up on Saturday, but clearly that powerful work ethic of hers had kicked in, along with a healthy dose of pride. It was evident, though, that the attraction between them could no longer