The Tycoon's Tender Triumph Page 0,25

house open and close.

“Chloe!” Sam’s voice called out before she had a chance to become nervous about a stranger in the house.

“Chloe, where are you?”

“I’m right here,” she called out, the blanket still wrapped around her despite her temper rising. “What are you doing here?” The air was so cold she could see her breath in the air.

“Why the hell is it so cold in here?” he demanded as he appeared in the doorway. “It’s only a few degrees warmer than outside.” He glared at her from the doorway, his huge presence filling up the small, chintz filled room and looking odd with his maleness amongst the feminine things.

“It’s warm enough to sleep in,” she countered, immediately feeling defensive. She didn’t want him to know she’d been trying to save money by keeping the heating low. She knew it wasn’t much, but every little bit helped.

Hands on his lean hips, he shook his head. “No, it’s not. It’s freezing and you’re going to catch your death of a cold by living like this.” Without saying anything else, he turned on his heel and Chloe knew exactly where he was heading. The kitchen.

She jumped out of bed, unmindful of what she was wearing, too desperate to get to the kitchen before he realized how little food she had stored there. She reached him just as he was reaching for the refrigerator door and stopped him by inserting her whole body between the appliance and his hand. Dangerous she knew, but she had pride. At least a little, she thought.

“Go home. I know we’re supposed to work together starting this morning but I’ll meet you at your place in thirty minutes.”

He leaned in closer, a small smile playing about his sexy mouth. “You really think you’re going to stop me from looking inside that fridge? Especially dressed like that?” he replied, his voice deep and warm as he looked down at her.

That’s when Chloe remembered that she only had on a pair of pink cotton underwear and a long sleeve cotton shirt. Neither of which left much to the imagination when his dark eyes roved over her. As soon as his eyes stalled, she knew exactly what he was looking at and she instantly felt her breasts peak with the attention. Crossing her arms over her chest, she hunched her shoulders to try and hide her body’s reaction to his perusal. “Go away, Sam.”

“No way, darlin’,” he replied, moving a little closer. “But maybe you would like to go get some clothes on? Or shower or whatever it is you do that makes you so…” his eyes looked down once again, “enticing,” he finally finished.

Chloe cleared her throat and shook her head, feeling extremely warm despite the cold of the room. “Move back.”

He didn’t. “Why? What do you feel when I’m this close?”

She pushed against his chest, grateful that he moved away. “Nothing.” When there was room, she slipped around him and ran into her room, ignoring his husky chuckle behind her. Slamming her door, she rushed into the bathroom and turned on the shower, desperate for the warm water so she could hurry up. She didn’t trust that he’d leave her alone while she was showering so she took the fastest shower she’d ever had in her life, even ignoring the cold water so she could finish quickly.

In less than fifteen minutes, she was showered, teeth brushed, jeans and a warm turtleneck pulled on and she even had a moment to put a little makeup on, feeling better for that little bit of vanity. She wasn’t trying to impress him, she told herself as she added another layer of mascara. She just hadn’t been eating well and looked a little too pale. Adding color to her face made her look a little less pathetic.

After blow drying her hair, she felt almost human, albeit a cold one, she thought as she pulled on warm socks and the tennis shoes she’d been wearing lately. She really needed to get some boots, just to fit in a little more. Sam wore boots. And damn if he didn’t look sexy as all get out in them. And probably out of them.

Where had that thought come from? She reprimanded herself, forcing her mind to stay focused. Sam was not the man for her and never had been. She knew the kind of woman he was attracted to and it wasn’t her. A relationship, other than professional with that man was forbidden if she wanted to have