The Tycoon's Tender Triumph Page 0,30

cheek.

Chloe almost turned into that caress, her face wanting to feel his rough fingers against her skin. But she stopped herself, reminding her brain of how difficult it had been to get over Sam after she saw his picture in the newspaper after each dinner with him. The betrayal had been painful. She hadn’t been the same after seeing those pictures. For weeks after their dinners, she’d tried to rationalize why he would take her out, make her laugh, talk to her like she was someone special and then go out with another woman. She was older now, wiser and she knew that making love with Sam would be both heaven and hell. The heaven would be in his arms and the hell being the time afterwards, when he moved on to his next lover. She couldn’t do that, wouldn’t go down that road.

“Sam, please, we can’t do that.”

He sighed and let his head fall back, closing his eyes as he regained control of his body. Looking down at her, seeing the terror in her eyes, Sam realized that he’d gone too far and too fast. There was just something about this woman that drove him more than a little nuts. It had happened when she was in college. She was too young for him and he’d barely gotten out of that situation without expiring from the lust he felt for her. But if he needed to slow down now, he could do it. He’d learned some control over the years. Not much, he thought as he considered how his body was still hard and ready for her, desperate to feel her softness.

He backed off though. Giving her the space she needed although he almost growled with frustration when he saw the relief in her eyes.

“Fine. I’ll give you time.” He hated the fear he saw in her eyes, but acknowledged that something had happened in her past that had put this fear there. He’d have to understand it and overcome the issues if he were to move forward with her. He was patient though. He’d waited nine years already. He could give her a little more time.

Not space though. That was the last thing he was going to do. He’d given her space when she was sixteen and she’d disappeared to her mother’s house and then to college and various internships in different cities. He wasn’t going to let that happen again. She was finally here, back where she belonged and he was determined to keep her here.

Well, she wasn’t exactly where she belonged, he thought ruefully. He wanted her here, in his house and in his bed every day and every night. But he’d get her there. One way or another.

Taking a deep breath, he moved closer, but not too close, gauging his distance by the fear that came into her eyes. This was one scared filly, he thought, damning the man who had done this to her.

“I need to go,” she said, looking down at her jacket that had fallen to the floor. She bent down and quickly picked it up, holding it in front of her like a shield. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said and scooted out of the office.

“Chloe,” Sam called, but she was already out of the office and rushing down the hallway. He stepped out into the hallway and called to her once again.

Chloe debated about just ignoring him, but odds were that he would take a few steps and catch her, that would put her right back into his arms and she was just too fragile right now. Instead, she turned around and looked back at him, keeping her eyes on his chin instead of looking him in the eye.

“We have that dinner event tomorrow night. Can you be ready by six o’clock?”

She nodded, uncaring if it was true or not. She just had to get out of the house and back to safety.

“Fine. I’ll see you later.”

Chloe turned back around and almost ran out of the house, desperate to find some place to hide. She thought about returning to her dad’s house, but that wasn’t a good idea. She was all alone with nothing to do there. Her mind would only cause her problems and ask questions she didn’t want to answer right now.

Rushing outside, she pulled on her coat, grateful for the cold gust that hit her in the face as she moved out of the warm house. Her face was flushed and she didn’t want anyone else