"Intimidates you?" Her lips pursed thoughtfully. "Somehow I doubt that."
He grinned, a smile that didn't come close to reaching his eyes. His gaze was thoughtful instead.
Setting his drink on the bar, he moved closer to her, his expression evolving from curious to frankly sexual.
"Your luncheon went well?" he asked, as he settled his hand on her hip and slowly eased her closer against him.
Her heart began to pick up speed. "Courtney is as nosy as ever, Alyssa is as quiet as ever, Terrie is certain you're up to something, and Tally wants to know if your bedroom is really filled with silk pillows and wall hangings."
"And I'm certain you informed her it was?" His head lowered, his lips brushing against her forehead as he whispered the question.
"Actually, I told her we were sleeping in a desert tent in the backyard, and that she should try it sometime. She looked rather intrigued."
He was manipulating her. She could feel it, and she hated it.
Pulling back, she watched him carefully as she moved out of his embrace.
"What was the meeting with my fathers about?"
She watched him, terrified he would lie to her now.
"Your fathers are the last thing I want to talk about," he informed her caustically. "Nor do I wish to discuss why they were here."
At least he wasn't lying to her.
"Unfortunately for you, I do," she informed him calmly as she turned away from him. "I wasn't told they would be here until I called Zach's office to ask him if he'd heard from Mom, and they were acting damn strange when I arrived."
"Then ask them." His voice was edged with impatience. "I have no desire to discuss your fathers or their issues. There are other things on my mind while in your presence."
She crossed her arms over her br**sts. "What? You're going to use sex to distract me?"
And he could do a damned good job of it, she thought. She was burning for him. She had been burning for him before arriving at the estate. But she was also tired of feeling as though she were the odd person out of a very important secret. A secret that just might involve her.
"I have a feeling the hounds of hell couldn't distract you once you latched onto something." He grimaced ruefully. "You are rather stubborn, my love."
"It's called tenacity," she informed him sweetly. "It's what's gotten me this far with you, Khalid. Are you regretting it?"
"Are you?" She wished she could avoid those heated looks as easily as she could avoid his touch.
"What I'm feeling at the moment isn't up for discussion," she answered him with a bright smile as she used one of his own tactics in response to his question. "I believe you're the one we're discussing. What do my fathers think you're being paranoid about?"
"Joe doesn't think I'm paranoid about anything." He moved around her until his chest was at her back, his head lowering so he could stroke his cheek against her hair.
Subtle. Tempting. He was using her own tactics on her by seducing her, and it was working.
"My godfather does. He's usually fairly smart where some things are concerned. And it was more than obvious he was attempting to bring us to the point of an argument. So whatever you're trying to hide from me must involve me quite a bit." She sounded breathless. She was breathless.
His hands stroked down her bare arms as his lips whispered over the flesh of a shoulder left bare by the sleeveless top she wore.
"Zach is angry." His teeth raked over the rounded curve of her shoulder.
Shards of sensation raced down her spine, exploded in her clit. She was growing so wet, so slick, she had to clench her thighs to keep from moaning.
"Why is Zach angry?" Her lashes fluttered closed as his hands gripped her h*ps and pulled her back.
The feel of the hard length of his c**k beneath his jeans as it pressed into her lower back had her breath catching in jerky response.
"Because I refuse to stay out of his daughter's bed," he stated, as she melted at the heated tone of his voice. "Because I refuse to distract you from investigating your attempted murder. Because I refuse to make you listen to my need to protect you rather than your own instincts."