His gaze rose slowly back to hers and the heat in his eyes nearly seared her. She could feel her pu**y swelling, her clit aching in response to that look. She lifted her brow in haughty inquiry.
“Would you?” he asked her. “I never figured you for a hypocrite, Tally. But if that’s the way you want to play…”
He pulled his hand back reluctantly as he took the file from her hand. A small smile edged the corner of his sensual lips.
No, she wasn’t a hypocrite, but she would use whatever edge she could get.
“If that’s all you need then, I’ll be going to lunch.” Without looking she casually re-buttoned her shirt before turning away from him.
“It’s a half hour before lunch, Tally,” he reminded her smoothly. “I’ll have to dock your pay.”
Tally shrugged in unconcern. It would be worth it.
“I’ll survive.” She collected her purse and headed for the door.
“I didn’t take you for a coward. Maybe I was wrong.” His voice had her stopping, anger seething through her body as she turned back to him.
“A coward?” She lifted her brow as she assumed an expression of haughty disdain. “And you came to this conclusion how?”
She crossed her arms beneath her br**sts as she stared back at him. Damn him for the arrogant ass he was.
“Because you want me. You know it and I know it, yet you fight it.” His voice was low, dark and husky. She hated it when he used that voice. Hated the way it made her pu**y pulse and tingle, made her yearn for his touch. Unfortunately, she was also well aware of the fact that there wasn’t a chance in hell it could work.
“My dear Mr. Conover.” She sighed mockingly. “I’m old enough that I understand I can’t have everything I want in this life. Perhaps this is a lesson you should learn as well.”
It was one she took to heart. Some things, men like Lucian topping the list, just weren’t good for the emotions or the general stability of life. Tally prided herself on her stability. If she had thought for one moment that she could go to bed with him, enjoy a few hours of wild sex and have it done with, then it would be a different matter. Something warned her that this would not be the case, though.
She stood still, in control, as he paced over to her slowly. He was tall, broad, and if the bulge in those slacks was any indication, he was fully aroused and just as large as he had looked while f**king Terrie.
He stopped directly in front of her, staring down at her, forcing her to raise her head to stare back at him in unconcern.
“Funny,” he said with apparent gentleness. She wasn’t fooled in the least. “This suddenly antagonistic attitude didn’t show up until you walked into that office while I was f**king Terrie. Jealous, Tally?”
Her breath caught in her throat and she knew he caught the tightening of her eyes at his shocking question.
“Oh yeah, I saw you come in.” He dropped the file on a nearby shelf as she backed away from him.
He was too close; she felt too overwhelmed, too weak when he towered over her like that. Unfortunately, there was no place to retreat. Her back came against the door as his arms bracketed her, holding her firmly in place.
“Your ni**les are hard, Tally,” he growled. “And that cold little expression can’t hide the fact that you’re f**king hot as hell right now. You want me, and you’re damned scared to take it.”
“Scared? Of you?” She only barely managed the disdain she was trying for. “Not hardly, Lucian. You’re letting your imagination run away with you. You’re not the first man to make me respond sexually and you won’t be the last. Never doubt that. But I decide who I f**k and who I don’t. And I won’t f**k you.”
“Because you’re scared.” She watched as his gaze softened, the brilliant green color warming drastically. “You’re small, baby, but you can take me.”
His outrageous words had flames of anger—or was that violent lust—shooting through her.
“Oh, get away.” Sarcastic amusement filled her voice; her hands flattened on his chest as she pushed him back forcefully. “You think your dick’s so big I’m afraid of it?” She straightened the shoulders of her silk shirt, smoothed the crease at the top of her skirt before staring back up at him, allowing her lips to curve with seductive knowledge.
“Dream on, Conover. It’s not your c**k I reject, or even your hedonistic lifestyle, such as it is. Quite frankly, you couldn’t handle me, and I’ll be damned if I’ll deal with the complications of your bruised pride when you realize that. It’s not fear; it’s fact. Now touch me again and I’ll resign. I don’t have to deal with your advances as well as your snappish attitude. I’ll quit first.”
She gripped the doorknob and jerked the door open as she rushed to leave, only to be stopped abruptly as she ran into the dark, devil’s version of the wicked apparition behind her.
“Easy, sweetheart.” Devril Conover’s voice was rough sex, whisky at midnight and depraved desires all rolled into one. The same as Lucian’s. She was trapped between the two men now as Devril gripped her hips and eased her backward as he came fully into the room, pushing her flush against Lucian.
“Everything okay?” Dev asked her when she didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak. Lucian enclosed her from behind as Devril pressed against her br**sts. Heat enveloped her. Like bands of invisible steel it held her motionless, curiously shocked by the sudden impression of protectiveness and strength that emanated from the two men. She was surrounded by their warmth. Wrapped in it.
She stared up at him in surprise. He was the devil’s image of the man behind her, watching her heatedly, reminding her of exactly what she was passing up by walking out that door. It was bad enough to have Lucian tempting her, but to have Dev, the dark-haired vision of the sin twin helping him? That was completely unfair as far as she was concerned. Fate had it in for her, that’s all she could say.