Page 11 of Patrick’s Seduction

He wasn’t one to be charmed by a pretty face so easily. Sure, he got laid whenever he wanted to, but he’d always kept his personal and his business lives separate, never slept with anyone employed by Scanguards, nor with any client. And though Fallon Doyle wasn’t a client, at least not yet, he knew he had to treat her like one, which meant one thing: hands off. Apparently, his cock wasn’t getting the memo. Because it was his cock that had initiated this scenario. He’d been ready to tell Fallon that he was sorry, but that he didn’t have the staff to take on her case, but his cock had been faster, inserting itself into the conversation without shame in the hopes of being rewarded by offering to help her with her problem. Rewarded with sex.

Not only was this unethical from a business standpoint, but also unfair to the woman now sitting across from him on one of the big sofas in the H Lounge. The deserted H Lounge, he noticed immediately. Things couldn’t get any worse: if he followed his base instinct, there would be nobody to stop him, nobody to remind him of the manners his parents had instilled in him.

All that left him with was to force himself to concentrate on business, and not on a tumble in the sheets with the tempting woman who was seeking his help.

“So, uhm,” he started, clearing his throat, trying to shake off the lust that was gripping him like a fisherman’s net ensnared an unsuspecting dolphin. “Why don’t you tell me what’s been happening with your ex-boyfriend?”

“Cameron and I were dating for only three months, when I broke up with him. But for the last two months, he’s been pestering me, constantly leaving messages, sending gifts, flowers, in the hopes that we’ll get back together. But it’s over. I made it clear to him. At first, I thought, he’d finally leave me alone, but today he came to my lab at UCSF. He’s trying to intimidate me so I’ll take him back.”

“But you’re not interested in him anymore?”

She shook her head. “He’s not the man I thought he was.”

“What do you mean by that?”

She hesitated for a moment. “He’s jealous and possessive. He treats me like his property. But I’m not anybody’s property.”

Patrick could hear her pulse quickening, and he noticed her breathing become irregular. She was agitated. “Fallon… uhm, may I call you Fallon?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Why did you break up with him?”

“As I told you, he’s jealous and possessive.”

“I understand. But there must have been something specific that made you break up with him. Did you have a fight with him? Was he violent toward you? Did he hit you?”

Fallon shook her head. “No, he didn’t hit me. And he wasn’t violent, not toward me. He’s the kind of guy who uses words to make someone afraid of him.”

“Are you saying he was emotionally abusive?” When she nodded, he remembered what else she’d said. “You said he wasn’t violent toward you. Are you saying he was violent toward somebody else?”

Again, there was a slight hesitation in her before she answered, “I believe so, though he didn’t admit it outright.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“It was two months ago. I got this big NIH grant for my research, and my lab assistants and I were really happy about it. So, we all went out for drinks after work. I’d told Cameron about the grant, and I might have mentioned that my coworkers and I would go for a quick drink. He showed up at the bar. We were just celebrating, you know.” She looked straight at him, her eyes meeting his, looking for understanding. “But Hank, one of my lab assistants, he’d had too much to drink, and he was so relieved that we got the grant, because that meant he could keep his position. You know, without the grant I would have had to let him, and a couple of the others, go.”

Patrick nodded. “I understand. So, what happened?”

“Hank hugged me, thanking me. It was very innocent, believe me. He’s a tactile person. He hugs everybody. Sure, maybe that’s not appropriate coming from a coworker, but that’s just the person he is. And it’s never bothered anyone at the lab. Besides, he’s not interested in me that way. I’m his meal ticket. It would be stupid if he made a pass at me when I can easily fire him, right?”

Patrick wondered how she could be sure that Hank wasn’t interested in her. Did she not realize her own appeal? What man with a pulse could resist such a temptation? Fallon exuded sexual energy like it was going out of style. Everything about her was sensual: the way she lifted her lids, her long lashes almost crashing against her eyebrows, the way she moistened her lips every so often while speaking, the way her chest heaved, pressing her nipples against her tight blue turtleneck sweater. Even though she showed virtually no skin—like so many San Franciscans during the wet winter months—her body invited all kinds of fantasies that filled his head. Fantasies about undressing her slowly and exploring her body. Fantasies about kissing every inch of her glorious body.

When he suddenly realized that there was silence between them, he forced the thoughts out of his mind.

“So, he hugged you. What happened then?”

“Cameron showed up right then. He saw it. And I’ve never seen so much hate and fury in somebody’s eyes than when he stared at Hank.” Fallon swallowed hard. “Cameron made me leave early. He said he’d made a dinner reservation for us, and claimed he’d told me, which I’m absolutely sure he didn’t—just so he could get me away from my coworkers.”

“And you went to dinner? Did Cameron say anything about the incident?”

“No, he didn’t. He was just very intense that night. Like he was trying to suppress something. I can’t explain it. When I went to work the next day, Hank called in sick. I didn’t think much of it right then, because I thought maybe he had a hangover. But then he didn’t come in the next two days either, and on the following day, when I was the only one left in the lab, working late, he showed up to pick up his personal items, and handed me his resignation.” Fallon closed her eyes for a moment, before continuing, “He looked like he’d been beaten to within an inch of his life.”

Patrick wanted to curse. A man who was so jealous and possessive that he would beat anyone coming near his girlfriend was bad news. Anita’s gut had been right. Cameron Gallagher was trouble. “Did Hank tell you who’d beaten him up?”

To his surprise, Fallon shook her head. “He claimed he’d fallen down the stairs. But…” Her voice trembled now. “I could see the fear in his eyes. He lied to me, probably too scared that I might tell Cameron.” Her breath hitched. “Hank was beaten up because of me. I couldn’t have that on my conscience.”

“Go back a moment. Did Cameron even have an opportunity to hurt Hank?”