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Laura barely heard the conversation as his closeness usurped her attention. If he strove to set her off-balance, it was working better than she'd ever admit. It had been a long time since she’d been this close to a man, and the sensation was doing strange and not altogether bad things to her. Clearly, she needed to date more, but it wouldn’t be a billionaire powerhouse who was trying to take control.
Yet instead of shifting away, she found herself edging closer to him. And when he tightened his hold, bringing her nearer and cementing his claim, she allowed it. His expression clearly said…
You're not getting away.
"We'll talk soon." Minutes later, the newcomer bid farewell and left, only to be replaced by another three in seconds. This time she did take part in the conversation, if only to keep her mind off the man branding her with his nearness, discussing an eclectic mix of business and personal matters. The personal discussion did not, unfortunately, revolve around Aidan. Each time a matter of his personal life surfaced, he deftly brought the conversation to another subject, sharing something Laura already knew. He was exceedingly intelligent.
And suspicious.
And possessive.
The hours flew by, but he never allowed her out of his sight. Every time she started to slip away, he would do or say something to return her to him. Every touch caused an unwilling shot of excitement, every movement an addictive sensual heat that made her entire body tingle.
So what if she slipped away an extra time just to get that touch?
Okay, four or five extra times.
Unfortunately, with everyone wanting a piece of him, she never had the opportunity to get him alone and have her wicked way with… ummm, garner information. A new face, always eager to meet the town's new golden child, would arrive seconds after the old left. But through it all, one truth remained:
He never let her escape.
“I’m leaving,”Laura announced suddenly. It was a rare moment of solitude after several businessmen left, a moment Aidan had been wishing for since she challenged him. He had come to investigate her sources, but that didn’t stop the attraction to the beautiful reporter, or the urge to learn everything about her. Before he was finished, he would discover her every secret.
Oblivious to her hunt, his quarry continued, “It’s been an interesting evening, Mr. Bancroft.”
Yes, it had.“Mr. Bancroft again? And why so early?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is someone waiting for you?” His voice came out low and dangerous. The very thought was… wrong.
Laura neither answered nor denied his assertion, instead evading the question altogether. “It’s been a long day. We'll have plenty of time to talk later.”
“Your daughter.” He remembered. "Where is she tonight?"
She paled, and he frowned. Why was she so nervous? "She's with my parents," she responded quickly. "Having a great time baking cookies and manipulating them into letting her watch television way past bedtime. She'll stay with them tomorrow so we'll have time to work."
Aidan stifled a smile. When it came to convincing parents to forgo bedtimes, he had been world champion. It seemed like the miniature version of Laura was as clever as her mother. "When will I get to meet little Miss Jeanie?"
Laura blinked rapidly, appearing all but ready to faint. What was happening? "I'm not sure. Not tomorrow. Definitely not." Her voice sounded strange.
Despite all this woman had done, stark concern narrowed his eyes. She had tried to blackmail him, yet he couldn’t help but feel… something… for her. Despite her earlier actions, she didn’t seem the sort to hurt people, which made her all the more a mystery to solve. Right now, he only wanted to care for her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"
The skin under his hand was as chilled as the icy atmosphere. "Yes, I'm fine. Maybe I didn't get enough to eat."
He frowned. She had declined every offering from the waiters and hadn’t even visited the smorgasbord. She needed to take better care of herself. "Just a minute." He pivoted to walk away, stopped and turned back. "Don't leave." When she gave a curt nod, he strode to the buffet and filled a platter with steaming baked ziti, roasted garlic bread and two oversized cannolis bursting with sweet cream and drizzled chocolate. He returned to the reporter, who, somewhat surprisingly, hadn't moved from the spot where he left her. "This is for you."
Her beautiful eyes went wide. "I couldn't possibly eat all that."
"You have to eat something before you drive." Too bad she hadn’t ridden in his car, and well, if she were in his car, she might as well go to his home. Not for any nefarious purpose, but so he could learn more about the woman who infiltrated his life, in more ways than one. For now, he directed her to a plush velvet couch and sat her down. She started on the food, first hesitantly but then heartedly. Finally, she finished a good three-quarters of the meal and put down the napkin. He wished he could further delay her departure, but he had to bide his time. Like it or not, she would be spending a great deal of time in his company. “I'll walk you to your car.”
He was pleased when she didn't fight. Even in a respectable town such as this, he would ensure she made it safely to her vehicle. The fact that he could spend a few more minutes with her – a fewprivateminutes – was a bonus. She needed to grow accustomed to his presence.
He stayed close by her side. He brushed by her a few times, and she started every time he did, betraying his effect on her. The truth was she affected him, too. Somehow in this short span of time, she had become more than an investigation, more than a problem to be solved. He desired far more than her source and motives. Exactly how much, he didn’t know, but it wassubstantial. Neither said a word until they walked outside into the cool spring night.
“Why don’t you believe me?” She turned to him, referring to their conversation of earlier. Her tone light was light, but her eyes were serious. Out here, in the cool starry night, they were the only two around.
He gazed into the velvet night sky, a brilliant background to soaring nightbirds. The stars burned brighter out here in the country. “I bet you’ve been dying to ask me that all night.”
She grimaced, then gave a curt nod of admission. He studied her with stark focus. She squirmed slightly, and he regretted the necessity to be so harsh. He had to discover the truth, despite her discomfort.
Then he would explore the force between them.
