LITMIR.BIZ

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blinked up at him. “I’m sorry?”

      He turned away and went over to a cabinet close by, returned with a glass and thrust it toward her.

      Paige held up her hand as her stomach rebelled. “Not again—”

      “It is water.”

      She took the glass and drank, thankful because her mouth was suddenly so dry. Her head felt light, and her heart thundered in her chest. She’d promised Mama that she’d take good care of Emma. Her sister had only been thirteen when their mother died, and Paige had done her best. If Emma was a bit spoiled, a bit irresponsible, it was Paige’s fault for indulging her.

      She’d been trying to make up for the lack of parents, but she hadn’t done the best job. Tonight, she thought she’d failed utterly. To know that Emma was safe filled her with a profound sense of relief.

      “Where is she?”

      “She is with Chad Russell, as you very well know.”

      “Oh thank God,” Paige breathed. Though what made him think she knew where Emma was?

      Before she could ask, Alexei’s cool silver gaze pierced her. “Why are you here?”

      Paige blinked. “I was looking for you—”

      “No, I mean why are you here, in my home?”

      It took her a moment to formulate an answer. “Because you told me I had to come with you.”

      “Yes, but why did you do so? What did you hope to find? Is Russell so desperate he would send a secretary to spy on me?”

      Confusion crashed through her. And a thread of simmering anger.

      “Why would I want to spy on you? I don’t even know you!” She set the glass aside and stood, tilting her chin up. It was simply a show of bravado since she was shaking inside her skin. But she’d learned at an early age to bluff her way through the rough spots when necessary. Or, as her mother used to say, never let them see you sweat. She’d had plenty of practice when Child Services had come calling to see if she was capable of taking care of her sister or if Emma needed to go into foster care instead.

      “Stop pretending you don’t know who I am,” he commanded.

      Paige stomped her foot. It was childish, she knew, but it was instinctive. She couldn’t stop herself whenever she was angry or nervous—though anger was not the dominant emotion at the moment.

      “You are Alexei, a man I met in Red Square, who helped me when I was in trouble. You obviously have money, and you knew who Chad was as soon as I mentioned him. But I have no idea who you are.”

      It was a troubling thought, not to know the man who seemed to know so much about you.

      He closed the distance between them, slipped an arm around her waist beneath the blanket. His fingers traced her jaw, slid into the hair at her nape. “You are a fascinating woman, Paige. No wonder Russell chose you for this task. Or did you volunteer?”

      With a tug, she was flush against him. The blanket fell away as she let it go to press her hands against his chest. Paige closed her eyes. His naked chest.

      His skin was hot beneath her hands, silky and hard, and she longed to stroke it.

      Stop it. How could she possibly find him sexy at a time like this?

      “Let me go,” she breathed.

      “Before you’ve done what you came to do?”

      “I didn’t come here to do anything.”

      “What did Russell offer you?”

      “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

      “Were you supposed to seduce me? Supposed to leave me sated and exhausted in bed while you went through my papers?” His head dipped toward her. “Because I have to say, Paige, that I am very disappointed in your technique thus far. But I find I am quite willing to allow you to complete your mission.”

      She knew she should pull away when his lips touched hers, but it was physically impossible. Not because he held her too tightly, but because her body was zinging with sparks that she didn’t want to end.

      His tongue slipped into her mouth, and she met him stroke for stroke. He smelled so good, like spice and a cold winter night, yet he was as hot as a volcanic eruption. His skin sizzled into her where she touched him with her bare hands. She wanted to slip the shirt from his shoulders, wanted to see if his skin tasted as good as it felt.

      His hands slid into her hair, tugged her head back. His mouth left hers, forged a trail of fire along her jaw, the column of her throat.

      Her head fell to one side, giving him greater access. He made a sound of approval, and she opened her eyes—just for a moment—and found herself staring at the most erotic scene she’d ever personally experienced. A mirror on the opposite wall caught their reflection, shone it back at her.

      It was like a scene out of a movie. A gorgeous man held a woman in his embrace, a woman whose dark hair flowed wildly over her shoulders, whose eyes sparkled with passion as the man’s mouth moved across her skin.

      It was exotic and beautiful.

      And she wasn’t supposed to be the woman in the scene. This man didn’t care for her. He thought Chad had sent her here to seduce him, for God’s sake—which was a laugh in itself—and she had no idea who he really was.

      Paige’s hands curled into fists against his hard chest.

      And then she pushed. “Stop. Please stop.”

      Amazingly he did. Alexei’s eyes were hot, glittering as he straightened to his full height and glared down at her. He was even taller than Chad, broader, and he did things to her insides—

       Stop thinking about it.

      Paige closed her eyes, took a step back. Her clothes were intact, but she felt as if he’d undressed her, as if he knew all her secrets.

      A ridiculous feeling, really. He might know her name, and he might know she was Chad’s secretary, but he did not know her.

      “I want to go back to my hotel,” she said with as much dignity as she could summon. “Chad has a very important meeting tomorrow, and I have to be there. He needs me. And Emma will be wondering where I am by now.”

      Alexei shoved a hand through his thick hair—black, not brown, she realized. “You will not be going anywhere tonight.”

      “I want to see my sister,” she insisted. “You have no right to keep me here.”

      His gaze sharpened. “Your sister is busy, Paige. I doubt she will want to be disturbed. Though perhaps you did not know you were sharing your lover with her?”

      Everything inside her went cold and still. “My lover?” she said numbly.

      “You never give up the pretense, do you?”

      She ignored him, her mind beginning to work overtime. Emma and Chad? They’d met once or twice when Emma had come to the office, but Chad hadn’t shown any particular interest in her sister.

      Or had he?

      She remembered Emma’s flirtatious giggle, Chad’s megawatt smile, Emma’s declaration later that night that Chad was probably amazing in bed. She’d thought the same thing herself, but she figured she’d never know.

      She just hadn’t realized that Emma might actually find out.

      Chad had suggested she bring Emma along on this trip when Paige expressed disappointment she would be gone for her sister’s twenty-first birthday. She’d thought he was being kind. She’d refused at first until he insisted it would be fine, that he wouldn’t hear of them being separated for Emma’s birthday.

      And now this.

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