LITMIR.BIZ

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tightened and his head lowered, slowing down her brain. Transfixed she watched him come closer. Her heart raced and her breath hitched.

      “Ryan, don’t—”

      His mouth smothered her protest. His lips were surprisingly soft, but at the same time commanding and hungry, plying hers with an expertise she couldn’t help appreciating. She lifted her arms up to push him away, but her bullheaded fingers dug into his rock hard biceps and held on instead of shoving. Her muscles contracted, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.

      A shiver rippled through her like waves radiating from a stone thrown into a pond. His tongue stroked a molten trail across her bottom lip then penetrated, found hers and circled. A rush of desire shocked her, making her skin flush and her abdomen tighten.

      She fought the heat spreading through her, and yet she couldn’t dam the seeping awareness or make herself move away. How could she respond so intensely to Ryan—or any man for that matter—with the way she felt about Patrick? A sound meant to be a protest but sounding more like a moan slipped from her mouth into his, echoing in his low growl.

      Ryan eased back incrementally, his grip loosening and the warmth of his body slowly leaving hers until only their lips clung. And then those, too, parted.

      Gasping for air, Nicole pressed her fingers to her mouth and tried not to pant. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

      “Agreed.” His low, rough tone scraped over her exposed nerves like short nails on bare skin.

      She hugged her arms around her middle and fought to stop the tremors that racked her. No man’s kiss had ever rocked her that intensely. Not even Patrick’s. She staggered back in her tiny foyer until her heels hit the bottom stair.

      Why had Ryan’s kiss packed such a punch? She searched her brain for a logical explanation for her illogical reaction and grasped on to the first idea that came to her.

      “We’re just drawn to each other because of our crazy situation. You’re not my type. I don’t want you.”

      His gaze dropped to her breasts. She didn’t have to look down to know what he saw. Her nipples tingled, telling her they were tight and very likely tenting her blouse and contradicting her words. Damn her out-of-control hormones.

      She’d read some pregnant women often craved sex, but she hadn’t expected to experience the phenomenon. While she liked sex, it had never been one of those things she couldn’t live without.

      Ryan brushed her cheek with a fingertip. The simple touch hit her like a crackling power line. “I don’t want to want you, either, Nicole, but I find you very attractive.”

      Hearing the gravelly words only exacerbated the needy spasms of her internal muscles. She dodged out of reach on unsteady legs, stopping in the archway leading to her den. “Please don’t say that or do that again.”

      He held her gaze without blinking. “I’m not making promises I’m not sure I can keep.”

      Her breath shuddered out, pounded out of her chest by her hammering heart. “You need to go.”

      “I’ll call you when the real estate agent locates the next house.”

      She wanted to scream at him to never call again.

      But she couldn’t. Beth and Patrick were counting on her to keep the peace. Somehow, some way, she would not let them down.

      “Way to go,” Trent said as he entered Nicole’s office Monday afternoon.

      Her brother wasn’t the type to offer approval unless something really big had happened.

      “What are you talking about?”

      “Patrick Architectural just bought fractional ownership in a Cessna Citation X. They listed you as the referral.”

      Not what she wanted to hear. But she’d been warned.

      The Citation was the fastest midsize jet HAMC offered. She gave Ryan credit for going top-of-the-line. Her attention fell to the client file in Trent’s hand. His arm lifted, extending across her desk and offering a burgundy-and-gold folder. The color combination signified a contract for the highest level of service HAMC provided.

      Déjà vu. Another document she didn’t want to read.

      “They’ve requested you as their client aircraft manager.”

      Her stomach plunged as if she’d just parachuted from a plane—something she’d never do again because she hadn’t enjoyed the being-out-of-control sensation. “Trent, my casebook is full. Please assign them another CAM.”

      “Not an option.” His clipped tone warned her not to argue, but that wasn’t going to stop her. Not this time. She had too much to lose.

      “I really can’t handle another client without my performance suffering on the ones I already have.”

      “I doubt that will be a problem, but if you’re concerned we’ll shift some of your other customers to someone else.”

      “No. I don’t want to give up any of my people. They’re like family.” And like every family, hers had some eccentrics who required special handling.

      His eyebrows dived toward his nose. “Tough. This deal was contingent on your acceptance.”

      She had to talk to Beth and get her sister to announce the pregnancy to the family. Until she did, Nicole couldn’t explain to her brother why she had to refuse Patrick Architectural. How could she work with someone when she was about to become embroiled in a nasty custody battle over the baby she carried with him? But until then…

      “C’mon, Trent, I never argue and never refuse an assignment—not even the most difficult cases that others have dumped. You know that. So the fact that I’m asking for a break now tells you I need it.”

      His face didn’t soften one iota. “Let Becky know who you’re handing over by the end of the day.”

      “You’re pawning me off on your assistant? Trent—”

      “Familiarize yourself with the file. Your first meeting with your new client is Friday afternoon, two o’clock.”

      “But—”

      “There are no buts, Nicole. It’s a done deal. Patrick Architectural is yours.” He dropped the file on her desk, pivoted and stalked out.

      Case closed. Nobody won an argument with her big brother—especially when he was locked in stubborn mode.

      Nicole flopped back in her office chair and stared at the ceiling. This could not happen. And it had nothing to do with that kiss. Nothing. Absolutely, positively nothing.

      Her lips tingled as if she could feel Ryan’s kiss again, and that stirred up a termites’ swarm in her belly. And termites left nothing but destruction in their path. She was very, very afraid Ryan might kiss her again, and that she’d do something stupid like her mother and act on that lust.

      No, she wouldn’t. The kiss had been a fluke, a combination of out-of-control pregnancy hormones and the strange tie she had with him as the father of her baby. That’s all. She was certain of it.

      Well…mostly certain.

      She could call Ryan and plead conflict of interest, but she suspected her arguments would fall on deaf ears. He was tightening the screws and he’d show no mercy. That meant she had to talk to Beth. Now. She bolted to her feet, and ignoring a slight wave of dizziness, charged out of her office.

      “Hey, where are you going?” Lea called out. “You have Tri-Tech in ten minutes.”

      Ten minutes. Normally she’d be at her desk reviewing the file ten minutes before a meeting. She couldn’t today.

      “Are you okay?”

      “I have to talk to Beth. I should be back, but if I’m not, make sure Ronnie gets his coffee with cream and three spoons of sugar,

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