Page 123

He had drunk two glasses of brandy since he had entered his study, and neither of them had the heated effect that one kiss with her was giving him.

Passion had his thoughts and body swirling, losing sight of Janine being upstairs, of his careful plans, of every fucking thing except the woman in his arms. He had never lost himself in a woman before, and the novelty of it sent warning signals traveling to his brain and to a cock that only wanted to bury itself deep in the warm part of Haley’s body, which was squirming on his lap.

“Desmond … we are not going to do this.”

The prim and proper accountant attempting to defuse the situation had him battling a conscience that was getting stronger every day she spent in Queens City.

Telling his conscience to fuck off, he went to work changing Haley’s mind.

Giving a low groan, he used the tip of his tongue to trace the long line of her throat. “Why not?”

“Your girlfriend is here.” She tried to heave herself off him again.

“Ex,” he reminded her, playfully biting the end of her chin. “She’s upstairs.”

“No, I’m not, you fucking bastard.”

Gritting his teeth in frustration at being interrupted, he reluctantly released Haley.

“You couldn’t wait until I was out of the house?” Janine screeched.

Slowly getting to his feet, Desmond faced Janine’s fury head-on. “All packed? Lucas is outside, waiting to drive you to the airport.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me?”

Without remorse, he didn’t attempt to soothe her battered feelings. Janine had come to Queens City heedful that their affair would last only as long he wanted it to. Multiple warnings had obviously fallen on deaf ears, despite his constant admonitions when she would pressure him for a commitment.

“Have a good trip home.”

Janine’s lips curled vengefully, her eyes dropping to the swollen arousal the sweatpants did little to hide.

“I wouldn’t,” he warned.

“I don’t have anything to lose playing nice anymore, do I?”

Desmond received her hint. “Anger me at your own cost. How much are you willing to lose just to play the rejected ex-girlfriend?”

“I didn’t expect you to throw me out after a couple of months.” Janine tossed back her silky hair. “Especially not for someone who is so plain. I knew you were fucking around on me when you were staying out so late, but come on, Desmond; you have a whole smorgasbord you could choose from. I’m disappointed in you.”

Desmond took out his cell phone and started texting.

Janine paled. “What are you doing?”

“Stopping the payments I said I would give you over the next four months.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Why can’t I? I only said I would give you the money to be generous. There is no written contract between us. You can walk out of here under your own steam, or I can carry you out. Either way, it’s time for you to leave.”

With another flip of her hair, she was gone, and once she was, Desmond focused his attention back on Haley.

“Ignore what she said. She was being a bitch.”

“She was hurt! How can you be blasé about her feelings?”

Smashing down his growing conscience, Desmond disregarded the astonished look she was giving him. “Janine’s feelings were never involved, nor were mine. We had a mutual agreement that should have ended a month ago. I never misled her once.”

“Then why didn’t you end it before?”

Desmond gave a careless shrug. “Boredom.”

At his flippant response, Haley’s astonishment disappeared, turning more quizzical. “What are you doing?”

He frowned at her, not understanding her question. “What do you mean?” Tensing when her expression turned speculative, he moved to stand behind the high-backed leather chair. Had she picked up on his injured thigh?

“Your house is guarded. I had assumed, in the heat of the moment, that your girlfriend had let me inside. She didn’t, though. It was you, wasn’t it?”

He tightened his hands on the back of the chair, unable to deny her assertion.

“Which one of us were you giving a message to? Janine or me? Or were you killing two birds with one stone?”

“I knew you were concerned with something important, or you wouldn’t have come here. Don’t construe something that isn’t there.”

Haley continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Was Janine harder to get rid of than you assumed she would be, or were you thinking that I would make something of that kiss in the car? Is that why you haven’t been coming over during the evenings? Afraid I would expect more from you on an intimate level?” Her voice dropped so low that he had to struggle to make the words out. “Were you worried the ugly, fat accountant would fall in love with you after one little kiss?”

“Don’t talk about yourself that way!” Moving around the chair, he took a step toward her.

“Don’t you dare touch me.”