Page 27 of The Donovan Dynasty

“I always prefer to drive myself so that I’m free to come and go as I choose.”

Her words were tacit agreement, but he was smart enough to realize he didn’t have her.Yet.“Of course.Keep in mind, April is at your disposal.Even if it’s late, you’d be safe.And if you’d like a glass of wine, you wouldn’t have to worry about driving.I’d be more comfortable.”

“What if I wanted you to pick me up?”

He recognized what she was doing.Showing her independence, an obligatory objection to ceding control to him.“As if it were a date, rather than an introduction to my form of seduction?”

She caught her breath.

“If that makes you happy, Lara, I’d be delighted to pick you up.”

“I’ll let you know what I decide.”She reached for her jacket.“But I still may not come at all.”

He didn’t argue.“Let me help with that.Please.”His words were light.His tone was commanding.His expectation allowed no argument.

Responding as he’d hoped, she waited while he crossed the room, picked the jacket up and held it for her.

“Are you always so mannerly?”she asked as she turned back to face him.

“With my woman?Yes.”

“Your woman?Yourwoman?”Her voice held a touch of indignation and outrage, but the question had emerged shaky.

“That’s what you want to be,” he reminded her.“Isn’t it?”He smoothed her lapels.

“No.”She shook her head.

“My wife?What do you think it means?”For a few moments, he let her think about it.Now, he saw, with the way she was rubbing her upper arms, realization was settling in.When she’d walked into his office, she’d obviously had an abstract idea of what she was proposing.Business had been her focus, and apparently it hadn’t occurred to her that he’d expect something more.

He walked back to his desk, and she followed.He picked up her phone then dropped it back in her bag.He re-clasped it before returning it to her.

“Thank you.It’s been memorable.”

“It has, indeed.”He went to the door and unlocked it.His hand on the knob, he paused.“And I won’t forget I owe you a punishment.”

Her grip whitened on the bag.

“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”He opened the door and she walked past without another word.

* * * *

Lara kept her composure until he’d closed the door behind her.

Then, realizing Thompson wasn’t in the room, she exhaled raggedly and sank into a chair.

What the hell had she been thinking in coming here, proposing to Connor Donovan when she knew nothing,nothingabout him?

Even after he’d revealed that he was a Dominant, she’d stayed.Not only that, but she’d made things worse by following his soft-spoken commands.She’d all but invited his touch then she’d surrendered to his kiss.

Worse, she’d done it willingly.And she wanted to do it again.

If she were smarter, she’d get away and stay away.

She drew a breath.Last night, as insomnia had stalked her, Erin’s words had seemed to play on an endless loop.Somewhere around midnight, Lara had started to consider the idea of marriage to Connor.For the next hour or two, she’d come up with a dozen reasons why that was a ridiculous idea, including her outrageous attraction to him.From the night she’d first met him, she’d recognized he was dangerous.Despite that, she’d been ensnared by his steely gray eyes.

Eventually, she’d fallen into a restless sleep.After dawn had awakened and she’d guzzled half a pot of coffee, she’d hit the shower.Thoughts of Connor hadn’t been far away.

Then she’d received a copy of an email one of their attorneys had sent to her father.The woman had raised concerns regarding several clauses on a contract her father intended to sign.The news had startled Lara, though it shouldn’t have.It was simply another in a string of decisions she disagreed with.