Free One Wrong Step by Laura Griffin

knees apart with his body.
    “McAllister—”
    He kissed her, slowly, sending a sharp thrill right through her, straight down to her toes. Angling her head slightly, he parted her lips and licked into her mouth, and before she knew it she was kissing him back with every cell in her man-deprived, frustrated little body. His hands moved down to circle her waist, and she felt their warmth through the fabric of her dress. His thumbs rubbed over her hip bones, and she started to feel intoxicated, like she’d been last night, only much, much better. He was way too good at this, and that fact alone should have been a wake-up call, but it wasn’t.
    Suddenly she felt a whisper of cool air and his palm sliding over her knee. That was a wake-up call.
    “We can’t,” she said, pushing her hem down.
    His mouth moved to her temple as his fingers slid up her thigh. “You’re not seeing someone else, are you?”
    “What? No, but—”
    He kissed her neck, just below her ear. “And you’re attracted to me, right?”
    She held on to his shoulders, trying to catch her breath as his lips moved against her skin. This situation was wrong. And inappropriate. It was wrongly inappropriate. Her ex-husband had just died; she was coming off an IVF cycle; and here she was, at her workplace, making out with the very last person who would ever be interested in the things she wanted in her life. Babies. Parenthood. Responsibility for another human being.
    McAllister was interested in getting laid and getting a scoop, period.
    His teeth nipped her. “Don’t lie, honey. I know you are.”
    “I am, but we can’t just—”
    He kissed her mouth again, and in a fit of bad judgment, she let herself enjoy it. His kisses were like him—leisurely and confident and persuasive, all at the same time. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer.
    A knock sounded at the door. “Cecelia?”
    Chantal! Celie gave McAllister a firm shove and hopped off the desk. She whirled toward the door, which was shut, thank heaven. “Yes?”
    “We need your help outside.” Her boss’s voice oozed disapproval. “We’re about to start the egg hunt.”
    “I’ll be right there!” She shot McAllister a glare.
    Sighing, he leaned a shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms. He watched her adjust her dress and smooth her hair. Then she scurried for the door, but he didn’t move to follow her.
    “Are you coming?” she asked. “Or was the basketball thing just a ploy?”
    He shook his head. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. You invited me, remember? Hell, I even wore my basketball shoes.”
    “Good. You’re going to need them.”
    “I doubt it.”
    She popped the lock and yanked the door open, motioning for him to lead the way out.
    “You might be surprised.” She checked her dress again and tried to sound normal, like someone who hadn’t nearly had sex on her desk. “Enrique’s got a pretty good game.”
    McAllister paused in the doorway and gave her ponytail a tug. “I’m starting to think the only one with any game around here is you.”

CHAPTER
6
    K ate emptied another sugar packet into her latte and concentrated on stirring so she wouldn’t have to look at the agent.
    “You want some coffee with that?” Rowe asked.
    Kate looked up, not acknowledging his lame attempt at humor. She stared at him, smileless, wanting to see if he’d squirm.
    He didn’t. Instead, he reached over and grabbed another tray of sweeteners from a neighboring table. He pushed them toward her, and she gave in to the childish urge to add a third packet of sugar to her coffee, successfully ruining it.
    Why did she do this? All her life she’d had problems with authority, so she acted out whenever anyone older tried to tell her what to do.
    She sipped her coffee, trying not to gag. Rowe grinned suddenly, and Kate had to look away.
    “So, why didn’t you return my calls?” he asked.
    “I’ve been busy.”
    He raised his eyebrows, clearly