Free Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Louisa Neil

was
    unsettling. Changing direction, he moved to a neutral topic.
    “Chloe is pregnant.” Stuart watched Kay’s face light with relief.
    “I’m glad she’s not sick.”
    “So am I, but I’m not sure a full litter is what we need right now.”
    “I’ll help with the pups,” she offered.
    His gaze flew to hers, holding for a second too long before he
    retreated to his coffee mug. Again there was a protracted silence
    between them. This time she just sipped from her cup and waited for
    him. After he had kissed her, she’d told him it was up to him if he
    wanted to continue or start, rather, a relationship. Somehow he didn’t
    like the lawyerly vibe she was giving off, and he knew she realized
    why he’d come to talk to her. It was the proverbial kiss-off she’d been
    expecting. Having thought through the situation, he knew starting a
    relationship with her would not be productive for his business or his
    ego. How he handled her would be the interesting part. All of his
    preconceived statements fled his mind. He realized in that second he
    did want a relationship with her but knew he’d tell her different.
    “Kadence, I’m sorry about kissing you the other night. I was out
    of line. As your employer, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. It
    won’t happen again, I promise.”
    “And what if I wanted it to?”
    Suddenly confident, she baited him, he decided, purely for fun.
    She’d been prepared for him to back off, probably assumed it would
    be his play. Would she bust his balls for trying to do the right thing?
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    Louisa Neil
    After the phone call he’d listened to earlier tonight, he’d decided if
    the roles were reversed, he’d probably bust her chops just for general
    principles, or an outlet for his angst.
    “Doesn’t matter. It can’t be.” He finally looked at her, waiting for
    her to acknowledge his words.
    “All right, no problem.”
    Earlier he’d decided if she didn’t want to pursue a relationship
    with him, he’d accept her decision with grace. The only alternative
    would surely make them both uncomfortable, and after all, it was just
    a kiss. An amazing kiss from his perspective, considering its length,
    but still just a kiss. His cock stirred, remembering the instant feelings his body felt during the kiss. “Fine, I should go.” His tone sounded
    curt to his own ear, and he tried to change his tone. “I…”
    “Leave this. I’ll straighten up before I turn in.” Stuart hesitated a
    second too long, and he watched her expression change, ultimately
    deciding to speak her mind. “Was I supposed to rant and rave and tell
    you I couldn’t live without you fulfilling me as a woman?” She teased
    him openly, and while he understood it was a defense mechanism, he
    also knew deep down it wouldn’t have bothered him if she’d given
    him just a little bit of a fight.
    “Good night, Kadence. Thank you for making the preserves.”
    “You’re welcome, Stuart. Good night.”
    He left quickly without another word. Harley slowly stood from
    his position in the doorway. For long seconds he looked after Stuart
    and back to Kay.
    “Oh, go ahead, you old hound. Follow your master.” The dog
    dropped his head and wandered slowly down the hallway.

    * * * *

    The cleanup went quickly, considering all that still had to be done.
    Even the repetitive tasks didn’t soothe her tonight. Instead, she was
    keyed up and Stuart Drake was the reason. When he’d first come into
    Point of Contention
    54
    the kitchen she wasn’t sure what to expect. Stuart telling her she was
    hands-off was a possibility. Maybe it was for the best. Working
    relationships never worked out. But deep inside, she wondered what it
    might have been like between them. It was hard not to wonder how he
    would have reacted if she’d just walked over to him and dropped onto
    his lap. She imagined wrapping her arms around his shoulders and
    pressing her breasts against her chest. Her palm itched with a want to
    feel his