Free The Seduction Scheme by Kim Lawrence Page A

he looked… Distracted was as good a word as any todescribe his expression. As she watched he inhaled deeply and ran a hand roughly through his hair. Recalling that she was responsible for the ruffled condition of the short, sleek style brought a fresh wave of mortification.
    â€˜Are you all right?’
    â€˜I’m falling apart at the seams’ probably wasn’t the response he was expecting so she smiled politely if distantly. Now I’m distant, she thought wryly.
    â€˜You must be in a hurry to get back to the office.’
    â€˜Anxious to get rid of me, are you?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t be so rude.’
    â€˜The impeccably mannered Miss French,’ he drawled slowly. ‘I think you’d be quite a lot of things that would surprise both of us—given favourable conditions.’
    This thinly veiled reference to her recent wanton behaviour was enough to send her almost tumbling from the car in her anxiety to escape. He was almost as fast as her and much better co-ordinated; by the time she’d opened the rear door to help Charlie out, he had already scooped the uncharacteristically passive child into his arms.
    â€˜Lead the way,’ he said cheerfully. Charlie giggled as he swung her around.
    â€˜You’ll make her throw up.’ Rachel pursed her lips and refused to enter into the spirit of things.
    She didn’t like being manipulated and she fumed quietly whilst she did as he requested—at least it had sounded like a request, but she knew an order when she heard one, no matter how sneakily it was dressed up.
    She was doing it again—letting him into her home—and this time she knew exactly how dangerous he was! If she’d been the sort of young woman to indulge in misty optimism Rachel might have told herself that nothing had changed, but she had a much more realistic approach to life. She knew that walking away from that short burst of beautiful hormonalinsanity back there would require good judgement and careful handling. She was pretty sure she wasn’t capable of either just now.
    â€˜Make yourself at home, won’t you?’ she said sweetly as, much to her annoyance, he placed Charlie at one end of the sofa and claimed the other end for himself. For once Charlie seemed prepared to tolerate adult foolishness as he tickled her feet which lay in his lap.
    â€˜Sure I’m not intruding?’
    â€˜Would it make much difference if I said yes?’ What did a few kisses mean to him? A great big nothing—the answer was depressingly obvious.
    He strolled into the kitchen a few seconds later and spoilt her efforts to regain her serenity. ‘Charlie sent me to say she would like a milkshake, preferably chocolate.’
    â€˜I’m not at all sure I should reward her after what she’s done.’ She continued to clatter around.
    â€˜What are you doing?’
    â€˜Making a cup of tea.’
    â€˜Looks to me like you’re just rearranging the cups.’
    â€˜I don’t recall inviting you into my kitchen. It’s too small and you’re…you’re too…too big,’ she ended feebly.
    What was she supposed to say? Having you this close is driving me to distraction? All I can think about is the way you tasted, the way you felt…?
    â€˜I’m a genetic throwback to my grandfather,’ he explained apologetically. ‘He was Australian, of Italian extraction—a big man by all accounts. My sister’s the same, but Tom, my big brother, never made it past five ten. I think it’s the scent that’s heightened in an enclosed space.’ The words emerged suddenly and his eyes widened with shock as though he was as surprised as she was to hear them.
    â€˜What?’
    He wasn’t looking at her; his eyes were fixed grimly onhis own hands, and that muscle beside his mouth had begun to throb again. ‘Even after you’ve left a room it lingers, but in an enclosed space like