Free His Last Chance at Redemption by Michelle Conder Page A

‘If you want to tell me.’
    ‘Take a seat.’ He indicated the deckchair next to his, his voice low.
    She looked from him to the chair and back, a shade warily, and Leo felt some primitive thrill of a bygone age rise up inside himself. The lure was set and she just had to take two more steps and then he’d trap her and tell her to mind her own business. That he would not discuss his relationship with his son with her or anyone else. He might even kiss her as well. Just to find out if she really did taste as good as his recall said she did.
    She hesitated beside the chair, but he could tell she hadn’t taken the bait. More was the pity. ‘There’s always tomorrow night.’
    He raised a mocking eyebrow. ‘To take a seat?’
    Her eyes flashed. ‘To read him a story.’
    ‘Alas, I’m all out of fairy tales, angel.’
    She pursed her lips at the pet name he’d given her and he cocked his head as he considered her. ‘Is that why you became a childcare worker? You like fairy tales.’
    ‘I like children. They’re honest and pure.’
    Like her? He leant back in his chair. ‘Could it be that you prefer dealing with children more than adults?’
    ‘Of course not.’
    ‘Of course yes!’ He gave an unrepentant grin at her fervent denial, enjoying himself all of a sudden.
    Something her next sharp words ground into dust.
    ‘Do you have any intention of spending time with your son this weekend?’
    ‘I didn’t think you wanted an argument,’ he sneered.
    ‘I don’t. I just think it’s important.’
    ‘You’re not here to orchestrate a family reunion, Miss Somers, so stop trying.’
    Her eyes glittered angrily in the low light. ‘You would have to be a family in the first place for me to be able to do that,’ she blazed back at him.
    Fortunately the steward arrived with their beverages and eased the tension that had hardened the air between them. He could feel Lexi watching him but he ignored her and picked up his bottle of mineral water, lamenting the fact that he had given up alcohol seventeen years ago and wishing it was a full bottle of Stolichnaya instead.
    ‘I don’t understand you,’ she said, breaking the silence once the steward was safely out of earshot. ‘You grew up in what sounds like a wonderful family and yet you treat Ty as if he doesn’t exist.’
    Leo observed her with a level of calmness he was far from feeling. ‘I won’t discuss my relationship with my son with you, Miss Somers,’ he said through clenched teeth, ‘so stop prying.’ She pulled the chair out opposite him and Leo felt as if a rock had settled in his stomach. She had an uncanny knack of making him feel guilty about Ty but she didn’t know the truth behind his decision. She didn’t know what he was capable of and for a split second he considered telling her. Which was madness! He never talked about himself. Ever.
    And he sure as hell wouldn’t be telling Lexi Somers about it either.
    He was just about to return to his suite when she bent one knee up and rested her chin on it. ‘Do you ever do anything besides work?’
    A myriad of answers formed in his head but they would be dangerous to play to. Because while intellectually he had already decided to ignore the chemistry between them, physically he had already started to respond to the hint of vanilla carried across to him on the warm evening air.
    ‘Sometimes,’ he said evenly.
    ‘Like what?’
    Like sex
. His nostrils flared as the thought hardened his groin.
Right here and right now if she were willing
. He saw her eyes widen slightly and knew she had picked up on the direction of his thoughts. Maybe the fact that he was staring at her mouth wasn’t very subtle.
    ‘Looking for a demonstration, angel?’
    The air between them became charged and he noticed her running her silver necklace between her fingers.
    Oh, boy
.
    In trying to find out more about him and how best to influence him into spending time with Ty, Lexi had inadvertently jumped into a minefield