Free Out of Bounds by Dawn Ryder Page A

did.
    “Now who’s thinking about non-business topics, Ms. Donovan?”
    She jerked her attention up and found his black eyes glittering. He’d pushed away from the desk and closed the distance between them. Great. She’d given him an inch and he was taking full advantage.
    But she had to confess that she’d be disappointed if he didn’t, even though her pride rebelled against the thought. Emotion and fact often conflicted. On one level, she wanted to be viewed as his peer—on another, deeper one, she wanted to be stalked.
    And caught…
    He stopped in front of her, reaching out to tip her head away just a bit so he could inspect the bruise. His lips thinned with rage.
    “Anastasia is back in New York.” He stroked her cheek gently. “I put her on the damned plane myself.”
    “You did what with her?” The words flew right out of her mouth in the same moment it registered that he’d confessed to being with the sex kitten.
    Tarak’s expression instantly changed. He hadn’t missed the heat in her tone. He cupped her jaw, raising her face so that their gazes couldn’t part.
    “I put her on a plane so that her father can deal with her. I want nothing else from her.”
    His tone was sharp and cold as ice. There wasn’t a shred of remorse for his actions.
    Sabra stepped back, escaping from his touch. “Not that it’s any of my concern.”
    “You are jealous, Sabra.”
    He took a step after her. A crazy twist of excitement went through her as she realized he was stalking her. Intent flickered in his eyes as he took another step.
    She retreated. Moved back, without any real decision on her part. Tarak’s eyes narrowed and he followed her. Arousal snaked through her and her mouth went dry. It was too damned fast to make any sort of sense.
    “Very jealous,” he concluded as he shortened the space between them. “I approve.”
    “Why? You’re the one who prefers relationships you are in command of. I thought you said Anastasia fit that bill perfectly, so that makes her a better choice for you. I don’t do the no-strings-attached thing.”
    Sabra sidestepped, because she was running out of space behind her. A picture of him pressing her up against the wall was trying to destroy every last shred of sense she had left.
    “Sure you want to discuss what I like in a relationship, Sabra? Because once I get interested in a project, I tend to see it through to my complete satisfaction,” he warned.
    Her mouth went dry at the mention of satisfaction .
    “It’s not like I want to. This whole instant-attraction thing isn’t my idea of a good time. In fact, I’m over it.”
    She was such a liar…
    His expression tightened, determination flickering in his eyes. “Like hell you’re over it.” His lazy pace had given her a false sense of security, of control over the situation. The brutal truth was, she had none. Tarak reached out and captured her, pulling her against his body as he turned and pushed her up against the dark, frosted-glass wall.
    “When you issue a challenge to me, Sabra, rest assured, I will take it.”
    He caught the back of her head and angled his face so that he could kiss her. His mouth was hot, and once again her toes curled. Desire was instantaneous with the first touch of his lips against hers, as if she’d been waiting until they were once again in contact. Being pinned against a wall only made the moment more intense. He handled her as though she belonged to him, and part of her wanted it to be true.
    She reached for him, for the hair that drew her gaze every time he was near, tangling her fingers in the longer strands to pull him closer. He was pressing her against the wall, but they weren’t close enough. She lifted her leg, hooking it around his hip. He stroked her thigh and cupped her bottom as his tongue thrust deep inside her mouth. Her skirt rode up, allowing the inside of her thigh to rub against his hip. He shifted, pressing against her pubic mound. The hard presence of his cock