Blindsided
(romantic suspense)

Excerpt ~

He lowered his voice, purring, determined to wipe the look into oblivion. “How long have you been in this business, Sarah?”

Her breath caught and there was a slight widening of her pupils acknowledging the electricity arching between them, but to his amazement, in the next moment a cool look of disdain settled over her sweet features.

“Long enough to know when I`m being maneuvered, Mr. Sanders.” She then purposefully turned away from him, dismissing him.

Shock blazed through his veins as he watched her reopen her briefcase atop the table only to begin shifting through the papers. Surely she didn`t think to keep things between them purely business? The attraction between them was quite literally tangible! But before he could say anything she was talking business.

“Dentan should be a dead-on hit for us. They pushed 4.3 million in exchanges just in the last quarter and I figure with our…”

“It`s Michel,” he growled deliberately moving into her space, cutting her off and ensuring her full attention. Hungrily his gaze roamed over the clear up turned face, reveling in it`s freshness, while allowing their individual heat time to mingle, to become one. The cool look of disdain was already melting under their combined heat. The need to touch her, to see if her skin was as soft as it appeared swelled within, made his voice gruff.

“We`re finally alone and you want to waste the time pretending to do business?”

“Pretending!”

“Yes, pretending,” he answered unperturbed by her affronted look, trailing a finger up one arm, wishing the blouse was short sleeved, for then it could have been skin on skin but… sighing, he acknowledge that January wasn`t the warmest season in New York.

“A hand swiped at his, caught it and held it. He raised an imposing eyebrow amused. A feminine eyebrow cocked right back at him.

“We have things to discuss, Mr. Sanders and whether you believe it or not, I do have other clients to get to yet today.”

“Addressing me as Mr. Sanders isn`t going to alter what`s between us Sarah, and I do believe you.” Which was true, he did, he was just more interested in the cause behind the slight trembling he detected in the firm grasp encircling his wrist.

Yet,” she observed sarcastically meeting him eye to eye, adding fuel to an already stoked fire—-he loved a good challenge.

“Somehow I don`t think you care.”

“Maybe,” he purred, greedily eating her up with his look, “I would if I didn`t see the hunger blazing in your eyes.”

She issued a delicate sniff of disbelief. “That would be from not eating a proper breakfast.”

Chuckling, he gave a quick flick of his wrist and became the holder, enjoying the sudden awareness blossom in her eyes of having become captured.

“Look,” she asserted quickly, too quickly, more than likely sensing she was fighting a losing battle he was sure.

“You may be used to having every woman throw themselves at you, but I`m not going to be one of them.”

Well, she was partially correct, women did throw themselves at him, had been ever since he`d been born, first because of his looks and then because of his money but she was wrong about not being one of them… he was going to ensure that she was.

Not answering her dictate, he lightly trailed a finger down the side of her cheek, pleased to discover the skin was soft… exactly as it promised. And her scent… Closing his eyes ever so slightly, he drew in a deep breath, savoring the mixture. “Hmmm… you smell… delicious. Like pie and pines. What kind of perfume are you wearing?”

“I don`t wear perfume or rather… I`m not at this moment and quite frankly I don`t see what my choice in perfume, er what I smell like has to do with the business at hand.”

“A lotion then?” he asked, completely ignoring her question, sliding his fingers around her throat into the base of her hairline, lightly caressing. “Or an oil? I`m not familiar with the unusual scent.”

“Oh and I suppose you are a connoisseur of scents?”

He cockily grinned with a nonchalant shrug watching the nervous movement of her tongue sweeping out to moisten her lips. “A hobby of mine.”

A delicate snort answered. “You might want to stick to finance—it is still the Christmas season you know. I happen to still have a tree up and I like to bake pies.”

Chuckling, he acknowledged her dig then turned serious. He was done with playing games. “Sarah?”

Instinctively understanding the change in tone he supposed, her breath hitched making her `yes` whispery.

“I`m going to kiss you.”

Her eyes widened as a stillness settled over her. She could pull away at anytime and that knowledge was present between them. He was holding her, yes, but it was so light, she could have easily stepped away at any given moment. And they both knew it.

“I could slap you with sexual harassment.”

It was his turn to snort derisively.

“You won`t and not because of who I am but because of you. Because of what you want. You want me to kiss you. To touch you. To transport you to places of pleasure you`ve only dreamed of.” He paused bringing her hand to his lips and brushing the fingers against his mouth, allowing the moist heat from his words to caress them further.

“You want me, as much as I want you. I know this Sarah, I can feel you trembling with the tempest storm of emotions begging for release.”

The low rumble of his voice distinctly carried his challenge, matching the sparkle in his silvery eyes, daring her to refute his assertion. Leaning in, he touched his nose to hers briefly before issuing his final decree. “Do you deny it?”

So... are you curious? Do you want to know more? I hope so! Let me know what you think -- stop by my Visitor`s Hub and say Hi - I`d love to hear from you!

Thanks for visiting! You are welcome anytime!

Nicole