Now what the hell was that supposed to mean? “Has Merrick hit on you?” he asked, unaccountably possessive and jealous.
Blade would kill him. It didn’t matter that Merrick was married to Candice’s boss, Chloe, and madly, deeply in love. He’d still kill him.
“No, not at all. It’s just that he’s got a real way with words. He can sell anyone darn near anything with barely more than a smile. You, on the other hand, you’re just the opposite. You bully and push until you get your way.” She tilted her head to the side as if studying him. “Amazing that you’re related.”
“We are talking about Merrick, right?”
“Of course, unless you have another brother that I don’t know about.” She smiled as she moved away from him. He noticed she did that a lot, kept a physical distance.
“Nope, just Merrick.” And to set his mind straight he asked, “Has Merrick ever flirted with you?”
“No. He’s totally devoted to Chloe. I don’t think he even knows other women exist.”
Satisfied with that answer, he pointed to the couch. “Mind if I sit?”
She blushed, which, as he’d already discovered, turned him on. Every fucking thing she did turned him on. “Of course, have a seat.” Looking down at her robe, she frowned.
“I’ll, uh, just go get dressed.”
“I don’t see why,” Blade growled. His gaze traveled over her once more. Christ, his lust grew by leaps and bounds whenever he was within a mile of the woman.
“Yes, well, I’ll be right back,” she stammered, then flitted from the room, leaving him to his own devices.
He went over to the couch, which was the size of a love seat to him, and sat. It was forest-green with beige stripes and surprisingly comfortable. As he waited, he studied the living room and noted something strange. While the room seemed plenty lived-in and had a real homey feel, it was devoid of anything personal. Then he spotted a single photograph nestled between a bunch of paperbacks on a bookshelf in the corner. His curiosity got the better of him. Blade left the couch and went to it, drawn by the wild need to know more about the woman who had been haunting both his days and nights.
It was a snapshot of a couple standing with their arms around a tiny dark-haired girl in pigtails. The woman was obviously Candice’s mother—she looked exactly like her—
and the man had a bright smile on his face, as if he couldn’t possibly be happier. The picture was old, though. Candice couldn’t have been more than eight or nine at the time.
Where were her parents now? And why just the one picture?
He left it and went back to sit on the couch, shocked at the protective instincts that kicked in at the thought of Candice being all alone in the world. He’d always had his parents, his brother and sister. They were his whole life. He couldn’t imagine not having them. And he was already anticipating Merrick and Chloe having kids someday. It’d be fun to have a few curtain-climbers in the family to liven things up a bit. He’d enjoy being an uncle.
Yep, no doubt about it, without his unruly siblings, life would be as dull as a brick.
Did Candice have any friends other than Lacey? Then there was the house. Blade was surprised she could afford it. No doubt, Candice made good money working at Vaughn Business Solutions, but the house was bigger than what he would have thought she could handle alone.
It was a one-storey ranch with a two-car garage and, judging by the size, three bedrooms. More than what a woman living alone needed. Being a construction contractor, Blade didn’t need to see the interior to know the approximate dimensions of the rooms. Besides, a woman living by herself generally preferred an apartment. Hell, he lived in an apartment. Nevertheless, having other people around tended to make a woman feel safe. No landscaping upkeep, either. So why choose to live alone in a house that was too big for a slip of a woman like Candice?
She was certainly a puzzle. It was a good thing he loved puzzles.
When she returned, Blade’s body reacted. She affected him in a way no other women ever had—and he’d definitely had his share. Women who were sexier and no doubt more eager to be in his presence. But here he was, getting all hot and bothered over a woman who wanted nothing to do with him. Which, needless to say, made him want her even more. It was crazy, but Blade couldn’t deny the temptation to get to know her on an intimate level. He’d tried that already, and he’d gotten nowhere.
It was high time he did something about his secret lust. Enough of wondering how her skin would feel against his, what her lips would taste like, how she would sound during a climax. How fucking good she would feel wrapped around his cock. It kept him up at night, and running a construction company on little to no sleep was not a good idea.
Hell, if he didn’t get the imp out of his system, he’d end up killing himself. The way he saw it, having sex with Candice Warner was a matter of life and death.