No, it wasn’t false. She wouldn’t believe that.
Arms crossed, weight shifted to one hip, she countered, “Are you okay?”
“Me? Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“Well, let’s see.” She propped her hip on her desk again and crossed her ankles in a negligent pose. “You went through nearly everything that I did, you also haven’t had any sleep and your friends are heckling you because I didn’t play the good little girl and ask the big protective fighter to check my bedroom for danger.”
Wearing a crooked smile, he approached. “That sounds like a private fantasy or something.”
“Perhaps, but I’ll reserve it for someone who’s willing to play.”
The smile firmed into a straight line. He didn’t stop until he had her shoulders clasped in his big hands and she had her head tilted back so she could stare into his dark eyes.
“I wanted to talk to you about that.”
Her pulse jumped. “About playing?”
“Somewhat.” His thumbs gently caressed her tensed muscles. “I want to stay with you.”
In case he’d forgotten, she said, “I’m staying in the suite here.”
“I know.”
And he still wanted to stay with her? When he’d left, she’d thought... But here he was, back again, and she so badly didn’t want to be alone.
Yet being with Brand and not touching him would be impossible, and despite her promise to Enoch, Brand didn’t seem like a willing participant to his suggestion.
When she didn’t say anything, Brand asked, “It’s a regular living space?”
“Yes. Scott used it sometimes for entertaining, but mostly for convenience, especially when he had the house built, and then later when he wanted it remodeled. Leese and Catalina stayed there when she was first a client and it wasn’t safe to move her. It’s on the top floor of the building, fully furnished and entirely secure.”
Nodding, he said as if he expected her agreement, “I have my overnight bag in the car.”
So he’d gone home, showered, changed and packed...to be with her? Going for honesty, she admitted, “I would enjoy the company.”
“Great.”
“But I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“You staying alone isn’t a good idea. Me staying with you is the right thing to do.”
So obligation motivated him, not interest? Damn the man for keeping her confused. She sidled away from him, her hands on her hips. “I don’t see how it can be right when you only tease me.”
He ran a frustrated hand over his head. “Sahara...” Abruptly he changed his tone to sound more reasonable. “Come on, honey, you know you didn’t really want sex after just being kidnapped.”
She lifted a supercilious brow. “I wanted it then and I want it now.”
Brand hitched his chin with doubt. “Right now?”
“Well...” She looked back at her hard massive desk, then at the small, but softer sofa against the wall. “I mean, not exactly this second. I’m not sure my office is private enough for that.”
New heat entered his eyes. “Your office would be plenty private enough, I promise.”
That put all kinds of vivid sexual images into her mind. She took in a slow breath and nodded. “All right.”
“But,” Brand said with exaggerated patience, “you haven’t had any sleep, you’ve been through a shit-ton of upset and now you’re worried about Scott again. Don’t you think it’d be better to give yourself a chance to recoup?”
No, not when she’d wanted him even before the kidnapping. “I’m always worried about Scott and I’ll stay worried until he’s back home with me. I’ve never needed much sleep, and I’m already over what happened.” The last was a huge lie, but what she needed most was the unique closeness of intimacy. Enoch knew it, so why didn’t Brand? “If you’re still tired, a little traumatized maybe, you should definitely go home and rest up.”
Brand shook his head. “You make ‘rest up’ sound very wussified.”
She gave a delicate shrug. “If the description fits...”
He stepped closer, a new edge to his demeanor. “Do you always use insults to get your way?”
Now that he pointed it out, she felt like a bully. “Usually only with you, and it still doesn’t work.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“My ego isn’t that fragile, Sahara. You don’t need to apologize.”
Throwing up her hands, she snapped, “Then I guess I should just give up?” She really hated that idea, but she hated throwing herself at him and being repeatedly rejected more.
Indulgent, Brand said, “I’d rather you didn’t.”
Okay, hold up. “You’ve got more mixed signals than a virgin on prom night.”
He grinned. “What I’d like you to do is recognize that you’re a little off balance. That’s why you’re coming on even stronger than usual, and using insults. Am I right?”
She gave a very grudging “Maybe.”
“Allowing yourself some time to come to grips with everything isn’t a bad thing. I promise it doesn’t make you a wuss.”
“Are you coming to grips with it?” She waited for his denial.
He surprised her by saying, “I think so. Even though I’m sure you’ll be safe here, I know I want to stick closer to you, to see for myself that you’re okay.”
His admission gave her a small thrill. “That sounds awfully involved for someone who doesn’t want involvement.”
“Never said I didn’t want to be involved.”
“Then—”
“But there’s a small problem, honey. See, you take the whole boss gig to heart even though I don’t work for you. You need to learn to separate that once you leave the office.”
Did she do that? Yes, probably.
“You’re a boss,” he said. “But that shouldn’t define you. You’re also a sister, a friend...and a very sexy woman.”
He looked at her so intently, as if willing her to understand.
Hanging on to that sexy woman compliment, she said, “I can try to separate things.” She had promised Enoch, after all. “It’s just that I’m so good at being a boss.” And maybe not so great at the other things. “Ask anyone who works for me.”
“Maybe they say that because they do work for you. Let me remind you again: I don’t.” He slid his hand up her throat, his long fingers curling around to her nape and his thumb tilting up her chin. “I’m also good at being the boss.”
Sudden insight sent her brows up. She had no qualms challenging him. “So this is about the big macho fighter being too insecure to take orders from a woman?”
“More insults?” When she scowled, a dangerous smile curved his mouth. “I’d say it’s about you being afraid to be a woman.”
Absurd! She started to jerk away, but suddenly his other arm locked her to him. That didn’t stop her from struggling.
“Can’t bear to hear the truth, Sahara?”
Far as challenges went, he nailed it. She stopped levering away and instead thrust her face up close to his. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
He chuckled at her bravado. Actually chuckled!
Furious over his galling amusement, Sahara could think of only two ways to wipe away his humor.
Her knee could land home in a very sobering way.
The other option would be... She kissed him.
Or more like she attacked his mouth.
When he leaned back to avoid the assault, she followed, her hands now fisted tight in his shirt, high against his collarbone. She nipped his bottom lip, sucked it into her mouth, licked over it, and then, sealing her lips to his, she explored the damp heat of his mouth. She loved the slick texture of his strong white teeth, his velvet tongue, and she especially loved the low growl he gave in reaction.
Abruptly, he stopped retreating and instead adjusted his hold.
The hand around her nape tipped her head farther back so he could take the lead. His other hand scooped down to her behind and pressed her against him, their bodies perfectly aligned for a tantalizing fit.
It was a battle of wills, each of them trying to take control...until Brand backed her up so that her thighs bumped into her desk. Proving his strength, he scooped her up one-handed and sat her on the edge.
Against her lips, he said, “Open your legs.”
Never one to give in easily, she asked, “Why?”