Page 31 of The Playboy Meets His Match
“If it makes you happy, I promise to stay. I’d like to hear what everyone else thinks after you meet with them, but I should go home soon.”
“You don’t have to go yet. You rented an apartment, so you didn’t plan on heading back to Dallas in the near future.”
“Tell me again about the murder.”
Jason talked softly, his hand stroking her nape or winding through her hair. The conversation shifted and changed and time passed until she glanced at her watch. “It’s almost dawn.”
“Well, we had a late start on the night.”
“I’m going to bed.” When she stood, he came to his feet.
“One good-night kiss, Merry,” he said softly, a honeyed warmth that stole her resolve.
When he pulled her to him, she went willingly into his arms, relishing his lean, hard body against her softness. Mouths together again, and the same wild sensations and needs flaring. Winding her fingers in his hair and holding him, she kissed him passionately for a few minutes before stopping him.
“Now I go.” She could feel his eyes on her as she left the room, and she suspected even though they had been awake almost the entire night, she would still have trouble sleeping.
She needed to move out of his house. Their kisses were escalating wildly into hot passion, and she didn’t want that to happen. This was not the man with whom to become seriously involved.
“Sleep in, Merry,” he called after her.
“Sure,” she replied, glancing back over her shoulder at him. He stood with his hands on his hips, watching her as she walked away. His chest was bare, all hard muscles, tempting, special. The feel of him could turn her to quivering jelly. How easily she could turn around and walk right back into his arms and he would make love to her as long as she would let him.
Was she already falling in love with this tough, hard-hearted cowboy? Was he changing just a little? He had told her about his childhood pain, something she suspected he had told few people in his life.
“Don’t get soft now,” she warned herself, yet all she could think about was Jason: his touches, his kisses, his laughter, his sexy good looks. And beneath the scary moments tonight, the risks they had taken, she realized they had worked well together.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” she whispered, closing the door to her bedroom. “You’ve got me talking to myself, Jason Windover,” she said. “Get out of my head. Get out of my heart,” she added, moving to the bed to shed her jeans and shirt and slide beneath the sheet. She was exhausted, but not sleepy. Every nerve in her body was wired and she could still feel his hands on her, still remember too vividly his kisses. She’d better remember his dire views of marriage.
She came up out of sleep to bright sunshine pouring into the room. After she showered and dressed in cutoffs and a T-shirt, she went to the kitchen to find a note from Jason stating that he had gone to town.
Midmorning, he called, asking her to meet in him Royal for lunch and to help him select a new computer. Merry rummaged through her clothes, finally wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt, letting her hair fall free.
They were to meet at the Royal Diner and when she turned to park at the curb, she saw Jason leaning against his pickup, waiting for her. As he straightened and sauntered over to open her car door, her pulse raced. How handsome he was in his black Stetson, jeans and a white T-shirt.
Over juicy hamburgers, she asked him about his morning meeting with other Texas Cattleman’s Club members.
“I didn’t get to talk to them. Dorian saw Sebastian and Will as they left the office and asked them where they were going and then wanted to go with them. I’ll try again to talk to all of them when Dorian isn’t present. But we were delayed getting together because the execs at Wescott Oil were busy with the law this morning. Will told me that someone broke into the place last night. Then, when we met at the club, Dorian was there, so little was said. Sebastian, Will and Dorian are eating lunch there now.”
“What about Dorian?”
“He avoided my gaze most of the time, but a couple of times we made eye contact, and if looks could kill, I wouldn’t be here.”
“How can he suspect you of breaking in?”
“It may just be an old antagonism that has always existed between us. Anyway, I did get to talk to Rob and Keith as we left. I gave Rob and Keith copies of our disk. Keith was impressed with your getting into Dorian’s files.”
She shrugged. “That’s my business.”
“Well, after lunch you can help me get the right computer, and then please get it all set up for me, and in exchange…” His voice changed to a sexy huskiness that made her draw a quick breath and lose what little appetite she had. She waited while he paused and his eyes devoured her.
“In exchange?” she asked, prompting him and waiting breathlessly.
“Whatever your fee is plus dinner at Claire’s plus a little romancing back at the ranch.” He reached across the table to take her hand, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. “Want me to tell you what I’d like to do to you?” he asked wickedly in a husky voice.
“Not here. Not now.”
“Later then,” he drawled. “How’s the evening sound? Do we have a deal?”
