Rory looked at him and shook her head. Look at him, all muscle and hardheadedness, she thought. Beautiful but so incredibly flawed. He had to go full tilt, had to push the envelope. But he refused to accept that this envelope was made of tissue paper and could rip at a moment’s notice.
Would rip at a moment’s notice.
She couldn’t stop him, she realized. He’d ignore her advice and go his own way.
Rory lifted her hands, palms out. “I can’t talk to you right now.”
“Rorks—”
“I’m not discussing this right now.” Rory walked toward the door.
Mac’s arm shot out to block her way. When she tried to duck underneath it, he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her, far too easily, against his chest. “No, you’re not just walking out. We’re going to finish this argument. We’re adults. That’s what adults do.”
“Let me go, Mac.” Rory pushed against his arm. She struggled against him, desperate to get away.
“God, you smell so good.” Mac dropped his mouth to her shoulder and nuzzled her. His teeth scraped over her skin and Rory shuddered, feeling heat pool low in her abdomen. She shouldn’t be doing this, she thought. She should be walking away, but Mac’s hand cupping her breast, his thumb gliding over her nipple, shoved that thought away.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought as she arched her back and pushed her breast into his palm. Mac pulled her nipple through the cotton fabric as he pushed the straps of her shirt and bra down her shoulder with his teeth. His breath was warm on her skin and she reached back to place her hand on the hair-roughened skin of his thigh, just below the edge of his shorts. Hard muscle tensed beneath her hand and he groaned as he pushed his erection into her lower back.
Ooh, nice. Rory twisted her head up and back, and Mac met her lips with his, his tongue invading her mouth to tangle lazily with hers. Damn, he kissed like a dream. His kisses could charm birds from trees, move mountains, persuade a nun to drop her habit...
Persuade. The word lodged in her head and she couldn’t jog it loose. She tensed in his arms as she pulled her head away from his. Persuade. Coax. Cajole.
Seduce.
Rory closed her eyes and slumped against him. God, she was such a sap, so damn stupid. Mac was distracting her from the argument, hoping she’d forget he’d gone behind her back. He used her attraction to him against her, thinking that if he gave her a good time, she’d forgive him for being a colossal jerk!
She pushed his arm and stumbled away from him, shoving her hair from her face with both hands. God, she finally understood how being in a man’s arms could make you go against your principles.
This is how it would be with him; she’d object, he’d seduce her into changing her mind. I get it, Mom, I do. But unlike you, I’m going to listen to my head and not my hormones.
Rory locked her knees to keep herself upright and took a deep breath, looking for control. She pulled down the hem of her T-shirt, wishing she were in her tunic and track pants, her uniform. She’d feel far more in control, professional.
“Did you really think I’d fall for your little let’s-seduce-her-to-get-me-out-of-trouble routine? I’m not that shallow or that stupid. And you’re not that good.” Rory slapped her fists on her hips, ignoring the flash of angry surprise she saw in his eyes. “You went behind my back to exercise your arm. That was devious and manipulative. I don’t like dishonesty, Mac, in any form. Because of that and because you obviously don’t trust me, I think it’s best that I leave.”
She could see from the expression on his face that he thought she was overreacting. Maybe she was, but he’d given her the perfect excuse to run. To get out of this quicksand relationship before she was in over her head and unable to leave.
“Our contract will become null and void,” Mac said, his voice devoid of anger or any emotion at all.
“I don’t care.” Rory told him. She wanted her clinic, but not at the cost of living in quicksand. “I’m going upstairs to pack. I’ll be out of your hair in a couple of hours.”
Mac swore and swiped his hand across his face. “God, Rory...running away is not the solution!”
“No, the solution is you being honest with me, listening to me, but you won’t do that, so we have nothing to talk about,” Rory snapped before walking out the door. Yes, she was scared, but she couldn’t forget that he’d been dishonest with her. That was unacceptable.
She’d forgotten, she thought as she ran up the stairs to her room. You can’t trust him; you can’t trust anyone. Disappointment comes easily to those who expect too much. Don’t expect. Don’t trust.