It was the almost irritated look of concern in his eyes that devastated her. She had to turn away from it. But he grabbed her shoulders and turned her back, tilting her chin up. Not so he could steal a kiss, but to subject her to his disapproving inspection. His frown deepened. ‘You’ve lost weight. You shouldn’t be here at all today. Not for the rest of the week.’
‘I’m fine,’ she argued, burning at his touch, at the tension tearing her apart every time she so much as thought about him. Which was insanely often. And to see him? To be this close to him? She was going to have to find a new job after all.
‘You’re pale. Have you had breakfast?’ He interrogated her grimly.
‘I need to be here. I need to work.’
‘You still look awful.’
‘And thank you for that,’ she muttered. ‘I’m fine. It’s my decision, Leon. Not your concern.’
An indefinable emotion whipped across his face and then he froze. ‘Not my concern?’ he echoed with lethal softness.
‘You value your independence as much as I do and don’t try to argue otherwise,’ she said. ‘If you needed to work, you would. And I need to work.’
‘Not today—’
‘I have no sick leave left,’ she snapped. ‘The stationery shop has given me the boot because I missed shifts this week, and I need the money because Ophelia has unforeseen expenses. I am working today and you are not stopping me. Nor are you offering to help me,’ she burst out, rejecting his offer before he could make it. Because she just knew he would make it now she’d told him all that. ‘I don’t want any help from you.’
His mouth opened and shut again as he visibly sought for control. But then he lost it. ‘Damn your pride, Ettie,’ he ground out in a low voice.
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his customary coolness evaporating in a swirl of motion. ‘There’s independent. And then there’s stubborn and pig-headed. You’re the latter.’
The guy had no concept of talking quietly. He was all orders and commands and shouting. Joel could probably hear him on the other side of the door, and it would be around the staff that she and Leon Kariakis and were alone in the office, arguing like...like...lovers.
‘Shush,’ she whispered furiously.
‘Did you just shush me?’ His gaze glittered.
‘I have to get on with my job. Please, Leon,’ she suddenly broke and begged, her voice catching. ‘Leave me alone.’
Leon was silenced. And furious. She couldn’t be any clearer. She didn’t want him around. But he knew she did. He could see the desperation in her eyes now—she was positively drinking him in.
‘What are you doing?’ Her voice wavered as he stalked nearer.
Behaving badly. Doing what they both wanted. What they both needed. He hadn’t slept a wink since seeing her yesterday, his temper was ragged and he’d been under extreme restraint for too long. Her chin was stuck in the air and her ‘leave me alone’ vibes couldn’t hum louder. He wasn’t going to linger where he wasn’t wanted.
Except he knew he was wanted. Very much. He could see it in her luminous, emotion-laden green eyes, and those vibes had a strong bass thrum of desire. But she had irritatingly strong willpower. She didn’t want to want him any more. Well, that made two of them. Because he’d never wanted to be held hostage to desire like this. Never wanted to feel this need to know she was okay. To be so shockingly concerned about her appearance.
She was so beautiful. But right now she looked unbearably fragile. Pale and interesting didn’t suit Ettie—she was meant to be full of vitality and radiance.
‘Leon.’ Her whisper wasn’t one of rejection. It was a plea.
He was desperate to get her out of his head, the want for her out of his blood. Never before had he wasted time thinking about anything other than work. He’d never let himself want something so much it became a complete distraction. He controlled all his emotions—even desire.
So now he didn’t kiss her. He couldn’t. Not when she’d asked him not to. But he’d allow himself just the smallest, gentlest of touches. As he spanned her waist, he heard not just a hitch in her breathing, but also a stifled moan. He felt the ripple of yearning arch through her body and he pulled her closer into his embrace. A hug, right?
But desire burgeoned between them. He gazed into her eyes, watching the searing craving build. Neither could hide it. Nor deny it.
‘You don’t want any help from me?’ he growled at her. ‘But you still want me.’
Her soft mouth parted, her lips full and reddened. But her eyes pleaded with him—tormenting him with two vastly different requests. ‘That’s different.’
It was. And it complicated everything.
She didn’t want to want him. Well, ditto. With every ounce of willpower he could summon, he released her and stalked out of the room.
Ettie’s heart plummeted as the door slammed behind him. She’d craved more contact with him. That need had been constant since that first night. No matter how hard she’d fought against it the want simply grew. And now?
She’d banished him for good.
She breathed in and out, trying to steady her pulse and ignore the sharp pain high in her chest. Eventually the adrenaline burst vanished, leaving her overwhelmingly exhausted.
It was so stupid to still feel so tired. She’d not lied to Leon, she’d slept like a log last night, but she just couldn’t seem to get enough rest despite turning in as early as she could. She had no idea how she was going to rearrange Autumn Welby’s massive walk-in wardrobe right now. Autumn liked her to do it every month and usually it was fine—enjoyable even—to see the dazzling dresses. But this morning the thought of sorting out all those evening gowns made her arms ache and the prospect of Autumn’s perfume collection made her gag even more.
‘You okay, Ettie?’ Joel frowned as she walked from the concierge office to the lift. ‘Need a coffee?’ He held out a mug.
‘No, thanks. I’m fine,’ she lied.
In truth she was hot, cold and queasy and the strong smell of coffee almost made her retch. The lift dinged and the doors slid open but Ettie didn’t step in. She’d never felt so awful in her life.
‘Ettie?’ Joel called to her again.
She turned her head to answer him, but then she heard someone else.
‘Ettie? Ettie!’ Leon was shouting.
Blindly she reeled as her body pulsed with regret and longing. She opened her mouth to reply but it was too late; nothing came out.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘ETTIE...’
It was the merest whisper, but it was th
at same voice she’d heard in the moment before everything went black.
Leon.
Blinking rapidly, she tried to sit up, but he firmly pushed her back down onto the plush sofa. She shivered at the contact, goose bumps lifting all over her skin. It was appalling how much she wanted that touch.
‘Stay still,’ he ordered tightly.
He was leaning so close, he was all she could see. Bossy as ever. He’d taken off his jacket, and in his crisp white shirt and dark tie he looked stunning. But it was his eyes that made her all but limp—the potency and depth of the brown and the heat in the amber lights. How had she ever thought his gaze was cool?
It wasn’t a ripple of forbidden desire that slithered down her spine now, it was a tsunami. Her body was a disgrace to her—a confused mess. Unwell one moment, racked with feverish lust the next.
‘Leon...’ She murmured the all too obvious like some brainless devotee. She’d ached to see him again. Then she remembered. She’d fainted at his feet. What an idiot.
He looked more serious than ever, which ought to have been impossible. ‘I told you, you’re still unwell.’
‘I’ve just...’ She trailed off.
‘It’s gone on too long, Ettie,’ Leon said decisively.
She struggled against the sneaking desire to lean against him. Instead she made herself look past him. Where was she? Not the concierge office because there was no sofa in there.
‘I’m in your penthouse.’ Her pulse spiked as she realised.
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you fainted in the lobby.’
‘No, I meant... I could have gone into the office.’ She moistened her dry lips with her tongue. He hadn’t needed to bring her up here. How had she got up here? Her heart sank and soared at the same time. He’d carried her. She just knew it.
‘Too bad for you.’ His tone was cool.
It was too bad, because she still wanted him even when it was impossible. And so damn embarrassing. She shut her eyes to block out the intensity of his impact on her, but somehow it just made it worse. She could feel his heat and strength. ‘I don’t mean to be ungrateful.’