The lips that touched hers were warm and sweet and gentle, and, at first, tentative. But they became more demanding as his arms went around her and pressed her into his body.
She stiffened in resistance, and he sensed her withdrawal immediately. Without releasing her, his hold became more gentle. He stroked her back tenderly. His lips changed from demanding to persuasive. His tongue circled her closed lips, and he nibbled at a corner of her mouth. Against her will, Katherine felt her mouth relaxing under his until she moaned and accepted his ardent probing.
When they were both breathless, he pulled his mouth from hers, but gave fervent attention to her ears. He kissed her eyelids.
“Your eyes are the color of a new spring leaf.” His whisper was deep and husky. “Where did you get these black lashes? Blondes don’t usually have eyelashes this dark.”
His hands and lips intently caressed each feature of her face. He ran his fingers through her hair. “Your hair is like cool silk. I want to feel it blowing across my face.” He took her mouth with more precision than before, drawing responses from her that she had never given to anyone else.
One strong hand went to the small of her back and drew her even closer to him. His knees moved apart, making his stance wider, and she positioned her legs between his. She felt the strength of his long thighs as they pressed against hers.
The sensations coursing through her were frightening, and she would have pulled away, but the lips nuzzling her neck were gentle, and the hands stroking the satin skin of her back under her tank top were tender. There was no threat of danger, was there? Shyly she raised her arms and placed them around his neck, touching the muscles of his shoulders.
“Oh, God, Katherine.” His voice was as urgent as his hands as they lifted the hem of her shirt. The hairs on his chest tickled her breasts and stomach as they were bared and pressed against him.
“Katherine, I want you.” She couldn’t ignore the evidence of his desire when they were this close to each other. “You’re beautiful… sweet…”
His hand covered her breasts and somewhere in her head alarm bells sounded. She didn’t behave this way! She should resist him. He was a Manning, and even if he weren’t—
Oh! What was happening to her? Her nipples ached with desire as he caressed them. Katherine clenched her hands on his shoulders in awakening passion.
Please, no. Jace, Jace. No, Jace. Then Katherine realized she was actually saying his name aloud and it was in the form of a sob. It mingled with his soft mutterings against her flesh.
“Katherine, you feel… Your breasts. Katherine, please—”
“No!” she screamed and pushed away from him, unbalancing him and making him fall backward. “No! Don’t touch me.” She hastily pulled down her shirt and covered her flaming cheeks with shaking hands.
“Katherine, I—”
“Don’t… don’t make any excuses. Just leave me alone.” She was sobbing uncontrollably and didn’t know why. Was it out of shame or a sense of loss? She couldn’t afford to trace the source of her tears.
She unleashed the anger she felt toward herself on him. “Did you really expect me to let you…? God, what was I doing?” As if cautiously retreating from something dangerous, she took several steps backward. “You expect everyone to cater to your whims. Was I supposed to be honored that a mighty Manning paid me some attention? And if I submitted, that would be more ammunition you could use against me. I remember what your lawyer said about my indeterminate morals. You’re conceited and selfish and arrogant and deceitful. Just like your brother,” she sneered and turned away from him.
Within a heartbeat he had gripped her u
pper arm painfully and spun her around to face him. The eyes that had been glazed with passion only moments before now blazed with fury. Gone were the deep dimples and the sensuous smile. In their place was a thin, grim slash of a mouth set in a granite-hard chin.
Katherine shrank from the latent violence that surfaced even as she watched. “Goddamn you! Don’t ever say that to me again. Do you hear me?” He gave her a little shake and her head wobbled on her shoulders. “Never compare me to my brother. Never!” He said the last word through clenched teeth, and the cords in his neck stood out.
Katherine winced with pain from his death grip on her arm. That he was hurting her finally penetrated his anger, and he released her abruptly and stepped back. Pent-up breath was released in a great expulsion of air as the heels of his hands dug into his eyes.
When he looked at her again he said hoarsely, “Forgive me. I came on too strong.”
Chapter Four
Whether he was referring to coming on too strong sexually or his attack of violent temper, she never knew. He hastily began gathering their things and packing them into the jeep.
Katherine braved one quick look at him on the silent trip home. His jaw was set and hard, his eyes were fixed on the road. When they arrived at the house, she stumbled up the stairs to her apartment carrying Allison and leaving Jason to return Happy’s basket and report on their outing.
The following morning she went to work as usual, but nothing was the same. The weekend had been tumultuous. She was nervous and edgy, jumping at her own shadow. Having no idea what Jace’s next move was going to be was tormenting.
She didn’t think he would try to steal Allison away from Happy’s house while she was working, but then, she couldn’t trust him not to. He didn’t seem the type to do something so heinous, but Peter had shone with good intentions toward his wife too.
No, despite his charm and good looks, Jace Manning could not be trusted. She would be foolish to think otherwise.
It didn’t take long for him to reveal his method of operation. When she came home from work, he was in the backyard with Happy helping her repair a window screen. He had his nerve!
“Wasn’t it sweet of Jace to fix this old thing for me? All I had to do was mention that it was broken and nothing would do but for him to come out here and have a look at it.”