‘Absolutely not,’ she said firmly. ‘I said it loudly. Very loudly.’
‘Right.’ He nodded and rubbed a hand slowly along his jaw. ‘Because, you see, the thing is, I had the oddest dream about a woman who smelled of irises who did just that.’
‘Intriguing dream.’
‘It got better.’
For whom? ‘Did it? How?’
‘In my dream you—’ he shot her a quick, lethal smile ‘—I’m sorry, I mean she—nearly kissed me.’
Abby stared at him, her heart practically leaping out of her chest because, oh, God, he did know. ‘How strange,’ she murmured, sounding mercifully calm even though her pulse was racing so fast it
could have won the Grand National.
‘Isn’t it? So what with your scent and your actions, you can see why I think it might have been you.’
‘Except that I’d never do anything so unprofessional.’
He arched an eyebrow. ‘No?’
‘Absolutely not.’ It was his word against hers and she was sticking to hers like a limpet.
‘Which presumably is why you didn’t go through with it.’
‘Utter nonsense.’
He shook his head slowly and tutted. ‘There I was all vulnerable and defenceless—not to mention unconscious—and you were going to take advantage.’
Vulnerable and defenceless? Him? Hah. ‘I was going to do no such thing.’
‘And to think I was momentarily concerned that my integrity might have been compromised tonight,’ he said, bulldozing her protests of innocence and hitting a nerve.
She narrowed her eyes. ‘What are you implying?’
‘We’re even.’
He smiled and his eyes glinted and for the first time since she’d met him Abby got a glimpse of the man behind the façade, and immediately thought that she should have been careful what she wished for because she didn’t know what to make of that glimpse. She thought she saw triumph and amusement, heat and desire, and despite her best efforts to prevent it her knees went weak with longing.
And then there was the intent. That just about robbed her of breath because his jaw was set, his eyes were fixed on her mouth and he was walking slowly towards her, and, idiot that she was, she was just standing there as if rooted to the spot.
‘What are you doing?’ she said shakily as he came to a stop half a foot from her.
‘What we both want. What you chickened out of. No matter how much you protest to the contrary I know you’re the woman of my dreams, Abby, and I’d like to realise those dreams.’
Oh, God, he was planning to kiss her and if he did she’d kiss him back. She knew she would. ‘You said you weren’t interested.’
‘I lied. I’m interested.’
‘No,’ she breathed, managing to sound outraged, sexy and needy all at the same time, which so wasn’t the plan.
‘Why not?’
‘I never mix business with pleasure,’ she said, focusing on one of the founding principles of her company, albeit a bit belatedly.
‘Neither do I. But the party’s over and we no longer have business together.’
‘We might. Hopefully.’