You’re lovely, she thought, although that was something she’d be keeping to herself for now because it was so unbelievably sentimental if she did tell him she’d only sound like a soppy fool. Instead she let her gaze drift over his face. She saw heat in his eyes and tension in his jaw. She heard the tiny hitch of his breath and it drew her attention to his mouth.
Then it was she who was being drawn to him because almost as if she had no control over herself she was slowly moving forwards, closer and closer, until her mouth was a centimetre from his and she could sense the restraint he was exerting over himself, not moving a muscle.
And for a split second, a moment before their mouths met, Abby hesitated. Once she did this there’d be no going back, so was she one hundred per cent sure she wanted to?
She was, oh, how she was...
‘Do it,’ he said so softly she almost didn’t hear him.
‘Do what?’
‘Kiss me.’
‘Is that what you think I’m thinking of doing?’ she murmured teasingly.
‘Yes.’
‘Can’t imagine why.’
His gaze held hers. Their breaths mingled, and she was nearly passing out with anticipation. ‘You want to. You know you do. I know you do. So do it. Out of gratitude, if nothing else.’
What?
Abby went still. ‘Out of gratitude?’ she said, drawing back and frowning at him, the feelings of loveliness and anticipation evaporating beneath a whirl of confusion. ‘Why would I kiss you out of gratitude?’
‘Because you are. Grateful, I mean. Aren’t you?’ He smiled faintly. Warmly. With satisfaction.
In triumph?
‘So you might as well give in, Abby,’ he said, and just like that her dreamy bubble burst and everything about today became blindingly and horribly clear.
By organising the meeting and the set tour Leo hadn’t been being thoughtful. He hadn’t been being lovely.
He’d been manipulating her. And why? Well, to make her break her work/pleasure rule and get into her knickers, of course. Why else?
How could she have been such a fool?
Hadn’t she thought he’d given in remarkably easily when she’d turned him down at dinner a week ago? Hadn’t she congratulated herself on a job well done? She should have analysed it more. Should have asked herself the questions such an end to the night should have thrown up.
And she
was such an idiot for assuming he’d changed. Such a bloody idiot. Or course he wouldn’t have changed. He was a man. There she’d been thinking that there was something going on between them, that things were maybe developing, and all he’d been doing was manoeuvring her into bed.
Everything he’d said today had been planned. Designed. Calculated. He hadn’t suddenly decided to open up to her. He hadn’t suddenly embraced the idea of expressing his feelings, his innermost thoughts. And he never would.
Yet she’d been imagining a relationship with him. Had she gone truly insane? Would she never learn? After all she wasn’t even dateable, was she? Not after the night she’d slept with him. Not now. Maybe not ever again.
Why would he do something nice, something thoughtful, for her anyway? They hardly knew each other. She was nothing more than a challenge to be won, and she’d been so blindsided by the strength of their chemistry, the charm, her fledgling feelings, which with hindsight she should have nipped in the bud way back, she just hadn’t seen it coming.
Well, whatever, she thought, the hurt and humiliation shooting through her congealing into something hard and cold in her stomach. She saw it now. She saw it all. The tiny part of her that was flattered that he wanted her so much could forget it. His behaviour sucked. He wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. He was a louse. And as for her, there weren’t words to describe what an idiotic fool she’d been. Talk about dumbing down. She hadn’t even needed to try.
‘On second thoughts,’ she said coolly, ‘forget the kiss.’
Leo’s smile faded and he looked genuinely perplexed, as well he might, because he must have thought he had her right where he wanted her. ‘Forget it?’
‘I’m grateful, but I’m not that grateful.’
He frowned. ‘I don’t get it.’