“And what have you found?”
“Unless Alex does something drastic, Cahill Limited will go bust.”
“But it’s a huge corporation,” she protested, and he watched as her lips parted and she took another sip.
“Privately held corporation and not really all that large, not in today’s world.”
“Can it be saved?”
“I think so. With the right number of cuts. If Alex is willing.”
“He seems to work all the time,” she said, walking to the window and staring out at the lights winking down the hillside. “He’s always gone to one meeting or the other. Either at the office or on the board at the hospital or Cahill House.”
“Do you miss him?” Nick asked. She hesitated, then shook her head.
“Sadly, no. I don’t feel any real connection with him.” He watched the back of her neck turn rosy at the admission. “I can’t explain it.”
“Alex isn’t an easy man.”
“Nor are you,” she observed, sending him a glance over her shoulder. It wasn’t meant to be provocative but it was. Her robe slid to one side and his eyes were drawn to the column of her neck and the smooth skin at the curve where her neck met her shoulder. What he would do to kiss her there.
“How would you know? You don’t remember.”
“Woman’s intuition,” she said. “There’s something about you that a woman can sense. A restlessness. You’re not satisfied with much in life, I’d guess. And you don’t settle. If you want something, you go for it.”
“Not always.”
“Oh, yes, you do.”
“I want you.”
Beneath the layers of satin her backbone hardened and she glanced at the floor, her neck bowing. “But you still don’t trust me.”
“Why would I?” he asked and took a step closer, condemning himself as he did. He’d sworn to be immune to her charms, that he’d never allow her close to him again, but as each day had passed he’d felt more drawn to her, more intrigued. He’d warned himself time and time again and yet when he got down to the bones of the truth, he’d like nothing more than to touch her, kiss her, caress her and thrust into the deepest, most feminine part of her.
“Did I hurt you so badly all those years ago?” she asked, studying the drizzle of raindrops on the windowpane.
“It was my fault.” Another step closer.
“But you’re punishing me.”
“How?”
“By . . . by trying to keep your distance.” She was still turned away from him, her drink now on the windowsill, her hands on the ledge as she stared through the ancient, watery glass.
“Self-preservation, Marla. It’s just a basic animal instinct.” Like the other ones you arouse in me. He was so close now he could smell the scent of her skin, see the tiny hairs on her nape, wonder about the secrets that lay beneath the folds of satin that encased her.
“You saved my life,” she said and her voice was breathless as if she, too, could feel how near he was, the barest of inches separated his toes from her heels. Her perfume wafted to his nostrils, smelled faintly of lavender and reminded him how long it had been since he’d been with a woman.
“Saved your life? Maybe, maybe not. I did what I had to do. Don’t make it more than it was, okay? Don’t try to cast me as some kind of hero. Believe me, I’m not.”
“You spend a lot of time trying to convince everyone that you aren’t.”
“It’s not hard,” he said, and knowing he was making a deadly mistake he reached forward and curled his fingers over her shoulders, grabbing smooth satin and supple flesh. Beneath his hands he felt her tremble, watched as she took in a swift breath but made no move to pull away.
Firelight played in her hair and gilded her skin, the innocent pink of her robe turned to a soft, warm peach color as his hands opened and closed over her upper arms. With a low moan, she leaned against him and he lowered his head, his lips pressing against the back of her neck. Desire ran hot through him, centered between his legs, caused him to think of nothing but the pure sensual pleasure of this woman. So hot. So wet. So wickedly wanton. So forbidden.
“Nick,” she whispered so softly he wasn’t certain she’d said it.