The One I Want, page 26
“Must you always ask why?”
“When people come to me with things that don’t make sense . . . yes.”
“Just let me kiss you and then I’ll leave.”
“Do you know how many germs are in the human mouth?
I’d be better off kissing an open sewer grate.”
Why did she have to make this so difficult? He hated being here. Hated having to come here at all. Yet he had something to prove and goddamnit, he’d prove it or die trying.
But how dare she look so goddamn cute! He’d never known this Irene Conridge existed. He’d only seen her in those boxy business suits or in a gown that he’d bet money she never picked out for herself. On occasion he’d even seen her in jeans but, even then, she’d always looked pulled together and professional.
Now she looked goddamn adorable, and he almost hated her for it.
“Twenty seconds of your time and I’m out of here for good. Twenty seconds and I won’t bother you ever again.”
“Why?”
Christ, again with the why.
MISS CONGENIALITY 293
“I need to prove to the universe that my marking you means absolutely nothing.”
“Oh, well isn’t that nice,” she said with obvious sarcasm.
“It’s nice to know you’re checking to make sure kissing me Is as revolting as necessary.”
“I’m not . . . didn’t . . .” He growled. “Can we just do this please?”
“Twenty seconds and you’ll go away?”
“Yes.”
“Forever?”
“Absolutely.”
“Fine. Just get it over with quickly. I have a lot of work to do. And the fact that you’re breathing my air annoys me beyond reason.”
Wanting this over as badly as she did, Van marched up to her, slipped his arm around her waist and yanked her close against him. They stared at each other for a long moment and then he kissed her. Just like he did Athana earlier. Only Athana had been warm and willing in his arms. Not brittle and cold like a block of ice. Irene didn’t even open her mouth.
Nope. Nothing, he thought with overwhelming relief. This had all been a horrible mistake. He could—and would—
walk away from the honorable and brilliant Irene Conridge, PhD, and never look back. Van almost smiled.
Until she moved slightly in his arms and her head tilted barely a centimeter to the left. Like a raging wind, lust swept through him. Overwhelming, all-consuming. He’d never felt anything like it. Suddenly he needed to taste her more than he needed to take his next breath. He dragged his tongue against her lips, coaxing her to open to him. To his eternal surprise she did and he plunged deep inside. Her body jerked, her hand reaching up and clutching his shoulder. Probably moments from pushing him away. But he wouldn’t let her.
Not if she felt even a modicum of what he was feeling. So he held her tighter, kissed her deeper, let her feel his steel-hard erection held back by his jeans against her stomach.
294 Shelly Laurenston The hand clutching his shoulder loosened a bit and then slid into his hair. Her other hand grabbed the back of his neck. And suddenly the cold, brittle block of ice in his arms turned into a raging inferno of lust. Her tongue tangled with his and she groaned into his mouth.
Before Van realized it, he was walking her back toward her stairs. He didn’t stop kissing her, he wouldn’t. The last thing he wanted was for her to change her mind. He managed to get her to the upstairs hallway before she pulled her mouth away.
“What are you doing?” she panted out.
“Taking you to your bed.”
“Forget it.” And Van, if he were a crying man, would be sobbing. Until uptight Irene Conridge added, “The wall. Use the wall.”
BRAVA BOOKS are published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
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Copyright © 2008 by Nancy Warren
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
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ISBN: 0-7582-3247-0
Document Outline
Cover Page
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Copyright Page
Nancy Warren, The One I Want
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