deny this? We’re attracted to each other, Holly. It’s really quite simple.”
“But it’s not,” she said. “I’m here to do a job. And I have a life back in New York City, a career and business to run.”
He arched his brow. “I’m not asking you to stay,” Alex murmured. “This isn’t a proposal of marriage.”
Holly drew in a sharp breath, the warmth his kiss had brought leaving her body. She placed her palms on his chest and pushed him away. “Which is exactly why we can’t do this,” she said.
“You want an engagement ring before you’ll let me kiss you again?”
“No!” Holly cried. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then what is it?”
She scrambled for a sane reason why she couldn’t allow herself to be seduced by Alex Marrin’s charm. But nothing she came up with made the least bit of sense. Why not kiss him, as long as it felt good? Why not let passion take its course? It’s not as if she were engaged to Stephan! She was a single woman, free to explore her passions with whatever man she chose. “There’s another man,” she blurted out, taking the first excuse she could find.
Alex nuzzled her neck playfully. “There won’t be after tonight.”
“It’s quite serious.” She felt his lips abandon the pulse point on her neck. His shoulders stiffened and he drew away.
“You’re engaged?” He stared at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns and a pitchfork tail.
The emotion in his eyes, barely controlled anger, self-loathing, made her retreat a step. “No. I—I mean, yes. We’ve known each other for ages and last Christmas Stephan asked me to marry him.” It wasn’t really a lie, just not the entire truth.
“I don’t see an engagement ring,” Alex said.
“I don’t need a ring to remind me of how I feel.”
“And how do you feel when you’re with him, Holly?” Alex asked. “Does he make you feel the way I do? All warm and breathless? Out of control? Willing to do anything for this?” He caught her around the waist and yanked her closer.
“Stop it,” she warned, her gaze transfixed by the desire blazing in his eyes, her voice lacking any conviction.
He leaned closer. “Make me.” With that, he lowered his mouth to hers. She expected all the anger she saw in his expression to flow into his kiss. But it wasn’t there. Only need, desire so fierce that she could feel it flooding into her body from his. And when he drew away, leaving her breathless, her instinct was only to lash back at him for taking away every ounce of her self-control.
“You can’t change the past by punishing me. I’m not her, Alex, and when I leave after Christmas and all the decorations are put away and all the cookies are eaten, you won’t be able to blame me. I won’t be abandoning you. I’ll just be going back to my life.”
He cursed softly, then turned away from her. The heat from his body suddenly disappeared and Holly shivered. “Well, I guess that answers all my questions,” he said. He rubbed his hands together, then glanced around the room. “Do you need any help cleaning up here? If not, I’ve got work to do in the barn.”
“That’s it?” Holly asked.
He forced a smile. “Don’t worry, Miss Bennett. I won’t be kissing you anytime soon. Unless, of course, you beg me to.” With that, he grabbed his jacket and strode to the back door.
The sharp sound of it slamming made her jump and she pressed her palm to her chest, only to find her heart beating like an overwound clock. “Good,” she murmured, “I’m glad that’s all cleared up.” She took in a shaky breath, then turned to finish tidying up the family room. But her body trembled so uncontrollably that she finally had to sit down.
This was good, wasn’t it? Alex didn’t want her anymore. No more lustful looks, no more passionate longing. No more kisses? Holly groaned and put her face in her hands. Now, if she could just convince herself that this was what she wanted, she might be able to concentrate on the job at hand. And not on the breathless, reckless, wanton way Alex Marrin made her feel.
“GET PACKED AND TAKE the first train up here,” Holly ordered, trying to keep the edge of hysteria from her voice. “There’s a train at 8:20 that arrives here just before noon.”
“Mom?”
“No! It’s Holly.”
For a long moment, there was no sound on the other end of the line. Then a groan and a dramatic yawn from Meg. “Holly? It’s five in the morning!”
“I know what time it is,” Holly said, pacing back and forth alongside her bed. “I want you up here today. At the latest, tomorrow morning. You’re taking over this assignment.”
Meg’s astonished gasp was audible through the phone lines, but that didn’t sway Holly. She’d spent a sleepless night scarfing down Christmas cookies and weighing the consequences of remaining at Stony Creek Farm. While waiting for the sun to rise, she’d decided that leaving was the only option she had. Even though Alex had vowed to keep his distance, Holly was convinced, sooner or later, she’d go begging. And when she did, it wouldn’t be for mere kisses. No, she’d want more from Alex Marrin.
Her mind wandered back to the kiss they’d shared, the unbridled desire he’d ignited inside her. The moment his lips had touched hers, Holly knew she wanted him. But a tiny corner of her brain blared out a warning she couldn’t ignore. She’d known Alex for less than a week and she was ready to toss aside her inhibitions!
How could she possibly know what she wanted? It had taken her almost a year to decide she wanted Stephan and look how badly that turned out! No, Holly Bennett never made spur-of-the-moment decisions. She always weighed all her options carefully, made a plan, considered every angle.
Though an affair with Alex could be wonderfully exciting, it was also a dangerous proposition. She already knew he wasn’t the type of man to give his heart freely. His divorce had obviously left scars, deep and painful. And he’d already made his feelings quite clear. He was attracted to her, but there’d be no proposals of marriage, no happily ever after. Whatever she might imagine between them, it would only be sex to him.
“What’s this all about?” Meg asked, her voice ragged with sleep.
“I just think you’d be better suited to this assignment.”
“Why?”
“Well, you’re much—” Holly searched for a plausible reason “—much stronger than I am.”
“If there’s heavy lifting to be done, why don’t you hire someone?” Meg suggested. “We certainly have the budget.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Holly said, dragging her overnight bag from beneath the bed.
Meg paused. “What do you mean? Has something happened? You sound upset.”
“I’m fine,” she said, throwing the bag open.
“You’re lying,” Meg countered. “I can always tell when you’re lying, even over the phone. What’s up?”
Holly paused, wondering if she should tell Meg the entire story or just the bare facts. “All right. There’s this man. Actually, Eric Marrin’s father, Alex. And we have a—a thing between us.”
“A thing? Did you get all prissy with him? You know how men hate that. I’m always telling you, you have to be more flexible and more—”
“I wasn’t prissy!” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Just the opposite. Whenever I’m around him, we end up kissing. Or almost kissing.”
“You kissed a man?” Meg took a moment to digest the startling news. “You kissed a man! We are talking about on the lips, aren’t we?”
“Once.