Fearless Maverick (11 page)

 
          
Obviously
she thought she needed to explain. ‘It’s not that I don’t think gems are
pretty. As a matter of fact, I think pearls are beautiful. I just don’t own
any. I’m more of a practical type.’ She held up her wrist. ‘I own a watch.’

 
          
Examining
the piece, he frowned to himself. A sports dial, not at all feminine. He
supposed some females weren’t into rings and things. Or would Libby be
flattered, like most women, to be given a stunning necklace, bracelet or
something even more special?

 
          
As
they slid into the limo, Alex stole a glance at his companion’s hands while she
excused herself to check her mobile for messages. Those fingers had been on
display practically every day for two weeks. He’d known she wasn’t engaged.
That had come out in Eli’s initial research. But was she seeing anyone on a
more casual basis?

 
          
When
his gut kicked, he scrubbed his jaw.

 
          
Well,
why wouldn’t she be? She was an extremely attractive, highly intelligent woman
with a great deal to offer a man. And if she were indeed seeing someone, her
usual ‘I’m only about work’ demeanour—the way she avoided his casual touch—made
more sense. As for accepting his invitation to lunch today … An important
client showing up out the blue? He hadn’t given her much choice.

 
          
He
swallowed a curse.

 
          
Just
when he’d felt better about this whole situation. But the day wasn’t over yet.
Still time to find out more.

 
          
‘It’s
going on four-thirty,’ he said, when she slid her phone away. ‘Too late to go
back to the office.

 
          
And
you can’t drive after the wine. I’ll drop you home.’

 
          
Libby
gazed off, no doubt considering her options. Clearly seeing the merit in his
suggestion, she nodded and gave the driver her address, which was less than
five minutes away. When the limo pulled up, Alex swung out, then helped her
onto the footpath. With an almost shy smile, she looped her bag more securely
over a shoulder.

 
          
‘Lunch
was a lovely surprise. Thank you.’

 
          
‘I’ll
see you to the entrance.’

 
          
Other
than her pupils dilating, her expression remained unaffected. ‘There’s really
no need.’

 
          
‘You’ll
offend my sense of chivalry.’

 
          
She
blinked as though she wasn’t sure if he were joking. While he kept a straight
face—he
always
walked his dates to
their doors—she thought it through, finally gave in to a shadow of a smile and
walked alongside him toward her building. Once they reached the glass security
door, however, she pulled up to her full height and faced him.

 
          
End of the line
.

 
          
‘Well,
here we are and, uh—’ she peered around him ‘—your driver’s waiting.’

 
          
‘That’s
what I pay him for,’ he said. ‘Driving and waiting.’

 
          
Done
with pretext, she eased out a breath. ‘I know what you’re thinking. We’ve had a
nice few hours and you’d like me to invite you up.’ She shook her head. ‘Not a
good idea.’

 
          
‘I
disagree.’

 
          
Her
amber eyes flared. ‘Neither of us want this to get complicated.’

 
          
‘Who
said it has to be complicated?’

 
          
Growing
more nervous, she wet her lips. ‘We have a working relationship we need to
maintain.’

 
          
‘This
is working for me.’ He stepped closer and his head lowered, close to hers. ‘How
about you?’

 
          
He
hadn’t set out to kiss her, but his mouth found hers, nevertheless. Then he
told himself to keep it light, no more than a lingering brush of his lips over
hers. But as they touched, an overwhelming need to explore broke through and
instinctively his hands found her shoulders and winged them gently in.

 
          
White
heat unfurled high on each thigh as the heavy beat of his heart echoed through
his veins. He urged her nearer, until her breasts pressed low against his chest
and, as he kneaded her flesh, the tight beads pushing against her blouse rubbed
and hardened more. His tongue ran over her teeth and when her mouth opened
wider, inviting him in as she dissolved, Alex forgot they were in public, in
broad daylight, doing what should be enjoyed behind the privacy of closed
doors. He forgot everything except the wonderful way Libby felt in his arms and
his desire to know more.

 
          
He
was taken off guard when her palms spliced up between them and, groaning, she
pushed away. Short on breath, Libby avoided his gaze as she flattened a hand
against the entry door to steady herself. ‘Why did you do that?’

 
          
‘You
have to ask?’

 
          
Other
than the deep rise and fall of her chest, she didn’t move. Her cheeks scorched
red, she merely lifted her gaze and glared at him. ‘Alex, don’t
ever
do that again.’

 
          
‘Because
you’re my physio?’

 
          
Pressing
her glistening lips together, she nodded deeply. ‘Exactly. And …’ She rose up a
little. ‘I’m not after a relationship right now.’

 
          
He
smiled softly. ‘That’s a shame.’

 
          
A
flame leapt in her eyes and for a moment he thought she might reconsider and
ask him up but then she punched a number into the security pad and, in a blink,
disappeared inside.

 
          
On
his way back to the limo, Alex went over every second of that delectable kiss
as well as the steps which had led him to this unique point in time. He’d gone
from admitting that Libby Henderson had grown on him to openly confessing he
wanted to broaden the scope on their relationship. This morning he’d merely
wanted to get to the bottom of what lay behind her ice queen act, as well as
confirm that she was still onside with regard to his plans for China. And yet
now he found himself enjoying a woman’s company like he never had before. Hell,
he’d even winced at a spike of jealousy when he’d thought of Libby with another
man.

 
          
Not
good.

 
          
Standing
guard by the limo, the driver opened the back passenger’s door. Rubbing the
back of his neck, Alex climbed inside.

 
          
He
couldn’t remember being rejected by a lady since tenth grade. Hands down it
wouldn’t matter so much if it weren’t this particular one, because the
bald-faced truth was that Libby had done
more
than grow on him. She’d burrowed under his skin. Was playing more and more on
his mind. And that was a condition he was less than happy to entertain; he had
enough on his mind as it was.

 
          
He
needed to avoid unnecessary complications. Ipso facto, this state of affairs
had to cease and desist. If Libby wasn’t interested in having him hold her,
getting involved, as of this moment that went double for him.

 
          
THE
next morning, Libby strode into that lavish Rose Bay home with her head down
and nothing but work on her mind. Or that’s what she needed Alex Wolfe to
believe.

 
          
He’d
caught her unawares yesterday afternoon. After their lunch, she’d known he was
hinting at an invitation upstairs into her apartment, but when she’d knocked
him back she’d never expected him to
kiss
her. And what a kiss! For one dizzy moment, she’d almost reconsidered and
dragged him inside. But then all those old fears had come creeping back in.

 
          
Although
they’d had a better than good physical relationship, after her accident Scott
hadn’t wanted to be around, let alone
touch
,
her. She’d thought Scott was the one, but when she’d needed him most—needed to
know she could still be desirable—he’d not only let her down, he’d left her
with a huge question mark hanging over her head. She hated to be a
glass-half-full type and yet there were times when she couldn’t help but wonder
…

 
          
What
man wouldn’t view her the same way Scott had?

 
          
Although
she felt Alex’s eyes simmering over her now as she moved off in front and down
that long hall, she kept her demeanour neutral and, as she’d done every day for
the preceding two weeks, set her bag down in its usual place in the gym.
Despite her bravado, she felt the telltale signs of his close proximity already
at work on her. Fluttering heartbeat. Elevated breathing pattern. The
effervescent buzz her blood acquired simply knowing he was near. Those
reactions had been bad enough in the past, particularly whenever her skin
touched his. But after that heart-stopping kiss …

 
          
Libby’s
mind froze.

 
          
Would he try to kiss her again?

 
          
‘How
are you feeling this morning?’

 
          
On
her way past a treadmill, Libby’s step faltered. That was
her
usual pre-session question to Alex, not the other way round.

 
          
‘Fine,’
she replied, without meeting his gaze.

 
          
‘I’ve
already done some work on my shoulder this morning,’ he told her in a level
tone that suggested he wasn’t comfortable with her being here today. Which
answered her question about whether he might try to kiss her again.

 
          
Well,
if he felt uncomfortable, she thought, taking up her position before the
mirror, he had only himself to blame. If her rejection had stung, maybe he
ought to join the rest of humanity and toughen up.

 
          
‘Let’s
see where we are with your range of motion.’ She felt his eyes on her
reflection but she kept her focus on his shoulder and her mind on work.
Finally, brooding, he wound out of his shirt and she instructed, ‘Arms out
front, please.’

 
          
As
if his soles were lined with lead, he angled toward the mirror, braced his legs
and both arms gradually went out.

 
          
‘Raise
them slowly,’ she said.

 
          
She
stole a glance at his expression. His unshaven jaw was drawn tight and his gaze
was distant and stormy. If he wanted to make this morning more difficult than
it needed to be, he could do his worst. As far as she was concerned—and, it
seemed, he too—yesterday’s indiscretions were behind them. Doubly good because
now she didn’t need to ponder over how Alex might behave if he discovered she
wasn’t all he presumed.

 
          
Alex
was already lowering his arms but she noted he hadn’t lifted them as high as he
had been. Not anywhere near.

 
          
She
moved to stand in front. ‘Again, please.’

 
          
A
muscle beat in the tight angle of that jaw, then he raised both arms again to
that same point he had the first time. When he let them drop as if he couldn’t
be bothered, he moved to sweep up the shirt he’d cast off.

 
          
‘That’s
it for today,’ he told her. ‘I’m done.’

 
          
Her
physio antennae tingling, Libby followed as he marched off. He wasn’t hiding
anything. She’d caught his wince before he’d lowered his arms.

 
          
‘Your
shoulder hurts?’ Knowing the answer, she went on. ‘Describe the pain.’

 
          
He
eased his right arm through its sleeve. ‘It’s nothing.’