Mind Play (Bennett Sisters Book 3) (7 page)

She was speechless
. Butch wouldn’t hurt her, but if h
e came any c
loser, she might lose all of the
self-control she prided herself
on
.
A familiar shiver of awareness ran through her body. She swallowed. An undeniable magnetism was growing between them both
, a
n invisible pull
that got stronger
the more she was around him. It was just a matter of time before combustion occurred.
“I know you wouldn’t hurt me
. B
esides, I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to call my sisters.”

Claire’s lips tilted up in a grin
.
She’d played the sister card
because she felt the need to douse the currents running rampant through the room, and her body needed a remind
er
of why he was here
. That should have knocked some sense into his stubborn head, but all she noticed was his jaw clench before he advanced on her and pulled her in
to
his arms.
Claire inhaled sharply from the contact.
H
er body was trapped by steel
arms
wrapped around her
,
pressing her
against his muscular chest.
Claire knew the right thing to do was to push him away
,
but she just could
n’t
make herself do it. Instead
,
she glanced up to his face and smiled. “I assume you’ve got me where you want me. What are you going to do now
,
big guy?”

Claire let
her body lean
into his. She imagined his hands roaming her body as he planted a deep kiss on her
lips. The kind of kiss you wanted to
get lost in. Claire closed her eyes in anticipation and
invitation, waiting
patiently for him to get up the nerve to kiss her, either that or chicken out. Seconds passed before
Butch
whispered
,
his breath hot against her ear.
All she had to do was turn her head and their lips would touch. Claire thought her legs were about to give out on her.
She was sure her heart was beating
so loud
he would hear.
She would melt in his arms, succumbing to all of the promises he had been teasing her with
if he took her now
.

“You’re not ready for me,
angel
. But soon enough you will be.” Butch lingered by her ear,
placing a soft kiss on her lobe before whispering again
. “Where can I stash my bags and hook up my computer?”

Did he really just miss his chance?
Claire wasn’t big on giving second chances. He’d blown it. She felt like a fool standing in his arms
,
and he didn’t even want her. She placed her palms on his chest and pushed. She felt her cheeks redde
n from the embarrassment and a twinge of disappointment at what might have been. A renewed sense of
determination in avoiding a relationship with him settled into her gut.

H
e
released her
,
and she took two steps back.
Lifting her chin, she said,
“You aren’t staying, but there’s an extra computer hookup in m
y office. Feel free to set up your equipment in
there.”

Claire
had
spun
on her heels ready to leave
when
she felt Butch behind her
and felt
his hands on her arms, stopping her from leaving. He
gently
pulled her back against his firm chest
.

“You’re wrong
angel
.” Butch bent down and whispered in her ear. “I am staying, and there isn’t anything I want more than to take you right her and now
, with
you
r
legs wrapped around me as I take you against the wall. And trust me when I tell you, you’re going to like every second of it.”

Claire clenched her fist
s
. That might have worked ten minutes ago, but not now. He’d had his chance and blew it
,
and it was about time he knew the score.

Claire jerked out of his arms and turned to face him
. “Let’s get one thing straight
,
Butch. You and I
,
” Claire said as she
moved her finger
back and forth
,
“
a
ren’t together. We won’t ever be together.” She
reigned in her anger
, closed her eyes
,
and let out a long
sigh
. This wasn’t like her. She wouldn’t take his crap, but she’d do it in a manner befitting of a lady. Even if
he
didn’t bring that out in her. H
e was after all doing
her
a favor
.
She opened her eyes and placed a smile on her face that tempered even the stingiest of contributors at one of her fundraisers.
“Listen, I appreciate your help finding the money, but that’s all it is.” She pointed a finger at him. “You and I
are friend
s;
that’s
it. And as
a
friend
,
you
are
doing me a favor
. Y
ou can take whichever bedroom you want, as long as it’s not mine.”

Claire thought she hear
d him mumble, “Wrong again,” as she left him standing in the library
, but she kept walking. She needed some space from the man that set her body on fire
with a gentle caress
. Claire needed to keep things in perspective. Nothing would be happening between the two of them.
Strictly platonic
,
she repeated to herself as she walked into her office
,
r
einforcing her resolve.

Jenny was at the desk again looking over the same papers that
Claire
had c
ombed through several times the day before.
Claire grabbed her purse from the desk. “Jenny, can you help Butch with whatever he needs
?
I need to get out for a while. I’m going to go ahead and go to the bank.”

Jenny’s cheeks were
still tinted a light shade of pink at just the mention o
f
the man’s name.
Well
,
she could have
the infuriating man
for all Claire cared.

“Uh
…
s
ure
,
Ms. Bennett.”

“Thanks.” Claire
spun on her heels
, walking out the door and out of her house. She slid behind the wheel of her Jag and tried to clear her mind of the man that knew how to push her buttons
, t
he one man she
ha
te
d
one minute and
imagined making love to in the next.
He confused her
,
and
he was infuriating
. He wasn’t part of her master plan
,
and that was unacceptable. The quicker she found the money, the faster he’d be gone. Well
,
at
least back to the
way things were.

Claire arrived at the bank during one of the busiest hours. People
stood in line fidgeting from one foot to the other. Women were digging in their purse
s,
and several were
line
d up at
the counter
s
filling out deposit slips. The prestigious bank
had come along way
since
the years she could remember as a child.
She’d done business here for years. She’d known every employee inside and outside of work. Most of them had grown up here too.
Claire walked
to the member service counter
were
Mary was seated
, p
ulled a pen from the container
,
and signed in.
Mary was a frequent visitor to Emma’s café and was as local as one could be. Claire couldn’t remember a time when the young thing had ever even vacationed outside of Southall
, much less dreamed of leaving.
“
Mary,
c
an you let Mr. Pearson know that
I’m
here to see him?”

Claire smiled down at
Mary
behind the
counter;
it wasn’t
her
fault that Claire was in a foul mood.
Mary
picked up the phone and put it to her ear. Claire heard her announce her arrival.
“He’ll be with you in just a moment,
Claire
, if you’d care to have a seat.”

Claire hadn’t even ha
ve
the opportunity to sit before a very handsome man
dressed in a dark
pinstriped business suit
drew her attention as he left the office
at the end of the hall and
headed
in her direction.
His blond wavy hair was
styled
to perfection
. His
emerald
eyes sparkled
as h
e held out his hand
.
‘Ms. Bennett, I’m
Andrew
Pearson
. I
t’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”