Yes, they would be incredible together. Still, as much as he needed a woman, this woman wasn’t the one he should feel any desire for. He should just be playing a game with her, not giving her power over him.
Anger at her — at him…hell, he didn’t know — gave him the strength to break contact. He took a step back, then another, just to force himself not to drag her into his arms again.
Power.
This woman had it in spades. He didn’t know whether she truly comprehended her power or not. She was beautiful, sensual, and the most fascinating woman he’d ever met, and yet there was something behind her eyes, something that scared him. But it beckoned to him, too.
“Some things just shouldn’t happen,” he drawled.
“I fully agree,” she said, her lips slightly trembling.
Finally, a smile spread over his lips. He was rethinking everything. “The kiss wasn’t what I meant shouldn’t have happened, McKenzie,” he whispered as he moved across the room and leaned against his desk. He was enjoying her obvious confusion.
Yes, the only way to exorcise this female demon was to deal with the sexual tension. They were consenting adults, and they both wanted this. So why not see it through? He’d been tempted long enough with those thoughts.
“I don’t understand you,” she said, and she took the smallest step backward, a sign of fear and weakness. She seemed to notice the gesture, and she stopped, her shoulders firming once again, her eyes narrowing.
“There’s something going on here, and it’s not going away. The logical conclusion is to relieve the ache.” His tone and his eyes revealed nothing — he was very careful about that.
“Is this what you mean, Byron? Should we just climb on your desk and screw like bunnies?”
“A little crude, McKenzie, but that could be arranged. Still, I’d prefer to be outside the family headquarters when I…never mind.” If he hadn’t been rock hard before, he was now as he pictured doing what he’d stopped short of telling her.
“So what if we consider each other desirable? So what if you turn me on…on occasion? I still think you’re an asshole. Just because my body might say I want you doesn’t mean the rest of me will go along.”
He wasn’t fooled. “I will enjoy taming you, McKenzie,” he said.
She was silent for a moment before she raised her hand to her hip and looked around the room. “How long do you need, Byron? Five minutes? Ten? Surely not more than that. With you acting like a hormonal teenager, I’m sure if I just bend over your desk, you could be done before the second hand reaches one minute.”
Her spate of words only intrigued him more. She was obviously used to getting her way, used to dominating men and making them pant at her feet. That went along with her territory. She played football, so to speak, so she must use offense as a quick defense to get out of tight situations. Tight.
She’d never dealt with him before.
“That’s a start,” he told her. “But I’d need a lot more time, Trust me on that. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘the best sex you ever had’? I’ll be that and more. I guarantee it.”
She took a deep breath, and then her eyes glazed over, shutting him out. He knew they were done with this for now.
“I will gather all the reports you needed,” she said, and she turned to walk away.
Before he realized what he was doing, he stepped away from behind his desk and caught her in the doorway. He rested his hand on her shoulder and skimmed his lips lightly across her neck.
“This will happen,” he murmured.
A shudder passed through her, and she walked out of his office.
Byron sat back down, his pants way too tight, his erection throbbing. And yet he still felt satisfied somehow. He couldn’t wait for the next round of this epic fight between the two of them.
It was a few minutes later when he realized she’d managed to distract him from finding out what her phone call had been about. Dammit! But he’d let her try to keep her little secret from him for now. In the end he would learn exactly what was going on, and whether she wanted him to or not, he would help.
Only because he needed her to do her job, he assured himself — not because he actually gave a flying…fig about the woman. That lie hung in his brain while he got back to work, but he allowed it to remain there, because that’s how he excused himself for his erratic behavior.
Chapter Eleven
After finishing up the last of her work for the day, McKenzie tried to hurry. It was nearing six-thirty and she had a dinner date with Jewell that she didn’t want to miss. It was the best part of her week lately. She stood up, collected her coat and purse, then wavered on whether she should tell Byron she was leaving. She was well past quitting time, so she didn’t need to ask permission, but as only the two of them were left on this floor, it would be polite to let him know she was heading out.
The choice was taken from her when he stepped through the open doorway, his coat hanging from his fingers. They hadn’t spoken since the kiss — the second one — not even to go over the Boise papers. She found herself…nervous. It was a strange sensation.
“It’s late and I’m starved,” he said, blocking her only exit. “Why don’t we get something to eat and finish the discussion we began earlier?”
There was no way she was going to get back into that discussion. They would fight, he would kiss her, she would fall into his bed. She wasn’t a stupid woman, and she pretty much knew the way this was all going to end if she weren’t very, very careful with what she did and said around this man over the next few weeks.
“We finished that discussion,” she told him as sweetly as possible.
“No, not to my satisfaction,” he countered, and he didn’t budge an inch from the doorway.
“Sorry, boss.” She had to remind him of his position and hers before continuing. “I have dinner plans. Maybe some other time.” She scooted a few steps toward the door, hoping he would move out of the way.
He didn’t.
“What are your plans?” His voice didn’t change, but something in his eyes did, and if she were a stupid woman, she might have thought he was jealous. But that was just absurd. He might want to bed her, but he had no feelings for her — no good ones, anyway — and certainly didn’t feel anything strong enough to cause him jealousy.
Still, she didn’t want to push him — not with the way he’d been acting around her. And not with the weakness she seemed to suffer from when in his presence. She’d surely lose any major fight they got into.