composure she was shaking inside. Because the truth was she still wanted him.
How could she be so weak? After all the sensible thoughts, after everything she’d been through, how could she allow herself to feel like this?
CHAPTER FIVE
IN THE moments between sleep and wakefulness the first thing Katie thought about was Alexi … and how much she missed having him in her life. It was a familiar feeling—something she had woken with most mornings since their split—but she had hoped the pain was easing recently. Now it seemed worse than ever.
She sighed and rolled over, stretching out to the cold space next to her in the warm cocoon of Egyptian cotton. She couldn’t remember where she was. She could see a patch of blue sky through the window opposite, and sunlight was pouring in across the pristine-white carpets and bedding.
Then she woke up and reality came rushing back in a whoosh: the job, the long flight, the fact that she was here in Alexi’s apartment and, after all her strong words and determination not to fall back under his spell, that kiss, that same familiar, deep longing …
Her heart thudded viciously against her chest as she remembered the moment—remembered the conversation—remembered that look in Alexi’s eyes when she’d told him she wasn’t interested in a casual affair. Wariness and unease had definitely flickered through the darkness of his gaze. Not surprising, given his commitment-phobic attitude.
She cringed. At least she had salvaged the situation and what was left of her pride by assuring him that she didn’t want a serious relationship with him.
And that was true, she told herself fiercely. She didn’t want to get involved with someone who would tire of her when the novelty of the passion they shared died. It would be a disaster. The sensible side of her knew that—the trouble was the passionate side of her nature was crying out for his caresses, his kisses.
This must be what it felt like to be a drug addict, she thought morosely. She knew Alexi was bad for her yet she still craved him.
She stared up at the ceiling, willing the feelings to go away. They were crazy and illogical.
OK, he was good at kissing, at making love, but she didn’t really want him. It was her body playing tricks on her mind, reminding her how good things had been between them and avoiding the fact that he was everything she didn’t want in a man.
She looked at her watch. It was almost eight! She’d slept for longer than she’d intended, amazing considering how wound up she’d been when she’d got into bed.
Flinging the sheets back, she reached for her short blue robe. As there was no en suite bathroom in her room she’d wanted to get up as early as possible so that she could shower and get back to her bedroom before Alexi woke up. Now she was on the last minute and risked bumping into him in the corridor.
She crossed to the door and listened. There was no sound in the apartment, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t up. Deciding to make a dash for it, she picked up her cosmetic bag, opened the door and hurried out.
Unfortunately Alexi was coming down the corridor at the same moment and she almost ran straight into him.
‘Morning, Katie.’ He smiled at her and immediately her stomach tied into knots.
‘Morning.’ She wanted to keep on walking, but he seemed to dominate the corridor so she hung back.
Unlike her he was fully dressed. She noted how stylish he looked in the pale linen suit and light-blue shirt. She also noticed the way his eyes flicked slowly over her body, making her remember those moments in his study early this morning and the way he could control her body and her mind with just a look … a touch.
‘We have to leave in thirty minutes,’ he told her nonchalantly.
‘I’ll be ready.’ It was disquieting how he could look at her with intensity yet sound so coolly businesslike at the same time.
He nodded. ‘I’m going across the road to the deli for something to eat and a coffee; do you want me to bring you something back?’
‘No thanks.’ She didn’t think she could eat anything; her stomach was too busy churning with nervous apprehension.
‘Sure?’
‘Very sure indeed, thanks.’
His dark eyes were lingering on her face now, and she wished she’d taken the time to brush her hair. She put a self-conscious hand up to the tumble of curls and tried to push it back. ‘If you will excuse me, Alexi, I’m just on my way for a shower.’
‘Go right ahead.’
‘I will, if you would just move out of my way.’ She really didn’t want to brush past him, not after their earlier encounter.
He laughed. ‘Heavens, Kats, you could get a tank past me, and you’re only the size of a baby doll.’
He hadn’t called her Kats in a long time. It had been his pet name for her when they’d made love, and the memory of him whispering against her ear and stroking her sent a fierce wave of emotion through her.
‘Don’t call me that.’
‘Why not? You used to like it.’
‘Well, I don’t now!’ She glared up at him. ‘This is the start of our new professional working relationship, remember? And I think we should start as we mean to go on.’
He smiled at that, and it made anger sizzle inside her—however it was an anger that started to undergo a metamorphosis as his gaze moved slowly over her scantily clad body again.
How the hell did he do this to her? she wondered in disbelief; how could he look at her like that and make her want him?
‘And, just for the record, I wouldn’t be walking around like this if there was an en suite bathroom in my room,’ she assured him sharply.
‘Wouldn’t you?’
‘No, of course not! It’s most inconvenient!’
‘Well, then, you better move to the room across the hallway.’
Her eyes flicked warily to the door he had indicated.
‘This is a four-bed apartment, Katie,’ he told her with a shake of his head. ‘And you selected the only room that doesn’t have en suite facilities.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me that this morning?’ Her face suffused with colour.
‘Well, we had other things on our mind this morning, didn’t we?’ He smiled as he watched how easily she blushed. He enjoyed winding her up, enjoyed the way she threw the full fulminating heat of her gaze on him.
‘You really are intolerable sometimes!’ She marched past him at speed, slammed the bathroom door behind her and leaned back against it.
Damn man! He was absolutely infuriating … and infuriatingly gorgeous at the same time. The thought crept in with unwelcome force. She was sure he could get anyone he wanted into bed with just a teasing look.
