expression in his eyes. ‘I like holding you.’
‘That wasn’t the impression you gave last night.’
‘You had just told me you’re living with another man,’ he reminded her sharply.
Sophie’s eyes widened. ‘Another man’ seemed to imply that Max somehow thought of himself as a man in her life. Which was laughable. Yes, he had kissed her, and those kisses had got a little … well, a lot … out of control, but once Christmas was over she was never going to see him again. Despite the fact that she could clearly feel the length of Max’s arousal pressing against the softness of her abdomen.
‘And that situation hasn’t changed since last night.’ She put both her hands against his chest and pushed. To absolutely no effect. ‘I should warn you, Max, I’m a first dan in ju-jitsu and I’m not afraid to use it.’ She tilted her back to look up at him challengingly.
‘That’s admirable.’ He smiled mockingly. ‘Unfortunately for you, I’m a fourth dan, so what do you think your chances are in a fight between the two of us?’
Not very high, Sophie acknowledged with an inner wince, knowing how wide the gulf was between a first and fourth dan; no wonder Max had such a fit and lithe body for a man who supposedly spent all of his time sitting behind a desk adding to his billions. He obviously didn’t spend all of his time doing that!
‘Maybe we could have a practise together in the gym here some time over the next couple of days?’ He quirked one dark brow.
Sophie had no intention of becoming hot and sweaty with Max, in the gym here or anywhere else, ever!
She gave him a sweetly insincere smile. ‘I’ll pass, if you don’t mind.’
He gave what she easily interpreted as a smug smile. ‘Thought you might.’
Maybe, if he hadn’t given that self-satisfied smile, she might just have repeated her request that he release her and then backed off.
Unfortunately, he did smile smugly. After that, Sophie had no intention of backing off.
‘WHAT ARE YOU DO—?’ Max barely had time to gasp his surprise before the fingers on both of his hands were bent back painfully and he suddenly found himself flat on his back on the kitchen floor, with Sophie looming menacingly above him as she lay across his chest and twisted his wrists to hold his hands above his head. ‘Are you insane?’ He stared up at her incredulously.
‘Getting there, I think,’ she acknowledged as she spoke between gritted teeth, at the same time implying that he was the one driving her there.
Now that he was over the initial shock, this situation had tipped over into the realms of hilarious, if Max thought about it. And, at this precise moment, it seemed that he had all the time in the world to do exactly that.
Not that he couldn’t have released himself if he had wanted to, dislodging Sophie from on top of him. Because he certainly could have. As a fourth dan to Sophie’s first, he could have done that quite easily. He just chose not to do so for the moment.
There was something extremely arousing about having Sophie throw him to the floor before lying on top of him like this. In a position of dominance, her face only inches from his and flushed from her exertions, her eyes glittered down at him darkly in warning. So much so that the blood was pounding hotly through Max’s veins, making him uncomfortably aware of the increasing heat of his desire for the woman positioned above him.
A woman whom he sensed was becoming as aroused as he was, noting her nipples hardening against him and the heat deepening between her thighs, the fullness of her lips parting invitingly as she breathed heavily.
A woman who was already involved with, and had admitted living with, another man.
Max eyes narrowed. ‘Exactly what is Henry to you?’
Sophie was thrown by the unexpected question. ‘I don’t see what …’
‘Do you share a bed with him?’
She instantly thought of the way Henry had tried to sneak up onto her bed to sleep last night—something strictly forbidden by Sally, spoilt pet or otherwise. ‘No,’ she answered honestly.
‘Have sex with him?’
‘No!’ She gasped her answer this time, compelled to make the denial even though she knew it was really none of Max’s business, even if Henry had been the man he thought rather than her cousin’s cat.
‘But the two of you do live together?’ It was obvious from Max’s disgusted tone that if the two of them had been living together then they would definitely be sharing a bed and having sex.
‘Only because it’s convenient for a couple of weeks,’ she admitted reluctantly.
‘So the two of you aren’t romantically involved?’
‘I’m not—’
‘Would you say he’s a friend rather than a boyfriend?’ he persisted.
She eyed him warily now. ‘Max …’
‘Answer the damned question.’ His eyes glittered as hard as the emeralds they resembled as he glared up at her.
Sophie returned that gaze rebelliously, even though she now seriously doubted the wisdom, or sanity, of her actions. Not only could this be extremely awkward if any of the Hilton family should walk in on them, but she had just manhandled Max Hamilton, the powerful billionaire, to his own kitchen floor before throwing herself on top of him.
A move which, sanity aside, should have put her in a position of power. It should make her the one in control of this volatile situation between the two of them. And yet Sophie knew from the dangerous glitter in Max’s eyes that she wasn’t either of those things. That it was Max who held all the power. And the control.
Because her traitorous body was enjoying their close proximity far too much, her breasts full and aching, her nipples engorged. As for the increase in the aching heat between her thighs …
‘Yes,’ she finally answered Max challengingly.
That dangerous glitter intensified in his eyes for several seconds before it was dampened down, controlled. ‘So last night you deliberately chose to let me continue to think that the two of you were lovers?’
‘I really don’t see …’
‘Oh, you’re going to see, Sophie,’ Max promised her grimly. ‘In just a few minutes you’re going to see just how dangerous it is to play those sorts of games with me.’
She gasped. ‘I wasn’t playing games.’
‘It’s far too late for protests now, Sophie,’ he bit out harshly.
‘Only just, from where I’m standing,’ drawled an amused voice from across the room.
Sophie’s
