Chapter Twenty Four

'Then why didn't you reject my pitch and ask me to leave" Chloe asked, not caring any more about the consequences of bringing up the past. "You could have picked another Ad agency if you hated me so much. Why didn't you?"

"Because that's not the point, and I don't hate you Chloe. I'm a business man and if I see something good for my company, I go after it. I don't mix personal issues with business. So accepting your pitch had nothing to do with any personal issue. Maybe you feel the way you feel because deep down, you know what you did and you're just feeling guilty"

Irritation snapped Chloe's spine straight. She had heard enough, and she desperately had to leave now else she would give him a piece of her mind. The nerve of the man! After all these years, he had refused to understand her and continued to blame her. He had refused to see things from her perspective. He had indeed changed... Now he was selfish and arrogant and she wasn't sure if she could stand it.

"Well that's good for you... Tim. Thanks for letting me know" she said, and tried to pull herself out of his arms. "I think I have to leave now. Thanks for the dance."

He wouldn't let her go. His hands tightened around waist as he pressed her soft body against his. Chloe tried her best to focus on her anger and not on the throb his actions ignited between her legs. She glared at him. "Let me go!" she said, gritting her teeth.

He appeared nonplussed for a moment. "Fine. Calm down. Are you quite done?"

"No." Chloe retorted, "But I don't think it's a good idea if I continue to have this discussion with you. I shouldn't have asked in the first place so I blame myself"

"Fine. We won't talk any more. But you had your dance, baby. Now it's time for mine"

She hesitated. Something inside her clenched tight at the endearment. God, she wanted him to say it again. Before she could respond, another song began to play. It was another slow, romantic one, chosen to encourage physical and conversational intimacy. Timothy gritted his teeth and molded her close, struggling to remain unaffected. She brushed against him as they drifted across the floor and his entire body clenched in response.

Despite the fact that she was mad at him, this moment in his arms was too perfect and she didn't want to ruin it, so she clung to him. He obviously felt the same way because he didn't speak either, instead he tightened his hold and pulled her closer.

He wasn't the only one affected. He noticed that delicate color tinted Chloe's cheeks and her breathing quickened. She wouldn't react to him like this if she wasn't affected even a little. Curious to test his theory, Timothy slid his hand down the length of her spine, his palm settling into the hollow above her backside. The slightest amount of pressure set her tight against him.

And then he slowed their dance until it was no more than a pretext, a subtle form of foreplay. In the space of a few steps, it went from subtle to searing as her movements aligned themselves with his. He was practically making love to her right there on the floor-and she to him. Each step became part of a mating dance, her breasts crushed against his chest, her hips and thighs melded to his. She moaned softly, the sound barely more than a breathless sigh.... It was a small sound, and if he hadn't been paying so much attention to her, he would have missed it.

But he heard it. He heard it and knew exactly what she wanted.

"You feel it, too. Don't you?" he murmured, unable to deny the way he felt any longer.

"Yes." The admission seemed torn from her. As though stunned by her own daring, she lifted her gaze to his, her eyes darkening like the sky before a gathering storm. But she didn't pull away, which only confirmed what he'd suspected.

Determined to have final confirmation, he maneuvered her toward a dark corner. Their movements slowed until the gentle rocking motion was no more than an excuse to maintain as intimate a contact as possible. Her attraction was undeniable and impossible to ignore. Everything about her appealed - Her full, lush mouth, her eyes, the rich dark, full hair, the low, confidential pitch of her voice.

A small part of him fought to retain a clinical detachment. But as hard as he struggled to remember whom he held, that knowledge didn't change the intensity of his reaction. Whether he'd finally succumbed to his body's need for contact with a woman or her allure outweighed his common sense, he couldn't tell. He only knew that he was driven by an instinct born in the male of his species millennia ago-an instinct urging him to abandon caution and take the object of his desire, by force if necessary.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to take her home, get her into his bed and make love to her throughout the night.... And judging from her plain admission a minute ago, he knew she wanted the same thing.

But a lot was at stake. He wanted that meeting with Bryce Collins and he didn't want to do anything to ruin it. Deep down, he knew what he feared most was falling for her... As he stared down at her he knew... He knew that it could happen all over again if he wasn't careful l. And all he would end up doing was make the same mistake.

"It's getting late, " He said as he slowly pulled away from her. He missed the contact immediately and winced. "Maybe it's time to leave"

She had an unreadable expression on her face, and for a moment he thought she would refuse and say something like 'You can't tell me what to do', which was what the Chloe he knew would say, but instead she nodded.

"Yeah I guess it's time," she agreed.

They headed out, and after they had taken a few steps, Timothy remembered that she said she didn't come with her car. He frowned. "Why didn't you come with your car?" he asked.

"Because I didn't want to," came her reply.

"So how did you intend to get home?"