All She Ever Wanted - Barbara Freethy [46]
His dark eyes glittered with desire when he looked at her. He still wanted her.
Did she still want him? She was terribly afraid the answer was yes.
But he couldn't erase all the bad stuff with a kiss, could he? Was she that weak? "You shouldn't have done that," she said, finally taking a step back. "We were over a long time ago."
"That's what I thought, too."
And now he wasn't sure? What would she do if he wanted to start things up again?
"We should go." She turned around and walked back the way they'd come. The silence between them was no longer easy and carefree but tense and awkward. She felt confused and unsure. What did Cole want from her? Why had he kissed her? Pure sexual attraction? Chemistry? Did it just boil down to that? Or were the memories mixed in? Were the old feelings coming back for him as well as for her? She kept her gaze lowered to the ground beneath her feet, not willing or able to put a voice to any of those questions.
Finally, they reached the car, and she couldn't stand the silence a second longer. Ten years ago she wouldn't have had the guts to take him on, but she wasn't a foolish young girl anymore. "Cole— what's going on? What do you want from me?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye.
He stared at her for a long minute. "I don't know what I want anymore. Nothing is as clear as it used to be."
"I'm not sure it was ever clear, even before Emily died. We never came right out and said what we were thinking."
"You're right," he conceded. "But as you said before, it's too late now."
"And as you said before, is it?"
* * *
"You came back." Dylan looked up as Madison strode into his office just after six o'clock in the evening, looking like a million bucks. She'd changed her clothes, now wearing a black evening dress and knee-high black leather boots. Her long blond hair framed her beautiful face and lustrous brown eyes. She was a man killer, and he was in trouble. He wasn't surprised she'd come back. She'd always been a spoiled brat. When she wanted something, she thought she should have it. It didn't matter whether or not she deserved it.
Still, he had to admit he admired her stubborn persistence. Sometimes he'd wished that Emily had stood up for herself more, especially where her family was concerned. Not that he was comparing Madison to Emily; there was no comparison.
"You knew I'd come back," she replied with confidence.
"I suppose you have another proposition for me.
"I suppose I do." She cleared off a chair in front of his desk, dumping a pile of papers onto the floor.
"Hey, I need that stuff."
"So get a secretary. This place could use some organization."
"What do you want, Madison?"
She crossed her arms and legs, the latter action revealing a generous portion of thigh. She wanted him to look, and he did just that. She was hot. No doubt about it. She was also dangerous.
"I want ..." She paused, long enough to make him tense. "I want you to do ..."
Me? His mind filled in the blank while her smile widened and a flirtatious expression flashed through her eyes. She was definitely playing the bad girl at the moment. And he had to admit, she was very good at it. His body hardened in pure male appreciation.
"My party," she finally finished. "I want you to do my party."
"I told you I wasn't interested," he said, irritated with himself for reacting to her.
"I think I can get you interested. And I have a bargaining chip."
He didn't want to ask, but he couldn't help himself. "What's that?"
"Cole. He doesn't know about your lust for his little sister, does he?"
His chest tightened. Damn her. How