turned to find Christopher staring at him.
"What?"
His friend shook his head. “I'm just wondering who the hell you are. What have you done with Jason? Who planned this trip and underhandedly got Dana hooked in? Who practically writes sonnets about her legs? Who growls when another man talks to her?"
"All of those things apply to you too. Look, I'm not wussing out ... I'm just being cautious."
The growl Christopher had mentioned rose in Jason's throat as he glanced towards the electronic doors in the front hotel. Dana stood there, flirting with the doorman—a bloke who appeared ten years her senior. Christopher grabbed the back of his shirt as he started forward.
"Easy, mate. She's not really interested in him. Look at the way she's got her arms crossed in front of her."
Jason took a deep breath.
He knew the plan ... there was a plan. Before tonight ended, Dana would know exactly how they felt. And where they wanted her.
His arms fairly trembled with the need to hold her. Be patient, Christopher had advised—damn his minor in psychology. And he'd been right, but it hadn't been easy. The first moment he'd seen her, he'd wanted her. It had been like a knife to the chest to discover she was married. Bollocks! Then he'd felt like a wretch when he'd wanted to cheer over her divorce. Of course at the same time, he'd wanted to strangle that idiot in America for causing her pain.
Dana seemed to come through it okay, though some of her vibrancy had faded. He wanted to return the glimmer to her eyes. He knew he could. He saw traces of it whenever they spoke ... or touched ... or he caught her looking his way.
It was that spark which had precipitated this plan. The big wigs from Cranston Industries headquarters, the company for which they worked, were flying in tomorrow for a day, which was why the group was meeting in London rather than the small town which housed the subsidiary offices. There wasn't time for the cross-country drive north.
Seeing an opportunity, he'd outlined the reasons why Dana needed to be involved in the trip and why her research should meld with his and Christopher's ... not an untruth which made the plan all the more viable.
The thing was ... the project was dear to him, but truth be told, his need for Dana overrode all but the most deep-seated of his concerns over the project.
He swallowed as she peeked over her shoulder now. “Are you coming?"
Not yet.
Christopher paused as Jason started after Dana into the building. As much as he chided his friend, he too had reservations about this weekend. Jason wanted to find the cure because his mother had died from leukaemia. He on the other hand had something to prove.
It didn't escape his attention that Jason was treated as the brains of their operation, while he was viewed as the tagalong companion. What else should a bad boy expect? Despite his attempts at respectability, he couldn't shake that tag...
Bu Dana didn't view him like that. He loved her easy, teasing grin. His cock twitched at the grin she'd shot over her shoulder. She was up to something. He studied her sexy walk while he wondered what was going on in that head of hers.
If you'd get your eyes off her ass, you might figure it out, ignorant git.
The car pulled from the kerb and Christopher hurried to meet his colleagues in reception. “We have one room listed,” the man at the desk said to Jason and Dana as Christopher joined them. He placed his hand casually on Dana's back, the silk of her shirt smooth beneath his palm. He smothered the urge to trace the ridge from her bra with his fingertips.
"Oh for God's sake,” Dana muttered. “How cliché is that? You're kidding me right."
Her breathing accelerated beneath his hand and there was no mistaking the rapid beat of her heart. A quick glance showed she wasn't particularly angry. Excitement, then?
"There should be two rooms,” Christopher said. “I have the confirmation if you need it. Two rooms, already paid in full by our
"What?"
His friend shook his head. “I'm just wondering who the hell you are. What have you done with Jason? Who planned this trip and underhandedly got Dana hooked in? Who practically writes sonnets about her legs? Who growls when another man talks to her?"
"All of those things apply to you too. Look, I'm not wussing out ... I'm just being cautious."
The growl Christopher had mentioned rose in Jason's throat as he glanced towards the electronic doors in the front hotel. Dana stood there, flirting with the doorman—a bloke who appeared ten years her senior. Christopher grabbed the back of his shirt as he started forward.
"Easy, mate. She's not really interested in him. Look at the way she's got her arms crossed in front of her."
Jason took a deep breath.
He knew the plan ... there was a plan. Before tonight ended, Dana would know exactly how they felt. And where they wanted her.
His arms fairly trembled with the need to hold her. Be patient, Christopher had advised—damn his minor in psychology. And he'd been right, but it hadn't been easy. The first moment he'd seen her, he'd wanted her. It had been like a knife to the chest to discover she was married. Bollocks! Then he'd felt like a wretch when he'd wanted to cheer over her divorce. Of course at the same time, he'd wanted to strangle that idiot in America for causing her pain.
Dana seemed to come through it okay, though some of her vibrancy had faded. He wanted to return the glimmer to her eyes. He knew he could. He saw traces of it whenever they spoke ... or touched ... or he caught her looking his way.
It was that spark which had precipitated this plan. The big wigs from Cranston Industries headquarters, the company for which they worked, were flying in tomorrow for a day, which was why the group was meeting in London rather than the small town which housed the subsidiary offices. There wasn't time for the cross-country drive north.
Seeing an opportunity, he'd outlined the reasons why Dana needed to be involved in the trip and why her research should meld with his and Christopher's ... not an untruth which made the plan all the more viable.
The thing was ... the project was dear to him, but truth be told, his need for Dana overrode all but the most deep-seated of his concerns over the project.
He swallowed as she peeked over her shoulder now. “Are you coming?"
Not yet.
Christopher paused as Jason started after Dana into the building. As much as he chided his friend, he too had reservations about this weekend. Jason wanted to find the cure because his mother had died from leukaemia. He on the other hand had something to prove.
It didn't escape his attention that Jason was treated as the brains of their operation, while he was viewed as the tagalong companion. What else should a bad boy expect? Despite his attempts at respectability, he couldn't shake that tag...
Bu Dana didn't view him like that. He loved her easy, teasing grin. His cock twitched at the grin she'd shot over her shoulder. She was up to something. He studied her sexy walk while he wondered what was going on in that head of hers.
If you'd get your eyes off her ass, you might figure it out, ignorant git.
The car pulled from the kerb and Christopher hurried to meet his colleagues in reception. “We have one room listed,” the man at the desk said to Jason and Dana as Christopher joined them. He placed his hand casually on Dana's back, the silk of her shirt smooth beneath his palm. He smothered the urge to trace the ridge from her bra with his fingertips.
"Oh for God's sake,” Dana muttered. “How cliché is that? You're kidding me right."
Her breathing accelerated beneath his hand and there was no mistaking the rapid beat of her heart. A quick glance showed she wasn't particularly angry. Excitement, then?
"There should be two rooms,” Christopher said. “I have the confirmation if you need it. Two rooms, already paid in full by our
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