For Business...Or Marriage? by Jules Bennett

hurt. At least, Abby hoped not.

Six
    A lways the professional.
    Cade hurried his way through the meeting with the contractor, barely able to concentrate. All he could think of was Abby’s mouth, Abby’s soft sighs, Abby’s hands running up his bare chest and around his neck.
    But when he’d pushed her away, she’d immediately reverted back to professionalism.
    He’d known her for a year and had only seen her lose control twice—the mechanical bull fiasco and yesterday when she’d melted into his arms.
    As he let himself back into his suite, he wondered what Abby was doing. Was she working on his schedule for their next destination? Was she working on his wedding?
    His wedding.
    He’d already cheated on Mona. No, they weren’t married yet, and no, he didn’t love her. But he’d promised himself to her and he’d gone and kissed another woman. Granted, some men wouldn’t consider a kiss cheating. But he was a man of honor and was taught to uphold promises and respect women.
    The kiss was a problem in itself, but now he was on the verge of an even bigger disaster. He needed Abby on a level he should never even be considering. Abby had awakened unnerving feelings in him. He’d never thought this much about wanting a woman before. In the past, if he’d desired a woman, there was no second-guessing, no fantasizing. He’d just acted on his instincts and gone after what he wanted.
    But Abby was unique. She was simple, pure. She’d never used her curvy, sexy-as-hell body to gain his attention. Or that of any other man as far as he knew.
    Yet, Abby’s sexuality was just as effective and just as damning as the supermodels and A-list actresses he’d dated.
    He needed to stay focused, though. No matter how hard his teenage hormones tried to control his actions, he was an adult now and he needed to act like one. He had a multi-billion-dollar business deal hinging on his arrangement with Mona. The merger was black-and-white…even if Abby was turning into the shaded gray area.
    She knew how much this partnership meantto him. There was no way she’d purposely try to sabotage his business.
    Cade checked his messages on his BlackBerry and chuckled at the thought. Abby wasn’t interested in him. She’d never once acted as if she wanted something on a personal level. In fact, she’d specifically avoided even talking about her personal life. She’d never been anything but his organized, precise assistant.
    And the kiss didn’t count. He had been the instigator. He had pulled her lush body against his. He had been the one who would’ve taken her right there on the floor had she not sighed his name and brought him to his senses.
    Even though she’d matched his demanding kiss, he couldn’t blame her. He’d given her no choice but to respond. He’d obviously caught her off guard, causing her not to think clearly.
    And when it was over, she’d handed him his file and walked away. She hadn’t yelled or screamed at his rejection like most women would’ve. Which only proved she wasn’t interested. How silly, really, to think that she would be.
    Brady had always accused him of having an overinflated ego. Guess this only served to prove his brother’s point.
    Cade clicked through the messages and came across one from Mona stating she was in Rome, looking for some possible properties to build on. Her next stop was Florence and she’d contact him there with their options.
    While Mona took Italy, France and England, Cade would concentrate on tropical islands and tourist hotspots…with Abby at his side.
    Damn. Every thought lately was hinged around his libido and his assistant. Not good for business.
    The knock at his door jarred him from the unwelcome thoughts. Sliding the phone into his pants pocket, he crossed the tiled floor and opened the door to find Abby standing on the other side.
    “I was hoping you’d be back from the meeting,” she said, sidestepping around him and making herself welcome in his suite. “I