His Perfect Match by Elaine Overton Page B

you accidentally slept with my brother?”
    â€œI make no excuses for my actions, Darius. All I ask is that you not punish my son for the sins of his mother.”
    â€œI have no intention of punishing my nephew.” He flipped over and, before she realized it, his large hands wrapped around her ankle and dragged her beneath him. The speed of his motions immediately undermined her assumption that he was drunk. A drunk man could never move that fast.
    Liz kicked recklessly but he used his heavy legs to pin her in place. Her arms flayed wildly looking for something to hit him with for all of a minute before he had her arms, too, pinned over her head.
    Liz felt the first tendrils of panic not because of the vulnerable position she suddenly found herself in, but because of what she was beginning to feel. Feeling his heavy weight on top of her felt more right and natural than she could ever admit out loud. It had been so long since she’d held the weight of a man’s body. The weight of this man’s body.
    And his smell. So many of those first nights in Vegas sitting alone in that shabby hotel room she’d closed her eyes trying to recall this very smell. She’d missed him more in those first couple of months than she’d ever missed another human being in her life. And being thisclose to him, having that familiar smell in her nose, and even with his additional muscle mass his body still seemed to mold to her own. It felt too good. Too right. She fought with every ounce of will not to wrap her legs around his waist to hold him closer.
    â€œI would never punish an innocent little boy for the actions of his slut of a mother.” He whispered in her ear. “No, I believe in holding the responsible party accountable.”
    â€œGet off of me,” she hissed.
    â€œGod, you feel so good.” Despite the strength with which he was holding her down, his soft lips touched her neck with feather lightness. “When you made love with Darren did you ever pretend it was me, Liz?”
    â€œYou son-of-a-bitch! Get off me!”
    â€œNo matter what other lies you told, I know you enjoyed our lovemaking. The way you melted in my arms was no lie.”
    â€œGet off or I’ll scream!” She bucked hard, determined not to cry. Not here. Not now. And certainly not in front of this man.
    Suddenly Darius was on his feet and she was free. “No need to be so dramatic.”
    Liz scooted to the opposite side before standing to put the bed between them. “Is this what you’re into now, Darius?!”
    Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and she saw his brown eyes almost twinkle with malicious intent. “I don’t have to take what can be given.”
    She stopped herself from asking what he meant by that. She was afraid she already knew.
    He turned and headed toward the door. “Meet me at eight for breakfast, and I’ll tell you my price.” Heopened the door, paused and chuckled. “When you hear what I want you may wish you’d bargained with the devil instead.” He walked out and closed the door behind him.
    â€œI think I already do,” Liz whispered to the empty room.

Chapter 5
    A s she tossed one outfit after another across the bed Liz once again regretted ignoring Dee’s suggestion that she buy some decent clothes for the trip. She finally settled on a navy-blue sheath with a gold chain belt and matching gold high-heeled sandals.
    Spritzing her hair with moisturizer she brushed, twisted and pinned it in an upturned ponytail. In one day she’d already discovered that New Zealand mornings came in with scorching temperatures. As she applied a light coating of eye shadow and lipstick, she wondered why she was doing all this, and remembered the night before and the implied message in his words.
    Staring at her image in the mirror she silently wondered if some part of her was inviting trouble. She glanced at the clock. She still had time to call