I was a lesbian and didn’t want your attention?”
Dane didn’t hold back his hearty laugh. “I’d say you’re a liar and a poor one at that. Come on, Diana, give a guy a break.”
“I’d like to break something…” She let out a huff and finally opened the door wider. She walked away and left him to enter on his own. After he closed the door behind him, he stood in the entrance to her living room. She stood in the middle of the room, watching him with a leery look. “Coffee and you’re out of here.” She made a point of passing him with as much space between them as the room would allow. “Come on, the kitchen’s back here.”
Dane knew getting Diana to accept him was going to be difficult. Beyond being her boss, he wanted a relationship that had substance. She struck him as a woman with a brain and a body. He and Sloan had pegged her to eventually run the paper when they were distracted with other things. None of that would happen unless she relaxed and accepted him and, eventually, Sloan.
He met her in the kitchen, noting it was a small but clean space without a lot of cabinets. The coffee she was brewing smelled good. In New Orleans, everyone was expected to make good coffee. Diana didn’t let him down. She was reluctant to look at him, and he had to wait for her to turn to get her attention.
“I know you’re not happy I stopped by,” he started, not sure where the rest of his statement was going.
She was difficult to read. She had no idea of her true ability yet and probably never would unless Sloan found her. She’d led a very normal, quiet, stable life until now. He almost felt bad knowing she would never be the same in a very short time, and she could never go back to the naive woman he was standing before. But all this had been destined centuries ago, and neither he nor Sloan had a choice.
Finally, he lost his patience. The entire time he’d been there, she’d kept her back to him and hadn’t tried to make polite conversation. “You know, most people would feel obligated to hold a conversation with their guest.”
“You’re not an invited guest.” With that, she did turn around and face him. “In fact, you’re an interloper. I’ve tried to be polite at work when you asked me out, and that obviously didn’t work. So here’s the deal.” She turned back to the counter, and he watched her pull down two black mugs and fill them with the fresh brew. He noted she was very careful to put them on the counter beside her, within his reach. She didn’t offer him milk for the coffee but pushed the sugar bowl toward him. “From now on, we will be polite at the office. You will not make excuses to invade my privacy while at home. There is no reason for you to be here. I’m not looking for a friend or a lover.” She finally turned to look at him. “I like spending my time alone. Do we understand each other? This is your first and last drop-by visit.”
Dane knew this was worse, watching her breasts rise and fall with each breath. That was when he lost his composure. He took a step forward, and she took one back. With one more step, she was pressed against the counter and had nowhere else to retreat. He stared at her, watching her eyes. He didn’t need to be a mind reader to know her thoughts were of hate and loathing. At the moment he didn’t care what she wanted. He knew from their kiss the other day at work, the moment he touched her, she’d melt inside and accept him. He could have kissed her. Instead, he reached his index finger and drew it across her cheek, down to her lips, and back and forth over them. In that instant, he felt all her resistance melt away. He could feel her body arching toward him, and he took full advantage of it, wrapping his arms around her. Diana reacted, reaching her hands to his shoulders, her fingers pinching his skin until their lips met.
Their kiss started hot and heavy and built until she was the aggressor. It was her hand that reached for his and
Dane didn’t hold back his hearty laugh. “I’d say you’re a liar and a poor one at that. Come on, Diana, give a guy a break.”
“I’d like to break something…” She let out a huff and finally opened the door wider. She walked away and left him to enter on his own. After he closed the door behind him, he stood in the entrance to her living room. She stood in the middle of the room, watching him with a leery look. “Coffee and you’re out of here.” She made a point of passing him with as much space between them as the room would allow. “Come on, the kitchen’s back here.”
Dane knew getting Diana to accept him was going to be difficult. Beyond being her boss, he wanted a relationship that had substance. She struck him as a woman with a brain and a body. He and Sloan had pegged her to eventually run the paper when they were distracted with other things. None of that would happen unless she relaxed and accepted him and, eventually, Sloan.
He met her in the kitchen, noting it was a small but clean space without a lot of cabinets. The coffee she was brewing smelled good. In New Orleans, everyone was expected to make good coffee. Diana didn’t let him down. She was reluctant to look at him, and he had to wait for her to turn to get her attention.
“I know you’re not happy I stopped by,” he started, not sure where the rest of his statement was going.
She was difficult to read. She had no idea of her true ability yet and probably never would unless Sloan found her. She’d led a very normal, quiet, stable life until now. He almost felt bad knowing she would never be the same in a very short time, and she could never go back to the naive woman he was standing before. But all this had been destined centuries ago, and neither he nor Sloan had a choice.
Finally, he lost his patience. The entire time he’d been there, she’d kept her back to him and hadn’t tried to make polite conversation. “You know, most people would feel obligated to hold a conversation with their guest.”
“You’re not an invited guest.” With that, she did turn around and face him. “In fact, you’re an interloper. I’ve tried to be polite at work when you asked me out, and that obviously didn’t work. So here’s the deal.” She turned back to the counter, and he watched her pull down two black mugs and fill them with the fresh brew. He noted she was very careful to put them on the counter beside her, within his reach. She didn’t offer him milk for the coffee but pushed the sugar bowl toward him. “From now on, we will be polite at the office. You will not make excuses to invade my privacy while at home. There is no reason for you to be here. I’m not looking for a friend or a lover.” She finally turned to look at him. “I like spending my time alone. Do we understand each other? This is your first and last drop-by visit.”
Dane knew this was worse, watching her breasts rise and fall with each breath. That was when he lost his composure. He took a step forward, and she took one back. With one more step, she was pressed against the counter and had nowhere else to retreat. He stared at her, watching her eyes. He didn’t need to be a mind reader to know her thoughts were of hate and loathing. At the moment he didn’t care what she wanted. He knew from their kiss the other day at work, the moment he touched her, she’d melt inside and accept him. He could have kissed her. Instead, he reached his index finger and drew it across her cheek, down to her lips, and back and forth over them. In that instant, he felt all her resistance melt away. He could feel her body arching toward him, and he took full advantage of it, wrapping his arms around her. Diana reacted, reaching her hands to his shoulders, her fingers pinching his skin until their lips met.
Their kiss started hot and heavy and built until she was the aggressor. It was her hand that reached for his and
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