Seducing the Photographer (At First Sight) by Janet Lane-Walters Page B

exhausted him. “I’ve plans for a very physical day.” She paused. “Maybe he has a threesome in mind.”
    “Not with you.” Meg’s hands curled into fists. “He knew I was leaving this morning.” Though she had agreed to stay until evening she had changed her mind. Simone’s smug smile added another layer to Meg’s anger.
    Simone turned. “Doesn’t matter what he told you. Steve’s mine. He always comes back to me.”
    “Really.”
    Simone flashed a huge diamond. “I don’t mind sharing but what’s mine stays mine.”
    Meg waited until Simone entered Steve’s bedroom. She lifted her belongings. Though she didn’t believe Steve had rejected her declaration of life because of Simone a niggling doubt remained. Meg heard loud voices from the bedroom but the words were muffled by the door.
    She slipped from the apartment, hurried down and stairs and outside to her car. Just as she shoved the case in the trunk her sister called her name. Meg groaned. She’d hoped to avoid questions. She closed the trunk.
    “What are you doing here?” Allie asked.
    “Picked up Steve at the airport. He has a broken leg and some sewn gashes on his right arm. I did the family thing and offered to help. Since his significant other arrived I can go home.”
    Allie grasped Meg’s arm. “How what? First I’ve heard he has one. Who?”
    “Simone.”
    “From Beauty Spot. You’re kidding.”
    “She flashed a ring.”
    “Not from Steve,” Allie said. “She probably bought it for herself. She’s a piranha. That’s what he says.”
    Megan opened the sedan door. ‘Doesn’t really matter.”
    “Liar. What did he do?”
    “Nothing special.”
    “You’ve been hurt.”
    “I’ll get over it. Had an interesting time at Peek-A-Boo.”
    “What did you buy?”
    “Too much. Tell you on Monday.” When packing she’dcrammed everything together. She wasn’t going to let Allie see the things she’d worn. Meg closed the door and started the car. “See you.”
    Until she reached her apartment she would contain the tears burning her eyes. When she cut loose she wasn’t sure if they would be caused by disappointment or anger.
     
    * * *
     
    Steve stared at the woman he’d had a brief sexual affair with. “What are you doing here? I told you there’s no reason for your presence.”
    “You didn’t mean that.” She moved closer to the bed. “You’re mine and it’s time you settled down.”
    “Not with you.” His hands clenched. Oh for the ability to get out of bed and drag her to the door.
    “Your sister sees things differently. She feels we’re a perfect match.”
    He growled. “She doesn’t make my choices.” He cursed himself for ever being involved with Simone.
    She sat on the bed beside him. “Oh don’t deny you were interested in what we had. I let you leave the magazine so we could continue our affair.”
    “Let? I quit because I wanted to be as far from you as possible.”
    “You’re wrong. You knew the owners didn’t approve of inter-office romances unless the people were married. We were becoming very close.”
    “Like hell we were.”
    She inched her hand along his thigh and touched his groin. “I won’t accept the weak excuse you gave for not calling me.”
    Steve pushed her hand away. “You don’t get it. You don’t have what I want. You never will.”
    She rose. “Do you think banging Meg Blakefield will get you anywhere?”
    “Leave her out of this. Get out.” Steve swung his legs over the mattress and hit her with the cast. “I never promised you anything. Never will.”
    “Have your eyes on the Blakefield fortune? Think again. Meg’s gone. I told her about us. She stormed off.”
    Steve sucked in a breath. He’d never hit a woman but he was coming close. He coughed. Her strong perfume made him ill. “Just because I’m wearing a cast doesn’t mean I’m helpless. Get out.”
    She walked to the door. “Don’t expect to see your sister. I cancelled our plans and told her I