It kept happening—she’d see a man who resembled him coming down the street or standing in line at the supermarket and her heart would do a little stutter-step even though she knew, of course, that it wasn’t him.
That was what happened when the doorbell rang one morning.
She’d ordered a couple of text books and she opened the door, figuring it was the UPS guy delivering them.
Instead, it was a man who resembled Roarke.
She felt her heart do that ridiculous little thud-thud…
Except—except this time it wasn’t her imagination.
It was Roarke.
He was here.
He was real.
She mouthed his name.
And the room went grey.
Chapter Twelve
Roarke caught her before she could fall.
It was an automatic response.
No matter how you despised someone, you couldn’t just stand by and watch that person collapse.
Still, his mind registered the feel of her under his hands. The smoothness of her skin. The silky whisper of her hair.
The scent of her enveloped him, a light drift of soap and roses.
For a heartbeat, he forgot everything but this. The way she fit into his arms. The warmth of under his hands. The whisper of her breath.
Then he remembered what she had done, what had brought him here, and when she blinked and said, “Put me down,” he set her on her feet, but kept hold of her shoulders.
“You sure you’re not going to take a nose dive onto the floor? Because I won’t be impressed, Jennifer. I promise you that.”
She jerked free of his hands.
“What are you doing here, Roarke?”
Her voice was steady. The color was returning to her face. He had to give her credit. She’d made a quick recovery, but why wouldn’t she? He’d caught her off guard, but she was strong. Tough. She was not the delicate little thing she’d wanted him to see her as when they’d first met.
“I’m here on business,” he said.
“We have no business to conduct.”
“You’re wrong. We do.”
“About what?”
He felt his jaw tighten. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with any nonsense.
“Mail the documents to her,” his attorney had said, “or I’ll arrange for someone to serve them.”
But he’d said no, he’d do it himself.