He had a lot to report, of course. And he was sure there was a lot she would need to fill him in on. Things that had happened while he was away would have to be discussed.
But was business the only reason he wanted to see her? He hoped to God it was, because any other reason was disloyal to Debra and just plain stupid. He should have picked up a woman while he was out of town. If he had taken a warm, willing woman to bed, maybe he wouldn’t be so edgy. Maybe he wouldn’t be looking so forward to seeing Jade. Maybe his cock wouldn’t be hard with just the memory of how she had looked standing against a rising thunderstorm.
He wheeled the pickup into the gravel track leading to his trailer. Loner, sensing that he was home, stood up in the seat and shook himself from nose to tail. Dillon chuckled, but his laughter broke off when he saw the light on inside the portable building and Jade’s Cherokee parked out front.
“What the hell is she doing out here at this time of night?”
He parked the pickup and got out. Loner slipped past him and headed for his water dish. Dillon tried the door of the office. It was locked.
“Jade?” He removed his key from his jeans pocket and inserted it into the lock. The door swung open silently.
Her head lay on top of her desk; she was asleep. Dillon tiptoed forward. “Jade?”
She didn’t stir. Her head was pillowed on her extended arm. His eyes were drawn down to her hand. She had very slender fingers. Her hand was delicate and, in repose, fragile-looking. Her hair was a riot of wavy disarray, spilling across her arm and the paperwork she had fallen asleep over. It was inky black, the perfect complement to her fair complexion.
There was a faint blush on the cheek that was turned up. Her eyebrow was as smooth and glossy as one painted onto a china doll. She was deeply asleep. She breathed through slightly parted lips.
Dillon’s desire to touch her was a visceral ache.
He debated with himself on what he should do. She wouldn’t welcome being found in such a vulnerable position. It would be awkward for them both and might affect their working relationship, which he didn’t want to jeopardize under any circumstances. She obviously wasn’t in any discomfort.
All things considered, it would be best to leave her as she was. If she woke up and noticed that he was back, she could come to his trailer and initiate a conversation if she wanted to. Otherwise, they would see each other first thing in the morning. He saw no reason for the lamp to be shining full on her face, however, and leaned across the desk to switch it off.
The instant the office went dark, she woke up.
“No!” She shot out of her chair, nearly knocking heads with him.
“Jade, it’s me.”
“Don’t touch me.” She fumbled with the items strewn across her desk.
“What are you doing?”
“If you touch me, I’ll kill you.”
Dillon, bewildered by her violent reaction, looked down at her outstretched hands and saw the cold glint of metal. “Jade,” he said calmly, “it’s me, Dillon.” He reached for the lamp switch.
“No!” She made a jabbing motion toward his belly with the letter opener.
“Christ.”
She was obviously still asleep, or so disoriented that she didn’t realize what she was doing. Before one or both of them got hurt, he lunged across the desk and grabbed her hands. The telephone crashed to the floor. Paperwork scattered like autumn leaves in a high wind. Jade screamed. They fought for control of the letter opener. She fell against the wall behind her, knocking a calendar off its hook.
He twisted her hands, but she wouldn’t release her grip on the letter opener. Even though she seemed to be imbued with superhuman strength, he knew he must be hurting her. He would apologize later. First, he had to keep her from ripping a hole in his gut.
He finally got a firm grip on both her wrists and swung them up above her head. He slammed his body into hers, pinning her between himself and the wall. She slung her head wildly from side to side.
“You’ll have to kill me first.”
“Jade.”
“I won’t let you. You’ll have to kill me.”
“Jade!”
It was as though he had entered her nightmare and slapped her awake. She ceased struggling instantly. Her head became still. Her breasts rose and fell drastically against his chest.
“Who is it?”