Defying the Billionaire's Command

Carly swallowed heavily. And the way he’d made love to her.

She released a slow breath, hoping he was so engrossed in returning work emails he wouldn’t notice.

At least, she presumed he was returning work emails. For all she knew he could be lining up his next woman.

And when had she become so insecure?

She sighed again. She was not going to blow this out of proportion. It had happened and it had been wonderful. More wonderful than she could have ever imagined. She made a face. She had thought she’d reached orgasm before but apparently she’d been wrong.

But sex—no matter how earth-shattering—was not grounds to start measuring up white picket fences or planting fruit trees that took years to bear produce. She’d learned that lesson the hard way. And it wasn’t as if she had fallen in love with him. That would be...

Carly’s hand squeezed her throat.

Love? Who mentioned love?

She swallowed. Tried to breathe.

She wasn’t in love with him. She wouldn’t be that foolishly stupid. That brainless to fall for a man so much more potent than Daniel he might break her completely if she let him.

‘That’s a lot of sighing going on over there. You okay?’

Startled, Carly glanced at him. ‘Fine.’

His smile cocked a little. ‘You sure?’

He reached out and entwined his fingers with hers.

Carly’s heart kicked against her rib cage. God, the man was lethal.

‘Absolutely.’ Absently, Carly wondered if she could add acting to her résumé. But this was important. She needed to keep things in perspective. Dare wasn’t interested in long-term relationships and neither was she. ‘But I was thinking,’ she continued, ‘that it would be best not to let anyone know what happened last night.’

Dare frowned. ‘Because?’

‘Well, because I don’t want to lose my job with the agency for sleeping with a client’s son, if it’s all the same to you, and I’m worried that Rachel and Benson might read more into it than they should.’

‘Don’t go getting your knickers in a twist,’ he said easily. ‘I was only asking.’

She hadn’t realised she’d been holding her breath until his cavalier response, and then she felt silly. ‘God, you’re arrogant,’ she said, her temper directed mainly at herself.

She was doing it again—making mountains where there should have been molehills.

He grinned at her. ‘Next time I’m making you a morning coffee whether you think we have time or not.’

Next time? Carly’s heart gave another jolt. She let out a breath. What was wrong with her this morning? ‘Sorry,’ she grumbled. ‘I’m worried about Benson.’ Which wasn’t untrue, she thought. She was worried about him.

‘Forget it.’

Dare rubbed her fingers almost absently.

He’d woken up this morning to his ringing phone and hadn’t had time to think about much between then and now. Which meant that he hadn’t thought about how he was going to play this thing with Carly in front of Benson and his mother.

And it irked him a little that she had because he was usually on top of these things. And it irked him more that she was right.

If his mother knew he had taken Carly to his bed the previous night she’d be matchmaking within minutes. Actually she probably already was. It was as inevitable as breathing really. She wanted grandkids and short of adopting a set for him she saw potential in every woman he went out with.

Well, almost every woman. Okay, so she hadn’t seen potential in any woman he’d dated so far, but that didn’t stop her from wanting him to meet someone and fall in love. And Carly was a perfect candidate. Smart, sweet-natured, beautiful, sexy.

Man, was she ever sexy. If his mother knew how compatible they were between the sheets she’d be asking what jeweller he was going to.

Probably Tiffany’s. He’d purchase one of those diamond rocks as big as his fist. He smiled as he thought of how his ring would look on her long, slender fingers. Maybe he’d get one a little smaller than his fist, he decided, but it would be as perfect as her smile.

He frowned, then let go of her hand to fiddle with his phone.

His heart felt as if it had relocated into his throat and he took a deep breath.