The Million-Dollar Catch: The Substitute Millionaire. Сьюзен Мэллери

but also because she’d started to like him.

      “It was a great night,” he said. “You were amazing.”

      “You were adequate.”

      “Thanks.”

      She smiled. “You’re very welcome.”

      He put his hand on her shoulder. A casual touch, she told herself. It meant nothing. So why was it suddenly so hard to breathe?

      “We have to keep Ruth from finding out about the baby, at least for a while,” he said. “In her present state, I’m not sure what she’d do with the information.”

      “The thought is a little scary.”

      “We also have a business meeting in a couple of days.”

      “I know. I put it on my calendar myself.”

      “Todd will be there.”

      “I have no words to describe my joy.” Was it her imagination or was he moving closer?

      “He’s not such a bad guy.”

      “So you say.” Ryan was definitely closer. Funny how she liked that.

      “I’m not such a bad guy either.”

      She opened her mouth to say something back and he kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her, tilted his head and pressed his mouth to hers.

      She meant to be affronted or at least crabby. Instead she parted her lips instantly, even as she pressed her body against his and clung to him.

      Their tongues tangled in a sea of hunger and need. Wanting poured through her, making it impossible to care that they were in her grandmother’s driveway. His kiss was hot and familiar and arousing and nothing mattered except that he never stop.

      He ran his hands up and down her back. He cupped her rear and squeezed, causing her to surge against him. When she pressed against his hardness, she whimpered.

      Oh, yes. That was exactly what she wanted—him hard and inside of her. Arms and legs tangling, bodies reaching, him filling her until she had no choice but to give in to the rising desire. Then they would—

      No! She couldn’t give in. Not again. Not until she’d figured out who he was and how she felt about him. Getting naked was a complication she didn’t need.

      It took all her strength, but she forced herself to step to the side.

      “We have to stop,” she told him, sounding more breathless than stern.

      “No, we don’t.”

      “I was just beginning to like you. Don’t press your luck.”

      One corner of his mouth quirked up. “You like me?”

      “A little. Maybe. Don’t annoy me or the feeling will fade.”

      He grinned, then took a step back. “You are your own woman, Julie Nelson. You’re definitely a hell of a ride.”

      The last time Julie had been at Ryan’s office, she’d been too angry to pay attention to the elegant surroundings, but this morning she could appreciate the subtle blending of colors and the expensive but comfortable furnishings.

      “Ryan should have slept with this decorator instead of the one who did his place,” she murmured to herself as she walked into the reception area and gave her name to the woman behind the desk.

      She was shown back to the conference room immediately. As her heels sank into the plush carpet, she reminded herself that this was strictly business. The kiss she and Ryan had shared a few days before was totally out of her mind. She was determined to be the best damn lawyer they’d ever had and to win them over. Ryan had offered three small companies to her firm. She’d done her research and knew there was a whole lot more where that had come from. She intended to walk away with it all.

      She walked into the paneled conference room. Both men stood and smiled at her, but her gaze didn’t see past Ryan. While she was aware that Todd was also in the room, she couldn’t seem to convince herself that he mattered.