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Posted: 02 May 2011 05:26 AM PDT

Chapter Nine

M closed the front door behind her and leaned back against it. Jonathan was likely still in his office, and she really didn't want to deal with him right now. She leaned down, slipped off her sandals, and tippy toed across the wide expanse of the marble tile foyer.

Five strides from the bottom of the grand staircase, he appeared.

What? Did he have bat sonar? She hadn't made a sound.

Hovering, one foot still partially off the floor, she watched as he marched toward her. He clearly moved with a purpose. She could see it in his face, but since she couldn't identify it, she stood her ground. What was that she read in his eyes? Passion, anger…

His lips conquered hers.

…or both?

His arms came around her; one at the small of her back pulled her in, the other cupped her butt and pulled her up, notching her into the cradle of his—crotch.

No question about the passion.

She ignited.

Besieged, his spicy scent overruled reason as his tongue invaded her mouth. The tune from an old childhood song floated across her suddenly fuzzy brain. "The head bone's connected to the neck bone…" However, she was thinking that her lips were connected to—every nerve she possessed. Because the heat generated by his mouth against hers flashed through her entire body.

Her spine tingled, and her stomach—not to mention all points south—clenched.

It wasn't a nice kiss, or even a friendly kiss. It wasn't a hi, how are you kiss. This kiss was a blatant challenge. It said—you're mine.

And he didn't have the right. She hadn't given it to him.

But for a moment, M let him take. Revelled in the rush of excitement and adrenaline that coursed through her body like a match set to gasoline. The resulting fire didn't allow her to be a passive partner. No, she gave as good as she got.

Finally, reason stirred. No matter how much her body screamed yes yes yes, her brain—her heart—cautioned, no no no! She thought of Charlie's question. Was Jonathan worthy of her love? Would she wind up with it thrown back in her face? She couldn't answer those questions yet.

Mentally, she began to chant her mantra. Born again virgin. Born again virgin.

The arms she'd unconsciously wrapped around him slowly released. She let her palms skim down his arms, from his shoulders to his wrists, maintaining contact as long as possible, before finally letting go.

Even though she stepped away, it was as if some invisible force field kept her with him. How did he do that? Whatever, however, she suddenly resented the power he had over her. She'd sworn she'd never give anyone any kind of control ever again.

"Are you sleeping with him?"

Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes doubled in size. "What? That's none of your business!"

He moved in again and pressed his pelvis against her. "I'd say this makes it my business."

M wrenched away. "Well, I'd say you're wrong!" She pointed at the very obvious evidence of his desire. "That, doesn't give you any rights. Neither does…" She paused, words failing. Then, she waved both hands back and forth, indicating the two of them. "…this. Whatever this was."

With an act of will, she broke the tethers he'd somehow attached to her and charged up the stairs.

Pig. Who did he think he was? She was his employee, nothing more, and that certainly didn't give him the right to ask personal questions—at least not a question that personal!

Odd that it was the question that offended her, not the fact that he'd grabbed her, kissed her, and indicated some kind of claim on her.

But as she lay back on her bed, emotionally drained, she had to test the veracity of her thoughts. Was she nothing more than his employee? Honest answer? No. In her heart she was something more. Her feelings had changed and she couldn't hide from it any longer. What she'd told Charlie was only partially true. M knew she loved Jonathan.

She wasn't sure when, why or how, and she supposed it really didn't matter. All she knew was that somewhere, somehow, over the last few weeks she'd started fantasizing about staying here forever. Oh, not the house. The house was irrelevant. She knew better than most that a home was far more than the structure surrounding you. No, her secret wishes were all about Jonathan and Alicia.

Somewhere along the way a mantle of comfort had settled over her. At no point in her life had she felt like this. As if the place, the people, beckoned with arms wide open. Even with Stephen she'd felt ill at ease and out of place. But here, despite the grandeur and the constant reminder that she didn't fit, she'd somehow managed to settle in and feel—accepted. And she craved that more than she'd ever realized. All of a sudden she'd started wishing this could be her home, her family.

Jonathan took pleasure in needling her, but he never given her the sense that he looked down on her. She didn't know what he knew about Summer's past—her past—but she didn't get the feeling he judged her and found her wanting. His contempt for Summer was beyond question, yet M had the feeling he had a measure of respect for her. And that warmed her in ways she couldn't begin to express.

Installment 28 Coming Soon!

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