From Boardroom to Bedroom

bsp; There it was. The reason she couldn’t fully enjoy her first sexual experience. Nigel didn’t even know her real name. Guilt and disappointment spiraled through her. She’d finally chosen to give herself to someone, and her pleasure had been robbed by her lies. She had nobody to blame but herself.

How could she let this go any further? Clearly Nigel cared for her on some level. He’d taken his time, he’d made love to her with his mouth, and now he looked as if he was perfectly content with nothing more.

Why couldn’t she have met him before the deceit? Why couldn’t she just tell him who she was and why she was here?

Because her brothers were counting on her and she couldn’t let them down. Miranda had no right to take ownership of a family legacy that meant nothing to her anyway.

“I may be inexperienced,” she told him. “But I’m not naive or dumb. You’ve got to be...frustrated.”

Again, he let out a throaty laugh. “I’ll admit to being a trifle uncomfortable.”

His smile slowly faded and those lingering eyes continued to hold her in place. Another burst of arousal slid through her, coupled with fear of all the unknown components that made up this warped relationship.

At some point, this was all going to blow up in her face and they were both going to end up hurt. The longer she stayed, the more involved they became, the more Sophie knew there would be no good way for this to end.

feet. He raked a hand over his mussed hair and stared down

spread out over my couch,” he told her. “I’ve envisioned you several times, in several ways—spread across my bed, in

busy,” she joked, though her nerves were even more

tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and raked his thumb over her chin. “Nobody has been able to distract me from work before and nobody has ever made me want to put them first in everything. You’ve put some spell on

she knew tonight was just a stepping stone for the future. She wasn’t innocent enough to think

replied, still recovering from

that her attraction to

took it badly? What if he threw her out...and then called Miranda to tell her everything? She couldn’t bring herself

his face made her miserable. She’d never felt so guilty, so ugly. But she’d already started

responsibilities I’ve given you have nothing at all to do with this attraction,” he told her. “I need you to know that. In a very short time, you’ve proven to be

smiled. “I didn’t think you gave me an extra project to get in my pants. But I’m glad to

could be a little proud of the effort she’d put into this faux job. If she’d learned anything from

of his legacy. Why he would throw

seemed so final, so heartbreaking. Like she just had to sever any ties she had with him. He was her father, she still loved him and she