Who's the Boss? Read online

  She stared at him, painfully aware of her body’s response to his presence. She vibrated with it. “I still can’t believe what you thought, or how much I care what you thought.” She slapped her paycheck to his chest. “Keep your pity.”

  “Pity had nothing to do with it. You earned it. Why didn’t you tell me you could do more than answer phones?”

  “I did tell you!”

  Chastity came into the room, and oblivious to the thick tension, she announced, “Here’s a check, darling. I’m paying for everything. Everything. So don’t even think about cheating me when the men come tomorrow with the truck— Oh.” At the sight of Joe, she dropped her businesslike tone and switched to sex kitten in the blink of an eye. “Isn’t this interesting?”

  Caitlin dropped her head back on her shoulders and stared heavenward. Haven’t I learned enough humility?

  “So nice to meet you again,” Chastity said sweetly, holding out her hand to Joe. “I hear so much about you these days.”

  “You can’t believe any of it,” Joe assured her. “Unless it’s all good.”

  Caitlin rolled her eyes. Chastity practically preened. “Very little of what’s said about you is good, Joe. Mostly...outrageous.”

  “Outrageous, huh? Haven’t lost my touch, then.” His eyes sharpened slightly. “What brings you here, Chastity?”

  “Oh, we go way back,” Caitlin said quickly. “Don’t we, Chastity?”

  “Old friends?” Joe smiled and nodded, as though he understood perfectly. What he really understood was that Caitlin seemed desperate to break up this conversation “That’s nice. Funny how Caitlin would pick today to socialize, seeing how she’s moving tomorrow.”

  “And since I’m so busy,” Caitlin interrupted, trying to pull him to the door, “you’d better get back to work and let me get to it. Thanks for coming—”

  “Looks like you have a lot left to do,” he said smoothly, evading her hands. “Maybe I should help you pack.”

  “Didn’t Caitlin tell you?” Chastity laughed, managing to make the sound bubbly and full of pity at the same time. “I’m saving her pretty little hide, so to speak. I’m taking most of her things—on generous donation, of course—and using them for a charity auction next week.”

  Joe looked at Caitlin. She stared at something, fascinating on the floor. She seemed pale, dispirited, and Joe felt sick.

  Chastity glanced at her narrow gold Rolex. “Oops, gotta run! I’ll be back in the morning with a truck and a couple of hunks to load everything.” She scribbled something down on a scrap piece of paper, and as she walked past Joe, she stuffed it into the front pocket of his jeans, damn near fondling him in the process. He took it out and wasn’t surprised to see her phone number and address. “Wait a minute.”

  “No,” Caitlin leaped to action and rushed up behind Chastity to open the door for her. “She can’t wait—she’s in a hurry. So are you. Scoot now, Chastity, I’ll see you.”

  He could fix this, Joe thought with a surge of unfamiliar panic. Otherwise, she’d lose everything, and he knew how it felt to own nothing. “Caitlin—”

  “Leave it alone,” she whispered frantically behind Chastity’s back. “Please,” she added so bleakly, he swallowed his protests and let her show Chastity out.

  When the woman was gone, Caitlin turned to him, her face tight and drawn. “I want you to go now.”

  How long had it been since he’d felt so helpless? It had been a mistake to kiss her, to touch her again. She made him feel things he shouldn’t. Made him want things he didn’t want to want. There’d been plenty of times in his life he could have had a shot at a future with someone and he’d chosen not to. It was too late for him now, far too late. He wanted to be alone.

  And maybe if he kept repeating it to himself, he’d believe it. He’d believe he didn’t want this woman in his life, really in his life. “Caitlin.”

  She held up a hand. “I need to be alone,” she said quietly, dignity humming. “I want to be alone.”

  “I can’t leave you. Not like this.” He moved close, but at the last minute, stopped short. What right did he have to hold her? To offer comfort? He wasn’t a long-term bet, and she deserved no less. Clasping his hands behind his back to keep them off her, he drew a deep breath. “Have you eaten?”

  She gaped at him. Then laughed. “That sounded suspiciously like a question from a man who cared. But that couldn’t be, because you would never let yourself do something as foolish as that, would you, Joe?”

  “I’m trying to help you.” He refused to rise to the bait, though his temper stirred. “I’m trying to offer support”

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re friends.”

  “No.” Sadly, she shook her head. “Friends trust one another, Joe. And you have a real problem with that. You can’t let go enough to trust me.”

  “I care about you,” he stated gruffly. “And I’m tired of you throwing it back in my face.”

  She looked at him, startled. “I’m sorry for that,” she said softly. “I know it’s not easy for you to care, and I have no right to make you feel as if it’s not welcome. It is.” She took the few remaining steps between them. Gently, she touched his chest, resting one hand lightly over his steadily beating heart. Watching her fingers, she whispered, “I care about you also, Joe. Far too much.”

  Beneath her hand, his heart beat faster. “I don’t want you to,” he said so low she nearly missed it.

  For a moment, she stood there, head bowed. Then she raised a wet gaze to his. “I know. But that’s just the way it is.” Reaching behind him, she opened the front door, inviting him to leave her alone.

  10

  HE WAS TOUCHING HER, finally touching her. He ran his fingers down the length of her body, making her shiver with delight, anticipation. When he kissed her, slow, deep, lazy kisses that made her weak with pleasure and dizzy with desire, she moaned and begged him for more.

  He pushed the blanket down, away from her, and the moonlight glowed over their bodies. His was perfect, hard and rippled and pulsing with life. She’d always felt hers was too soft, too...much, but he whispered how beautiful she was, how good she tasted, and at the needy heat in his eyes, she believed him.

  For the first time in her life, she felt truly beautiful. Desirable.

  As he kissed her again, he touched her—her face, her throat, her back, her legs, then back up again, stopping at the part of her burning for him.

  As he lifted his head, Joseph’s light eyes held hers. “I want you,” he whispered thickly. “So much.” His fingers skimmed over her, lightly, teasing, until she arched up against his hand.

  “I want you, too.” She clasped her hands around him, holding him close. “I love you, Joe. So much.”

  He stilled. “No,” his low, shaky voice came. “You don’t know me.”

  “I know enough.”

  His eyes burned brightly. “I’m...not an easy man.” His voice was strangled with emotion. “And God knows I don’t deserve you, but Caitlin, don’t leave me. Don’t ever give up on me.”

  She started to shake her head, but his fingers worked their magic, and her entire body started to shake. “Joe!” she called out, on the very edge and teetering crazily....

  SHE WOKE UP, twisted in her sheets, damp with perspiration and breathing as if she’d just run a marathon.

  A dream. Just a dream. The most real, most perfect dream she’d ever had.

  She was alone in her moonlit bed, which was scattered with moving boxes. On an empty shelf sat a porcelain kitty, filled with rose petals. It had been her first purchase for this place, and she hadn’t wanted to pack it because then it would be real.

  She was leaving.

  She lay in her bed, by herself, breathless, shaking, alone. Alone and...hot. Very hot.

  She had fallen in love with Joe.

  She hadn’t meant to, but it had happened and now she was really in trouble because he’d never allow himself to love her back. She could give and give u