Chance Of A Lifetime 1987 by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

gave herself a tiny shake and drew a deep breath. She could still feel the steel in his arms, but she stopped
    struggling against it. Instantly his hold became warm and solid and reassuring. She was no longer trapped in a vise.
    She managed a tremulous smile.
    „Sorry,“ she got out with gratifying smoothness and just the right touch of sophisticated chagrin. „I’m afraid I lost
    my temper because of my own carelessness. When you made a joke out of the whole thing I vented my anger on you.
    It was a dumb thing to do.“ She swallowed and then said politely, „I apologize for the nasty cracks about you and your
    sense of humor.“
    The hard line of his mouth eased into a faint smile, although his eyes remained dangerously watchful. „Apology
    accepted. You have my apology for the bound-slave comment.“
    „Professional housekeepers are very touchy about slave jokes,“ Rachel said. „They come a little too close to
    home.“
    „I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think of your job as being the next step up from slavery?“
    „Well, I suppose it’s not as bad as being a wife. At least I get paid for my work. And I don’t have to tolerate sexual
    advances from management.“
    His gaze darkened, and his fingers sank into the skin of her waist. „You are touchy, aren’t you? I’d like to take this
    opportunity to point out that I don’t usually go around kissing professional housekeepers.“
    „Why make an exception in my case?“ she retorted.
    „I don’t know,“ he admitted grimly. „Something about you just interests me, I guess.“ His mouth came back down
    on hers.
    This time Rachel was prepared. She stood stiffly in his grasp, but she didn’t try to struggle. There was no point,
    and besides, she sensed he would release her soon enough when he found neither sensual response nor feminine
    challenge. As long as she didn’t excite his predatory instincts, Rachel told herself, she would be safe.
    His mouth moved on hers deliberately. There was a curious, seeking quality to his kiss this time, as though he were
    searching for answers. Rachel wondered what kind of questions he was asking. She could only hope he didn’t yet
    suspect her real reason for playing this dangerous game. She was safe only as long as Chance didn’t realize they were
    enemies.
    „It’s all right, Rachel,“ he muttered against her lips. His hands worked soothingly, sensually, on her spine. „It’s
    okay. Just relax. Don’t fight me. I won’t hurt you. Trust me that much.“ The coaxing words were scattered like dark
    jewels against her skin as he tasted her with small, compelling kisses. „I just want to hold you for a few minutes. I’ve
    been wondering how you would feel in my arms.“
    She mustn’t respond, Rachel warned herself. Yet it was dangerous to fight. She was left in an ambivalent state that
    didn’t suit her temperament in the least. She was a woman of action. It was not her nature to endure without protest or
    to remain passive. She tried to ignore the inviting, intriguing quality of Chance’s caresses, but something was flaring
    up inside her.
    She hoped the aching emotion was restrained anger, but she was very much afraid it wasn’t. Her body was
    beginning to burn, but it was not with fury. She could feel a vibrant awareness along her nerve endings, and she knew
    it was not the alertness of anger or even of fear. This was something else, something potentially devastating. Her
    hands came up instinctively to push against Chance’s shoulders.
    But when he felt her fingertips moving on him, Chance groaned and deepened the kiss. Suddenly he was inside her
    mouth, and Rachel knew it was because she had parted her lips for him. Instead of shoving at him, her hands tightened
    on the fabric of his shirt. Everything about him was impacting her senses now. She could smell the tang of honest
    sweat, feel the dynamic shift of muscle beneath her hands.
    When Chance’s hands moved downward to curve around her buttocks