Tempting Taine by Kate Silver Read Free Book Online Page A

though.”
    She winced at the touch of his hand on her cheek, and withdrew into the farthermost corner of the car.   She could not take his gentleness, the soft touch of his fingers that could almost make her believe he cared for her still.   Unbidden memories tugged at her heartstrings.   She could take anything but that.   “If you don’t like me, you certainly can’t want me.”
    At her reaction to his touch, he pulled his hand away as if he had been stung and placed it firmly back on the steering wheel .   “Unfortunately, it seems I can.”   He gave a bitter laugh, the lines on his face more pronounced than ever as he stared out of the windscreen in front of him.   “It doesn’t make me feel very good about myself, but it’s the truth.   Look, Verity, I don’t want to get all deep and meaningful with you, and I’m certainly not going to pretend that I’ve fallen in love with you.   Nothing could be further from the truth.   I just want you in my bed.   Temporarily, of course.   I’m not talking anything permanent here.”
    The distaste in his voice made her cringe inside .   “Have I got this right?” she asked, her shock slowly seeping away and being replaced with anger.   “You don’t like me and you don’t want to spend time with me or have any kind of ‘relationship’ with me - you just want to have sex until you get tired of me or find someone better to sleep with.   Someone, presumably, whom you actually like ?”
    He shrugged, still refusing to look at her.   “You’ve summed it up pretty accurately.   Call it a winter fling, if that will make you feel better about it.”  
    He could not be serious.   What could he hope from such an absurd proposition?   “And if I find someone who I would rather sleep with?” she asked, curious as to what his response might be.   She was ready to grasp at any straw that could shed some light on his motives for propositioning her.   “What then?   You’d let me walk away without a fuss?”
    His hands on the steering wheel whitened, but his voice was steady when he spoke.   “I’ll simply have to make sure that you don’t want to stray until I’m ready to let you go.”
    “Thanks for the kind offer,” she said, sarcasm dripping liberally from her voice.   Was he really trying to make her feel as cheap and nasty as he possibly could, or was it just a talent he had for doing it without even trying?   “I’m sure there’s a woman out there somewhere who would take you up on it, but it won’t be me.”  
    “I’m prepared to be a generous lover.   Very generous.   I’ll make sure you’re not the loser in any bargain we make.”
    Had he completely lost it?   Was he offering her money – again – as if he thought she could be bought just like that?   She felt herself start to explode.   “I don’t want your damn money---” she began, her voice rising dangerously high.
    “I wasn’t talking about money,” he interrupted her easily.   “I was talking about the more, shall we say intangible benefits of inviting me back into your bed.”
    She gave a derisive snort.   “Forget it.   I’m not interested.”   She squelched the traitorous memory of his hands on her body, and just how good they had felt there .   Sex without commitment had never been her style, and she was not about to change her habits for Taine Hunter’s asking.   Especially not for Taine.   Despite the way he was making her feel at the moment , he was still her first and only lover, and the only man she had ever loved.  
    “Why not?   We were good together once.   Neither of us are married.   No one will be hurt if you come over to my place and fuck me senseless once in a while.”
    “Give it up, Taine.   I’ve said no, and I meant it.   I am not, repeat not , going to have an affair with you.”
    “I can’t see your problem with the idea.   I’ll give you a good time and get my lust for you out of my system at the same