wanted to get to know her, against all his better judgement, and in order to do that he would have to take his time.
âIn which case, I suggest we go back to my apartment.â
Mattie almost laughed at the suggestion, even though a treacherous part of her stirred at the thought of it.
âOver my dead body.â
âWhere there is a very comfortable sitting area downstairs. We can finish our conversation.â He gave his address to the taxi driver and was aware of her staring at him for having removed the decision from her hands.
âYou really have got a nerve! How dare you?â
âStop running from me,â he drawled softly. âI always catch the things I want, Mattie.â
âAnd you want me.â
âAnd I want you.â
He wasnât touching her, but God, she felt her body burn as if he were.
âYou want a good-looking waitress in a nightclub. You donât want me . You donât even know me .â
âIs that a plea from the heart?â he drawled.
âItâs a matter-of-fact statement, actually,â Mattie snapped in return. âYou may have spent your life with women tripping behind you in your wake, wondering if they might be the lucky little thing to get the ring on her finger, but, buddy, where I come from I can see straight through men like you! Youâre a taker, Mr Drecos.â
âBut you donât even know me .â
Mattie uttered the strangled sound of someone whose impeccable reason has been neatly lobbed right back at them, and decided that she wouldnât dignify his comment with a reply. Not that she could think of anything to say to his barbed piece of verbal cleverness.
But she didnât like the fact that she was sitting in a taxi with him and being transported to wherever his apartment was, even though that gut feeling she had had three evenings before was back with her. A deep knowing that he was a man who didnât lie. If he said that there would be somewhere downstairs where they could talk, then there would be.
The problem was that she didnât want to talk.
No, she amended truthfully to herself, the problemwas that she was a little too tempted to talk for her own good.
She felt as though her emotions had been put on hold forever, building up behind a dam which was beginning to strain at the weight put against it.
She wanted to talk, but why him? He had already told her what kind of interest he was feeling and it wasnât the sort that wanted to get to know her, whatever he had to say on the subject. It was the sort that wanted to get her into his bed.
âIf I get there and I find that the only thing waiting downstairs is a lift to carry me up to your apartment, then youâre out of luck. Iâll walk straight back out of the door and into the nearest taxi I can find!â
âFair enough.â
He had deprived her of further argument, but he could still feel her simmering away next to him. Sexy as hell and as appealingly defensive as a cornered cat.
He watched her averted profile, the stubborn tilt of her head, and wondered if she had any idea how seductive her mutinous silence was.
By the time the taxi pulled up in front of his apartment block, he was almost willing to bet that she would have changed her mind about coming in.
But all she said to the driver was, âWould you mind waiting here for a few minutes? Just in case I need to get back to my house?â
âNo problem, love.â
âWell? Does it pass muster?â Dominic asked, the minute they were inside the building. âThereâs the sitting area over there and, as you can see, thereâs a security guy permanently on call by the desk. His nameâs Charlie and Iâm sure heâll fly to your rescue if you decide to start shrieking.â
âVery funny.â
âSo are you going to tell our taxi driver to disappear or are you going to climb into his taxi and run away again?â
It was his