away when all the while he was gloating at her weakness.
She pushed him away, and, taken by surprise, he staggered back. A blank look of astonishment came over his face, masking his satisfaction.
“You can stop right there,” she managed to get out through her straining breaths. “You’re not getting back into my panties.”
Breathing hard, he shoved his fingers through his hair. His trousers made a pup tent over his unmistakable hard-on. God, what might have happened if she hadn’t pushed him away?
Frustration showed in his face. “I never thought you were a tease.”
“I’m not.” She tugged her dress into place, feeling ashamed and stupid. “That was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
She couldn’t stand there blushing, so she spun around and marched off, knowing he couldn’t follow her until he’d cooled down a little. It won’t happen again. It won’t happen again . If only she could be so sure of that.
Chapter Four
From the terrace of Lex’s Pacific Heights mansion, the views stretched out across the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. On a bright and breezy Saturday, the waters were sprinkled with sailing boats, their sails billowing in the freshening wind. The spectacle should have been restful, but instead Lex’s shoulder muscles were bunched and his stomach was tight with tension. Instead of enjoying the fresh air and the view, all he could think about was the woman he’d just left in his study.
Jacinta had arrived an hour ago to start her analysis of the IT security log files, just as they’d arranged the previous night. The thought of last night made his back muscles screw up tighter. He couldn’t stop thinking about the kisses they’d shared. That first kiss he’d forced on her was meant as payback, but instead it had ambushed him, inflamed him so he couldn’t resist pulling her into the bushes and kissing her some more. And that time she’d kissed him back, her mouth unfurling, her tongue sweeping over his, her body softening into his hold in that hedonistic way that always drove him wild.
A few seconds in his embrace and she’d demolished all his defenses. In the months following their breakup, he’d worked so hard to obliterate her from his memories, but one minute of kissing her, relishing her silky skin, cupping her full, gorgeous breasts, and he was rock hard and desperate to lose himself inside her. Ready to lose his head over her yet again.
He let out a muffled groan. Was this a good idea, or was he playing with fire? He gazed across the terrace toward his study. Through the French doors, he watched Jacinta seated at his desk as she peered intently at his computer screen, her fingers toying abstractedly with her hair.
She was good at her job, no denying that. If the mole had left a trace of how the leak had happened, she’d find it. He’d been right to contact her. But he’d have to put a tighter leash on his libido when she was around. If he couldn’t keep his hands off her, she might change her mind about helping him. And it didn’t do him any good to lose control and self-respect over his ex-girlfriend.
Lex forced himself to turn away. Leaving his house, he walked to Lafayette Park where he stewed over his problems. His business worries were inextricably linked with his family difficulties. He couldn’t trust his family, yet soon he might be forced to tell them the secret he’d kept to himself all these months. If he hadn’t caught his betrayer by then, things could get nasty. He needed to find this mole soon.
He returned to his house as unsettled as he’d left it. Jacinta was still at the desk when he reentered the study.
“Sorry,” Jacinta said. “I haven’t found anything useful yet.”
“Why don’t you take a break?” he said. “I’ll make us some coffee.”
She followed him into the kitchen, where she hopped onto a stool at the marble counter while he started up the De’Longhi espresso machine.
“I’ll need a few other logs to
Learning to Kill: Stories