Inescapable Eye of the Storm Read Free Page B

below her surface… the one that had fantasized about having him
naked above her in bed since the moment she’d first learned that she would
indeed be interviewing for a true legend inside their field of expertise?  That
potential outcome was chilling enough that she felt her heartbeat stutter
beneath her breasts.
    "You know," Colin stated, his
voice low as he looked into Abigail's confused eyes, "I've been told on
more than one occasion lately that I've become somewhat predictable.  Not a
great thing for a guy that makes his living in the advertising world, wouldn’t
you agree?   Maybe it's time for me to put a stop to those assumptions,"
he commented in a voice that held just the hint of a threat.
    Watching as Colin's lithe body began to
rise from the deep blue chair, Abigail wondered if she'd fallen into some weird
parallel universe.   It was one where suddenly Colin Storm oozed sex appeal
from every pore of his body, and she wanted to catch every drop with her tongue.
    Approaching her slowly, his steps
measured and deliberate, Colin's deep voice commanded her, "Say something,
Abigail."  Her name tasted wonderful on his lips, falling off his tongue
smoothly, the feel natural in a way he had not expected to experience.
    "I...don't know what to say," Abigail
replied breathlessly as her heart did somersaults within her chest, her body
tingling with each passing step that he took in her direction.  Get it
together, Abs, she ordered herself.  This is what you’ve dreamed of happening,
isn’t it?  Pull your mind together and enjoy this moment.
    "All right, let's approach this
from another direction," Colin replied, his voice a seductive purr in the
lavish hotel room. "What would you say if I told you that you'd have my
full and undivided support in riding this hurricane out in whatever way you
deemed necessary?" he queried, his eyes blazing with an intensity she'd
never witnessed in the past.
    "I'd say that I'm surprised," Abigail
confided huskily, struggling to catch her breath as she felt her heart skip a
beat.  It was no secret that in spite of all Hadley’s malicious ploys and
machinations, he still loved his ex-wife.  She couldn’t lose sight of that
important factor.   He was not quite touching her, but remained close enough
for her to feel the heat pouring off his body, and she struggled to keep her
hands at her sides. "We work together, Colin."
    "We do," Colin agreed, gazing
intently at her as he acknowledged the weakly spoken words and turned them over
in his own mind.  It took him another moment to speak, but when he did, it was
with confidence. "Nevertheless, I think we're both two adults that recognize
the difference between work and play and can abide by the boundaries between
the two.  I suggest that for tonight, we're not Mr. Storm and Ms. Donavan, two individuals
that work together.  I think, instead, that for this evening we should be Colin
and Abigail, two adults that are attracted to each other and choose to use this
time together to get to know each other on a much more intimate level," he
suggested, lifting a hand to trail down her bare flesh, stifling a grin that
threatened to overtake his face when he felt her arm shiver beneath his touch.  "Two
adults like us are entirely capable of keeping each other's minds occupied
while Mother Nature runs its course.   What do you think, Abigail?" he
asked, deliberately using her given name.
    Opening her mouth to respond, Abigail
jumped as a heavy branch fell against the window behind her. "God!"
she panicked, her startled eyes wide, turning in place as Colin wrapped his
arms around her from behind, pulling her back against his strong chest. 
Staring dumbly out the window as the wind whistled through the trees lining the
mostly deserted street below, she felt Colin’s warm hands resting just below
her breasts and barely resisted the urge to jump again.
    "You're okay, Abigail," he
murmured against her ear. "It was just a tree limb," he