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You didn t eat supper last night, I would wager, Jacob said in that low, sexy voice
that made her want to beg him for things she had no business wanting. You never eat
much, but when you re upset you don t touch food.
He d been watching her food intake?
Come on, Mary. Stop hiding from me. We need to talk and you need to eat
something.
She groaned. Couldn t help it. Now he wanted to talk about last night. Maybe after
he d had time to think about it all, he d decided to fire her. So why the hell was he
feeding her first? The condemned s last meal?
He chuckled again. I need to explain myself.
Mary finally rolled over, making sure the thick comforter was pulled up high, and
opened her eyes. The man was just too damned good looking for her sanity. His hair was
still damp from the shower, she could smell his enticing cologne over the even more
tantalizing aroma of eggs, bacon and peppers. Jacob Stone, Entrepreneur in a black suit
and silk tie was devastating enough to her senses. Jacob Stone, everyday man in jeans
and bare feet was catastrophic.
One knee was hiked up on the bed. A tray of food, tea and juice sat next to him.
I thought we agreed to forget about last night, she said, wishing her voice didn t
sound like she was a forty-year smoker.
Jacob s eyelids narrowed just a bit. And I said I wasn t going to forget it anytime
soon.
She tucked the blanket under her chin. I said I was sorry.
He gave one slow nod. The problem is, Mary, you didn t do anything to be sorry
for.
Her jaw dropped slightly as she stared at him. He didn t look mad. He d come in
chuckling at her, as if he found the situation humorous rather than pathetic. But she felt
pathetic, wanting someone she couldn t have. Feeling needy for his touch, his kisses.
God, she felt so alone...a feeling she thought she d become accustomed to over the years.
Apparently she d been wrong.
Sit up. Eat. Let me talk.
I--
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COURAGE TO BELIEVE
He quirked an eyebrow at her, a small smile tipping his lips. You don t take orders
well, do you?
She frowned and scooted up in the bed, pushed the blanket down to her waist and
reached for the tray. She was starving, so why waste a perfectly good meal that he d
prepared for her? She glanced back at Jacob and his smile had grown. She d never had a
meal cooked for her by a man before.
Coming into Mary s room had been a colossal mistake. Jacob stood up and paced
away from the bed. Ran his hand over the back of his neck. While he prepared breakfast
for her, he d gone over his words a dozen times. After seeing her practically run for her
room after spotting him reading the morning newspaper, he knew he was going to have to
make the first move to smooth things over. When she didn t come back out, he figured if
he didn t go to her, she d stay hidden away until Angel returned.
And this wasn t a conversation to have with Angel in the house.
Oh, this is good, Mary said around a bite of food. The breathy tone in her sleep-
rich voice shot fire through him and his body reacted with amazing speed to the vision
she made. Sexy, sleepy and rumpled. And God help him when she d pushed the blanket
down to reveal her full breasts, nipples poking against the soft cotton t-shirt she wore.
Glad you like it, he said, still facing the wall. Look, Mary, he turned back
toward her, but stayed well across the room, I think you misunderstood what I said last
night.
She slowly ate, cutting her food into tiny bites before raising the fork to her lips. Her
full, warm, moist lips. He stifled the groan clawing its way up his throat and flopped
down into a wing chair in the corner of the room, bringing one ankle up to the opposite
knee in hopes of shielding her view of his arousal.
She stared at her food and he continued. I didn t mean that kissing you--the act
itself--was a mistake.
Her hand stopped halfway to her mouth, a piece of bacon between her fingers, but
she didn t look up. He saw her swallow. Her hand covered her belly, something he d seen
her do before, and he wondered if she had a weak stomach, if that s why she barely ate
anything.
You re my employee, he said softly, watching her face for any reaction, but she
simply stared at the crisp piece of bacon. I ve always made it a hard and fast rule that
there s no...uh...fraternization between me and my female employees.
She set the food back down on the tray and reached for the cup of tea. She sipped,
then finally raised her eyes. I understand.
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Leanne Karella
I don t think you do. He shifted a bit. This conversation was a bitch and he d never
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