MARRIAGE-BARGAIN

CHAPTER 10

ALEXA POV

Alexa felt the man on top of her hold his body in a tight muscle lock. She'd been so intent on their argument she'd forgotten he pinned her

to the carpet. She opened her mouth to make another smart remark about bondage, then stopped. Met his eyes. And sucked in her breath.

Oh, God.

Primitive sexual energy swirled between them like a tornado gaining speed and power. His eyes burned with a sheen of fire, half need, half

anger as he stared down at her. She realized he lay between her open thighs, his hips angled over hers, his chest propped up as he gripped at

her fingers. This was no longer the teasing indulgence of a brother. This was no old friend or business partner. This was the simple want of a

man to a woman, and Alexa felt herself dragged down into the storm with her body's own cry.

"Nick?"

Her voice was raspy. Hesitant. Her nipples pushed against the soft fleece with demand. His gaze raked over her face, her breasts, her

exposed stomach. The tension pulled taut between them. He lowered his head. The rush of his breath caressed her lips as he spoke right

against her mouth.

"This means nothing."

His body contradicted his words as he claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss. With one quick thrust, his tongue pushed through the seam of her

lips to travel beyond. Her mind fogged, caught between the dull pain of his statement and the pleasure pounding through her in waves. She

gripped his hands and hung on, reveling in the dark taste of hunger and expensive chardonnay, rocking her hips upward to meet the hard

length of his body, and rubbing her nipples against his chest. She lost control in those few moments, the ageless empty void for the past

years temporarily filled with the taste and feel and smell of him.

Her tongue matched every thrust as a low guttural groan escaped her throat. He ripped his fingers away from hers and slid his palms up

over her belly and cupped her breasts. Her nipples tightened, and he pushed the cloth up higher. He stared at her naked breasts, and the heat

in his eyes nearly burned her alive. One thumb tweaked her nipple and she cried out. His head lowered. Alexa realized this was the moment

of truth. If he kissed her again, she'd surrender. Her body ached for his and she couldn't come up with one damn good reason to stop.

The doorbell rang.

The sound ricocheted off the walls. Nick jerked upward and rolled off her like a politician caught in the middle of a sex scandal, muttering

some nasty words she hadn't known existed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She blinked at the reserved demeanor of a man who two seconds ago had ripped at her clothes. He calmly buttoned his shirt and waited for

her response. Except for the bulge in his black pants, he looked entirely unaffected by the episode. Just as he had when he'd kissed her at her

parents' house.

The heavy meal lurched in her stomach and Alexa fought past the nausea. She took a deep yoga breath and sat up, pulling down her top.

"Sure. Answer the door."