Page 60 of Tempting Eden

He had poured another glass and left it on the wet bar. He gestured to it when I walked in. I took it, downing it without hesitation. I poured myself another from the open bottle. If he’d offered me something stronger, I probably would have taken it. Anything to ease the ache set off by losing the one chance I had to get rid of Mason.

“Sit, Rochester.”

I was too tired and too beaten to even protest the command in his tone. I sank down onto the overstuffed sofa and kicked off my heels.

“You did well tonight, Rochester. Really well.”

“Not well enough.” I took another long draught. “Sold everything but this glorious penthouse suite.”

He looked around. “It is quite nice.”

“Yep.” I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible and go back to my room to lick my wounds. “If that’s all—”

“It’s not.” He stood and came to sit next to me. “Just so happens I have a line on a buyer for this place.”

“What? Who?”

“Me.”

Another game. Gray loved to play his games. I took a sip of wine.

“Oh, don’t be a sore loser. You still have the rest of the night to sell this place. I am being sincere when I say I want to buy it. I think it suits me. You know Jean and the kids would love it here.”

“Are you saying that you’ll buy the penthouse tonight and make good on our deal?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” He put his hand on my knee. “But you’re going to have to sell it to me, Rochester.” His eyes moved from my face, down to my breasts, and then down to the vee of my thighs. “It’s not like it’d be the first time you gave me a littlequid pro quofor a deal.”

I screwed my eyes shut. Instead of the usual Mason standing there, it was Jack. His earnest eyes sought me out. I didn’t want to disappoint him. I knew I would.

Gray’s hand moved up my thigh.

I focused on Jack. I imagined his smile, the dimples that gave way to a more boyish look on him.

Gray took my wine from my hand and placed it on the coffee table.

Jack’s look turned grave. The word ‘no’ was on the tip of my tongue.

But then there was Adele.

Gray pushed me back onto the couch.

Adele, braces, smiling, happy. No Mason there to threaten her, to hurt her. She would never know how she was conceived, would never know any of it. If I could just finish this deal, just give in to Gray one more time, I could have them both—Jack and Adele.

His mouth met mine as he settled on top of me. He tasted of alcohol and cigarettes.

Only this one time more. Just this one time and it’ll be over.

He groaned and squeezed my breast through my top. “I like it when you play along.”

I opened my eyes.This is all wrong.I wouldn’t betray myself again. I couldn’t, not now that Jack had come into my life. Adele and Jack were my future, not Gray and his dirty deals. I grabbed his shoulders and tried to push him off.

“What are you doing?” He tried to cover my mouth with his again, but I turned my head. I wasn’t doing this. I would find another way.

His wet lips sealed to my neck. “Don’t play the tease.”

“I don’t want this.” I pushed harder.

“Yes you do. You’ve always wanted this. This is how you do business.” He wrenched my mouth back to his and sank his tongue inside.

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