FallingforSharde_MLU (13 page)

Her lips trembled and heart eyes shot angry sparks at him. “You betray me and then have the nerve to call me a bitch?! And don’t you dare try to blame me! I didn’t go pick up a man and take him home with me.” She snatched up the application folders and tossed them at him. “Leave me alone!”

He tilted his head to one side to avoid the folders.

She bolted to her feet and rushed across the room to hit her fists against his shoulders. “I spent nine long, miserable years wanting you! Nine years, Jeff. I stood by and watched you eat your heart out for Linda and then Vanessa. Finally I get my turn. We have one argument and the first thing you do is take another woman to bed!”

He allowed her to hit him, only turning his head slightly when she came too close to his face. “I did not sleep with her.” He cupped his hands around her face and stared down at her. “I swear I didn’t.”

“But you took her home. What happened? Were you too drunk to perform?”

He flushed. “I don’t get that drunk.”

She jerked away from him, bent, and began picking up the application folders. When he stopped to help her, she slapped his hand away. “Just please get out and leave me alone, Jefferson. You’ve finally cured me of my addiction to you. I don’t want or need anything from you. I am willing to stay for a few weeks until new system analysts are hired, then I am leaving. Darbi is quite capable of handling all my responsibilities.”

“I didn’t come here to discuss Darbi.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck why you came here! If you don’t leave me alone, I will walk out right now and not look back.”

“You think I care about anything right now except making things right with you?”

“You can’t make them right! I’ve finally seen the light. You were never worth my time or the many heartaches I suffered on your behalf. There is nothing you can say or do to make me change my mind. Just leave me alone. Please, Jeff.”

He sucked in a deep breath. His knees shook and his chest ached. His heart shattered. Standing there looking down into her hostile gaze, he knew his foolish mistake had cost him a woman he had loved without even knowing it.

“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

“You did, but it’s the best thing you could have done for me because I am finally free of my need and desire for you.” She hit a fist against his shoulder. “Please, Jefferson. Just leave me alone.”

He heard pain in her voice, saw anguish in her eyes. Fighting back the desire to sweep her up into his arms and hold her until she stopped hurting, he turned and left the office.

He heard what sounded like a sob but kept walking. She was not in the mood to consider forgiveness or to hear anything he had to say. She certainly didn’t want to accept comfort from him. He had hurt her. She would need time to heal and rage at him.

He would wait and bide his time. He wasn’t going to let her slip through his fingers without one hell of a fight.

Chapter Eight

Four weeks later, Sharde received a call that both surprised and intrigued her. Two nights later, she had dinner at an exclusive restaurant with Clayton Frazier of Fra-Tech, Inc. He wore a tailor-made suit that complimented his athletic six-foot-six frame and highlighted his piecing sea-green eyes. Dark hair, silvering at the temples, contrasted nicely with skin tanned a mouth-watering honey bronze by the tropical sun. He nearly took her breath away.

It must be nice to have parents who owned their own South Sea island, where he clearly spent a lot of time. If she weren’t so in love with Jeff, just looking at Clayton Frazier would send her lust meter off the scale.

As it was, it was difficult not to lick her lips every time she looked into those amazing eyes. Now that she’d met him, she could understand how Vanessa had rapidly fallen into lust with him. There was something so... completely sensual and sexy about the man, she couldn’t imagine any woman not wanting to drop her drawers and engage in hot monkey sex, given the least sign of encouragement from him.

Not that she was under any illusions as to why he’d asked her out to dinner. Although it was flattering to be wined and dined by a man so handsome other women gaped in obvious envy, it was time she made her position clear.

“Mr. Frazier–”

“Clay or Clayton, please.”

His warm, deep voice, combined with his stunning good looks, sent a chill of pure, unadulterated lust through her every time he spoke. It didn’t matter what he said or how he said it. Holy hell, but the man was sexiness personified.

She resisted the urge to moisten her lips. “Clayton, this has been a lovely evening, but the answer is still no.”

A small smile pulled at the corners of his full-lipped mouth. “Even if I promise that if you come to work for Fra-Tech I would never want or expect you to divulge any information detrimental to Calder? I know your relationship went beyond business and I would–”

She caught her breath and leaned forward. “What? What makes you think that?”

His gaze swept over her face. “How could he possibly resist getting to know you better after working with you for so long?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he’s a normal man and you’re an attractive woman and you’re both unattached.”

Gazing into his eyes, she saw no evidence of guile. Hot damn, the hottest hunk she’d ever met thought she was attractive. But then, judging by the hunger she’d felt when Jeff made love to her, Jeff had thought so as well. “My relationship with Mr. Calder has no bearing on my decision to decline your offer to work at Fra-Tech, Clayton.”

“I see.” He sipped his coffee. “If you should change your mind, there will always be a place for you at Fra-Tech.”

She smiled, warmed by his sincerity. “Thank you.”

“Now that we have business out of the way, let’s get personal.”

Her heart raced. “In what way?”

“Judging by the furious look on Calder’s face, I’m assuming you’re no longer seeing him, so–”

“I was never seeing him.”

He arched a brow. “Weren’t you?”

“No!” You could hardly call what they’d shared dating. She blinked at him. “On his face? What do you mean? When did you see him?”

“Now.” His gaze narrowed. “He’s sitting across the room. If you look over your right shoulder, you’ll see him glaring in this direction.”

A wave of heat rushed up her neck and into her face as she half turned. Several tables away Jeff sat at a table, facing her back. A broad-shouldered man with short, honey-blond hair she recognized as Ben shared Jeff’s table.

She met the cold, accusing look in Jeff’s eyes briefly before turning to face Clayton again. The desire to rush over to Jeff’s table and assure him that she would never do or say anything to hurt Calder Technologies financially was difficult to overcome. But if he didn’t know that without being told, a thousand assurances from her wouldn’t make any difference.

“That’s the face of a jealous lover if ever I’ve seen one, and I’ve seen more than my share.”

With looks and charisma like his, she was certain he had. She shrugged. “He has no reason to be jealous.”

He arched a brow. “Why so sure? I didn’t ask you out entirely for business reasons.”

She swallowed quickly. “You didn’t?”

“Not entirely, no. Now that business has been dealt with let’s get personal. I’d like to see you again in a strictly social setting.”

She looked in his eyes and was almost tempted. If anyone could help her shake her hunger for Jeff, Clayton certainly could. The thought of lying in bed with him, having him fuck her senseless, nearly made her melt. But no matter how sexually appealing she found him, he was the man for whom Vanessa had left Jeff. For her to start even a strictly sexual relationship with him after rejecting Jeff’s efforts to reconcile would be extremely painful for Jeff.

And despite her best efforts, she was still too much in love with him to want to deliver such a blow to his ego. “That’s a tempting proposition, Clayton, but–”

“Excuse the interruption, but this is a surprise, Sharde.”

She glanced up. Ben, a question in his gaze, his voice cool, paused at their table. Jeff stalked past the table without glancing their way.

“Ben. Long time no see.” She forced a smile and glanced at Clayton, who seemed completely at ease. “Clayton, this is Benton Savage. Ben, this is Clayton Frazier.”

Clayton rose with a smile and she watched as they shook hands.

Ben looked at Clayton. “Would it be too much trouble to ask to speak to Sharde alone for a few moments?”

Clayton’s smiled vanished. “I don’t usually go off and leave my date alone with other men.”

“I can sympathize, but Sharde and I are old friends.”

Clayton turned to study her face. “Sharde?”

Although she had no desire to be left alone with Ben, the look in his gaze hinted that he was determined. She glanced at Clayton and noted a similar determination to ensure that it only happened if she wanted it to. Knowing Ben was not above making a scene on Jefferson’s behalf, she nodded. “Would you excuse us for a few moments, Clayton?”

“You’re sure?”

She was sure there would be a scene if she didn’t. And she was not in the mood for that. “Yes, I’m sure.”

He looked at Ben. “Remember she’s my date and don’t take too much of her time.” He spoke in a cold tone.

Ben’s lips tightened. Fearful he would precipitate a scene by telling Clayton to go the hell, Sharde placed a hand on his arm and squeezed.

He gave Clayton a curt nod. “Understood.”

Clayton smiled at her and walked away from the table.

Ben sat down and took her clenched fist between his palms. “What the hell are you doing with the competition, Sharde? Seeing you with Frazier has knocked the starch out of Jeff.”

She jerked at her hand. “What I’m not doing is divulging any Calder Technologies secrets!”

Ben tightened his grip. “That’s not what I meant since that goes without saying. I mean what are you doing with the same man Vanessa left him for? The same man who outbid him on one of the company’s biggest deals? Seeing you with him stings Jeff on a very personal level, honey.”

“Don’t honey me, Ben, and he gave up the right to care who I see when he made his lack of feelings for me clear.”

He shook his head. “You know damn well that’s not true, Sharde. Or you should if you weren’t so blinded by the desire to hurt him emotionally. Hanging out with Frazier is so beneath you.”

His accusatory tone stung. She jerked at her hand again. “Don’t you preach to me, Ben! I wasted nine years on his butt and I’ll be damned if I’ll waste another second waiting on him. He didn’t want to commit and I wasn’t interested in being his booty call.”

“Now we both know he didn’t treat you like any booty call!” He grinned. “Although I will admit that you do have a rather luscious ass. I’ve occasionally been tempted.”

She blushed. “Ben!”

“What? I’m supposed to be blind because you’re my best friend’s woman?”

“I’m not his woman.”

“The hell you’re not!” He glanced over his shoulder and sighed. “Your watchdog Frazier is glaring in this direction so I guess we’ll have to have this conversation at another time.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

He released her hand and rose. “Oh, yes there is. Sharde?”

When she glanced up, he leaned down and pressed a light kiss against her lips. “Put me out of my misery and forgive him. Please, or I swear all his whining will drive me to drink again!”

She pushed at his shoulder. “Stay out of this, Ben!”

“Not damned likely.” He kissed her lips again and walked away.

Face burning, she watched Clayton return to their table, his brow arched. “A friend, did you say?”

“Yes. And before you ask, without benefits. We usually do the cheek thing when we meet.”

“So why kiss you twice tonight?”

She shrugged. “I think he only kissed me to annoy you.”

Clayton laughed and resumed his seat. “Mission accomplished. It annoyed the hell out of me to see my date being kissed by another man.”

“That’s the first time he’s ever kissed me on the lips!”

“Really? Well. Since this is a night for firsts...” He rose and moved to stand by her chair. When she looked up at him, he bent and pressed a long, hot kiss against her lips that made her pussy gush.

She pushed against his shoulder and he finally lifted his head and resumed his seat.

“Why did you do that?”

“I’ve been wanting to do it all night.”

“Ahhh... it’s getting late. I think–”

“It’s early yet. Would you like to go dancing?”

If she danced with him no power on earth would be strong enough to keep her out of his bed if he wanted her there. And she was not about to sleep with him. She smiled. “That’s a tempting offer, but I think I’d better go home.”

“In love with him, huh?”

“No. I told you Ben and I are just friends.”

“I didn’t mean Savage. I meant Calder.”

“Yes,” she whispered, afraid that if she didn’t, Clayton might press her. And no matter how much her body ached to sleep with him, she couldn’t betray Jeff in that way. “So when you take me home, please don’t call me again.”

“I’ll take you home, but as for not calling you again?” He shrugged. “I’ll think about it. If he’s foolish enough not to stake a claim on you, he’ll have to risk losing you.”

“You can have any woman you want.”

“Maybe I want you.”

“When you could have had Vanessa?”

“I didn’t want Del Warren.”

“She’s gorgeous.”

He shrugged. “I’m sure many men would agree with that assessment of her charms, but I’m not one of them. I no longer judge a woman strictly on physical appearances. I’m old enough to find other qualities equally as important. And in addition to her obvious lack of fidelity, she’s not my type.”

“And I am?”

“You’re attractive, intelligent, loyal, and you have the right skin tone. Why wouldn’t you be my type?”

“Men like you are usually interested in beautiful trophy wives.”

“Are they?” He shrugged. “Maybe so.”

“Then?”

“My father’s family was from the old South where gentlemen did not prefer blondes. I come from a long line of Frazier men who embrace that old southern tradition.”