Chapter 33 33
Stefan straightened and moved closer, closing the gap between them. It only took the first step and he saw the flicker in her eyes and the bite of teeth into her soft lower lip.
He grinned inwardly as he moved to stand behind her, then placed his hands under her elbows, bringing her to her feet, unreasonably pleased when she didn’t resist. He kicked the chair out of the way and spun her around to face him, trapping her between himself and the table.
He noticed her quick breath, her lips parted, and he nearly reached out to rub them, wanting to feel her skin, wanting to make her his again.
She didn’t belong with anyone else, he told himself again. She was his woman. There was no other way to think of her. No way he could ever think of her. She was his. Only his.
Her gaze searched his face. Looking for what? His surrender? If he had any sense, he'd kiss her. Take her to bed, make love to her till she swore off every other man. Lust flared at the thought, and her eyes widened as if she had read his thoughts. He thought he might drown in their brilliant depths.
“Why are you so mad at me?” he asked huskily, “Because I destroyed a bunch of roses? Or is this about who sent them?”
Alana tried to take a step back. She was shaking on the inside, undone by his proximity and the intensity of her feelings. She was so attracted to him. Far too attracted for her own good, and if she was going to think straight when it came to Stefan, then she'd have to do something about the way she felt when he was near.
“I cannot believe you just asked me that,” she managed to say.
She saw his gaze drop, sliding over her, a close and very intimate inspection as he examined her face, the pale skin between her breasts exposed by the V of her blouse.
“Why the hell not?” his voice rose, “When you're the one who refuses to give me, the father of your child a chance to make us a family, but you'd rather go out. Let other men kiss you —”
“Screw you, Stefan,”
Stefan didn’t understand how she’d managed to get him on the defensive. She was the one hugging and kissing other men.
She crossed her arms over her chest in an effort to put some distance between them and fixed a steady, determined glare on him. “I wasn't out with him. Or any other man.”
“He kissed you.”
“I certainly didn’t plan for that to happen. And maybe I shouldn’t have let him accompany me home, but I didn't kiss him back.”
“Has it occurred to you that you’re encouraging him?” The accusation might not be fair, but Stefan couldn’t hold it in. “Perhaps you enjoy his attentions…”
“That’s not true.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Okay, maybe it seems that way to you, but he's just a friend. And just because you showed up doesn't mean I have to cut everyone else off to make you comfortable.”
Stefan raked his fingers through his hair, struggling for calm as he absorbed her statement. “If you think I'm going to sit back and play daddy while you go around dating other men, you've got another thing coming. We have a daughter, and —”
“I will do as I please, Stefan.” Alana interrupted, “I didn't ask to play daddy. You showed up to do it and it's your responsibility. I don't owe myself to you as some sort of reward for it, and I will date other men if I decide I want to. Your feelings on the matter is none of my business,”
This last part she finished lamely as if she recognized that her words were sure to inflame their argument further, but it was too late to take them back. Maybe he'd get angry enough to move away from her. He made her too aware of her own skin and body. They weren’t touching and yet his hands might as well be all over her. Her heart thudded hard and fast. Her insides felt hot and tight. Her knees shook beneath the skirt she wore. How was it possible to still feel so strongly? To still crave so much?
Stefan ground his teeth together, and to her utter disappointment he stayed where he was, “I don't want you to see him anymore. Friend or not,”
For a second, Alana wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. She stared at him, not at all certain if he was serious or joking. But his expression gave nothing away. His face was blank. His eyes shuttered. Suddenly she felt her lips curl up in a faintly amused smile. “You did not just say that.”
Stefan knew he was out of line, but he was way past caring. He had this image in his head. Of Alana leaving him, walking away from him, taking Juliana with her, and every bone in his body pushed him to make sure that never happened. They'd been so close, and after their night together he'd thought they were making progress, until this man showed up. If he had the opportunity to get rid of him for good, why not take it?
His eyes creased. “Try me, Alana, and I'll have him fired,”
He saw the hurt in her eyes. The disappointment, and almost flinched, but he was far too gone in this argument to back down now.
Her chin lifted. “You wouldn't do that to my friend.”
“Oh he's not a friend and we both know it, Alana. He's a man who's trying to get into your pants. So the answer is yes. I would do it,”
He looked serious, and Alana believed him. She knew Stefan well enough to know that he didn't bluff, and she wasn't about to risk Travis’ job by trying to find out. She took her courage, her last bit of strength and wrapped it around her like a much needed cloak.
“I can't believe I'm about to say this,” she began softly and this time she didn't hide the way she felt. She let him see it right there on her face. “But I prefer the man you were a year ago. That man was honorable. A gentleman, but I guess this is part of the change, huh? You're fitting into your role or the ruthless CEO quite well. I will keep my distance from Travis and I expect you to do the same with me… Because I would never be with a man who tried to control me in this way,”