Marrying The Boss by Judi Nolan

his forehead
again. Kate's heart tumbled, its beat accelerating painfully. Her
distracting, disturbing, downright sinful pirate from the garden
had returned and his presence was tormenting her determined resolve
over having nothing to do with this man beyond their working
relationship. Professional distance was very hard to maintain when
he was holding her close in his arms as if she was very precious to
him.
    Her fingers itched to test the dark
texture of his early morning beard shadow, the roughened curve of
his lean cheek, watch those long lashes sweep down to mask his gaze
when she reached up to curve her hand around the back of his neck
and pull his willful mouth down to hers before she––
    Oh, help . Kate's pulse rocketed off the
scale. Her body began to melt. She didn't need this kind of blatant
masculine temptation so early in the morning. "Dr. Stelanos, please
put me down. I'm too heavy. Besides, I can stand on my own two
feet."
    To Spencer's mind she didn't weigh much
more than his son. His locked arms didn't want to move, he had to
force them to slowly release her, allowing her to slide slowly down
the full length of his body, his last touch helping her gain her
footing among the scattered pile of cushions.
    " I never doubted it for a moment."
    She stared at him. "So long as we
understand one another."
    Spencer's lips tightened. Understanding
was the last thing he wanted or needed from her. Kate Martin was
going to mess with the ordered security of his life. She was going
to be trouble with a ten meter capital T and he knew he had to put
a stop to it. Before things spiraled too far out of
control.
    Everything roiling inside him strained
towards her fragrant softness. He wanted to reach out and recapture
her intoxicating fragrance, silence a few of the demons tormenting
him with her soft mouth trapped beneath his.
    " What time is it?" Kate questioned huskily,
blinking up at him.
    " It's after four," Spencer growled,
stepping back. He latched onto the first safe thought that surfaced
in his mind. "I see you've been busy in the kitchen."
    Her cautious eyes lifted to study his. She
looked suddenly stricken and guilty. As if he was accusing her of
doing of something dangerous or dishonest.
    Why can't I just quit while I'm
ahead .
Spencer groaned beneath his breath. Now he was sorry he'd brought
the subject up. He tried to make amends. "It's a long time since
I've tasted cookies that good."
    " Jamie said they were his favorite. So we
made a second batch. I'm sorry if you think I've overstepped some
sort of boundary. But, I needed something to keep him occupied. I
didn't think you'd mind."
    She turned away. Spencer saw her chest
rise and fall in agitation. She was obviously intent on leaving.
"Hey, whoa, of course, I don't mind. And all this?" He swept a hand
at the chaos of the lounge.
    " Haven't you ever camped out in your own
house?" Kate's eyebrows rose. "Veged out in front of the
television? It's fun. Actually, the tent was Jamie's idea. But,
Eric and I, we—" She halted and blinked, her eyes filling with that
awful stricken look from their morning encounter in the
garden.
    As if she'd once again said more than she
intended. It tore at Spencer's resolve to keep his distance. Leave
well enough alone and get her out of his house.
    " Eric...?" he prompted roughly, when Kate
didn't continue.
    " I...forget it. It doesn't matter." Her
face closed, became watchful.
    " I see." Spencer wondered what he'd said to
make her suddenly look so scared.
    It slammed right up against his
odd need to protect this woman. From what he had no idea. Perhaps
himself . The
unwary thought hit him low, jangling every one of his internal
warning bells, but the thought wouldn't go away.
    Some man had harmed her, even
put his mark on her as surely as if he had hit her; bruised her
soft skin with his fists. He'd seen the evidence in her initial wariness of
him. The disturbing thought settled uneasily in the back of his
mind.
    Eric .
    Was t hat