Once upon a time when sheâd still had a life, Mallory Morgan wouldâve described Gabriel Steele as tall, dark and delicious.
That was before heâd cost her everything. Now, as she opened her flimsy apartment door and found him parked in the dingy hallway outside, the words that came to mind were hard, heartless and not-to-be-trusted.
âMallory.â As always his voice was quiet but commanding, the perfect match to his lean, powerful body and reserved green eyes.
âWhat do you want, Gabriel?â
âWe need to talk.â
âDo we?â To her relief she sounded calm and in control, something that had eluded her earlier that day when a chance meeting between them at Annabelleâs, one of Denverâs trendier restaurants, had resulted in her behaving badlyâand paying a price she could ill afford. âGosh, let me think.â Tipping her head to one side, she pretended to consider for all of two seconds, then straightened. âNo.â
With a flick of her wrist, she sent the door swinging shut. It would just be too bad if it smacked him in his autocratic chin.
He didnât so much as blink. Probably because the cheap panel moved barely an inch before bumping against his big booted foot. âLook, I get that youâre angryââ
Her free hand tightened on the scarlet satin of the robe that sheâd thrown on over her bra and jeans at his unexpected knock, bunching the thin, slippery fabric at her throat. âWhat was your first clue? When I crossed out your reservation and refused to seat you even though the dining room was half-empty? Or when I quit my job rather than apologize?â
âDonât be insulting. I caught on with your pig at the trough comment.â
âThen I believe weâre done. Because Iâve certainly got nothing more to say.â
A grim smile touched his lips. âYou donât want to talk? Fine. You can listen then.â Like the poster boy for overbearing men, he slapped his palm against the wood and pushed.
Instinctively she started to push back, only to check herself as she realized he was already widening the gap between jamb and door as if she didnât exist. Deciding sheâd be a fool to engage in another battle she was sure to lose, she abruptly changed tactics.
âWell, since you insistâ¦â Letting go of the doorknob, she gave a nonchalant shrug and took a giant step back. âBy all means, come in.â
To his credit, he didnât gloat. But it wasnât much consolation when the instant he crossed the threshold and the door shut behind him, she realized sheâd miscalculated once again. No matter how big a hit her dignity had taken, she should have kicked, cried, screamedâdone whatever she could to keep him out.
Because with Gabriel in it, her already minuscule studio apartment seemed to shrink. He not only took up all the available space, but also all of the air, making her feel small, breathless and far tooâ¦aware. Of his height, his power, his body heat. Of the jolt she felt when he looked at her.
It was hard to believe sheâd once thought nothing of flirting shamelessly with this man. Not that it had meant anythingâand not just because sheâd had a carefully crafted reputation as a frivolous party girl to maintain. But because, her own shortcomings aside, sheâd known early on that he was far too formidable for any involvement beyond a little lighthearted fun.
Still, whenever theyâd bumped into each other at one or another of the Denver A-listâs glittering soirees, sheâd delighted in the subtle sizzle of mutual awareness that would envelop them, the way the air seemed to heat just a little with their proximity.
Inevitably, theyâd wind up dancing, and sheâd delight in leaning in close, in whispering outrageous suggestions in his ear, in watching the dangerous smile that would tug at his mouth when she trailed a fingertip along his jaw. The only thing better had been the proprietary way his hand would tighten on her waist when she rubbed her thigh against his as they circled the floor. That, and the amused glint of warning that would spark in his eyes, igniting a sharp little thrill sheâd feel down to her toes.
All part of that other life, she reminded herself sharply. The one before Gabriel and his bedamned Steele Security had gone after her father and sheâd lost her home, her friends, the last of her illusions and most of her self-respect.
Not to mention a fortune so large that up until it disappeared, her most pressing concerns had been along the lines of whether she should spend the weekend shopping in Paris or skiing in Gstaad.