One Winter's Night by Lori Borrill

Author:Lori Borrill [Borrill, Lori]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Encounters, Category
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-10-01T23:00:00+00:00

ALLIE BUTTONED HER BLOUSE while still giddy and glowing over the most amazing sexual encounter she’d ever experienced. Across the room, Nick was standing near the desk surveying the area with one hand on his hip.

“I seem to have lost my tie,” he said.She searched until she spotted a small swatch of green and red silk peeking out from one of the couch cushions. Snagging it, she held it up and twirled it in her hand. “This tie?”

His eyes met hers and they both grinned as they recalled how the tie ended up stuck in the couch.

“How could I forget?” He flashed her that sexy smoldering look of his that had a tendency to send off butterflies in her stomach.

She stepped to him and snaked the tie around his collar then went to work constructing a half Windsor. And as she did, a strange wave of familiarity washed over her. Clear as day, she could see herself in this same position decades from now, having tied thousands of ties for this man during the life they’d shared together. The eeriness of it gave her pause, but she quickly blinked and brushed it off. It was nothing but silly sentimental thinking—and dangerous given the circumstances, she told herself.

She’d propositioned Nick downstairs and ended up with a sexual tryst that had rivaled no other. But nowhere in this evening had either of them talked about intentions, futures and expectations. For all she knew, this was nothing but a one-night stand, and if it was, she had no right to be disappointed. That was what a woman got when she let lust take over before thinking things through.

But if you had your way…

The knot secured, she patted his chest, stepped back and walked across the room. Though she had no idea where this would go after they left this room, at the very least she wanted to clear the air so she could finally get rid of the year-long guilt she’d been harboring.

“Nick, about Halpin Technologies,” she said. “I owe you an explanation and an apology.”

“No, you don’t, Allie.”

“Yes, I do. Please.” She wrapped her arms around her waist, suddenly uncomfortable for the first time since they’d kissed in the hall. She’d always kept her private life private, particularly at the office, but Nick deserved to hear this from her so he would stop apologizing for something that wasn’t entirely his fault.

So she steeled herself and went on. “I moved to Chicago as a fresh start after spending three years in an abusive relationship.” Noting the look on his face, she held up a hand. “It wasn’t physically abusive, but emotionally it left scars. My ex was a narcissist who had somehow managed to take control of my life. He’d isolated me from my friends and family and somehow got me to believe I was incapable of surviving without him telling me what to do.” She huffed, embarrassed to hear herself say the words. This wasn’t something she talked about often, if ever.

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