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"I
knew it would be a waste of time coming down here. Why did I let Jess talk me
into it?" Grace asked her old boyfriend. "Exactly." Damn
him, he looked so smug, so sure of himself. "All right, just what is it you have
against me?" He crossed tanned, muscular arms over his
chest. "Why, I have nothing against you, Grace. I just find it funny how people
without children are always ready with pearls of wisdom when it comes to raising
them. Too bad you'll never get the chance to put all your knowledge to practical
use. Unless you've changed your mind about having a family." "No,
I haven't." He knew damned well kids had never been on her agenda. And she was
not going to let him make her feel guilty for her choice. "It's
easier managing subsidiaries, isn't it, Grace? Plus you get to give others less
wise than you the benefit of your sanctimonious advice." Pushing
against the table, Grace slid her chair back and stood. They were getting nowhere.
In fact, the situation was deteriorating at an alarming rate. "What do you want
me to do? Apologize because I never had children, because I always put my career
first? Well, why should I? At least I was honest enough to say what I wanted from
life, then go ahead and get it. "What I don't understand
is you. You were the one who was going to sail the Seven Seas, cycle across India,
explore South America. What became of the great adventurer, Levi? What happened
to that man?" She picked up her briefcase and started down the sidewalk before
remembering she'd parked in the opposite direction. Chagrined, she stopped and
turned around... And marched right into Levi, crashing
against the solid wall of his chest. Automatically, he put out both hands to her
shoulders not having any idea, or so Grace hoped, how his touch sent her panicked
central nervous system into overload. Their eyes met, and the memory of a hundred
different kisses and embraces flooded Grace's consciousness. She
knew her face was suffused with color; she could feel her cheeks burning. And
in that instant, she wanted to deny the years that had passed between them, to
close her arms around Levi and pull him to her, claiming him as her own. He knew
it, too; she saw the comprehension in his eyes as he tugged her nearer, secure
in the knowledge that this was what they both wanted. Or
was it? Weariness slid over the heated passion she'd thought
she'd glimpsed in his eyes. "Don't come back here, okay
Grace? It's better for Jess if you just stay out of her life." Grace
lifted her chin as if she could ward off the hurt his words inflicted. Say what
he want, she could tell he'd reacted to her physically. Even if only for a few
moments. Maybe the feelings had frightened him as much as they had her. "Better
for Jess or better for you?" He dropped his hands. "Jess
needs limits right now." "Agreed. But do you really think
grounding her for a week is going to solve all her problems?" He
narrowed his eyes. "This is none of your business, Grace." She
realized it. But perversity drove her on. "You just don't want to admit that you
need help raising her. That a father sometimes isn't enough." He
leaned forward. There was no hint of passion in his face as he looked down on
her, inches separating her mouth from the thin, angry line of his lips. "That's
dangerous ground you're stepping on. Do you know how Jess really got to your office
today?"
"She
said she took the bus."
"Well,
she lied. Her boyfriend drove her. I saw him pick her up at the end of the block
about five minutes after she left the house." Levi's dark brows rose, mocking
her naiveté. "Why don't you leave raising her to me, Grace? You go home
and do something easy, like run a multimillion-dollar corporation."
END OF EXCERPT. LIKE IT? ORDER
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