The Millionaire's Club: Connor, Tom & Gavin: Round-the-Clock Temptation / Highly Compromised Position / A Most Shocking Revelation

She propped her hands on her hips and gazed up at him. “Boy, you sure don’t take a hint.”

“I understand exactly what you’re…suggesting. I’m declining your offer.”

She popped another button on her shirt, till a lone button was all that kept him from pure heaven. “I’m not looking for a commitment if that’s what you’re worried about. Just some good clean fun. And if you want to play dirty, that’s okay, too.”

“And I’m still not interested,” he lied. The truth was he wanted to rip off that shirt, and whatever she might be wearing underneath, and take her right up against the door. He wanted to feel those silky legs wrapped around his hips, feel her nimble body pressed up against him.

“I may look and act like a boy, but I’m still a woman, Connor.” She undid the last button on her shirt, slowly eased it off her shoulders and let it slip to the floor. She wore plain white cotton panties—not what most men would consider overtly sexy. But combined with the woman underneath, they had fire pumping through his veins. Her skin was pale ivory and looked flawlessly smooth. Her breasts were small and pert, her nipples two tiny, dark points begging to be touched.

Longing swept through him in a hot rush, but he beat the feeling down. With most women he had no trouble keeping his emotions in check. He could see to his physical needs without letting his feelings override his good sense. Not that the encounters had ever been particularly satisfying. For him or his partner. But they had been safe, and that was all that had mattered. He knew with Nita he already was invested emotionally. Once he let go, let the sex happen, there would be no stopping him.

“Trust me, Nita, you look nothing like a boy. All the more reason for you to put your shirt back on.”

She flashed him a teasing grin. “What’s the matter, Connor, you don’t like women? Is it that army, don’task-don’t-tell thing?”

“Of course I like women.” He knew she was only teasing—taunting—him and he yearned to take her in his arms and prove just which way the barn door was swinging. But he would lose control. He could hurt her.

“Are you always this…forward with men?” he asked, though he had a pretty good idea the answer was a big fat yes.

“When I see something I like, I go after it. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“I guess that just depends on who you’re after.” He could see that she’d set her sights on him, but she had no idea what she was getting herself into. He was a ticking bomb, one she didn’t want to be anywhere near when he finally detonated. “Whatever you think you know about me, you’re wrong.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at me.” She spread a hand over her stomach, slid it slowly upward, across her rib cage and over her breast. She cupped it, pinching the nipple lightly, her lids heavy with desire, and Connor nearly groaned. “Your eyes don’t lie. No matter how hard you try to hide it.”

She stepped closer, until the tips of her breasts touched his bare chest. He sucked in a breath, felt his control slip another notch. For a woman who considered herself unfeminine, she sure did know how to seduce a man.

He clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides, so he wouldn’t give into the urge to touch her. “You don’t want a man like me, Nita.”

“Why not?”

“I’m damaged goods.”

She cupped a hand over the bulge in his jeans, rubbing him through the heavy denim. “Everything seems to be working fine.”

He wanted to grab her hand, make her stop, but the second he touched her, it would be all over. And he couldn’t look at her any longer without devouring her.

He closed his eyes. “I’m here to protect you.”

Her breath was warm and sweet on his chin. “What has that got to do with us having sex?”

“I’m protecting you.”

“From what?”

“From me.”

She stroked the skin just under the waist of his jeans and the muscles in his stomach spasmed. “Why the heck would I need protecting from you?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Connor.” She slipped her fingers lower, inside his boxers, and his legs went weak. “Let me make you feel good.”

When she brushed against the tip of his erection, it was more than he could take. He grabbed hold of her arms and backed her against the nearest wall. The air wooshed from her lungs and her eyes went wide with surprise. Then he got in her face, so close their noses were almost touching.

“I’m going to warn you one last time,” he said, teeth clenched, jaw tight. “Do not mess with me or you will regret it.”

He let go and swiped her shirt from the floor, thrusting it at her. Then he turned and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for her to leave. He heard the rustle of fabric, then the door opened and snapped shut again.

He was almost afraid to turn around. Afraid he’d find her completely naked and undeterred, and this time he might not be able to hold back.

But when he turned, he found the room empty. It wasn’t until then that he realized he was shaking.

At 6:00 the following morning, Connor trudged down the stairs, feeling cranky and out of sorts. He’d slept like hell last night, guilt burning a hole in his gut every time he thought of how he’d treated Nita. But she hadn’t given him a choice. There hadn’t been any other way to get through to her.

He walked into the kitchen, expecting to find her there eating her breakfast, but the room was empty. He checked the office next, but she wasn’t there, either, and she wasn’t upstairs in her room.

Where the hell was she?

He took the stairs two at a time and headed out to the stable. The sun was a glowing orange shadow on the horizon and the air was chilly and scented with fresh hay.

No Nita, but he did find Jimmy.

“Have you seen Nita?” Connor asked him.

“She got up early this morning. A couple of the men thought they saw a light out in the west pasture last night. They took the truck out there but whoever it was musta heard ‘em and run off. Nita went to check it out.”

“Alone, in the dark?”

The old man shrugged. “Said she wanted to search the property for more holes before we set the horses out to pasture.”

Connor could hardly believe what he was hearing. “And you let her go?”

His look was solemn. “She is the boss, Connor. I’m in no position to be giving her orders.”

“You could have at least gone with her.”

“I offered, she said no thanks.”

Connor knew she was doing this to get back at him for last night. He cursed under his breath and headed for Goliath’s stall. He had him saddled and ready to go in three minutes. “She ever does this again, you come and find me right away.”

“I know you’re worried about her getting hurt, but she can handle herself,” Jimmy said as Connor walked Goliath out of the stable and mounted him.

“I know she’d like to believe that, but right now, she’s not safe anywhere by herself.” He drove his heels into the horse’s sides and took off in search of her.

Nita studied the tracks in the dirt. There was a single shovel mark in the ground, as if the digger had been interrupted. That must have been about the time the boys drove out to investigate.

She shook her head. Whoever was doing this, was certainly persistent, and not very intelligent if he thought she would fall for this old trick again. But if he’d set out to annoy her, he’d succeeded. She was going to have to have a talk with the men to see if anyone would be willing to patrol the property at night until the guilty party was caught. Maybe they could take three-or four-hour shifts. And if they were really lucky, maybe they would catch him in the act.