chest, trying not to think about how good his hard flesh felt under her fingers even as the fingers deep in her hair attempted to steer her still closer.
Sophie turned her head aside, felt the brush of his warm breath on her cheek this time. âMr Caruana,â she pleaded, needing the formality to put distance between them. âThis is ridiculous. We barely know each other.â
His hands were gone from her as he wheeled away and cold air rushed to fill the places heâd been. âExactly my point,â he said, sounding angry, his back to her as he gazed out at the view, raking the fingers of both hands through his hair. âWe hardly know each other. And yet you seem to think itâs perfectly reasonable for my sister to marry someone sheâs known barely a month.â
âSo maybe Jake didnât maul her the first time they met.â
His shoulders stiffened before he turned and already she regretted her hasty words, even before sheâd seen the potent depths of his eyes. âBelieve me, if Iâd have mauled you I would have left the marks to prove it.â
A quake shuddered through her bones and she had to muster every last crumb of control she could to hide it. Heâd touched her with a caress as soft as silk, and that had been enough to leave its mark, so how much more delicious would it be to feel the full brunt of his passion?
Oh yes, she believed him. Which was why now, more than ever, she had to get out of here. She was supposed to be a professional wedding planner, and professionals didnât get involved with family members of people whose weddings they were arranging, even when the groom was your brother. Especially when the groom was your brother. âLike I said, I have to go.â
Yes; the sooner she went, the better. Her colour was high, her hair was mussed where heâd pushed his fingers in the thick coil and her eyes were wide and watchful, like she was afraid heâd kiss her again. The chances were, if she kept looking at him that way, he just might.
Why had he done that? Heâd wanted to prove a point, to make her see how ridiculous it was for anyone to make the momentous step of getting married when they barely kneweach other. Instead heâd got lost somewhere along the line, somewhere between the sensual curve of her cheek and the warm scent of woman.
âThe carâs waiting downstairs to take you to the airport.â
She nodded, leaning to gather her portfolio and briefcase without taking her eyes from him, as if to check he wasnât about to ambush her again. Then she straightened and headed for the door.
Halfway there, she stopped and turned. âI feel sorry for youâI really do. But I feel sorrier for Monica, who thinks the sun shines out of her big brother. Who believes you love her and that youâll come round to her plans for marriage, when all youâre really interested in is keeping her locked away from the world in some kind of gilded cage.â
âI want whatâs best for her.â
âNo, you donât. You want whatâs best for you. Whatâs easiest. You actually donât care about Monicaâs happiness at all. Well, all I can say is itâs lucky she found someone like Jake at last, someone with a bit of backbone who can stand up to her overbearing, bullying brother. God knows, heâll need it.â
Her words rubbed him raw, her arguments playing on his mind. Once again she was defending the indefensible. Once again she was acting as if Fletcher were the injured party in all this. Fletcher was supposed to be her client but, the way she came out fighting every time he mentioned his name, anyone would think she was in love with him herself.
She was already reaching for the door handle when he found the words to respond. âYou donât know the first thing about Fletcher. Why do you insist on defending him the way you do?â
Her hand stilled on the handle. He saw