A Scandalous Attraction

Chapter Three Part 4

Blake stood in front of her. Colour fled from her face as he bent down, only inches away from her. Hot unadulterated need stampeded through her making her breathing become uneven. Her cool unruffled exterior was beginning to slip. "What do you think you're doing?" She whispered, gripping the armrests tightly. He reached out and touched her hair which was tied back securely into a coiffure.

"This bit of fluff in your hair has been bugging me since the moment I picked you up for the airport." He muttered, straightening up and showing her the piece of wool. "You look a little flushed." He observed with an amused smile. "Were you expecting me to do something else?" He goaded.

He had deliberately led her to believe he was going to kiss her! The fluff which must have gotten caught in her hair from Jessie's woolly cardigan when she had hugged her earlier, had merely been a pretext for him to carry out his teasing of her. "Bravo, Mr Deveraux." She jeered. "Playing that age old game. I should have seen it coming."

"I was only removing fluff, Miss Chadwick." He said returning to his seat. "There's no need to act sore just because I didn't do what you thought I was going to do." His smile failed to reach his eyes.

"Your ego is unbelievable! You're insane if you think I wanted you to kiss me..." She said shrinking back in her seat slightly as she saw awareness darken his eyes, when they settled on her mouth.

"So you did think I was going to kiss you." He murmured softly, his eyes slowly trailing back up to lock with her angry gaze. "I'll be happy to oblige..."

"Don't you even think about doing such a thing! Anyone in my place would have assumed what I did!" She spluttered indignantly, pausing when she saw the steward come out from somewhere at the back of the jet.

"Mr Deveraux, may I get you both something to eat or drink?" He offered pleasantly.

"Miss Chadwick?" Blake looked at her enquiringly.

"I'm fine thank you." Paige returned stoically.

"We'll let you know if we want anything." Blake told the steward who gave a nod before making himself scarce.

Yanking out a magazine from her bag, she roughly flicked through the pages. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Blake open up his laptop. Her mind drifted to Jessie. What was she doing? Probably the same as what she did every day, sitting on the sofa and staring at the television.

"Jessie!" Cried Paige, her eyes darting open.

"Paige?" She heard Blake Deveraux's concerned voice as she tried to focus on her surroundings. To her relief she was still in the jet. Jessie falling into the lake in the park had been just a horrible dream. "Are you alright?" Blake frowned in concern.

Blinking furiously to shake off sleep, it occurred to her that that was the first time Blake had used her first name, something he had never done before. "I must have dozed off." She mumbled. "I apologise for... for crying out like that."

"No need to apologise. It must have been quite a dream you were having because you still look traumatised." His assessing eyes travelled over her tense features. "You called out for someone by the name of Jessie." He informed her.

The last thing she wanted was for Blake Deveraux to see her in a vulnerable state. "Excuse me I need to freshen up." She said without explaining who Jessie was and swiftly snapped open her seat belt and got to her feet. Paige reached for her holdall in the overhead compartment but Blake got to it first and brought it down for her. The highly charged electricity smoldered between them. Desire coiled in the pit of her stomach before exploding through her trembling body. "There was no need for you to do that. I could have managed." Paige said grittily. "Your act of chivalry is wasted on me. I'm not anything like your helpless female acquaintances."