Page 2 of Decker

Mark angled his body to her, one perfectly arched brow raised in question. “I don’t dislike you. I hardly know you.”

“No, you don’t, yet I still get the feeling I’ve done something to annoy you and I don’t know what it is.”

“You haven’t done anything to annoy me as you put it, Dr Sankey.”

Savannah snorted and rolled her eyes. “If you say so.”

“What does that mean?”

Savannah seemed to have his full attention as he turned more towards her. “You’re snide, cold, and rude. You argued with every assessment I made on Adeline even though I’m a leading expert in my field, and you’ve made it more than clear that you can’t stand being around me.”

“Seems like you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

Savannah shrugged. “People generally like me, so when someone doesn’t, it bugs me.”

Mark stepped closer, his eyes travelling over her face in a slow perusal that had her breath hitching and her body tingling. He lifted one hand from his pocket and curled a finger around a strand of her long hair, which she’d left down to hang in waves over her shoulders for once.

“You have this all wrong, Dr Sankey. I do like you.” He frowned as he twirled her hair between strong tanned fingers. “You have the prettiest eyes.”

His compliment caught her off guard and she gasped. Decker dipped his head slowly and she closed her eyes waiting for his kiss, her heart pounding in her chest. She’d never wanted a kiss more than she did this one.

His lips brushed hers gently, almost a whisper and then it was like fire raged through her and she gripped the lapels of his jacket, wanting him closer as his lips, firm and sure, drugged her. Her sigh allowed him to move his tongue along her bottom lip, his hands on her hips now pulling her closer to his heated body.

It was everything a first kiss should be, confident, powerful, and mind-blowing. Her body was alight with desire for him, her hands wanting to feel his skin beneath her fingers. To see if he was as warm as she imagined and if his body was as hard as the glimpses of muscle had hinted at.

“Deck! Oh, shit. Sorry.”

Decker pulled abruptly away as if she’d scalded him and looked at her with shock and distaste, putting distance between them as he turned to Waggs, who was looking sheepish as he stood at the door to the balcony.

“What can I do for you, Waggs?”

Was she imagining it or was his voice deeper and more gravelly than before? It was hard to tell with his stiff back to her.

“Sorry to interrupt, but Jack wants a quick word.”

Humiliation slammed through Savannah as he ignored her as if what they’d shared meant nothing, worse, was a mistake.

“No interruption. I was just placating Dr Sankey’s delicate ego.”

Savannah felt molten heat move through her veins, this time fury and anger replacing the embarrassment from seconds before. “You bastard.”

Savannah pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders and moved through the balcony door with her head held high as she nodded at Waggs, who looked unhappy. She made it inside and slouched against the frame to catch her breath and calm her anger. Hot tears of shame over falling for his charm and sexual manipulation burned her eyes.

“Fucking hell, Deck. That was a dick thing to do.”

She could hear Waggs speaking through the door but didn’t stop to listen. She had no interest in what Mark Decker had to say. She was done with men who didn’t respect her or value her. It was time to go home to her gorgeous three bedroom detached house and snuggle in her bed with a good book.

Savannah took a taxi home. She’d had too much to drink to drive and, having seen the devastation alcohol and driving could have on the brain, she never took the chance. As she paid the driver and stepped out of the cab, the nude heels that were much higher than the usual crocs she wore for work, pinched. They looked great, and her legs looked a mile long in them and they gave her ass some sway, but she’d be so glad to kick them off. As she neared the door, her steps faltered. Across her front door in bright red paint was the word ‘murderer’. It seemed like her day wouldn’t be getting any better from this point on.