Honey Trap

With a hard shove at his chest, Kira jumped off the counter and headed for the door.

'Stop.

Kira kept going.

She had one hand on the handle when Austyn overtook her with his long legs.Text content © .

One of those legs booted the door shut again.

'Didn't you hear me?" Austyn said with an edge to his voice.

What kind of person walked off in the middle of a conversation?

"What do you want from me?' Kira was just as exasperated. 'Do you want me to believe you? Fine, I do. I believe you have nothing to do with me and Glana getting arrested. Is that enough? Can I go now? Or do I need to raise my hand and wait to be dismissed?" Austyn searched her face for clues.

He could tell she had simmered down just now.

Why was she getting worked up again all of a sudden?

"Don't change the subject. Answer me, why didn't you call me?'

Kira refused to dignify that with a response.

What was she going to say?

That she did call him, when she was cowering under the blanket, a blubbering mess, ready to beg him to come home to her?

That she got a woman who answered his phone and who told her, in her face, that Mr McCarthy was 'busy "at the moment?

"Answer me."

Kira looked away.

'Well?'

She examined the pattern on the bathroom wall tiles.

'Talk!" Austyn raised his voice.

She studied the white round ceramic washbasin.

Austyn squeezed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

'I did!' Kira erupted. 'I did call you. A woman answered your phone. Told me you were busy. I gathered that meant you were busy screwing her brains out. I didn't want to co-get in the way, so I hung up like an obedient wife. There, happy now? She was going to spit out 'cock-block,' but didn't want to get another lecture from the man about 'minding her language.

Who was he to lecture her when he was the cheater?

She struck his chest. 'Austyn McCarthy, I hate you!"

2

Why must he force an answer out of her?

Why must he rub salt into her wound by reminding her of all his sexual conquests?

Why must he force her to face the fact that he didn't love her, probably never did and never would? How she hated him!

Austyn stood erect and bore her flurry of fists.

When she finally stopped, he asked, "You called me?

'Save it!"

Kira withdrew her hands.

The man had a chest like a brick wall; she was only hurting herself.

Austyn took his hundredth deep breath of the night.

'I didn't get your call."

"Of course you didn't,' she snapped back. 'Your new fuck buddy answered the call-she held up a finger Don't you tell me to watch my tongue. I'm just calling a spade a spade. You must be in the shower, getting ready to jump into the sack with her. How could you possibly get my call?"

Kira lost it again and let rip at him.

Anger was heating up her blood.

She had more invective in store but held off when she remembered Giana was sleeping on the other side of the door.

jo at him.

She bit her lip and stood there, glaring up

Austyn grasped the meaning of her expletive-laden answer.

The woman put in his room by Pierce Hudson.

She must have gotten into his phone.

He'd underestimated her.

There was no record of Kira's call that night.

He was sure of it.

When he was in the shower, the woman must have answered the phone and then deleted the call log.

What else did she do?

Did she get into the corporate files?

Some of them were confidential contracts.

During the trip. Austyn made it clear he was disappointed by Hudson's performance.

Did the CEO put her up to this?

Sending the woman to his room was not a peace offering, but a honey trap?

Austyn's mind kicked into high gear.

He'd thrown the woman out without bothering to remember her name.

But Hudson must know how to reach her.

Austyn made a mental-note to deal with the scheming CEO and the brazen woman later.

He only had himself to blame.

It was a stupid mistake to leave his unlocked phone unattended.

He'd learned his lesson.

The next time...

He would be damned if there was a next time!

Austyn clenched his fists.

Kira was still huffing.

Anger had brought some colour back into her face.

She was glaring at him with her eyes wide open, puffing out her cheeks, squaring her shoulders and sticking out her chest, trying to make herself bigger. Like a cute little pufferfish.

Austyn smiled.

Which only added fuel to the fire that was already raging inside her.

What was he smiling about?

Reminiscing about his night of fun with that woman?

'You're right,' he said, amusement lacing his voice. "I didn't pick up your call because I was with another

woman."

There, he admitted it!

He even said it with a self-satisfied smirk, that bastard!

Not a trace of shame.

The last vestiges of hope in Kira's heart were crushed.

A tiny part of her had expected him to explain, to say that it was all a misunderstanding.

That woman in his room was a client, or a friend.

But he didn't even bother denying it, or at least making up an excuse.

Bastard!

"Do you want to know what I was doing with her?' he stepped forward, closing the gap between them.

The jerk had the nerve to smile.

"No, I don't.' She drew back. 'Stay away from me!"

He advanced; she retreated.

The two of them were engaged in a silent tango.

It ended with Kira pressing her back to the wall.

Austyn didn't give her another chance to talk.

He lowered his head, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her full on the lips.

He savoured her taste, her softness.

Honey Tra

He kissed her with raw hunger, impatient for more.

He invaded all her senses.

Kira's heart pounded in her chest.

Her knees grew weaker.

When their lips finally parted two minutes later, both were panting.

"This was what I was doing with the woman,' he said, throwing one arm around her waist. "And this..."