She swished forward and grabbed Allie’s hand. Mags looked at her bare finger with a frown. “Where’s the ring, Trevor? All of my husbands had a ring. Although Francois put it in the soufflé, and I almost choked to death. Nevertheless, he had a ring.”

Trevor climbed to his feet. “I’m not proposing, Mother. I was helping Allie get dressed. She feels a need to shed her clothes in my presence.”

Allie blushed furiously. “You know what, Mr. Inappropriate?” She shoved her finger into his chest. “I’ve had it with you. And I’ve had it with your sharky remarts.”

Trevor raised his brows. “Of course you have.” He turned to Mags. “Now, Mother, I need to get Allie to bed because, as you can see, she’s a bit wankered.”

“What does she do for a living, darling? And where can I sign on?”

***

When Allie awakened, the room was dark. Rubbing her eyes, she moaned, stretched her legs. Her mouth was desert dry and her head throbbed.

She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Almost time for dinner. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out, but she clearly remembered what had happened in Trevor’s office.

Allie buried her head in the pillow, feeling totally conflicted. Did she want to go back home? Yes. Did she want to walk out and never see him again? No. She was starting to like him, for God’s sake. She wanted to have sex with him again—just to make sure the first sensational time hadn’t been a fluke. But she was also angry because he was ruining her already complicated life. What a mess.

When she sat up and swung her legs to the floor, the throbbing in her head grew stronger.

A knock sounded at the door, and before she could call out, Trevor walked in. The light from the hallway kept him in silhouette. “Ah good, you’re up. How are we feeling?”

His loud, chipper voice pierced her skull. “Keep it down, English.”

“Poor Miss Campbell.” He strolled toward her and flipped on the bedside lamp.

“Ugh.” Allie squinted and held up a hand to shield her eyes from the brightness.

“Have a hangover? That’s what happens when we drink our lunch.”

“We didn’t drink our lunch. I did. So, stop saying the royal we.”

“Still cross, I see.”

“Maybe your sparkling personality is rubbing off on me.”

He smiled. “You should be so lucky.” Trevor held out his hand. “Here.”

She looked down at the two pills in his palm.

“It’s just aspirin to help with the headache you’re undoubtedly feeling.”

“I need water.”

With a deep sigh, as if she were the most tiresome person in the world, he walked to the bathroom and came back with a full glass. “Open up.”

Allie obediently opened her mouth, and he popped the pills on her tongue, then handed her the glass.

“Do you need help getting dressed? Again? Although undressing you is much more entertaining.”

Ignoring him, she stood and walked into the bathroom. She very quietly shut the door behind her and locked it. Hopefully, he would take the hint and leave while she took a shower. Doubtful. He didn’t take hints. Subtlety was wasted on Trevor.

Allie shed her clothes and stood under the hot water. It felt good on her gritty skin.

After she toweled off, Allie drank another glass of water and brushed her teeth. Close to feeling human again, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her damp hair was a tangled mess and her eyes were slightly bloodshot. Never again. Day drunk wasn’t pretty.

As she gently ran a brush through her hair, she heard a noise in the other room. Grabbing her robe off the hook, she shrugged into it and opened the bathroom door.

Trevor had taken off his dinner jacket and lounged on the bed, leaning against the headboard. His large body seemed to take up most of the mattress. What would it be like to share a bed with him? And what did he sleep in—pajama pants? Nothing at all? Her cheeks grew warm, and she cinched her robe a little tighter.

His eyes swept over her, lingering on her chest before lazily drifting up to her face. “You keep staring at me like that, Miss Campbell, and we’ll definitely be late to dinner.”

She gathered the lapels of her robe together with one hand.

“Then why don’t you give me some privacy?”

He shifted to his side, propping himself on his elbow. “You didn’t give me any privacy this afternoon. I was in the middle of an important business meeting. Your little strip show was very distracting.”

She took a deep breath and tried for calm and unaffected. “I apologize for that. I don’t usually drink, but when I get fired for no reason—”

“How long are you going to be angry about that, love?”

She took a step toward him. “You took away my livelihood. Yeah, I’m angry. And I’m sure I will be for quite a while, so get used to it.” The aspirin hadn’t kicked in yet, and her head was pounding. Why did she even bother? She never won an argument with him. The deck was stacked against her.

“I told you to quit, Allison. And I’ll provide whatever you need. You’ve only to ask.”

She forced a smile. “Some privacy would be great.”

She hated being indebted to him. She didn’t want him to provide for her. It made her feel weak and helpless, a feeling she’d been acquainted with since her mom got cancer. She was tired of feeling that way.

“Are you trying to get rid of me, Miss Campbell?”

“Yes. Now scoot.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand.

He looked affronted. “I have never scooted in my life, nor do I intend to start now. I want to watch you get dressed.” His eyes grew darker and his voice deepened. “There’s no need to be shy. I’ve seen everything you have to offer, touched most of it, tasted a bit.” His gaze slid over her once more.

She was tempted to drop her robe and hop on the bed with him, but her pounding head would hamper the enjoyment. And he wasn’t going to leave. The more she insisted, the more entrenched he’d become. Stubborn. Yes, he could be a jerk, but this afternoon, he’d held her and consoled her. Trevor Blake was infuriating and impossible to figure out.

His eyes met hers and he smiled. A slow, sexually charged smile. He was remembering last night, she could tell. She hadn’t been able to think about much else either.

When he stared at her with that heated gaze, she felt completely naked and exposed. Her nipples pebbled against the slinky robe.

To cover her reaction, she stalked over to the dresser and plucked out a bra and a matching pair of panties. “You love to hear yourself talk, don’t you?”

“Yes, I fascinate myself.”

“Well, that makes one of us.” She swung back around to face him.

“I said I want to watch you dress, Miss Campbell. Every whim, remember?”

She glared at him as she walked to the closet. “Tough. I’ve got a headache and I’m not in the mood.”

A frown marred the line of his mouth. “Would you like to skip dinner and rest? I could have Frances send up a tray.”

She was a little touched by his thoughtfulness. “No, I’ll be okay.”

“All right, but if you don’t move it along, the terrible twosome might decide to join us in here.”

She grabbed a dress and walked back into the en suite, leaving the door open. “What is the deal with you and your parents, anyway? What did they do that was so terrible?”

She shimmied into her dress and put on a little makeup. When she was done, she walked into the bedroom. “Well?”

Trevor stood and grabbed his jacket, pushing his arms through the sleeves. “Are you going to dinner barefoot? How bohemian.”

“Fine.” She pulled a pair of black heels from the closet. “Don’t tell me.”

***

When she slipped on her shoes, her dress rode up over the backs of her bare thighs. It was bloody difficult to keep his hands to himself. If he hadn’t been such an ass last night, he would have had another taste of her. He remembered how soft her legs were. How long and lean. He wanted to be on top of her next time, with those thighs wrapped around him, his cock deep inside her. She’d been so very ready for him last night, tight and wet.