Daniel couldn’t have looked any more tortured if he’d just had his teeth pulled. And she knew that she was the reason for it. She wasn’t being fair to him. He’d paid to spend time with her and to enjoy himself, and she was spoiling his fun. And her own fun at the same time.

The bathroom door opened, and he stepped out, dressed only in his boxer shorts. With every step he made toward the bed, her heart beat faster. She hoped to find the courage to do what she needed to do.

The mattress moved when he lowered himself onto the bed and slid under the covers. He reached for the light on the nightstand and switched it off.

“Good night, Holly.”

He made no attempt to move closer to her or to even kiss her goodnight. Her heart beat up into her throat now, but she couldn’t go back.

“How are those cold showers working for you?”

She felt him jolt up, and seconds later the light came back on. He sat upright in bed and turned to her. His face looked angry. This evidently hadn’t been the right approach.

“I think it’s better I sleep on the couch.”

Before he could get out off bed, Sabrina put her hand on his arm and pulled him back. “No.”

He gave her a startled look but didn’t say anything.

“You promised we’d be sharing a bed, and you also promised you’d kiss me. Are you planning on backing out on both those promises?”

He raised his eyebrows but still didn’t talk.

“Damn it, Daniel, you haven’t kissed me all day, and you’re moping around like somebody stole your lollipop. Why the hell don’t you take what you want? You sure paid for it.” Now she felt anger boiling up in her. How could a man be so stubborn?

He finally seemed to find his voice again. “I don’t take what’s not offered freely,” he hissed.

“What do you want me to do? Wear a sign saying fuck me? I can’t do that.”

“I won’t sink so low as to force a woman to have sex with me when she obviously doesn’t want me, no matter whether I paid for it or not. You made it pretty clear today that you don’t want me. I should have never talked you into this weekend.”

“What?” She thought she’d given him sufficient signals that she wanted him to touch her. Had he completely forgotten the massage and how she’d shivered under his touch?

“Don’t play with me. Every time I touch you, you tense up.”

Oh God, he’d completely misread her. She’d have to be much more obvious to get the message to him. Drawing on all her courage, she slid closer to him.

“Daniel, please.” Sabrina looked into his eyes, but he didn’t seem to understand. She took his hand and slowly moved it, placing it on her breast.  “Make love to me.”

“Because I paid for it?”

She shook her head. “Because I want you to. Because I need to feel you inside of me.”

His other hand went to her face, cupping it gently. Daniel searched her eyes as if to determine whether she meant what she’d said. “Are you sure?”

She could feel his breath on her face. “Kiss me and you’ll find out.”

The instant she felt his lips on hers, her heart leapt, and she felt as if she’d faint. But his lips kept her conscious. There was no denying their chemistry. His kiss released all the pent up tension from the day. Without hesitation, she responded to him, demanded he play with her tongue and invade her mouth.

She clung to him with a desperation she’d never known, until she suddenly felt him pull away. Stunned, she looked at him. Had she put him off with her behavior?

“We have to talk,” he said in a serious voice.

“No. No talking. I want to feel you.”

He grabbed her wrists before she could pull him back against her body. “Baby, I need you to understand something.”

No. She didn’t want to know anything. She didn’t want to face reality, not the reality they were in anyway.

“Look at me.” His tone was insistent. “If we do this tonight, if we make love, you’re mine. There will be no backing down. I won’t take no for an answer after this. Do you understand?”

Sabrina nodded. She understood. As long as he was in San Francisco and for the entire time he’d booked her, he’d demand that she have sex with him, and he wouldn’t accept any more excuses. Yes, she understood. And she would comply, because she wanted him.

“Yes.”

“God, I missed you,” Daniel exclaimed and swept her back into his arms. He chuckled softly. “I have to warn you, those cold showers didn’t do anything to cool my desire for you.”