You Made Me Love You

by Neesa Hart

  She ran out of the room then, and for the second time in two days, he found himself staring after a woman who’d left him feeling rattled. Lord, if he didn’t soon get a grip on himself, Liza and Grace were going to turn him into a complete idiot.

  That thought was quickly followed by another. With Grace gone on Saturday night, he’d have the apartment to himself. That thought had him tapping the eraser on his pencil on the desk in a rapid rhythm. According to Liza, they had a privacy problem. She was right about that. Her apartment was in the same building as most of Breeland’s staff—and Liza wasn’t the type to flaunt her private life in front of her colleagues. Since Grace lived with him, rather than in school housing, the situation was doubly complicated.

  Until the miraculous and fortuitous arrival of Beth on the scene. His daughter’s venture back into life, it seemed, could not have come at a better time.

  With a chuckle, he picked up his pencil and refigured the equation with a few quick, decisive, calculations. Liza Kincaid was about to meet her match.

  * * *

  “How are things going, Anna?” Eli asked late that afternoon when he found the older woman in her office.

  She smiled at him, the same warm smile that had charmed him from their first meeting. “Not bad at all. We haven’t had any more crises that anyone’s bothered to tell me about.”

  He winced as he lowered himself into the seat across from her desk. “No more lunatic grandparents showing up for a shoot-out at high noon?”

  “It wasn’t quite that bad, you know.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  “Probably.” She leaned back in her chair. “Have you heard from them since they returned to New York?”

  “Not personally, thank God. I’m not sure I could have been civil. Doris sent a letter through Martin that she still wants to protest my moving Grace down here for the summer, but it’s been quiet since then.” He frowned. “Ominously quiet.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” she assured him. “I’m certain that Martin has everything under control. Liza assured me that he’s very efficient.”

  That softened his frown. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “And I’m glad you stopped by today. I’ve been meaning to ask you how you think Grace is faring after the run-in with her grandparents.”

  “That’s why I’m here. She asked me this morning if she could spend Saturday night in the dorm with one of the girls.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I think it’s a positive sign. She appears to be taking this incident with the Paschells in stride.”

  Anna’s white eyebrows disappeared behind a lacy fringe of bangs. “That sounds encouraging.”

  “I thought so. It’s been a while since Grace has even expressed an interest in making friends—much less made any strides in that direction. I was very encouraged.”

  “Who’s the lucky young lady?”

  “Beth, er, Watson.”

  Anna’s smile broadened. “Excellent. I’m really quite impressed with young Miss Watson. I had the chance to observe her in Caroline Kenner’s debate class yesterday. She’s very sure of herself—especially for a girl her age.”

  “Grace is attached to her, anyway. I’ve seen them together in my class. Beth seems to be good for her.” His smile was rueful. “I can’t remember the last time I saw my daughter giggle.”

  Anna’s laugh warmed him. “Felt good, didn’t it.”

  “Extremely. Even if I do suspect I was the subject of speculation.”

  “I don’t doubt that for a minute. You seem to be the subject of everyone’s speculation around here.”

  Exhaling a long breath, he settled back in his chair. “If I can safely assume that Grace has permission to stay in the dorm—”

  “You’ll have to ask Liza about that.”

  “I will. I wanted to clear it with you first. I know it’s not the normal policy.”

  “We’re here to help the girls,” she said firmly, “not to enforce regulations.”

  He nodded. “Thank you for understanding that.”

  “That’s what we’re here for.”

  “So I’ll speak with Liza this afternoon—which raises the other thing I wanted to discuss with you.”

  Her eyes twinkled. “I wondered when this would come up.”

  “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re an extremely crafty woman?”

  “That’s not always the adjective they use.”

  Eli laughed. “Nevertheless, you don’t let much get by you, do you?”

  “I don’t mind telling you that Liza has been a personal project of mine since she first came to Breeland twenty years ago.”

  “She cares for you very much.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” Anna assured him. “In many ways, I think of Liza as a daughter. If I’d had children to raise, I would have wanted them to have Liza’s spirit.”

  He steepled his fingers together as he carefully considered his next words. “She’s very stubborn about some things.”

  “About relationships,” Anna agreed. “She has cause.”

  “I’d like to know why.”

  “You’ll have to get that from her.”

  He frowned at that. “She’s not exactly open to discussing it.”

  “Keep trying. She likes you. Eventually, she’ll trust you.”

  “I was hoping you’d give me some insight.”

  Her expression turned knowing. “You were hoping I’d give you a tactical advantage.”

  “That too,” he quipped.

  Anna shook her head. “One thing you’ll have to learn about Liza. She plays straight from the deck. If you want to know her better, she’ll expect you to work at it. Any information I gave you, she’d consider unfairly obtained. It would count against you. You’ll have to trust me on that.”

  He hesitated, then nodded. “I will.”

  “Good.”

  Anna gave him a pointed look. “I think you can find Liza in the arts wing at this time of the afternoon. She likes to use the break between classes to go through some routines.”

  He glanced at his watch. “I have class in fifteen minutes.”

  “She’ll know that—so she won’t detain you. With a little strategy, you can arrange to meet her later to discuss the matter in more detail.” She paused. “Privately.”

  He was still laughing when he found Liza in one of the rehearsal halls, executing a series of body-twisting stretches. The smile faded on his lips, however, as he watched her pull her body into a tight arch. Her hot pink leotard and green tights only served to highlight her lithe curves that virtually begged for his hands. Lord, she was going to be the absolute death of him. She must have sensed his presence. Her gaze met his in the wall-length mirror. “Hi.”

  Eli nodded and advanced into the room. “Hi.”

  She quit her routine and turned to face him with a warm smile. “Aren’t you on your way to class?”

  “Yep.” He kissed her lightly. “I wanted to talk to you about something real quick.

  Her gaze turned wary. “Have you heard from your in-laws again?”

  “No,” he assured her, “and I thank God for that every day.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “This is about Grace. She asked me this morning if she could have permission to stay in the dorm with Beth Watson on Saturday night. I felt I should talk to you about it.”

  “She wants to spend the night in the dorm. Really?” Liza’s eyes lit. “That’s very good news.”

  “I thought so.” He traced a finger along the edge of her leotard where the hem was damp from her perspiration.

  “I’ve noticed that they seemed to be bonding.”

  “So did I.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her it was fine with me as long as it didn’t break any rules.”

  Liza’s shrug managed to be elegant. The slight roll of her shoulders fascinated him. “It does,” she concurred, “but I’m not going to get hu
ng up on that. I’ll talk with the RD for Beth’s dorm. I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

  “Thank you for being so accommodating.”

  Amusement flitted across her eyes. “It’s what I live for.”

  “I’m counting on that.”

  Liza glanced over her shoulder at the empty hallway which would soon be filled with students. “Is that all you wanted. We need to clear out of here. There’s a class starting in a few minutes.”

  He grinned at her. “It’s not exactly all I wanted.”

  She gave him a chastising look. “Is it all you wanted that’s reasonable given the present circumstances?”

  He took a step forward. “Maybe.”

  She backed away from him. “Eli, we can’t do this now.”

  “Can we do it later?”

  “Is this why they call you The King of the Jungle—because you worry your prey to death?”

  He closed the distance between them again. This time, she was backed up against the rehearsal bar with no place to go. Her scent, he noted, was that enticing combination of lemon and clean perspiration that made his head swim. It was the same smell that emanated from her when her flesh was heated from his touch. The thought had his fingers tingling again. “No. I got that name for my persistence. When I’m researching something, it’s like a hunt. I have a hunger, and the only thing that’s going to assuage it is finding the answer I want. Once I’m on the trail of a quarry, I don’t lose it—once I’ve scented it, it’s mine.”

  Liza started to laugh. “You’re so subtle.”

  “Liza.” He tugged her closer. “You’re driving me crazy. I didn’t sleep at all last night.”

  “Me either,” she confessed.

  With a slight groan, he tipped his head and brought his mouth close to hers. “We have got to do something about this,” he said firmly, and he seized her lips in a searing kiss.

  Pressing his hands to her spine, he molded her curves to his body so he could enjoy the exquisite taste of her lips. It was every bit as sensational as he remembered. Energy, high and tight, shimmered between them. Liza melted into him. Exultant, he deepened the kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet and he could easily, he knew, drown in the sheer sensation of kissing her. She made a tiny mewling sound in the back of her throat that drove him wild. Ravenous for her, he slanted his lips over hers again and again until he finally had to wrench his mouth away and suck in a desperately needed breath.

  Liza didn’t move. She kept her face pressed against his chest. Her breathing, he noted arrogantly, was as ragged as his. He moved one hand to cradle the back of her head. “Sorry,” he whispered, his voice rough around the edges. “I shouldn’t have started something I can’t finish.”

  Liza merely nodded. So they stood that way for long seconds before he finally set her away from him. With a slight smile, he smoothed his thumb over the still-swollen curve of her upper lip. “If I promise I’ll make it up to you later, will you forgive me?”

  The slight widening of her eyes told him all he needed to know. Liza took a shuddering breath and stepped away from him. “I hate to break this to you, Liontakis, but it’s considered tacky to suggest that a woman can’t live without your, er, attentions.”

  Unrepentant, he grinned at her. “I know.”

  “You don’t have to sound so pleased with yourself.”

  “Keeping you off guard seems to be the only way I have of getting under your skin.”

  “Where did you get an idea like that?” She leaned back against the exercise bar. “You’ve been under my skin since the day I met you.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “You would be.”

  She looked so disgruntled, he had to laugh. He thrust his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for her again. “So, you want to come over tomorrow. My chaperone’s going to stay out all night, and I have the house to myself.”

  “The board of visitors’ faculty reception is tomorrow night. We’re both expected to attend.”

  “I know. I was hoping you’d go with me and help me mingle.”

  Her lips twitched. “Are you kidding? You’re the star attraction. You’ll have women clawing for your attention. Now that your in-laws have been here, you’re on the tip of every gossip tongue within a five-mile radius.”

  “Then maybe you can protect me from the masses.”

  “Maybe.”

  He studied the curve of her lips with peaking interest. He wanted to kiss her again. The energy thrumming through his blood told him he’d better curb his thoughts, quickly, or he’d have a hell of a time making it through his afternoon classes. He did not, however, resist the urge to trace the profile of her mouth with his index finger. To his infinite delight, her lips trembled.

  Students had begun to file into the room, and they were watching Liza and Eli in open speculation. Liza kissed the tip of his finger, then pulled his hand away. “If I say yes, will you let us get out of here with some dignity still intact?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She gave him a look that melted his socks. “Then prepare yourself, Liontakis. I’m going to wear you out.”

  10

  “Crumb,” Liza muttered, as she stared at her reflection in Eli’s door knocker, “you’re acting like a teenager.”

  Her palms were sweating. He did that to her. He had a way of turning her into a quivering mass of hormones. The way his lips tilted at the corner, the fierce light in his eyes when he spoke of Grace, the elegant way his hands moved to emphasize his point, they all combined to knock her equilibrium into a permanent tailspin.

  And that was before he’d made love to her.

  Now, her blood pumped faster every time she thought of him, of the way he touched her, of what it felt like to be that close to him. She was sinking faster and faster into an emotional quagmire with little hope of escape.

  Of course, she thought, as she smoothed her damp palms on her dress, it didn’t help matters that Eli took every opportunity to shoot her looks so steamy she was surprised they didn’t curl the wallpaper. At Thursday afternoon’s faculty meeting, during her weekly briefing to the staff, he’d suddenly developed a fascination with tracing the curve of his upper lip with his index finger.

  And Liza had seriously contemplated shooting him on the spot. In for a penny, she thought with a wry smile, and forcibly slammed the handle against the knocker on his front door.

  Seconds later, Eli pulled open the door. He wasted no time getting right to the point. He tugged her inside, slammed the door shut, and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m glad you came,” he whispered as his head descended to hers.

  Liza surrendered to the sensual storm, which left them both breathless.

  She blinked several times. “Nice to see you again.” Her voice had turned husky.

  Eli laughed as he scooped her purse off the floor. When had she dropped it? “The feeling is mutual.” He hefted the purse from one hand to the next. “What do you carry in this thing? It weighs a ton.”

  She accepted it from him with a slight smile. “I keep a brick in there to fend off amorous males.”

  “I’ll be careful.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead as he eased past her. “I don’t suppose you’d like to skip dinner?”

  “You know what I have to say.” She couldn’t quite hide her smile.

  “We have an hour,” he pointed out.

  “And I’d rather not arrive at the reception looking like I’d just taken a tumble in your bed.”

  He laughed. “Point well taken. Although, if they have a band, I feel I should warn you that we’ll be doing a lot of dancing. I’m probably going to have a very hard time keeping my hands to myself.”

  “Restraint is the sign of a cultured gentleman.”

  He groaned. “Don’t tell me. That was part of the Breeland code when you were a student here.”

  She grinned. “How’d you guess?”

  “Intuition. I’ve really got to remember to ask my daughter what she’s learning about boys.�
�� He shook his head. “And since I’m not going to talk you into something more—adventurous, we might as well eat.” He headed for the kitchen.

  “That’s not the most gracious offer I’ve ever had,” she called after him.

  He shot her a look over his shoulder. “Chalk it up to days of sexual frustration. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable?”

  Liza ambled behind him. “Grace is already at the dorm?” she asked. A breakfast bar separated his kitchen from the living room. She wandered over to it and slid onto one of the high stools.

  He pulled a pitcher from the refrigerator. “Yeah. I dropped her off earlier. We have the place to ourselves.”

  Liza pushed the remnants of fog from her brain and set her purse down on the counter. While he filled glasses, she swiveled on a bar stool to survey the room. She’d noticed the first time she came here that he’d added enough of his personal belongings to the decor to make it feel homey. Tasteful, masculine, but welcoming. She even liked the color of the walls. The controversial paint job now seemed the perfect foil for his unique style.

  Eli set two glasses on the bar. “What are you thinking?’’

  “That I like what you’ve done with this place.” She flashed him a smile. “I even like the paint. You were right about that.”

  “I wanted to give Grace a sense of home.”

  Another piece of her melted. “And here I thought you were just being egomaniacal.”

  “Score one for me.”

  “At least,” she conceded. She reached for her glass. “Is this iced tea?”

  “Yes. I made it myself.”

  Her eyebrows lifted. “Do they drink iced tea in New York?”

  “Never. And if they do, they don’t sweeten it.”

  Liza wrinkled her nose. “The barbarians.”

  He laughed. “I sweetened this, though. I spent an hour on the phone with Anna this afternoon mastering the recipe.”

  “Only a man could spend an hour trying to make iced tea. It’s not that complicated.” She accepted her glass.

  “I’m a chemist. I like to be precise.”

  Liza took a tentative sip. “So there’s a formula for this?”