“Let go,” she whispered. She was fighting him as much as her body’s reaction to his touch.

“Not yet.”

Leonardo tugged, and she fell into him, her breasts crushed against his hard chest. He clamped his arm around her waist so she couldn’t move. His eyes darkened as he felt her soft, supple body. That wasn’t the only physical manifestation of his desire for her.

Alexa felt him harden against her stomach, and she was swamped with feelings that she hadn’t felt in so long, her knees weakened.

He lowered his head to her neck and inhaled in deep appreciation of the flowery scent of her skin. The tip of his tongue traced a sensuous arch along the shell of her ear.

Alexa closed her eyes and felt her body melt into his, his heart thumping beneath her palms.

“I can’t wait to get you back into bed,” he said huskily.

His hand lowered to her bottom and squeezed the flesh with possessive fingers, kneading it in a way that brooked no argument that it was his right to do so.

Alexa resisted the urge to grind against him. Her body was on fire with unrestrained need that she’d locked away and held behind a façade of cool indifference.

“Maybe this time I won’t let you leave.”

Alexa’s startled brown eyes locked with Leonardo’s hard black ones. She tried to wrench herself from his grasp, but he wouldn’t have it. He held her fast in an iron grip.

“You said two months,” she reminded him. “You can’t force me to stay with you indefinitely.” She successfully disengaged herself from his arms. He coolly looked down at her from his superior height, as if the heated response of their bodies pressed against each other had never taken place. “It was a mistake for me to come here.”

She grabbed her purse and rushed toward the door.

“You can have the check, Alexa,” Leonardo called before she could make it to the door.

When she turned to face him, she saw he held the check in his outstretched hand. Her stomach was in knots, thinking about her brother and what she would say to him if she showed up without it.

“Two months, Leo, that’s it.” She spoke in a firm voice, disguising how upset she was.

“Two months, Alexa, and then you’re free of me.”

With as much dignity as she could muster, Alexa bumped up her chin and took the few strides back to Leonardo. She slipped the check from his fingers and moved to escape.

His voice halted her at the door. “No ‘thank you’?” he taunted.

“We both know that’s not how you expect me to show my appreciation,” Alexa said woodenly. She stared at the dark oak door instead of turning to face him.

“Well, at least thank Xander, for getting my wife back for me, even if it’s only temporary. By the way, he gets the check today, and you move back in tomorrow. I’ll have my assistant call you to make the arrangements to have you move back into the house.”

So soon. Of course he wouldn’t waste any time, but still . . .

Alexa twisted the knob and hastily exited Leonardo’s office.