“What in the world are you talking about?”
“All that sentimental garbage about your bad childhood. It was merely a ploy to gain my sympathy, wasn’t it?”
Her face paled, and her shock looked genuine. “That is probably the vilest, lowest thing anybody has ever said to me. I’m sorry I ever confided in you. And even sorrier I ever met you.”
Matt cornered her, and now she was on the run. He blocked her escape.
“If you don’t step aside I’m going to…to…” Sandi sagged, the fight suddenly gone out of her. She covered her face with her hands and made a sound that nearly broke his heart. The heart he’d tried so hard to keep deep-frozen and safe.
“Sandi…” Her shoulders shook; her whole body shook. Alarmed, Matt touched her arm, and that was all it took.
Suddenly she was in his arms, her face pressed tightly against his chest, wetting the front of his tuxedo with her tears. He patted her shoulders, stroked her hair, smoothed her back.
Then magically everything changed. He was no longer comforting her, and she was no longer sobbing. They were touching, caressing, giving in, giving up, giving over to the powerful currents that arced between them….