And the reality of what he was saying dawned on her. “Impossible. I can’t believe a man like you has been... celibate all this time.”
This time, his smile was real and highly amused. “A man like me?”
Stuttering, she tried to find the words, but it seemed she was walking on quicksand. “Rich, successful, high society, handsome.”
Now with both his hands on her knees, Zoe found she had trouble breathing but for a totally different reason. She pushed the dark thoughts aside, only feeding on the lust and rise of temperature between them. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and she needed to focus on something else, someone else.
“You find me handsome, Miss Somersby?”
“And you’re not answering my question, Mr. Blackwood.”
The gleam dampened a little. “I told you. All the warmth was gone, and I had no interest in finding it again. Women were interested, but I was not. It became some sort of an issue over time, and that’s why I made every female employee sign that contract. At least I would have peace. Until now.”
His hands didn’t move, but his fingertips were caressing over the hem of her skirt. She dared not move.
“In the shower, I would take myself in hand and jerk off, thinking of the past.” Now his hands slid up but an inch, and Zoe shivered in anticipation. “But lately, in the shower, it’s a stubborn, lush redhead that’s made me lose control.”
Inch by inch, the hem revealed her legs until he reached the hem of her pink lace panties. Zoe had never felt so exposed in her entire life.
Archer licked his lips. “You have the most perfect taste in lingerie, Miss Somersby.” And he pressed a chaste kiss on her skin. One, then another. On her left thigh, and then her right. Moving was impossible, as if frozen in place by the mere presence of the man at her feet. When he looked up again, a lock of dark hair had fallen on his forehead and she was amazed how it changed his appearance. It was stupid, she knew, but Archer now looked wilder, mischief transforming his face. He said he was cold inside, but the heat she was feeling from him was blazing. She reached for his hair and ran her fingers into the dark strands, messing it up, but he didn’t seem to mind.
Using the couch as leverage, he pushed himself up, his face so close to hers, his breath fanned her lips. His metallic eyes locked onto hers and she was lost.
“I will know what upset you, don’t get me wrong. I knew you were with Finch this evening too. Adding the two up is not that difficult. But now, you need to make a decision. Do you want to...”
Zoe didn’t give him time to finish his sentence before she pulled him into a kiss. The deep sigh that came from him unleashed all her reservations inside her, and she took his face in her hands, angling her head to deepen the contact. It turned wild and all-consuming in seconds. Without breaking the connection, Archer put a knee on the couch, between her open legs. Towering over her, with both his hands free, he shed his leather jacket, revealing a white t-shirt molding his upper body which he quickly removed. She then saws sleeves of tattoos running from his elbows up his shoulders. Some adorned his muscled chest and even down his ribs. She barely had the time to look at them when his lips trailed down her cheek to lightly bite the crook of her neck. Her hands slid over the expanse of skin, her fingers exploring all the hard muscles, defining his quivering abs before sneaking into his waistband.
He caught her wrists and gave her a quick peck on the lips, a devilish grin on his face. “You go for the prize right away and I won’t last.”
Teasing, she arched an eyebrow. “You? The man who personifies control? I doubt it.”
A twinkle of mischief lit his eyes. “Oh, you’re playing with fire here insulting me, Miss Somersby.”
To prove a point, she cupped him over his jeans and massaged his encased hardening erection. The desperate sound coming from him, made her clit throb. “Am I insulting you now, sir?”
Giving her a half laugh, he backed away from her reach. “You’re deadly, Miss Somersby. But I doubt you will win this round. Get rid of the dress.”
Her heart hammered in her chest, out of anticipation mixed with desire and a hint of self-consciousness. She wasn’t used to stripping in harsh light. But she wasn’t the type of woman to shy away from a challenge either. And it was exactly what she saw in his eyes. A show of dominance as he was standing there, with her half-sitting, half-lying down on the couch. Channeling her inner wanton woman, she pushed her doubts aside and focused on bringing the man to his knees.
A good thing her dress was a wraparound, tied at the waist with tiny buttons on her left shoulder and waist, so no need to move. Her skirt still bunched high on her thighs, she let her hand trail up her body, circling her belly, rasping over her covered breasts before reaching for the buttons. Zoe took her sweet time undoing them as she looked at Archer. His face was still impassive, but his body was screaming at her. He was breathing harder and harder, and his fists clenched and unclenched by his side. No doubt he was using his hard-earned control at this very moment.
When part of the fabric opened, she slid a hand in, caressing her breast, slightly pushing it onto her hand.
“Zoe...” His voice was raspy... a warning. At that moment, she felt more powerful than the man standing at her feet. And it was exhilarating.
Removing her hand, but not speeding up, she slid it over her body again, toward her waist tie. Archer’s eyes were now glued to her hand, his pupils so dilated, they were almost black. As she fumbled with the buttons, he took half a step in her direction before restraining himself. The way he held himself back, made Zoe even more brazen. Pulling the fabric, she snaked her hand under the dress once more. She was overheating in anticipation.
“Zoe... you’re pushing me. Be careful, I’m not a good guy.”
“Since when are you so impatient, Mr. Blackwood? And I find my position quite unfair, don’t you think?
“You’re still dressed, damn it.” And at his harsh words, she shamelessly opened her thighs, the fabric parting over her legs, revealing a hint of pink lace and pale skin.
When he hesitated, Zoe feared she’d pushed too far, but when he shuddered, she knew they were both in the same crazy state of need. The sight of his body made her pant and open her legs even more. Gone was the cold and calculating businessman. The man before her was a tattooed beast, rippling with muscles, barely held back by the strength of his will. There was nothing soft about him, his entire being demanding control as he had control over his own body. He toed his boots away now barefoot, with low-slung jeans hanging precariously on his hips.
He had regained his self-assurance and control again, and Zoe was determined to make him lose them completely. Lose his composure in a way that would allow her to see the real man concealed underneath the suits, money, and business meetings.
Opening her dress completely, she revealed her pale pink underwear to him, and his low exhale told her he approved. Without waiting for his move, Zoe leaned forward and removed her dress, now only wearing her pink lace bra and panties, and let herself fall to her knees before him. Her hands on his fly, she unzipped him and let his cock free. Locking her eyes with his silvery ones, she pulled his pants to his ankles and licked the length of his cock in one full sweep. He didn’t make a sound, but his body spoke volumes. As her hands trailed up over the twitching muscles of his legs, she continued lavishing him from balls to tip at a slow but steady tempo. After a while, his hips followed. As her fingers reached the inside of his upper thighs, she delighted at how he shivered and started moving back and forth ever so slowly, a clear indication of what he craved. Done teasing, Zoe circled his girth with her hands and took him inside her mouth, moaning loudly as her tongue swept languidly over his underside.
