“Let’s see.” I quickly run through my mental list, leading with my top three. “The mess. Lawsuits. Anaphylactic shock.”
“You’re impossible. You know that, right?” Scarlett pulls her hand free of mine and recrosses her arms, frustration palpable. “I swear, every time I think we’re making progress, you backslide into your old ways. It really wouldn’t kill you to give up control once in a while, you know.”
“It might.” I stand and move to her side of the table, offering her my hand. Like our first meeting, she makes no move to take it. Just stares up at me, wild blue flames burning in her eyes.Fuck it.I can compromise, just this once. How hard can it be? “Let’s table this conversation until after the Epos launch. We can revisit it after things have settled down a bit.”
An arch smile transforms her beautiful face. “Is that a promise?”
“For you?” I take her hand and pull her to her feet. We’re so close I can feel the press of her breasts against my chest, smell the Chardonnay on her breath. “Yes.”
Without another word, I lower my mouth to hers, stopping just shy of kissing her.
The air between us is fraught with tension, but I force myself to remain still.
“What are you waiting for?” she asks, lip trembling.
“I’ve been thinking about this moment all day.” I slide my free hand around her waist, fingers digging into the soft flesh of her hip as I pull her closer, sealing our bodies together. “I want to savor it.”
Hell, I want to savor her.
No rushing tonight. I’m going to take my time with Scarlett. Explore every silken inch of her body. Give her the kind of pleasure she’s never experienced.
I may not be able to give her a commitment, but this I can do.
Moving slowly, I press a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth, and when she tips her head back, I scrape my teeth along her jawline, inhaling the sweet scent of her floral perfume. It’s light and sweet, just like her. As if it were made for her alone.
When I reach her earlobe, I take it between my teeth, biting down gently. Scarlett purrs—fucking purrs—for me. Male pride fills my chest and my cock grows impossibly hard. This woman is like a goddamn drug. I can’t get enough of her. I lavish kisses on her neck and collarbone, greedily devouring her flesh like the devil I am.
“Nick.” My name is a breathy plea on her lips and it sounds so fucking good, so fucking right, that I forget all about taking my time. Before I know what I’m doing, one hand is tangled in her hair, the pink and gold strands wrapped around my fist, as the other skims up her side, cupping her luscious breast. Her nipples are taut, straining against the thin fabric of her silk blouse as if begging for my attention.
I flick my thumb across her right nipple, earning a quiet moan of approval. I repeat the motion and Scarlett crushes her lips to mine. The kiss is hot and wet and our teeth grind together on impact.
My brain short-circuits, unable to reconcile this passionate firecracker with the meek woman who stumbled into my boardroom three weeks ago, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else.
Thank Christ I didn’t write her off that day.
Scarlett Evans is the best kind of gift—completely unexpected.
But also temporary. Whatever this is between us, it can’t last.
Which is why you should make the most of it.
Her tongue glides along the seam of my mouth, seeking entry. I open to her, our tongues mating in a sensuous dance that has me spinning her around and backing her thighs up against the table. Her nails rake over my shoulders and then they’re in my hair, tugging gently as I deepen the kiss, lifting her onto the table and wedging myself between her thighs.
“Do you have any idea what these stockings do to me?” I ask, spreading her legs and trailing my fingers over the silken fabric.
“No?” It’s half question, half lie. It has to be. There’s no way she doesn’t know how damn sexy she looks with those tiny bows creating a roadmap straight to her perky little ass.
But if she wants to play games, I’ll bite.
I take her hand in mine and press it to my hardened cock. “This is what you do to me.” My voice is a quiet rasp, but Scarlett doesn’t seem to notice. Her eyes grow wide and her pupils dilate, swallowing up those sky-blue irises. “I’ve been thinking about this all day. About fucking you in those stockings and having all that silk wrapped around me as I bury myself in that sweet little pussy of yours.”
She blinks, and then she squeezes my cock—hard.
A thrill races up my spine, exploding from my lips in a feral groan. I tip my face to the ceiling as she strokes me, her fingers moving up and down my length in a torturously slow rhythm. The pace is excruciating. Mind-numbing. Exhilarating.
And if this continues, I’m going to come before I lay a damn finger on her.
Unacceptable.
