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“Braden,” she murmured.
“Relax.”
Ironic he was telling her to relax when his own body was strung tighter than a coil ready to spring into action.
“This isn’t appropriate,” she whispered. If her tone had held any conviction whatsoever, he would’ve stopped, but with the way she’d panted his name, with the way her hips slightly tilted toward him, he wasn’t about to ignore what her body was so obviously telling him.
He continued to allow his hands the freedom to roam as he came to his feet, pulling her with him. With one hand settled on her hip and one just beneath her shirt, he watched as Zara stared up at him, her eyes locked on to his. He refused to break the connection, didn’t want to sever the intensity of this moment.
That warm skin begged for his touch, and it was all Braden could do not to jerk this shirt up and over her head so he could fully appreciate the woman. The seduction of Zara would have to be slow, romantic and all about her. He could handle that order because right now he wanted to feel her, wanted to have her come apart.
The second he encountered silk over her breast, he wasted no time in reaching around and unfastening her bra. Now that she was freed of the restraint, he cupped both breasts in his palms and watched with utter satisfaction as her lids drifted closed, as a groan escaped from her lips.
Why did she have to feel so amazing? Why was he fighting taking what he wanted instead of giving her full pleasure? This had to be about Zara, about seduction.
Braden slid one hand down to the top of her pants. Zara’s eyes snapped open. She scrambled from beneath his touch. Her eyes darted away as she righted her clothes. Damn it, he’d pushed her too far when he couldn’t control his hormones.
“This can’t happen,” she stated, her voice shaky. “We— I...”
“Don’t say you’re sorry,” he told her as she jerked her sweatshirt down as if she was trying to erase what had just occurred. “We’re adults, and dancing around the attraction wasn’t going to last for long. I’ve been wanting to touch you since you walked into my office.”
Zara’s hands came up to her face. “I can’t believe I did that. I just let you...” She dropped her hands and waved them in the air. “I let you...”
“Yes?” he asked, trying not to smile as she struggled.
“Is this how you treat all your new employees?”
Braden reached for her arms, pulling her flush against his body. “I’ve never in my life slept with an employee.”
“We haven’t slept together,” she retorted.
“Yet.”
Her gasp had him laughing, but he didn’t release her. “You’re so sure of yourself, aren’t you? I’m not easy, Braden. I don’t want you to even think that for a minute. I shouldn’t have let this go so far.”
“Zara, if I thought you were easy, I wouldn’t waste my time trying. I look for the challenge, the chase, the risk in everything.”
Now she laughed as she shook her head. Her hands were trapped between their bodies. “You’re already talking about sleeping with me and you’ve not even kissed me. I’d say that’s—”
His lips slammed on to hers. Hadn’t kissed her? Was she complaining?
For one troubling moment, Braden worried she’d push him away, but after her hesitancy, she finally opened up and accepted what he was giving.
Her hands flattened against his chest as he coaxed her mouth open and tipped her head. Kissing Zara was just another total-body experience he hadn’t anticipated. Kisses were either good or bad. With Zara, they were arousing, a stepping-stone for more and a promise of all the passion she kept hidden away.
If he wasn’t careful, he’d start craving more of her touches, more of her soft moans, because damn it, the woman got into a man’s system and...
No. Hell, no. She was not getting into his system. Nobody was penetrating that until he was damn good and ready.
Braden had to force himself to step back, to put some distance between their heated bodies.
“There. Now you’ve been kissed.” He licked his own lips, needing to taste her again. “If you’re feeling cheated on anything else, I can oblige.”
Her eyes widened as she trailed her gaze down his bare chest. “N-no. You’ve obliged enough.”
Braden smiled. “Then we both need to get some sleep.”
As if he hadn’t just had her body trembling against his seconds ago, he turned and sat back on her bed. Zara hadn’t moved from her spot next to the chaise.
