Lydia would never belong in a relationship like this.
I press my palms to the cool surface of my desk, letting itcool my body down. My handprints mark the desk when I move away. It’s been an exhausting week.
I lock up my desk, checking each drawer, making sure everything is secure before I move toward the door.
A sound stops me. My breath feels too loud in the silence as I want to hear it again—but then the doorknob turns. My heart slams against my ribs as the door opens and I see him.
11
WHERE I WANT YOU
GRAYSON
The look on London’s face makes the risk worth it. She stands frozen, those dark eyes wide, soft lips parted. So fucking beautiful. Her expression is guarded, but I can see the flicker of relief just beneath.
I step into her office and ease the door shut behind me. The mutedclickechoes in the silence, sealing us inside. “Hi, doc.”
Her fists unclench. “Jesus, Grayson. What are you doing here? Are you?—?”
“Mad?” I supply.
She drops her handbag on the desk. “I’m being watched. Your actions are reckless. If you were my patient?—”
“I still am?—”
“—I would question if you were devolving. Becoming unbalanced. And yes, maybe a touch crazy.” She bites her bottom lip. “And you are not my patient.”
“What am I, then?” I cross the room, coasting up close enough to her I can smell her lilac body lotion, the lavender notes in her hair. Hunger stirs.
She visibly shivers as she looks up at me. “Dangerous.”
Her hair is down, falling in a loose tumble over her shoulders. The way I love it, like she knew I was coming for her. I brush the soft strands behind her ear, leaning down to whisper, “And you’re a paradox, love.”
A charged current snaps between us, and she physically reacts to my nearness, my touch. The air is electrified. I feel the snag in her breath as it pulses across my skin.
Slowly, I remove her glasses and set them on the desk, revealing her eyes to me.
“Besides,” I say as I step back, taking her hand in mine. “By all accounts, this is the safest place to be.” I lead her to the adjoining hallway, drawing a finger along the fish tank, and I give her a wink. “Good memories.”
Before she can respond, I press her back against the glass, my hands gripping her waist. The rest of the office is dark, but she’s lit by the glow of the tank. I lean down close to her mouth, watching the way her features tighten as though she’s in pain. The same fiery ache burns through me. Even the threat of touching her skin is enough to hurt.
The best kind of anticipation.
She blinks up at me, her voice a low rasp when she says, “A paradox isn’t exactly a compliment.”
Mouth hovers closer to hers, feeling the light pulse of her breath. “Unless you enjoy puzzles.” I brush my lips across hers, the softest tease. “And you’re my favorite, London.”
Her hands move to my arms, fingers curling into the material of my shirt, just as desperate for the fire to singe her. “This isn’t a game, Grayson.”
I slide my hands up her slim waist, grazing the sides of her breasts, until I reach her neck. My fingers anchor at her nape as I tip her head back, thumbs pressing into the delicate curve of her jaw.
She’s such a perfect fit.
“Sometimes I forget,” I murmur, “you like your patients easy to control.” I pause, letting the implication linger between us. “I suppose that goes for your boy toys, too.”
Heat flushes her face. “Thrill-seeking behavior isn’t like you,” she says, ignoring my baiting remark. “It will get you caught—” her pretty eyes flare “—again.”
A slow smirk tips the corner of my mouth. “How do you know that I didn’t get caught on purpose the first time.”
