“Take this off,” she tugged my blazer off my shoulders. As her hands moved down my shoulders her eyes widened with surprise. “What do you do in your spare time, Professor?”
That was inappropriate. She shouldn’t call me that. I should push her off me.
“I rock climb.”
I helped her tug my jacket the rest of the way off. I was on fire. She squeezed my biceps as she licked her lips. Could she be feeling the heady power of our physical connection as well? Her cheeks were high with color and, though I tried very hard not to notice, her nipples were beaded under the suede material of her top. It was obviously a tactic for seduction. Rationally, I understood this. Yet, my arms flexed under her perusal to their own accord.
When she moaned with approval, my inner caveman picked up his spear and beat his chest with pride.
“You’re supposed to be touching me,” she whispered.
I hadn’t realized that my hands were back to gripping the velvet of the couch. My body could clearly not be trusted to make its own decisions right now.
“I still think that’s a bad idea.” It was more important than ever to remember why I was here, despite the act for the camera.
Suzie’s face when Occum suggested another person for me said enough. For whatever reason, she had been chosen for this task and she was afraid. Seeing that fear in her made me act irrationally—something I abhorred doing.
She grabbed my wrist, bringing me back to the here and now. She moved my hand to the smooth slope of her waist.
“We can keep it PG-13,” she said as she thrust again, undoubtedly feeling the state she’d put me in. What programming did she watch where this would be considered PG-13?
Her skin was warm and soft but muscles flexed just beneath. What might it be like to touch her everywhere? Where was she softest? I had been studying the curve of her shoulder when I lifted my gaze back to hers. Her chest was rising and falling quickly. Her gaze moved to my lips. She licked her own.
“Ford.” That name was a whisper on her lips. It triggered something in my brain that crackled down my spine.
The music hummed through our bodies; with her on top of me, we were completely connected. The heat flushed her neck. She'd stopped rocking. We both sat perfectly still except for the mutual rise and fall of our chests. The song stopped and our labored breathing was audible.
She leaned so slightly forward I would have hardly noticed except I was watching her lips so carefully that I could tell they were a fraction closer. What it might be like to taste them? I never felt raw attraction like this. It caught me unaware. It felt so real.
But it wasn’t real. She was doing her job. Well.
“UT Professor Caught with Stripper,” flashed through my mind.
“Suzie.” I stood, gently pushing her off my lap. “I’m not signing off on that work.”
She stumbled to steady herself. Whether it was an act or not, she was taken aback. In an instant, her face changed from stunned to furious. Her nostrils flared and her brows sharpened enough to cut. Her mouth opened to speak. I couldn’t listen. I held up an arm to stop her.
“No. I know you’re supposed to give me what you think I want but there’s nothing you can say or do to change my mind.”
Her arms crossed over her chest. Her lashes fluttered as she took in my words. Her hands smoothed through her hair and she flicked her gaze to the corner above my head.
“Why are you being so difficult?” Her words were a harsh whisper. “Fine. If I’m not good enough just take the money and leave.” Her ears burned red. “What’s it going to take, for crying out loud?”
“It isn’t about money.” Some deep instinct urged me to comfort her. I fought it, as I fought all superfluous emotion.
“It’s your pride then? Can’t back down now, can you?” She pushed hair back from her face.
We stood facing off. I counted back from ten as I waited to calm down. Pride had nothing to do with it. Aside from maybe pride in doing my job.
“The blueprints didn’t match the tour he gave me.”
“So what?” She threw her arms out to the side.
“You don’t understand, there were—”
The door slammed open. Bright light filled the room. Suzie gasped and her hands flew to her chest when Occum walked in. Then her face visibly relaxed, like she was willing herself to calm down. Occum was unreadable as he took us in standing inches apart. She stepped back and lifted her chin.
“I made my instructions clear,” he said. “This is not a time for discussion.”
