Page 35 of Sasha’s Secret

When they finished eating, Rocco cleared the table while his guest went to make herself comfortable on the long couch. He took heart from the fact she wasn’t trying to shrink into one of the corners, so she’d be as far away from him as possible.

Having learned a little about her preferences already, he retrieved two ice-cold beers—he wasn’t about to let her drink alone—from the chiller, opened them, and went to join Sasha. She smiled when he offered her one of the bottles before making himself comfortable beside her.

“Thanks. And thanks for dinner, too.”

“You don’t have to keep thanking me. It was my pleasure. We’ll have to do it again.”

“Soon?”

He liked the hint of hope in her voice. “Whenever you’re ready.”

He watched Sasha as she took a delicate drink directly from the bottle. She caught him looking at her and deposited the bottle on the low table in front of them. Rocco took a drink from his and did the same. For the conversation they were about to have, he wanted his hands free, in case of an emergency, like needing to take Sasha in his arms, hold her, and…

Before doing that—maybe—they needed to clear the air, and from the way she was watching him, Sasha expected him to go first. It was only fair, considering he was the one who’d said they had to talk.

There was no point in prevaricating. The sooner this was done the better. “It’s about last night.”

Her expression didn’t alter—apart from a shadow that appeared in her steady gaze. “Ah. Is this where you tell me you don’t usually sleep with clients and last night was a mistake?”

He had to remove that shadow, and the sooner, the better. “Technically, you’re not my client. As for last night… I don’t see it as a mistake. It didn’t feel like a mistake when I woke up this morning and you were in my bed. Did it feel like a mistake to you?”

He’d blow it off if she said yes. He was a grown man, he’d had relationships before, from one-night stands to one where thoughts of engagement rings had even occurred to him. He’d seen rejection from both sides of the deed, and if this conversation was going to add to the tally, so be it.

Sasha quirked an eyebrow. “I wasn’t expecting that. Given I agreed to dinner tonight and made it clear I want to do it again, what do you think my answer is?”

He was fairly sure he knew the answer. “I think it’s a no. Am I right?”

Her lips twitched. “Since it seems to matter so much to you, yes, you are correct.” Sasha shifted so she mirrored his sideways position on the couch and leaned her elbow on the low back. “And before you ask, not only would I like to have dinner with you again, I’d like to do what we did last night again, too.”

She leaned toward him and her lips touched the corner of his mouth. The contact was lighter than a butterfly’s wing, but the cautious tenderness of it made him ache for more. He turned his head a fraction of an inch, enough to pay her back with an equally gentle kiss full on her lips.

“Mm, nice,” she murmured. “You’re not going to get into trouble with your boss for engaging in nonprofessional activity, are you?”

If only she knew about the conversation he’d had with Nick. He might not number his boss among his closest friends, but Rocco had a hunch the other man would probably offer encouragement if he had any idea what had happened between him and Sasha. “Unlikely. Are you planning to tell him?”

“No chance of that.” Sasha laid her hand against his cheek, leaned forward, and when she kissed him this time, she didn't hold back.

Momentarily outflanked, Rocco recovered quickly, wrapped his arms around his woman, and lifted her onto his lap, all without breaking contact with her luscious mouth. To help him out, she draped an arm around his neck and wriggled into a more comfortable position.

“You know this is crazy, don’t you?” she whispered when they had to come up for air.

“Probably as crazy as it gets,” Rocco agreed.

“There’s one thing you should know, though.”

He wanted to know more than one thing. He wanted her to share, so he’d know everything here was to know about this fascinating, totally incredible woman.

“In case you didn’t have a file on me coming into this… I’m older than you.”

That was it? “And your point is? It’s numbers—they’re nothing, and they sure as hell don’t bother me. Don’t let them stop you. You see something you want? Go for it.”

Because a person spent a long time dead. He’d learned that through losing too many good friends in too many conflicts in too many putrid hellholes around the world.

“You didn’t. Go for it, I mean, when you almost kissed me. What stopped you?”

“Sanity. Insanity. Take your pick. I’ve been attracted to you since the first time I saw you.”

A confused frown creased her brow. “But that was only a couple of days ago.”