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Carrie’s eyes flew open, but he was still so close that she couldn’t see him clearly.
‘I want you to touch me,’ he repeated, and his lips moved against hers again.
‘No—’ Carrie started to protest, but as she spoke her lips brushed tantalisingly against his, making hot liquid desire suddenly pool deep inside her. She wanted to press closer and kiss him properly.
‘Touch me—like you were touching my tie,’ Nik murmured, every syllable an exquisite, delicate torture. She felt the strong suppleness of his lips, and could imagine the flick of his tongue as he formed the words.
‘I don’t…’ She paused and took a breath. She tried to pull back but he was still holding her head. She closed her eyes—it was impossible to think clearly. All she wanted to do was open her mouth and run her tongue along Nik’s lip. All she ought to do was pull away from him decisively—show him that she didn’t want this—but she felt too weak to move.
‘I know you want me to kiss you, and I will.’ His words sent sparks of electricity zinging through her body. ‘But first you have to touch me.’
‘No.’ She wouldn’t play his games. It would be playing with fire.
‘I know why you don’t want to.’ His mouth brushed hers. ‘You’re afraid—afraid that once you start you won’t be able to stop. You’ll want to tear my clothes off and push me down on the bed. You’ll want to press your face against my skin, taste me, lick me, kiss me.’
Carrie made an involuntary sound deep in her throat and screwed her eyes even tighter shut. She’d never ever even thought about licking a man before, but now Nik had said it all she could think about was how his skin would feel under her tongue. What would it taste like? Would it turn him on?
Oh, God! What was happening to her? She didn’t want to turn him on! She wanted him to leave her alone.
‘Maybe I’m mistaken,’ Nik murmured as he moved his free hand and started sliding it down her bare arm. Carrie held her breath. He’d done the same thing in Darren’s study right before he kissed her.
He caught her hand in his, lifted it up to his chest, then moved back slightly to allow a little space. She stifled a moan of protest as his lips left hers, but then became aware of the feel of his hot skin beneath her fingertips. He’d undone one more button of his shirt and slipped her hand inside.
Carrie stood stiffly, staring in alarm at her own hand that was resting just inside the open collar of Nik’s white shirt. She wanted to snatch it away, but at the same time she wanted to glide it across his chest. She couldn’t do either, because Nik was still holding her wrist, keeping her hand firmly in place.
‘If I’m mistaken, and you’re not burning to touch me, then it should be no problem to demonstrate just how indifferent you are,’ Nik said. ‘But I can feel the chemistry buzzing between us. I know what you want to do.’
‘I don’t…’ Carrie paused, trying to steady her quavering voice. ‘I don’t know what you mean. What is this supposed to prove?’
‘When you were stroking my tie, running your fingers backwards and forwards along it, you were thinking of me, thinking of touching me,’ Nik purred.
‘I wasn’t.’ Carrie swallowed, trying desperately to keep her hand still, but she could feel the heat of his skin beneath her fingertips and she wanted to feel more.
‘No? Well, maybe it was just me, fantasising about the feel of your hands on my body.’ Nik looked at her through long dark lashes. ‘Maybe I was projecting my desire onto you.’
Carrie bit her lip, unable to speak. His words seemed too much to take in, but her body was already responding to them. The thought that he’d fantasised about her hands touching him sent her pulse soaring and make her tingle deep inside.
‘Show me how you feel,’ Nik said. ‘Run your hand across my body just like you smoothed it along the silky length of my tie. I want to look into your eyes as you touch me.’
‘No, I’m not going to play your games,’ Carrie said. She avoided meeting his gaze, but the sight of her hand inside his shirt was almost as unsettling.
‘I said you were afraid.’ Nik smiled. ‘Afraid of the attraction between us.’
‘I’m not afraid,’ Carrie protested. ‘And I don’t need to prove anything to you.’
‘Indulge me.’ Nik’s voice was a low, seductive purr that rolled right through her.
She held her breath and looked at him, wondering what to do. His gorgeous face was so close to hers and he was giving her every ounce of his attention. For an absurd moment she felt as if she was the only woman in the world.
He wanted her to touch him, and she wanted the same thing. Alarm bells were ringing in her mind but she ignored them. She could do this. Satisfy her desire to touch him, then pull away and pretend she was indifferent. He had challenged her, and if she didn’t rise to the challenge he’d never let it drop.
‘All right.’ She looked him boldly in the eye as a surge of courage fuelled by excitement stormed through her. ‘I’ll show you I’m immune to your charms. But are you sure your ego will be able to take it when I don’t swoon at your feet?’
Nik said nothing, but dipped his head and focussed on her from beneath half-closed lids. He released his hold on her wrist, leaving her free to withdraw her hand if she wanted.
She didn’t want to. She just couldn’t resist the temptation to make the most of this opportunity.
She could feel the ridge of his collarbone, and she slipped her hand along it up to his powerful shoulder. Then she traced her fingertips gently back to the hollow at the base of his throat. His skin felt silky and smooth and she wanted to feel more.
