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“Los Angeles, though I also have a place in New York City and sometimes alternate between the two for work-related stuff.”
She bit back a smile. “Of course you do.”
“Do I detect a hint of smart assery?”
She glanced at him over the rim of her glass. “A little bit. Well, what kind of successful beefcake would you be if you didn’t have a bicoastal lifestyle?”
He chuckled. “You make me sound like a snobby douche.”
“I had to goad you for an apology, in all fairness.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re right. I’m not good at a lot of things.” A measure of regret clung to his words, and the air around them thickened.
She scooted closer to him, touching his knee and prompting him to look at her. She shouldn’t get close to him, physically or emotionally, but a voice inside her dared her to ask, “Why is this job so important to you? I mean, yes, you mentioned your father, but—”
“When I was a kid, I had a brother, Keith. We did everything together. We loved swimming in the pool, but always with supervision. Anyway. One summer night, I said let’s go for a swim when the nanny was asleep. I was grabbing more towels when I heard him. He drowned.”
Moisture evaporated from her throat. “You couldn’t save him?”
He looked away. “No.”
“I’m sorry. But this was an incredibly unfortunate event. Does your father blame you for this?” she said, her voice raw. She stared at him, and the flicker of regret in his eyes answered her before he spoke. Her stomach sank to the floor, and she bit the inside of her cheek. What kind of father would hurt his son that way for a lifetime? Her parents had been absent and selfish but his dad seemed mean and heartless in comparison.
He rubbed the back of his neck, like alleviating kinks from a lifelong struggle. “This and other things.”
She tapped his knee. How would he react if she hugged him? She didn’t want him to think she pitied him, and they hadn’t known each other long. Still… a mix of pain and other dark emotions she couldn’t detect darkened his eyes to a forest green, and at that moment, fuck it, she felt close to him. When had been the last time she shared a meaningful conversation with the opposite sex? “You were a kid.”
“Are you suddenly in my corner?” A glint of amusement touched his eyes, and she wondered if he was trying really hard not to break down in front of her.
“I’m in my corner, carefully waving at you.” Wishing I could do more.
“Enough of me.” He turned to face her, dangerously near. “Now I get to ask a question too.”
She attempted to compose herself, shuffling to a better position where she could square her shoulders, but she only slid farther onto the couch. “Shoot.”
“Why did you bolt that night? When we kissed?”
“I freaked out. I hadn’t been with someone in a while, and wasn’t ready.” Legs not shaved, but she chose to omit this nugget of information to preserve her dignity. Besides, she hadn’t been ready, period.
“Okay. For a moment, I wondered if you didn’t like our kiss.”
“Oh, no. I liked it. I—”
She swallowed. She’d more than liked it, and the regret for not having finished it haunted her like a stubborn ghost. What if he was what she needed to bloom again and rediscover herself as a woman? She’d been so content with no dating and no sex for so long. Maybe she needed him to trigger that part of her. She could almost hear the voices of Lara and Brit chanting behind her shoulder, “Go for it.”
She slid yet closer to him, shortening the gap between them until her limbs touched his. The raw desire in his eyes fueled her own.
Her heart thumped in her ears, and she inched her head close to his, tension building in her chest. “You know, maybe we can pretend we haven’t had this conversation. I’m still fired and we’re not working together.”
“That’s one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time,” he said in a growly voice, and it took her a beat or two to register his words.
He pulled her into his arms, and when he lowered his lips on hers, she wrapped her hands around his neck, eager for the contact with his warm, salty flesh. A hot tingle slid down her body, whispering over her skin until it settled between her legs. She parted her lips, granting him all the access he needed, and his tongue plunged inside. Exploring. Claiming. Conquering.
Her clit throbbed, her folds swelling in anticipation. She ran her fingers up and down the column of his neck, and he glided his hands down her back, heating her inch by inch. She squirmed, plastering herself against him, and he leaned back, taking her with him. The sinful position brought them to a perfect mold. His cock poked her, hard and powerful, which upped her arousal several notches.
When he nibbled on her lower lip, taking his time as he grazed his teeth on her sensitive flesh, she let out a moan. He groaned in response, like her sound turned him on, his cock throbbing against her belly. She arched herself on top of him, encouraging him to keep touching her and driving her wild for more.
He gripped her ass, lowering her sweatpants and underwear without much resistance, until a cold draft whispered over her naked butt. He nipped her lip a bit harder, and she moaned louder, blood pounding in her veins. What the hell was happening? Her whole life, she had never been lost in such erotic haze. He squeezed her ass, kneading it, teasing. She had to take control.
