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Madison’s body hummed as Payton’s hand slid behind her neck, their lips meeting again and again, neither of them satisfied, but Madison found one last bit of strength, breaking the kiss, although she couldn’t manage to pull away, their foreheads pressed together.
“We can’t,” Madison murmured, although she didn’t believe it. She knew that they shouldn’t. On so many different levels. Not just with work. This was supposed to be a fake relationship for the benefit of her ex, but she’d gone into this knowing that Payton had feelings for her.
The question was, when had she become this attracted to her personal assistant?
“You keep saying that,” Payton said softly, her breath warm against Madison’s lips, their mouths still so close, their foreheads touching. “But your actions say something else completely.”
Madison exhaled as she took a step back, putting just a little bit more space between them, her hand still clutching Payton’s shirt.
“You know why we can’t,” Madison said, knowing her voice held no conviction.
“Then why are you still holding onto me? Like you’re afraid to let go?”
Madison searched Payton’s eyes before letting her gaze fall to where she was still gripping Payton’s shirt. “Because I don’t want to stop. But we have to.”
“Do we though?”
Madison’s heart had barely slowed when it started racing again, her eyes snapping back to Payton’s. “This never ends well.”
“I’m not going to file a complaint if that’s what you’re getting at.”
Madison let out a slow breath, finally dropping her hand so she could fold her arms across her chest. “This is easily the most common reason someone comes to my company. To fix a workplace problem. And they’re almost always affairs with their assistants or secretaries.”
“This is nothing like that.” Payton took a step forward, her hands were on Madison’s hips. “I’m not being taken advantage of or coerced into something I don’t really want. You know how much I want you. Apparently, I’ve done a terrible job of hiding it,” she said, a smirk tugging on her lips. “And we happen to be away from our lives in New York for a week. We also happen to be sharing a hotel room.”
Madison inhaled a shaky breath, her short fingernails digging into her skin as she tried not to grab a hold of Payton again. She’d never had to exercise this much self-control before, and it was simultaneously thrilling yet terrifying.
“What are you saying?” Madison asked, her voice wavering slightly.
“We’re here in unusual circumstances. I agreed to pretend to be your girlfriend at this wedding, yet I’m playing the part already. Happily, I might add. And somehow, while pretending to be together, you’ve seemed to have forgotten that we’re faking this.” Payton’s voice was calm, her eyes never leaving Madison’s, challenging her. “You were the one who started this.”
Madison pursed her lips. That was true. And she had no one to blame but herself. Payton had only done everything that Madison had asked of her. She was the one who crossed that line.
“Not that I’m complaining,” Payton added, a smile on her lips. “I’m just laying this out there.” She paused, almost as if she was questioning whether or not to continue. “There’s something going on here. I don’t know what this is for you or when things might have changed. I’m not worried about that right now. Tonight, we’re two people who can’t seem to take our hands off one another. We’re sharing a hotel room for the rest of the week before we go to your ex-wife’s wedding where we’re supposed to look like we care about one another. Does that sound accurate?”
Madison sighed. “Yes.”
“So, we’re not in your office right now. No one from work is going to know. And if I turn around and walk over to that couch and get ready to go to sleep, I don’t think you’d let me.”
Madison couldn’t miss the daring look in Payton’s eyes. “You’re making a lot of assumptions.”
Payton shrugged, an effortless smile on her lips. “Okay. I’ll say goodnight then.”
Madison bit the inside of her cheek, her fingernails digging in again to the point where she was wondering if there’d be a mark on her bicep in the morning. “Goodnight.”
Payton turned without another word, and Madison sucked in a breath, her mind and body at war. Her competitiveness should keep her from following Payton.
She couldn’t let Payton know how much she wanted this.
Because how would she come back from this? How would they work together again next week?
Madison’s eyes fell to the curve of Payton’s ass, and she felt her legs moving before she could even register what she was doing, and when she could, when she was reaching out to catch Payton’s wrist, Madison consciously wrapped her fingers around Payton’s forearm, gently spinning her around.
Madison expected an ‘I told you so,’ but there was only a ghost of a smile on Payton’s lips as she moved into her space, her hand on Madison’s cheek as she leaned in, parting her lips against Madison’s.
A sigh left Madison’s throat as she finally gave in. She’d take Payton’s lead and figure this out next week, because right now, there was no denying that something had changed between them, and even though Madison had no idea how or when it had happened, she couldn’t deny how much she wanted Payton.
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