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She hesitated for a second before putting out her hand. “Katrin Banner,” she said. “I go by Kat.”
My hand enveloped hers. Excitement pumped through me. Hers was warm and strong, and had callouses on it. Interesting. The energy of the contact throbbed through me, straight to the party spot.
She actually blushed. She felt it, too. That was good.
In a normal universe, I’d get her number on the spot. Better yet, I’d pin her down for brunch, this very day. I knew for a fact she didn’t have any plans today. So…maybe a luxury hotel, the most extravagant suite. Deluxe room service. I’d wine her, dine her, find out all about her—at least, whatever she was willing to tell me. I was willing to bet she wouldn’t let anyone too close. She had a wild streak. That much was clear.
At the moment, she was ignoring me, watching the floor numbers go down swiftly on the digital screen. Another chance to admire her as my fantasy took form.
We’d share a good meal, and then I’d have her for dessert. For hours. The erotic images strobed wildly in my brain, full of intense sensory detail. Her thick, dark gold hair, crazy and mussed on the pillow, her long, strong legs wrapped around my back. Her face and lips and breasts damp and rosy, sobbing for breath as I rode her with my dick. Making her writhe and buck and come, wailing, against my mouth. And then again. And again. Every way we could think of.
My face was getting hot. Sweat pooled between my shoulder blades. I had to chill before I let my crew see me. A van full of Unredeemables were patiently circling the block, because I was on a lethal criminal’s hit list, along with the rest of my family, who were all potential hostages.
Which meant that coming on to the smoking-hot fiery blonde temp was irresponsible, stupid, and selfish as fuck. I had to do the right thing, and stop this shit right now.
The elevator jolted, shuddered, and stopped. We shot each other wary glances in the sudden silence.
“Really?” she muttered. “Great. To make my joy complete.”
Their cab was stuck between floors twenty-one and twenty. “Don’t worry,” I said. “It’s not really broken. I just willed it to stop with my mind.”
Her mouth curved. “Why would you do a silly thing like that?”
“Because I don’t want to get out.” The words flew out, and already, I was kicking myself for flirting. But it was impossible to resist. I’d actually made her smile, and I sensed that winning a smile from this woman was a real triumph. It lit me uplike a pinball machine, wheels twirling, lights flashing, bells goingding-a-ding-ding.
She gave me a considering look. “Your stop is seventeen, right?”
I nodded, reluctantly.
“So…” She bit her lip. “Here’s a solution. Meet me for coffee, when you’re done with what you’re doing. The Hava Cuppa Joe two blocks south. My treat.”
Aw,fuck.Kill me now. Just shove the knife in and give it a good three-sixty, why didn’t she. Her cautious smile froze…and then faded.
“Or not,” she said tightly.
“Shit,” I muttered. “I’m sorry, but—”
“Don’t be. Forget I said it. Please.” Her face had gone red.
It had been a big deal for her to make that offer, which made me feel like shit. Mostly because I’d lured her into it myself. “My life is complicated right now—”
“Married?”
“No, I’m—”
“Otherwise engaged. Understood. Let it go. It would be madness to have a highly caffeinated beverage with the whacko receptionist from hell, even if your life weren’t complicated. You barely escaped with your life. To say nothing of your eyes.”
Keeping it light. Tough babe. But somehow, the brave face she put on hurt me even worse. I could’ve kicked in the elevator door, I was so frustrated. Having a mouthwatering treat dangled in front of my face, and then having it snatched away.
The elevator lurched, and started moving again.
She gave me a crooked little smile. “That was me,” she said. “I did that. With my mind. Since we’re all done here.”
Fucked if we were. The elevator slid open on the twentieth floor. A herd of people waited to get on. And I was sulking so hard, I couldn’t even smile at her joke.
The assholes crowding onto the elevator annoyed me. There were too damn many of them, and they were crowding unnecessarily into Kat’s personal space. She shrank back into the corner, away from them. And me.
The last guy was talking into his smartphone as he got on. “…too bad,” he was saying, in a low voice. “You had your chance to manage the situation. You didn’t. We’re moving forward, so get going on the damage control.” The guy cut off the call, pocketed the phone, and checked out Kat’s legs.
