by Roni Loren
Responsiveness. Donovan West was taking about her sexual responsiveness. Hello, alternate universe. “Donovan, I don’t know . . .”
He let go of her hand and opened a drawer. “Here. I have an idea. I’ll give you some headphones and a thumb drive with the ones I’ve already recorded. You can take them back to your lab and listen to them while you do data entry. Then you can just tell me which ones you recommend when you’re done. You won’t have to feel self-conscious sitting with me. Plus, I need to record some more tonight, and I can’t do that if someone’s in here with me.”
He held out the earbuds and a blue thumb drive. She eyed them like they would bite her, but on those files would be Donovan’s voice in her ear, saying those explicit things, things she’d never had a guy whisper to her. Things she’d only imagined in the private quiet of her room when she gave her mind leave to go to those secret places. The temptation was a hot, pulsing thing low in her belly.
She needed to say no. Make some excuse. Stop this lie she’d started.
She took the items. “Okay.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Yeah?”
“I’m not making any promises, but I’ll let you know if I’ve listened to any before I leave tonight.”
His grin was like a physical touch to her skin. “That would be amazing. I’ll owe you big-time, Mari.”
She got caught up in that smile like a fly in a web and wanted to linger, wanted to stay there all night and listen to him talk about his research, what made him passionate, what else made him smile like that. But if she stayed, she’d only risk embarrassing herself further, or worse—get herself in trouble. Because the thing blooming inside her with him looking at her like that, like her opinion mattered, was intoxicating and potent. She wanted to cling to it, to wrap herself up in that feeling and jump into the unknown without thinking about the consequences. Something she could never do.
She lived her life carefully, always making sure to stay between the lines on the road. No alcohol. No drugs. And definitely no risky behavior with boys. She’d learned from her mother that one foot off the path, one chased whim, could lead to chaos. She knew enough about her mom’s disorder to know that those genes probably lingered in her, too, and this pulsing desire to flirt with Donovan, to push this charade further, could be a dangerous one.
She probably shouldn’t listen to the tapes at all, shouldn’t open that door. Things were safe right now, calm. She needed them to stay that way.
But Marin couldn’t bring herself to hand the flash drive back. Not yet. She didn’t want to do anything to erase that smile off of Donovan’s face.
So she mumbled a quick good-bye and headed down the hall with the thumb drive tucked in her pocket and the soda in her hand. She’d only told Donovan she’d try. She had an out. She needed to take it and focus on her job. Get those little numbers entered into the computer, get lost in the monotony, and forget about the sexy T.A. down the hall.
But it wasn’t more than twenty minutes after she stepped back into Professor Roberts’s lab that the temptation proved to great. Maybe she’d just listen to one, show Donovan a good faith effort, and be done. She cued up the recordings, and Donovan’s voice filtered into her head.
“I spot you first across the bar. You look beautiful and I know you’ve come here with someone else. I can see him getting you a drink. But I can feel your eyes on me, taste your desire, and I know that tonight, it’s going to be my hands on you, my body moving over yours, and my name on your lips . . .”
Marin didn’t get another lick of work done that night.
Want more? Get Off the Clock and discover how Marin and Donovan find their happily ever after.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my husband, Donnie, who never wavers in his cheerleading and who picks up all the household and parenting slack when I’m buried under a deadline. Love you (and your veggie burgers)!
To my parents and family, for always being there and believing in me.
To my kidlet, for always, always making me laugh and for not complaining when mom has to work extra hours. (Even though he may be so accommodating because it means video game time for him, lol.)
To my agent, Sara Megibow for wielding all her agent-y goodness on my behalf and for supporting me in all aspects of my career.
To Dawn Alexander, for the beta reading and for being in the “cubicle” next to me during the day even though we’re miles away from each other. This can be a lonely job and it’s nice to have a co-worker to chat with and vent to.
To Kelli Collins, for giving this book a fantastic edit and saving Elle from being a super-mega-unlikable bitch, lol.
To the planner peeps group, for being a warm and cozy place on the internet when I need to hide, chat, and look at pretty things.
And finally, to all my readers, you are the best. I get to write stories that I love because you choose to read them. So thank you, truly. I never take your time for granted and will continue to work hard to write stories that you want to read.
Also by Roni Loren
The Pleasure Principle Novels
Off the Clock
By the Hour
The Loving on the Edge Novels
Crash Into You
Still Into You (novella)
Melt Into You
Fall Into You
Caught Up In You
Need You Tonight
Forever Starts Tonight (novella)
Not Until You
Nothing Between Us
Yours All Along (novella)
Call On Me
Break Me Down (novella)
Loving You Easy
Standalone Romances
Nice Girls Don’t Ride
Wanderlust
Boxed Set
The Loving on the Edge Novella Bundle
About the Author
Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her cooking, watching reality television, or picking up another hobby she doesn't need--in other words, procrastinating like a boss. She is a RITA Award winner and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Find Roni online:
@RoniLoren
RoniLoren
www.roniloren.com