by Kira Archer
His free hand dipped below the waistband of her shorts and pressed against her, and she threw her head back, nearly sobbing as one finger slipped inside.
“Easy, baby,” he murmured, his lips trailing over her neck.
Easy hell. She grabbed his hand and showed him exactly what she wanted. She was done counting the risks. Done waiting. Done wanting. Yeah, she might feel differently in the morning when a little sanity returned, but right at that moment, she would have gladly sold her soul to keep Chris right where he was.
He chuckled, the sound reverberating through her chest and amping her up even more. And when he slipped a second finger in, the exquisite pressure that had been building exploded, pushing her over the edge. She clung to him, her body trembling with aftershocks that sent tingling pleasure cascading through her.
She hadn’t come like that since…maybe ever. And he’d barely touched her.
“God, you’re incredible,” he said, pressing kisses along her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“I think okay is the world’s biggest understatement.”
He laughed. “I meant, how’s your back? Still hurt?”
“Oh.” She giggled and abruptly clamped her lips down on the sound. She’d never made that sound in her life. Then again, she’d never completely come apart at the seams from five minutes of intense making out, either.
“Yes,” she finally managed to say. “It’s much better. A little twinge here and there maybe, but better than it was.”
“Good.” He stood up, putting her eye level with his soaking wet boxer briefs that did absolutely nothing to hide anything. They didn’t really before. But saturated with water? Oh, sweet blessed saints.
Before she could lean forward and play out a few fantasies, he took her hand to help her up. He pulled her to him for a hard, fast kiss that had her clinging to him for balance.
“As much as I’d love for you to act on whatever impulse you had going on just then, I don’t think I’d last more than thirty seconds with that sweet little mouth on me. And I don’t want to come until I’m buried deep inside you.”
Oh, she was so down with that.
He helped her out of the hot tub and into his bed, leaving her only briefly to grab a few condoms from the bathroom.
She grinned. “A little ambitious?”
“You have no idea.” He dropped them on the bed and quickly put one on before crawling up the bed next to her. He laid on his side and drew her against him, hitching her leg over his hip.
“If your back starts hurting again, you let me know. We’ll figure something else out.”
She was going to answer, but he reached between them and fit himself against her, and any coherent thoughts fled her mind. Then there was nothing but him. Inside her. Around her. His lips and hands wrought sensations like she’d never felt before. And she didn’t think it was because of what he was doing. Other men had touched her. But they weren’t him.
Every stroke brought her closer to that elusive peak she could never quite reach on her own. That she’d maybe never reached at all. It wasn’t just physical. If it had just been physical, she could’ve given herself over to it. But he was breeching inner walls that she’d had firmly in place for a long time. Letting him in terrified her and thrilled her all at once.
He caressed her back, his lips working gently over hers, kissing and murmuring nonsense to her that somehow meant more than all the false sincerities she’d clung to so hard in the past. He wasn’t just in this for a quick night of fun. Every touch seemed to be a promise. Every thrust, every kiss, every brush of his hands and lips broke down her barriers and branded her his.
And when they finally came, screaming each other’s names, she let him curl around her, giving herself fully over to him. Whether it was for that one moment or forever, she didn’t care. For once in her life, she was going to ignore the risks. Ignore the fear. And let herself be happy, with no strings.
She’d have plenty of time to worry about it later.
…
The early morning sun streaming in the window roused Chris from sleep long before he was ready to get up.
Then again, there were plenty of entertaining activities that could be enjoyed in bed. He rolled over and reached for Charley…but found only cool sheets. He frowned and sat up, looking for any sign of her. She definitely wasn’t in the room. Or the bathroom.
Faint sounds drifted in from the kitchen, and the empty rumbling of his stomach reminded him of a few other things that needed attending. He yanked on his favorite worn jeans that were laying on the floor and went to find Charley.
The smell of something amazing hit him when he was halfway down the hall, and he picked up the pace. Charley was in the kitchen stirring something in a pan over the stove. She looked up when he entered but wouldn’t meet his gaze. Those cheeks of hers flushed pink again, and she looked back down at the pan she held.
He grinned with a rush of pure masculine pride that he was the one who’d put that well-loved and satisfied look on her face. The fact that she still blushed after the things they’d done was unbelievably cute. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck. He planted kisses along her shoulder and neck until he reached the soft skin behind her ear. She shivered in his arms and melted back against him for a second before standing up straight again.
She twisted out of his grasp, shaking her head. “Wait, Chris. I think we need—”
“More of this?” he asked, hauling her back to him so he could give her a proper good morning kiss.
Once again, she responded, her body pressing against his before she pulled away. She put a hand on his chest when he tried to pull her back.
“I think we should talk about last night,” she said.
Her tone suggested he wasn’t going to like what she had to say, and for the first time he realized she might not be feeling as euphoric as he.
“Last night was amazing.”
“It was,” she said with a soft smile.
He reached out to brush a thumb along her cheek, gently so he didn’t spook her. Something seemed…off. Why did she keep pulling away? He wanted to touch her. No, more than that. He craved her. Standing so close and not touching her felt so wrong. He couldn’t be the only one feeling that way.
“But,” she said, stepping back again.
A cold ball of ice dropped into his stomach. “But what?”
She took a deep breath but still wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I just…I think…I think it was probably a mistake.”
The ice spread to his veins. “What do you mean? Did you not want…”
“No, I did. I absolutely did. And it was…incredible.”
Her breath hitched a little on that last word, and he cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
“I…it’s probably not something that should happen again, is all.”
His second eyebrow joined the first. “And why’s that?”
“Because…”
She sighed, and he smiled again.
“We’re two consenting adults who had an amazing time together. Personally, I think turning it into a one-and-done would be a crying shame. Why shouldn’t we keep having a good time?”
“Because,” she said, throwing her hands up, “what happens next?”
His forehead creased at that, and he looked at her a little more closely. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, get the suspicious look off your face.”
He blinked in surprise, not realizing he’d had a suspicious look on his face. Though he had been suspicious of what was about to come out of her mouth. Was this the part where she said she didn’t feel right being with him unless they were married or committed or something? That’s what most women he’d been with did. Tried to lock it down as fast as possible.
He had to admit if anyone seemed like they were trying to lock it down in their current situation, it was him. He was the one trying to get things going again, while she was practically running
around the kitchen trying to get away from him.
He jammed a hand through his hair and sighed. “Why don’t we sit down, eat whatever it is that you made there, and we can talk? Okay?”
She glanced down at the pan in her hand, her eyes slightly round with surprise as if she’d forgotten it was there.
“Okay. We can do that.”
He nodded and then went through the kitchen, gathering up plates and utensils, some fresh juice from the fridge, and some glasses. In the meantime, Charley carted over bacon, sausage, an amazing-looking frittata, and some sticky buns from the bakery down the road.
“How long have you been up?” he asked.
“A while.”
“Uh huh.” He sat down and stuffed half a sticky bun in his mouth. “Okay,” he said, once his mouth was mostly clear. “Lay it on me. What’s eating at you?”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then blurted it all out like she was afraid she’d chicken out if she didn’t hurry and say it. “I don’t want you thinking that last night only happened because I’m trying to get on your good side.”
He frowned slightly at that. “Wouldn’t that be my reasoning for last night? Getting on your good side so you’d give me your recommendation?”
“Well, yeah, that’s the other point I was going to make. How do I know that wasn’t why?”
His eyes narrowed at that. “Do you really think that? Because that would be a seriously dick move, and despite my winning demeanor, I’m not usually a total asshole. I wouldn’t sleep with you to get your stamp of approval.”
“No, I didn’t think that’s what you were doing. Not really. And that’s certainly not why I slept with you.”
“And I never would have thought you did.”
“Right. But everyone else will.”
He frowned again. “What are you talking about?”
Charley sighed and put her fork down. “I don’t want to get a reputation for sleeping with my clients. And I don’t want people thinking I slept my way to the top.”
“Well, it’s not like I was planning on having a press conference to announce what happened, but even if word does get out, why do you care what people think? Screw them.”
“Easy for you to say. All you’ll get is a few high fives and dirty innuendos. But I’ll lose any sort of credibility or respect I’ve managed to claw out for myself. And let me tell you, there hasn’t been much so far.”
He opened his mouth to argue but then shut it, embarrassed he’d never really thought about how it might look. She wasn’t wrong. Most of his board would probably think his sleeping with his assessor was a great strategy on his part to get a good result. And they’d definitely think way less of her for the same thing.
He sighed and jammed his fingers through his hair then leaned over so he could take her hand in his.
“Okay, then. So how about this? We don’t tell anyone. It’s no one’s damn business anyway. I’m not sleeping with you to get a recommendation—for my company, anyway. You want to recommend me on my other skills, I’m down with that.”
She choked a little on the coffee she’d sipped, and he grinned. “And you are not sleeping with me for my contacts or to get ahead in your company or any other reason except that I’m that fucking hot and you just couldn’t resist.”
“You’re not far off,” she said quietly. Her teeth sank into a strawberry, and he sucked in a breath as if she’d sunk her teeth into him.
“Right. Okay then.” He stood, pulled her to her feet, and carried her fireman style back to the bedroom.
“What are you doing?” she asked, though there was laughter in her voice.
He slapped her butt. “Making sure we’re on the same page about what’s going on. I thought a visual demonstration of our mutual understanding would be best.”
He dropped her on the bed and crawled over her. She reached up and let her nails lightly drag across his chest as he moved higher, and he shivered under her touch.
“This might have to go in my report,” she murmured, lifting her head so she could flick a tongue across his nipple.
“Fuck,” he groaned. “You can put anything you want in that report as long as you do that again.”
The sultry laugh that echoed from her throat had him threading his fingers through her hair so he could capture her mouth.
He didn’t know what was going between the two of them. Didn’t want to try and put a label on it, not just yet. All he knew was he’d agree to anything she wanted as long as she’d keep kissing him like she was now. All tongue and lips and teeth and unbridled passion. He didn’t know her story. Yet. But he’d never met anyone so in need of letting loose in his life. The woman had uptight down to a science. And he knew just how to make her unravel.
He slipped a finger between her legs and smiled when she arched into his hand. “That’s right, baby,” he said, giving her a taste of what he planned to do to her. “I’m going to make you come at least twice. And then we’ll go do something really fun.”
Her eyes fluttered back. He laughed and then settled between her legs to drive his point home.
Chapter Fourteen
Charley stood at the top of the platform and risked a peek over the edge even though she already knew how far down the drop was. Her stomach flipped, and she stepped back as far as she could.
When Chris had woken up the morning before with the announcement that they were headed to Fiji because, as he put it, why not, Charley had envisioned naps on the beach and splashing in the gorgeous ocean. Not dangling above the jungle while she clung to a flimsy-looking rope. Then again, she was with Chris, so she shouldn’t have been surprised. Naps on the beach weren’t really his thing. Flirting with death for a few minutes of adrenaline rush, now that was his thing.
The guy running the place came over and started strapping her into an intricate harness she’d never get out of herself. On the one hand, it seemed pretty secure. On the other, that meant exactly squat if the zipline she was on broke. It just meant she’d die strapped in instead of flying free.
“Why are we doing this again?” she asked Chris, who was all harnessed up and standing cool as a margarita at the edge waiting for her.
“Because it’s fun,” he said, his voice the same tone someone would use for a toddler.
She raised an eyebrow, and he laughed. “Give it a chance. It’s totally freeing. Not as great as skydiving, but I figured I’d better start you out slow.”
All the blood drained from her face at just the mention of skydiving, and she gripped the ropes she was strapped to until her knuckles turned white.
“Relax, Chuck,” Chris said with another laugh. “I promise, it’s amazing.”
“Chuck, huh?”
“Yeah, it’s cute. Why should Izzy get all the fun?” He winked at her, and Charley laughed despite the fine haze of fear saturating her very being.
The zipline guy gave them the thumbs up. “You’re all ready.”
No, she wasn’t. Not even close. Ohhh, she should so not be doing this. Her risk-o-meter was going off big time. Likelihood of death—1,000 percent.
Yet still she eased up to the edge of the platform, her blood thundering in her ears.
“You good?” Chris asked, still smiling but with a crease of concern crinkling his forehead. “You really don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Might want to decide quick, though.”
She shook her head and gripped her ropes tighter. “No, I’m already up here and suited up and everything. I just…need a second.”
“It’s probably better if you’re surprised. Close your eyes and just walk. Or let them push you off. That way the anticipation isn’t so bad. Like ripping off a bandage. Jumping in the pool. Plucking a chin hair.”
That one got her attention. “You pluck your chin hairs?”
“No, but I used to watch my nana do it, and it looked painful.”
“Ah,” she said with a nod.
“Eyebrow hairs are another matter.”
&nb
sp; That startled another laugh out of her. She shook her head and then took a deep breath. She could do this. One step further and she’d be soaring. Theoretically, it sounded wonderful, which was how he’d gotten her up there in the first place. Actually taking the leap was another matter entirely.
And boy if that whole situation didn’t feel particularly apt right then.
She took another peek at Chris, at that smile that made her knees weak. The chiseled body that made the rest of her weak. And the charming, witty, kind, and intelligent parts of him. What was she going to do with him? Them? She’d expected a nice little one-night fling. It couldn’t be more than that. Except now it seemed like Chris, at least, wanted to make it more. Did she?
A big part of her did. She’d never met anyone like him. He seemed to get her like no one else ever had. And miracle of miracles, he seemed to like her, even though he’d seen the less than perfect version of her that she couldn’t seem to keep contained around him. She couldn’t lie, even to herself. She was having the time of her life; even if he walked away right then, she’d still consider the trip well worth it. Full of memories that would last her for a lifetime.
But that didn’t mean they should try and make this whole thing any more than they, or she at least, had intended.
She was so lost in her thoughts she barely registered the guy behind her was counting down. Until he reached nine and Chris gave her a huge grin and thumbs up. She only had a second to catch her breath before Zippy gave her a little push and off she went.
She screamed until she ran out of breath and then sucked in a lungful so she could scream some more. But before she could, she caught sight of Chris flying along beside her. His face was alight with joy. She’d never seem him look so happy and…alive. Well, out of bed anyway.
She gripped the ropes she was strapped to tighter and dared a look around as she zoomed above the trees. From way up there, she could see for miles. The stunning, breathtaking beauty was unreal. It looked more like a painting. Or some CGI special effects. The sheer amounts of greenery with the sparkling ocean in the distance took her breath away, and she was flying up above it all.