“They love me, I know that but … I’m just a second thought. Nicky needs them because she’s useless and Tom is a hot mess too. They always end up making it about themselves, even during my birthday. It’s a little depressing.”
“We’ll celebrate tomorrow.” I kiss the top of her head.
“You don’t have to,” she says, giving me an out. “I’ll meet up with my girls tomorrow and we’ll have some fun. I promise to be back here on Saturday for the wedding.”
I cup her face and look into her intense dark eyes.
“What?” she asks, wiping her face.
“You surprised me. I had a good time at the rehearsal dinner.”
“Is that a line, Mr. Archer?”
“You like to call me Mr. Archer, don’t you?” I say in a low voice, leaning closer to her.
Her lips part and a hint of pink from her tongue appears when she delicately touches her top lip with it. When I run a thumb along her jawline, her breath hitches. I push a piece of her hair from her eyes.
I slide my hand into her hair, letting the soft dark curls fall through my fingers as I lean forward, my other hand lifting her chin slightly. I lick my lips as our shared gaze locks before I slant my mouth to hers. Within seconds, I’m on fire, combusting as I kiss her without restraint. My heart rate quickens as everything around us ceases to matter anymore.
My tongue sweeps across hers, and her arms wrap around my neck as we deepen the kiss. She’s just as eager to explore my mouth as I am to explore hers. Her hands travel up my back while mine lower down to her perfect ass, pulling her body closer to mine. I hold her tightly, and kiss her hard, devouring her mouth.
She kisses me with the same intensity, and I’m so fucking hard. I’m aching to be inside her, dying to claim her. My head swims with lust and I suddenly stop, remembering where we are and where I want to be. Inside her, in my bed.
“I want you so much,” I say between breaths, trying to control the desire that’s taking over my body.
She runs her fingers through my hair. My thoughts travel a mile per second as I picture every other possible scenario of how her hands could touch me, and where my lips could explore. I kiss her harder, hungrily, consuming her lips with greed. I’m dying to yank her clothes off and push her against the wall as I fuck her fast and raw.
“Do you want to go upstairs?”
“Upstairs,” she says, blinking a couple of times. “I want to, but I don’t think it’s right.”
“Why would it be wrong?” I ask as I study her. “We’re two consenting adults.”
“You’re my boss.”
“Technically, I’m your boss’s boss and this would be just for tonight—maybe the weekend.”
She clears her throat. “The weekend,” she says as if trying to make sense of what’s happening between us. But I doubt she can because it’s almost impossible to find clarity within this ocean of lust.
“So, it’s just for now, nothing serious,” she finally asks.
“We’ll call it a fling,” I whisper into her ear. “It’ll be casual, brief, and yet unforgettable,” I promise and seal it with another kiss.
* * *
Miller
* * *
For the past couple of years, I’ve referred to Claire Solis as Reckless’s little superstar. I barely speak to her, but I expect a lot from her when it comes to our accounts. She’s brilliant. An asset to our company. I can’t afford to lose her and yet, I can’t convince myself to stop from needing her the way I do. As if she’s my life support. My oxygen.
Who cares about my company?
Acting out the million fantasies running wild through my head is my only goal for tonight—or the weekend.
After our kiss at the bar, a short circuit melted my brain cells and the only thing I can think about is her intoxicating smile, throaty laugh, her curvy body, and her confidence. Nothing turns me on more than a confident woman who takes charge and knows what she wants. She doesn’t take any of my bullshit and sets me straight with that sassy mouth of hers.
“Thank you for tonight,” I whisper, placing my hands on her waist and drawing her closer to me.
I don’t think I’ve ever been turned on as much as I am right now. There’s something about this moment that feels special and magical.
Is it the tequila, the music, or the conversation we had after my dad’s family showed their true colors? Maybe it’s the almost twelve-month dry spell … I glance at her cleavage and smile. Or it’s the sexy dress she’s wearing. The fucking dress she hated so much when we bought it, but looks perfect on her body. Tightly molded to her curves and just begging to be peeled off. It gives me all kinds of ideas about how to get her out of it.
And to think that she’s been this close to me all along. Three fucking years and I never realized how beautiful, sweet and sassy she is.
Who knew she was so fucking sexy?
“It was nothing,” she murmurs, her lips just inches from mine.
I can feel her soft breath on my neck. I meet her whiskey colored eyes, shining with lust and a hint of tenderness. My chest tightens, just like it did earlier when she pulled me out of the restaurant.
Because what she did was more than just getting the fuck out of the train wreck that is our family reunion. It meant a lot to me. The concern in her eyes when I tensed as my uncle began to spew shit, how quickly she reacted to my cues, and how easily she distracted me from my family’s issues. I want to forget my family, my life, and everything that came before her. At least for tonight.
Just for one night, I want to focus on Claire Solis. My only goal is to savor her, explore every inch of her body.
“You might be right,” she says, breaking the silence and our connection.
“About?” I ask, dropping my face to her neck and nibbling her soft skin.
She smells so good, like flowers and coconut. I want more of this taste, I want to get to know every inch of her body, learn every sound she makes, and claim her as mine, at least for tonight.
“You’re more like a Han Solo. A misunderstood Han Solo,” she says, staring at me with dazed eyes.
I grab her chin, hold her firmly and ask, “Would that make you my princess?”
Claire chews the inside of her lip, her eyes darken and fixate on me. “Am I a princess now?”
“For tonight, you are.” I wink at her. “A very naughty princess, unless you don’t want to continue. I have to know, are you okay with this? We’ve had a few drinks and I don’t want to—”
“Casual,” she says. “You said it, it’s just for the weekend. I want this as much as you do, Miller. Let’s make it good—perfect.”
“Unforgettable,” we say in unison, her voice sounding a bit breathless.
Desire flows through my veins. I kiss her neck, travel over her bare shoulder and lower the dress strap as I kiss the trail of freckles running down her arm. She shivers. My fingers explore her, searching for the same zipper I pulled up earlier today while she was dressing.
“You’re so beautiful.” My voice comes out raw, lustful.
I press my lips to hers, kissing her tenderly. She’s so soft and small compared to me and yet, we fit perfectly together. I slide my tongue between her plump lips. She opens for me, letting out a soft moan. I thread my hands through her hair, pulling her closer. I can’t get enough of her. Her hands curl behind my head clutching me closer. It’s like we’re desperate to become one. Our lips fuse into each other’s, the slow kiss becomes frantic, urgent.
Suddenly, the effect of the tequila is gone, and I’m drunk on Claire. Her scent, her taste, her moans, are like crack. I’m high on her. She’s all I want, all I’ll ever need. My hands begin to move down her body, finding the hem of her dress. I grow harder as I realize she’s not wearing underwear.
I break the kiss, searching for the fucking zipper to take the dress off. “Commando?” I ask, like a man who’s about to find the Holy Grail.
“The panty line was showing.”
One
hand travels back to her tight ass, pulling the dress higher.
“It’s on the side,” she says with a chuckle, moving away from me and glancing at my suit. “You’re wearing too many clothes…” She licks her lips. “Mr. Archer,” she says with a strained voice.
“For now, we focus on you, Miss Solis. I need to explore every inch of your body with my hands,” I say, moving my hand up her thigh. Her breath catches as I almost touch her pussy. “And my mouth.”
I finally get her dress off and admire her gorgeous body, taking it all in until our gazes meet. Her eyes are filled with longing and vulnerability. I bend closer to her, running my lips down her sternum and toward her beautiful globes, licking one of her dark pink nipples, and sucking on it.
She moans, her back arching as she grabs the back of my neck. I wrap an arm around her waist and cup her breast with my other hand, squeezing it, flicking her nipple as I continue sucking on the other. This is beyond perfect. My face buried between her breasts, my hands exploring her luscious body. I move my hand away from her breast, dragging it to the apex of her thighs and she shudders against my hand. She’s so wet. For me.
“I want you inside me,” she says, firmly, almost commanding.
She grabs my dress shirt, unbuttoning it frantically.
“Wait, I want to make it good for you—for both of us,” I pant, trying to slow down the pace. “I want to taste you,” I say, sucking my wet finger, savoring her juices. She smiles at me. It’s not that innocent smile, nor the happy smile she uses when someone talks to her. This one is different and I fucking love it.
“We have all night for that,” she says and pushes my jeans down over my ass, freeing my hard cock.
She tilts her head and says, “No underwear?”
“Only when I wear suits.”
Licking her lips and running her thumb over my crown she surprises me by saying, “I want to taste you too, but later.”
She’s set on what she wants and not shy in asking for what she needs, and it makes me like her even more. I push her down onto the bed, undressing myself and grabbing a condom out of the box I brought with me.
“You had plans?”
“I never travel without protection,” I say, shrugging as I open the latex and roll it down my length. “Some rules can’t be broken.”
“Like?” She bites the corner of her lip as she watches me intently.
“Always wrapping up,” I answer. Kneeling in front of her, I watch those dark eyes widen with surprise.
“And making it good for my partner,” I say, pushing her thighs open and sliding my hands toward her core before burying my face at her center, kissing her beautiful pussy.
* * *
Claire
* * *
Waking up to the warm embrace of a tall muscular body is something I haven’t experienced in a long time. Actually, I haven’t experienced arms like these ever in this lifetime. I snuggle closer to the taut figure next to me. Those big, corded arms tighten their hold of my frame. A pair of lips caress my forehead. The warmth running through me feels divine, and the emotion it provokes grows as the minutes pass.
“Good morning,” a deep voice greets me.
It’s the same voice I hear every day when I arrive at the office. Though it’s lacking the angry edge, it’s still unmistakably his voice, nonetheless. I shiver as an uneasy feeling stirs in my gut.
What did I just do?
I let things go too far.
We didn’t just sleep together. We fucked all night long. I did things I have only fantasized about doing but never dared to try. My cheeks heat up as I remember taking his thick, long cock in my mouth, swallowing him whole. God, I had him inside me in every possible way, except … oh my God, what have we done?
“It’s late.” I jump out of the bed and search for something to cover my body.
There’s a difference between a chance meeting between two people that flares into a one-off sexual encounter and sleeping with your boss. A one-night stand is easy to forget. What happened last night will be seared in my mind forever. I won’t be able to look at him the same way. Unless I quit my job. If I don’t, every time I see him, I’ll remember his hot kisses—and want them again.
Every time I see him, I’ll remember this night, blush, and be unable to work.
He looks at me for several breaths. Is he regretting it just like I am?
I should give him an out and move back in with my friends. This isn’t the way I should spend my vacation. Fucking my boss and pretending to be his date has drama written all over it.
“We shouldn’t have taken it so far,” I say, finding a t-shirt.
He gets out of bed, finds a pair of basketball shorts and puts them on. He runs a hand through his thick hair and then looks around before fixing his gaze on me.
“Why?” he asks with a thick voice.
I wish I knew what he was thinking. Is he regretting what happened just like I am? Maybe he’s trying to find a way to kick me out before I serve him with a sexual harassment lawsuit, which I wouldn’t do because it was consensual. Plus, I’d lose my job and my career.
How I wish we were different people because then I could stay with him until the end of our vacation and he’d become an unforgettable memory.
“Look, Claire, this isn’t ideal because we work together. But if you’re looking for me to agree that we shouldn’t have done it, I’m not going to. It wasn’t a mistake. You said it last night, we’re two consenting adults. We enjoy each other’s company. Unless I misread you last night and you hated every minute of our time together.”
It’d be easier to tell him I faked everything that happened last night, but I’m not that kind of person.
“I didn’t,” I say honestly. “It’s just … a week from now, when I arrive at the office, what are you going to see?”
With amusement glittering in his eyes and the arrogant smirk drawn on his face he says, “I reserve the right to imagine whatever I want, Miss Solis.”
“Screw you, Miller Archer.”
“I’d rather screw you, Princess. Whatever happens between us this weekend, it’ll stay behind—like in Vegas. You’re one of my best employees. I wouldn’t jeopardize my accounts by treating you differently. Also, I don’t want us to enjoy each other’s company after this weekend. When the time comes, we’ll be strangers. You can keep hating me, and I’ll keep ignoring you.”
He strides toward me with a predatory glimmer in his eyes. My heart slams against my ribs. He lifts my chin with his thumb, brushing his lips against my mouth.
“Let’s make a deal,” he says, connecting our gaze as his hands possessively run up my arms and over my shoulders. “You forget about work, my family, and everything else today. We have an entire day to explore the pyramids, go to the beach, or do whatever we want.”
He cradles my face and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I’ll make it worth your while,” he says against my lips kissing me like he’s starved and desperate.
Then he’s kissing me again, harder, as if he’s trying to possess me, consume me—make me his. My body quivers from head to toe. I’m breathing his air and he’s breathing mine. For a minute I’m afraid to fall.
Just keep it casual, Claire. This is a casual weekend, nothing serious.
* * *
* * *
There’s that saying that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But who are we kidding? We do it anyway. Before today, I had pinned Miller Archer as the biggest asshole on the planet. Despite him being passionate about his business, driven, brilliant, and incredibly ambitious.
Miller Archer, the man is sure of himself, kind, loving with his family, patient, and down to earth. He has an uncanny ability to make me laugh and smile. Yesterday was my favorite non-birthday day. He made it special. He made me feel special. We spent a few hours in bed having the best sex of my life, then went to Isla Mujeres to scuba dive before we had dinner by the beach. He ordered a special cake for me, even sang Happy Birthday. He has
a nice voice, who knew, another hidden talent.
He’s perfect and it makes me wonder how much of my performance is fake and how much is real. A part of me wishes it was more than just a ruse. Is it bad that when I blew out the candles last night, I wished for a real relationship with a man just like Miller Archer?
With a man like him, I wouldn’t mind risking my heart. Uh-oh, I’m having feelings. How can I not with those eyes, his smile, his touch?
It’s the wedding atmosphere. Look around. Those flowers, the music, and Lola’s big smile are making you think stupidities. You don’t have any feelings.
I focus on the present. Lola. She invited me to join her in the bridal suite since we couldn’t hang out last night and she’s leaving for Belize later today.
“We need to catch up once I get back from my honeymoon,” she says, snapping me out of my daydreams.
“Of course. Once you guys settle into your new house, we can plan something.”
A pang hits me hard in the middle of my chest when I realize this is the last time I’m hanging out with Miller’s family. With the exception of his father’s side, they aren’t that bad. Hopefully, there won’t be another brawl during the reception.
“I’m glad you two are together. He’s different. He’s smiling again. After Delany …”
“His ex?” I dare to ask.
“Yeah, she’s a bitch. I never liked her.”
Curious, I ask, “What happened?”
She frowns and shakes her head. “Thankfully, he realized who she really was.”
Lola takes my hands between hers and says, “You don’t understand how happy it makes me.”
“You make him,” she corrects herself. “I’ve never seen him so content and animated. Not even with his ex-fiancée.”
I stare at her frozen. What can I tell her? He’s as great of a guy as he is an actor. Those smiles are just a fantasy we’re living in.
“He’s my brother and I sound biased, but the guy is a catch. There aren’t many like him. He comes as standoffish, but he’s truly a gentleman. And the way he looks at you.”
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