He loved that.
He bet she likely intimidated most men; weaker men. But to Dane, her unrepentant hunger, combined with her beauty, brains, and confidence . . . all those things made her, easily, the sexiest, most desirable woman he’d ever met in his life.
But he’d be damned if he’d show it. She may have held the cards at that moment—and he wasn’t going to lie to himself, she had him tied up in knots right then—but he wasn’t ready to tip his hand just yet. How far would she take this? He intended to find out.
He liked this game. High stakes. His favorite kind.
Leaning back toward the table, he poured himself another shot, took a sip, then set it down and moved in closer to Julia. Their faces were only inches apart. He could smell a hint of her perfume, that musky vanilla scent, and even the sweet alcohol on her breath. His body surged with lust and adrenaline, making his heart pound in heavy thumps against his ribs. Christ, he’d never had such a powerfully visceral reaction to a woman before. He’d had a few drinks tonight, but that wasn’t it. It might have helped, but no. It was all her. Julia Shay fascinated and mesmerized him. He had to have her.
He gazed deeply into her eyes, and she didn’t look away. She didn’t even flinch.
“Come with me,” he murmured.
She didn’t move. “Where?”
“Out of here.” Quick as lightning, he leaned in and nipped her bottom lip. “I think I can give you what you . . . believe in.”
“Do you,” she whispered. Her eyes sparkled with challenge.
“You know I will,” he whispered back.
Her lips quirked. “Mm-hmm. But we can’t. Boss.”
“We shouldn’t,” he corrected her. “But we can. And we both want to.” He reached out to brush a lock of her thick hair behind her ear, then let his fingers trail ever so softly along the side of her neck. Her skin was warm and velvety. He heard her breath hitch and felt a flash of victory. She wasn’t impervious to him. Far from it. “The attraction here, the pull . . . it’s insane. We both feel it. We’ve been dancing around this for weeks.”
“For good reasons,” she said, but her voice was thick and her eyes had darkened with lust, giving her away.
“Yes. That’s true.” He traced her jawline next, dragging his fingertips slowly, never dropping his eyes from hers. “And I’ve never crossed this line before. I hold to that rule as firmly as you do. . . .” He moved his hand up and swept her thick hair back over her shoulder. “But you know what? We need to have this one night. Like you said, no strings, no ties. Just some crazy hot, throw-each-other-around-the-room sex. One night only. Get it out of our systems. Sound good?”
Her eyes were almost black with passion. “Hell yes. If you can stick to the no-strings rule.” She paused before saying, “Dane . . . I do want you. But I want to keep my job more.”
His fingers stopped at her chin. Tipping it up, he looked into her eyes and said solemnly, “Julia, one thing has nothing to do with the other. I swear I wouldn’t do that to you.” He saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes and continued, “You have a strong contract. I can’t fire you without cause. And come on, why would I want to?” He caressed her cheek, her neck, and used his most persuasive tone. “We’re adults. We’re professionals. I can keep these things separate if you can.”
Uncertainty loomed in her gaze, battling the haze of lust he’d seen blazing there.
He leaned in, gently cupped her face in his hands, and brushed his lips against hers slowly, testing. Her mouth was warm, soft, and willing, so he kissed her. Gently at first, he sipped from her lips, coaxing her. She opened to him, kissing him back, touching her tongue to his, lingering. Need and desire clawed inside him, and he took her mouth with hungrier kisses. Her fingers slid into his curls and she pressed against him, matching his demanding kisses with heat of her own. She gave as good as she got as they grasped at each other, curling into each other’s arms. As the kisses deepened, the claws of need in his belly sharpened. He was so hard he had to shift his position, bringing a lusty whimper from her that made his cock throb.
He pulled back and whispered against her lips, “Come with me. Now. I swear you won’t regret it. You can trust me on this.”
She pulled back and regarded him for what felt like the longest seconds of his life. Then she reached over, took her handbag off the coffee table, rose off the couch, and headed for the door. Not sure what was happening, he stayed still, his whole body pulsating with an animal-like desire.
With a cheeky glance over her shoulder, she said in a low dare, “Aren’t you coming?”
Hell yes. He got to his feet and followed her out of the dressing room. They walked side by side in electric silence, down the short hall, through the lounge, through the bar, to the elevator. He could feel his heartbeat, thudding inside his chest as the adrenaline raged through him. She pushed the button and turned to him. “So where are we going, Boss?”
He slanted her a look. “You call me that in bed and I’ll spank you,” he growled.
She gaped at him, obviously thrown. He smirked. Score one for Team Harrison.
“When we’re in bed,” he told her, “I’m not your boss, you’re not my employee. We’re just two people, and we’re equals. This”—he waved at the bar and lounge—“has no place in the bedroom. All right?”
She nodded, but he caught a flash of something in her eyes: assurance, relief. His nerves were buzzing now, making him edgy, wanting to touch her, but he reined it all in. Once he had her upstairs, in the privacy of his suite . . .
The elevator bell pealed softly and the doors opened. With a hand at the small of her back, he ushered her inside, then pressed a button. “I have a suite on the top floor,” he said. “Nice and private up there. Okay with you?”
The doors closed. In a flash, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, pushed him back against the wall with a hard thud, and kissed him passionately—a solid blast of scorching heat.
His brain shut off and his body fired to life. One hand held her head and the other grabbed her at the waist, yanking her voluptuous body against his as they kissed. Greedy, ravenous kisses that had their tongues tangling, tasting, taking . . . his blood rushed through his body like liquid fire, searing through his limbs and into his groin, making his heart pound. He groaned into her mouth and fisted his hands in her hair.
She pressed herself harder against him, her hands gripping his shoulders as she ground against his erection with her lush, curvy hips. He groaned again and pulled her head back by her hair to devour her throat, kissing and nibbling his way down. Her breath caught and a soft, aching moan floated out of her. He scraped his teeth into the curve of her neck, biting down gently, then not so gently. With a gasp, she swayed in his arms.
The elevator bell pealed, and Dane had to all but hurl himself back and off of her. They stood on opposite sides of the small compartment, panting as if they’d run a race and staring at each other with unmasked desire. When the doors slid open, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. She went willingly, her eyes dancing and her mouth swollen from his kisses. He found it hard to catch his breath, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears.
His suite was at the end of the long hallway. He punched in the code, the signal beeped, and he flung the door open, pulling her inside eagerly.
As soon as they were inside, she did it again—she slammed him back against the wall and kissed him with the blazing passion of a woman who wanted this. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. His mind spiraled as he let her take the lead, curious to see what she’d do. She kissed him hungrily, her warm hands sliding through his hair, down his neck, beneath his jacket. She pushed it off over his shoulders and it fell to the floor. Kissing him still, nipping and licking, she went for his tie, wrapped it around her hand, and pulled.
He groaned into her mouth and his fingers clutched at her soft hips. She pressed her breasts against his chest and her hips to his. Her dark eyes glittered lasciviously, staring into his for a few seconds before she
pressed her warm mouth back to his. She was on fire, greedy, insatiable. And right then, she was in control. She’d turned the tables on him like no woman ever had. He couldn’t think clearly. He didn’t care. He was having too much fun being lost, flooded with sensation, ruled by animal lust. And dying to see what else she would do.
Still kissing, she unknotted his tie and pulled it out of his collar, flinging it blindly behind her with another carnal smile. He dipped his head to skim his mouth along her neck, her passion engulfing him. His hands slid up her arms, down her back, over her fantastic curves, to stop on her ass and squeeze as he nibbled along her throat. Her breath hitched and she let out the tiniest whimper, but her nimble fingers started unbuttoning his shirt. She spread it wide, caressing his chest, kissing down his neck, licking at his chest, taking what she wanted. He let her, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. Her warm, hot mouth and eager hands glided over him, and he savored every wild sensation. “God, Julia . . .”
She bit his nipple and he sucked in a sharp intake of breath, the jolt shooting straight to his groin. Then, as she kissed his chest, she brushed her hand against the front of his pants. He groaned and his cock twitched as his fingers dug into her waist. She pressed her palm against him and slowly rubbed the hard length of him. He opened his eyes to see she was watching his face as she touched him. Instinctively his hips moved with her rhythm, grinding against her hand. Their eyes locked as his breathing got choppy and his heart rate took off.
She licked her lips, stroked him with more pressure, and said in a throaty voice, “That. I want that.”
“Christ . . .” he gasped. He tangled his hands in her hair and crushed her mouth to his. They kissed desperately, clinging to each other, hands roaming, mouths clashing. He dropped his head to her neck again, seeking that sweet spot that had made her sigh before. He knew he’d found it when she let out a low moan, her head falling back to give him better access. With a soft growl, his hands lifted, filling them with her sizable breasts. Her fingers plowed through his hair and she ground her body against his with sinful purpose.
Quick as a flash, he took her by the waist, spun her around, and pushed her against the wall, her back to his chest. To his surprise and pleasure, she moaned lustfully. Even in the dim light, he saw her smile with anticipation. His blood rushed through him, sending his senses spinning. With one hand, he grasped her wrists and held them up over her head, pinning them to the wall. With his other hand, he reached down in front to sweep his hand between her legs, trailing up her thigh, making her wiggle and whimper and grind her ass against him. His knees nearly went out, watching her catch fire this way. She held nothing back, she just went for it. What was that saying—a lady in the front room, a tigress in the bedroom? Her unabashed passion rocked him to the core.
He swept her thick mane aside, flicking her ear with his tongue, listening to her ragged breathing. Christ, her heavy breathing alone was such a turn-on. With teasing slowness, he pulled down the zipper on the back of her dress. Then he moved in, kissing and nibbling her smooth, pale back, pushing the dress aside with both hands, opening the clasp of her strapless bra with deft precision. His hands went around to cup her round, heavy breasts and they both groaned. He ground his erection against her ass and again she rocked back against him, welcoming his advances. His entire body throbbed with need; he could barely see straight, and his blood roared in his ears.
With a low grunt, he whipped her around to face him. The dress and bra dropped and pooled around her feet. As they kissed urgently, she stepped out of them and kicked them aside. He stared and ran his hands over those glorious breasts.
“My God,” he whispered in husky reverence. His hands caressed her, thumbs stroking her already pebbled nipples, and she sighed softly. “You’re gorgeous. . . so gorgeous.” His head dipped to suckle her breast, closing over her nipple with his teeth. She cried out and tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him to her. Her back arched as he suckled one, than the other, while his hands worshipped her incredible figure. All her curves revealed to him, he greedily reveled in them, touching her everywhere. Her breath came in short, hard puffs now, her lips parted, head thrown back with abandon. His eyes had fully adjusted to the dark room, and he could make out her pale body in the dim light. She was magnificent. Fucking beautiful. And he told her so.
“Then take me already,” she demanded, her eyes glazed with passion. “Come on, Dane. Take me.”
Pure animal lust slammed him, making his heart seize and his blood race. Gripping her face with his hands, he crushed his mouth to hers. The air around them seemed to crackle with electricity. She reached out and quickly undid his belt buckle, her gaze holding his as she unzipped his pants. She jerked them down over his hips along with his boxer briefs, then lifted her foot to push them down to his ankles.
“Nice,” he grinned, diving back to her lips. Their mouths sealed once more and their tongues tangled, hot and demanding. For the first time, he pressed the length of his naked body against hers. She whimpered into his mouth. The only thing between them were her black lace panties, and he made short work of those as she ran her fingernails over his back, his ass, holding him against her as they kissed. All she wore now were her stilettos.
It flashed through his mind that they were like animals, driven by a primal urge. The feel of his hands on her skin . . . of her hands on his skin . . . their hungry mouths . . . he was mindless, gone. His world was white noise and heat as the air pulsed around them.
She reached down in between them and curled her fingers around his erection. A jagged moan ripped from his throat.
“Ohh Dane . . .” Her voice was a low, sultry purr of approval that sent a deep shiver through him. As he met her eyes, her thumb ran over the head of his cock, smoothing out the drop of moisture there before lifting her thumb to her own mouth and sucking on the pad of it. “Mmmm.”
His heart almost stopped in his chest.
She began to stroke him in a torturously slow rhythm, watching his face as she did. He held on to her breasts, caressing her as her gorgeous fingers lavished lazy strokes up and down the length of him, and his head fell back as another groan rumbled out of him. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced—the clear look of desire in her eyes as she watched him succumb to her, gauging what her touch was doing to him. Panting hard, his hips moved as he rocked into her hand. He cupped one hand around the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his, kissing her urgently, delirious with pleasure. Her hand moved faster, picking up the pace, and the need kept building in waves—nothing but incredible feeling, both of them grabbing at each other like savages, taking what they wanted, what they needed.
“Stop,” he panted. “Can’t take much more . . .”
“Sure you can,” she said, nipping at his neck.
But he moved her hand away and slid his between her legs. “My turn.” Running his fingertips slowly up her velvety thigh, he listened to her breathing catch and turn jagged. His whole body was throbbing with need, but he wanted to torment her as she’d done to him. He wanted her to go boneless with building desire, wanted to hear her sigh and moan again, wanted to watch her melt in his arms.
“Tell me you want me,” he said in a hot whisper against her lips. He explored her skin as he watched the color rise and flush her face.
“God, I want you,” she breathed. “I want you so much. Touch me, Dane.”
Another rush of lust flooded him. He crushed his lips to hers, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he ran his finger along her warm wetness. He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes as he brushed his thumb lightly across her clit and was rewarded with a deep, wonderful moan.
“Ah, Julia,” he whispered against her ear, “I want you, too.” With ease, he slid two fingers inside her. She cried out, her whole body shuddered, and her legs almost buckled. He held her up against the wall to steady her. “God, you’re so wet.” Setting a new rhythm, he worked her as his mouth plundered hers, hot and
hard.
She was so reactive to his touch; her fiery passion fanned the flames of his own. He rubbed her clit with his thumb in lazy circles as his fingers moved inside her. The sounds she made, staccato gasps and moans of pure abandon, made his body flare with fresh waves of need. She grasped his cock again, stroking his shaft in a rhythm that matched his. His forehead dropped to hers as his body responded to her wicked fingers, breathing heavily against her mouth as the waves of sensation built, overtaking and submerging him. The pressure built to spiking.
“Now,” he growled against her mouth, nipping at her as his fingers moved inside her. She was so warm, so slick. “I have to have you now.”
“Yes, yes,” she groaned, releasing his cock. “Do it.”
Panting, feverish, he managed to stop for a second. “Protection,” he huffed.
“You have any?” she asked breathlessly. “God, please say yes.”
He nodded and kissed her again before he bent to grab his jacket. Finding his wallet, he pulled a condom out of it and got it on in record time. She went to kick off her stilettos and he growled, “Don’t you dare.”
She grinned and again locked her hands behind his neck. “Shoe fetish?”
“Yeah, for tonight. Those stay on.”
She laughed and he swallowed it with another ravenous kiss, grasping her breasts with both hands. Then he looked deeply into her eyes, hitched her leg up with one hand, grasped her hip with the other, and plunged into her, slamming her back against the wall. She cried out and clutched his shoulders as he sank into her. With a hoarse groan, he eased deeper inside, almost to the hilt.
“God, yes,” she breathed. He watched her eyes slip closed as she released a guttural moan of sheer pleasure that vibrated through him, sending shivers along his skin. He stole a kiss, then gently bit her bottom lip, sucking on it as he rolled his hips.
“You feel so good,” he whispered. “So, so good . . .”
He moved slowly, withdrawing almost completely, then drove back in hard, bringing another low moan from her. “You keep moaning like that,” he warned in a low growl, “and I’m gonna be done in about two seconds.”
More Than You Know Page 10