The Charmer’s Gambit

by Lexi C. Foss

  “Vraiment?” Really?

  “Non, nous sommes collègues. C’est un voyage d’affaires.” No, we’re colleagues. This is a business trip. His casual response surprised me. After all the flirting and teasing, I expected him to taunt me by implying we were more, but he kept it professional. I smiled. Good. It meant he considered me his legal counsel first and foremost, which would be important during our meetings next week.

  “Bien compris.” Oh, I see. Her flirtatious tone grated at the contentment I felt a second ago. When her round hazel eyes flickered to his left hand, my heart dropped to my stomach.

  Okay, now hold on a second. That was not what I wanted her to take away from this conversation, but of course, Little Miss Tight Skirt had other ideas. Her grin spread as she dragged her gaze up his body in a slow caress that implied exactly what she thought of the winery millionaire. She launched into the next obvious question about what he did for a living, and Will, the charmer, answered with one of his trademark grins. Rapt interest radiated from the slender woman’s posture and expression. I half expected her to start stripping and ask me to step out for a bit.

  By the time she left, my fists were clenched and my stomach was in knots. Part of me wanted to grab Will and stake my claim, while the rest of me wondered what the penalty would be for punching a flight attendant. Both reactions frustrated me. I recognized them for what they were: jealousy. An emotion I never felt until I met the damn man beside me. Apparently, he could yank it out with a single glance, or in this case, a few casual words. Nothing about his demeanor screamed flirtatious, but the flight attendant made it quite clear that she was available for dessert, should he want it.

  “So, collègue, what are our plans when we arrive in Paris?” I couldn’t help the snarky tone, but if he noticed, he ignored it.

  “We acclimate to the time change, do a little shopping, and drive south on Monday.” He was reading something on his phone while he spoke. “Are there any sights you want to visit, or have you seen them all?”

  “Uh, I haven’t seen any of them in person.”

  That caught his attention. His dark eyes snagged mine. “You’ve never been to Paris?”

  I huffed a laugh. “Did you miss the part about my student loans the other day? Not all of us were born millionaires, Mister Mershano.” Okay, my snappy response was uncalled for, but the man had my emotions wound tight. And his casual replies were grating on my nerves.

  “You majored in French and never studied abroad?”

  I had wanted to, but Ryan convinced me otherwise. He promised to take me to France after law school, but we ended up in the Caribbean for a week instead. “Ugh, I’ve done France so many times, baby girl. Let’s just go hang out on the beach instead, okay?” I cleared my throat, and with it the memory. “No, it didn’t fit with my schedule.”

  The blonde flirt chose that moment to pop in with more drinks and made a point of leaning over Will to hand me a drink I didn’t order, rather than walk around to my side of the cabin. She’d even undone a button on her shirt, which gave him an enticing view of her breasts. I considered elbowing the drink into his lap, but with my luck, the bitch would end up mopping it up with her hands.

  “Merci,” I said through my teeth. She didn’t even hear me. Her focus was on Will again as she asked him about where we were headed in France and how long we intended to be there.

  I unfastened my seat belt with the intention of finding a bathroom to puke in, but Will’s hand on my arm stopped me. He let it linger as he addressed the too-friendly attendant.

  “Je suis désolé, ma cherie, mais nous étions au milieu d’une discussion importante. Pouvez-vous nous laisser un instant?” I’m sorry, darling, but we were in the middle of an important discussion. Can you give us a minute?

  His words, although friendly, were underlined with an authority that made my heart race. It seemed to have the same effect on her if the faint blush staining her porcelain cheeks was anything to go by. She gave him another one of those simpering smiles and walked away with her ass waving goodbye.

  “Wow, she’s practically beckoning you to follow.” I snapped my lips closed, but not fast enough. The sentence hung between us as Will took in my expression with an amused one of his own. Apparently, he found this entire situation funny. Better than him being interested in pursuing her offer.

  “You have nothing to be worried about, darlin’,” he drawled.

  “Colleague,” I corrected. Okay, two glasses of champagne? Bad idea. It loosened my tongue far too much. “Sorry, ignore me.”

  He brushed his knuckles over my cheek and down my neck to my breasts. I held my breath at the boldness in his touch.

  “Would you prefer I introduce you as something else? Just say the word, Rachel, and I’ll use it.” He continued that descent until his hand landed in my lap, where he settled it on my thigh. “I don’t want to make assumptions on your behalf, but as for me, I haven’t considered myself an available man since the day we met.”

  I gaped at him. “What?”

  “You heard me.” He squeezed my leg before pulling away. “Now, tell me what you want to do in Paris. We’re only there for two days, but there has to be something you want to see.”

  He never said what I expected, and this was no exception. Not only did he claim to consider himself off the market after meeting me, but he also wanted to know what I wanted to do in Paris. Ryan would never have bothered to ask; it was always about him. But Will? It seemed he always had my interests in mind, even with small details. I leaned over and kissed him softly, my version of a silent thank-you for caring. For being him. For not being Ryan.

  His chuckle feathered over my lips. “I think I approve of this response.”

  “Quiet.” Not wanting to risk spilling our drinks, I took advantage of my freedom from the seat belt and settled myself in his lap to kiss him again. His arms circled my waist, holding me to him as I tentatively explored his mouth with my tongue. This was my first time initiating the kiss rather than the other way around, and I relished the power of it. He lightly traced my spine as I deepened our embrace, showering goose bumps over my skin. I loved the way his simple touch affected me. It left me hot and needy and sent a tidal wave of sensation through my veins.

  The clearing of a throat had me pulling back to meet the flight attendant’s surprised gaze. She held two trays of what I assumed was our dinner. I considered apologizing, but I knew it wouldn’t be believable. Instead, I planted one final kiss against his mouth before climbing off his lap. He followed it up with a smack on my ass that had me yelping.

  “Will!” It came out on a startled laugh.

  “Two can play that game, gorgeous.” By “game,” I assumed he meant my show of possession for the attendant. His returning the gesture made me grin.

  Feel free to claim me anytime, Mershano, I told him with my eyes.

  His returning grin seemed to say, Oh, I will.

  And I hoped he meant it.

  19

  Airplane Shenanigans

  One bed.

  A queen size, maybe smaller.

  The preflight video said nothing about joining the first class seats into one oversized mattress. I expected to find two single flattened recliner chairs with blankets on my return trip from the bathroom, but the crew had other ideas in mind. Will’s spicy cologne surrounded me as he rested his chin on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

  “Hmm, I see the flight attendant has decided we’re more than business acquaintances.”

  “So this isn’t typical?” I pointed to soft white linen. “Where did that wall divider thing between the seats go?” It seemed a difficult thing to just remove, but I didn’t see it anywhere now.

  His stubble brushed my neck as he pressed a kiss to my jaw. “Magic,” was all he said.

  “Should we ask her to change it?” Even as I said the words, I took them back. “Yeah, never mind.”

  The last thing I wanted was that blonde bitch to invite Will ba
ck to explore her “private cabin.” She’d flirted with him throughout dinner, constantly asking if he needed anything else. I would have considered it fantastic service, but she never addressed me. Her offers were for Will, and there was more than just food and beverage on her menu. To his credit, he maintained a polite yet reserved formality with her the entire evening. It left me wondering how often he put up with women like her.

  “You want to wear the pajamas?” Will asked, ignoring my comment about changing the bed. He let go of me to pick up the packages on the bed. Our names were on the outside, with European sizes beside them. Considering I never gave the airline my dimensions, it could only have been the millionaire next to me.

  “This is the second time you’ve ordered clothes for me without asking.” And from what I could tell, he’d nailed the measurements. Again.

  “And I’m sure it won’t be the last,” he murmured. “Do you want to wear these?”

  “You don’t sound very thrilled by them.”

  He shrugged. “It’s an airplane bed. Comfortable clothes won’t make much of a difference to me.”

  I scanned him from head to toe. He would require at least two-thirds of the mattress, and his feet would hang over the edge—a consequence of being a tall, muscular man. But this was better than coach. As for the clothes . . . “I’d prefer not to change.” My skirt suit served as professional armor. Sure, we shared a bed last night, but that was in the privacy of his home. An airplane was an entirely different circumstance.

  Right. Because you’ve been the picture of professional so far on the plane. I bit my cheek and ignored my snarky bitch of a conscience. The only person who saw us kiss was the flight attendant. Who could she possibly tell?

  Hopefully, no one . . .

  Developing a sexual relationship with a client was frowned upon, especially for the lead attorney on a project. These international acquisitions were for his company, which made him and his organization a client, and a court of law would consider that a conflict of interest.

  But the majority of the work is already done . . .

  This trip was about finalizing the contracts and advising Mershano Vineyards as required. Will would be doing most of the talking, and I would only speak up if his business partners desired a change. Even then, I had instructions to send all requested changes back to Janet for vetting.

  “What are you thinking about?” Will asked, his voice pulling me back to the present. The pajamas were gone, but I didn’t see where he stashed them.

  “Uh . . .” I bit my lip. Admitting that I was trying to mentally justify my semi-sexual relationship with him did not sound appealing. So I went with, “Work.” And how these feelings I seem to be developing for you are seriously bad for my career. If things heated up between us much more, I’d have to tell the firm about it. And wouldn’t that be a fun conversation.

  Will gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me, but he didn’t press for details. I walked around to my side of the cabin, kicked off my heels, which I had put back on before using the restroom, and sat on the bed. It was much softer than I expected. They’d put some sort of foam mattress over the seats. Not bad.

  I slid beneath the blankets and faced away from Will’s side of the bed as he closed the curtains around us. The lights were already dim on the plane, but he blackened it more by cutting the reading lights overhead before climbing in beside me. There were earplugs and a face mask on the pillow, but I set them off to the side.

  The constant rumble of the plane coupled with the darkness closed us off from the world in an intimate way I had not anticipated. We were alone, but not quite, and at any minute, someone could pull open the curtain and see us.

  That’s . . . kind of kinky.

  His natural heat radiated behind me, but we weren’t quite touching. I thought maybe he was on his back, legs crossed at the ankles, but I refused to risk glancing at him. It would undoubtedly lead to something stupid. Like me kissing him. Electricity zipped along my spine at the thought, sending shocks to all my nerve endings. I squirmed a little as they hit me dead center, vibrating the area between my legs.

  Damn it. The man hadn’t touched me in over ten minutes, and yet my body was primed and ready for him. My nipples scraped against my lacy bra, begging to be set free. I fidgeted a little to give them relief, but it only intensified my ache below. An ache Will created with all his sensual flirting and his thorough introduction to what he had to offer sexually last night in bed. Except it hadn’t been nearly enough.

  My hands curled into fists. I had wanted to caress every inch of him, but he’d kept it light. What would it be like to watch him come? To give him the same pleasure he gave me? My thighs tensed as an image of me on my knees before him flashed behind my eyes. Fuck. Why was that so tempting? I never enjoyed oral sex before, but something told me it would be different with Will. Everything about him defied expectations and experience.

  “Darlin’, you keep whimpering like that, and I’m going to need to find a way to silence you.” His words were a breath in my ear. I’d been so lost in the sensations teasing my core that I hadn’t even heard him move, let alone felt it. As for the whimpering, what did he expect? The man had me all hot and bothered without even trying.

  I bit my lip and fought the urge to groan in frustration. Refusing him was an idea of the past, one I couldn’t believe ever entered my mind in the first place. I couldn’t ignore the way my body responded to him, something he had to have known all along. He weakened my defenses with his subtle advances and charmed his way past my mental guard. If he kept this up, my heart would be next.

  The back of his hand skimmed my arm as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to my neck. Not a full embrace, but enough to set my skin on fire.

  “You’re not playing fair, Mershano.” It came out as more of a moan than an accusation.

  “Never with you, gorgeous.” He nibbled the sensitive area below my ear and flattened his palm against my stomach. “Now, come here.” The world shifted as he effortlessly pulled me beneath him. My skirt bunched up my legs as he settled between them. I couldn’t see his face well in the dark despite it being an inch from mine, but I sensed him smirking. “Do you need me to help you relax?”

  “I don’t think that’s possible around you.” Energy sizzled through my body, and having him on top of me only worsened my hyper state.

  “You seemed to unravel quite well in my arms last night.” He nuzzled my neck and placed his lips against my ear. “Though, you’ll have to be a lot quieter here. Those curtains are very thin.”

  Exhibitionism wasn’t my thing, but his reminder that we were not alone sent a thrill down my spine. He had a way of erasing the world around us and helping me forget everything and everyone. His ability to overwhelm me so completely both unnerved and excited me. I loved the pleasant cocoon he created, isolating me from all the troubles in life. He made me happy, and that alone was sexy as hell.

  I drew my nails up and down his back. Taut muscles met my strokes through the fabric of his dress shirt, making me want to rip the clothes off his back. Last night he taunted me and watched me come. I wanted to return the favor—explore his reactions, learn his body the way he learned mine, and feel him in the process. With a palm on his chest, I nudged him to his side of the bed and rolled with him.

  “My turn, Mershano.”

  “Oh?” Even in the dark, I knew he had an eyebrow raised. “Well then, by all means, Miss Dawson. Show me what you can do.”

  He tucked his arms behind his head on the pillow in a show of giving up control, but we both knew he would take it back in an instant if he felt like it. Which just meant I needed to get him so out of his mind that he couldn’t think.

  Challenge accepted.

  I ran my tongue along the stubble of his jaw up to his ear. “Anything goes?”

  “Sure, darlin’.” So arrogant. He would regret it soon enough.

  Yanking my skirt up higher, I straddled one muscular thigh and placed my palms on his
hard chest. The shirt needed to go first, but his elbows behind his head made that problematic, as did the general surroundings. I loosened the fabric from his pants until I revealed a sliver of skin. My eyes were slowly adjusting to the dark, enough to see his lips curling in amusement. I looked forward to giving him a different kind of smile.

  I pushed his button-down and undershirt upward to expose all those delicious abs and the bottom of his pecs. All those strong lines threatened to distract me from my mission, but I held myself in check and leaned down to kiss the center of his sternum. My tongue followed, tracing a pattern created by his muscles. Mmm. He tasted like sin and man and a sweet treat that was specifically designed for me to enjoy. When I reached his belly button, I looked up to meet his smoldering gaze.

  Not laughing now, are you?

  A light dusting of hair met my mouth as I discovered his happy trail and followed it lower to his belt. He didn’t stop me as I unfastened the leather or when I popped open the button on his pants. I took both as a sign that I was free to continue my oral explorations wherever I pleased. And, oh, did I want to savor every inch of him.

  With a grin against Will’s lower abdomen, I pushed the slacks down to the tops of his thighs and played my fingers over the elastic of his boxer briefs. Heat radiated from his groin, seducing me to move my hands lower until I palmed his cock through the thin cotton.

  Holy hotness. I knew from our prelude last night that the man was well proportioned, but having him in my hand took that knowledge to a whole new level. My mouth watered in anticipation and my sex tingled. Never before had the idea of sucking a man off turned me on, but nothing about Will fit my norm. I desired things with him that I shouldn’t, and knowing that only made me crave those things more.

  I nuzzled the muscular indent beside his hip and loved how it made his hard length pulse against my palm. Wrapping my fingers around him, I gave him a stroke and watched his abdomen clench in response. There was no hint of a smile on his face now as he watched me beneath his hooded gaze. But those arms were still tucked behind his head in a leisurely position that signified self-restraint. I hooked my thumbs in his shorts and carefully slid them down to join his pants. His hot member jutted upward, and I caught it with my mouth.