Seducing the Boss (The Pulse Series)

by Mari Carr

  “What happened?”

  “He had an affair with his secretary.”

  Of all the answers he’d been expecting, that one had never occurred to him. “You’re kidding.”

  She gave him a rueful smile. “I’ve never told anyone that. I was embarrassed and then, sort of ashamed. Like maybe it was my fault he’d gone out looking for someone else.”

  “That’s crap, and you know it. The guy cheated on you. That’s on him.”

  “Yeah. I get that. It hurt like hell when I first found out. Nothing like having your life tossed on its ear by such a cliché. But now…”

  He waited for her to fill in the blanks. When it became obvious she wasn’t going to, he prodded. “But now?”

  “I feel like I dodged a bullet. Despite giving your too-healthy ego a boost, last night proved to me I want more from a relationship than just companionship.”

  “Oh yeah?” He grinned widely, prompting her eye roll.

  “Yeah, you arrogant asshole. I want hot sex and passion and knock down, drag out fights over stupid shit, and a relationship that’s so good, it’s worth putting a little work into.”

  He wasn’t sure how long he sat there without responding. Truth was he didn’t know what to say. Last night had opened his eyes to some stuff he’d just as soon not see.

  She rose from the table, intent on clearing the table. “Don’t look so panic stricken, Kell. I sure as hell don’t want any of that with you.”

  He gripped her upper arm, catching her by surprise, trying to ignore the way her easy dismissal of him as a candidate pissed him off. He didn’t want what she claimed to desire, but that didn’t stop his irrational pride from rearing its ugly head.

  Sara liked to refer to herself as vertically challenged. What that meant was it took very little effort on his part to tug her five-foot-four frame facedown across his lap. “Actually, there is one part of that you do want from me. After all, our entire plan for this weekend is hot sex, right?”

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, trying to get up.

  “Punishing you.”

  She stilled. “What the hell for?”

  “Answering the door dressed like that.”

  “Listen, Kell—”

  “I’m not going to give you a safe word. If you want me to stop, just say so, and I will.”

  “Safe word? What do you—” She broke off as he pushed the T-shirt to her waist, revealing her bare ass. His hand had landed two firm slaps before she managed to grip his leg in an attempt to shove herself up.

  He used one hand to hold her head down, while he peppered her ass with smacks—some light, some stinging, some that she would feel for a little while.

  “Kellan.” She was struggling harder now, but the petite woman didn’t stand a chance against him. Even so, he paused.

  “I haven’t heard the word stop, Sara.”

  She hesitated, and he decided to use it to his advantage. Kellan pushed his hand between her legs, his fingers dipping inside. She was wet, and her quiet groan told him exactly what he needed to know.

  She wasn’t going to tell him to stop.

  He pressed three fingers deep, enjoying the way she clenched around him. He thrust them in and out, stoking the flames as Sara thrashed, silently demanding more.

  Just as she became accustomed to the rhythm, he withdrew and added two more slaps to her pink ass. He didn’t hold back any of his strength. Rather than resist, this time, she appeared to enjoy it.

  “Please.”

  “Please what, Sara?”

  She still had an iron grip on his lounge pants as she wiggled wildly, seeking stimulation.

  “More. I nee—”

  Her words were cut off by the gasp he provoked when he thrust his fingers back into her. He curled them, seeking—and finding—the same spot he’d discovered last night. Now, like then, it did the trick. Her body began to gyrate as she pushed toward him, seeking more. There was nothing sexier than watching Sara react to his touches, listening to her little squeaks and cries and moans. She didn’t hold anything back, letting him see and feel it all. He couldn’t deny she was damn good for his ego.

  Sara screamed as she came. As she finished and lay still over his lap, he stroked her bare back, whispering the kind of words he’d never felt compelled to say before.

  “You’re so beautiful, Sara. Sweet. Perfect.”

  She sighed almost sleepily, her body limp across him, completely relaxed.

  Then he considered the pain she’d suffered at the hands of a man who clearly hadn’t deserved her. “David was an idiot. A total jerk.” She breathed out a laugh, compelling him to add, “A fucking loser.”

  There was something about the way Sara gave herself to him—freely, without constraint or pretense—that was far more arousing than he cared to admit.

  A man could get used to this. Breakfast. Hot sex. Laughter in bed. He shut those thoughts down quickly.

  When Sara began to stir, he helped her rise. She wobbled on shaky legs, so he pulled her into his lap instead, cradling her there until she regained her strength.

  When she finally spoke, the tone and words were pure Sara. No nonsense, honest, funny.

  “Well, that was unexpected. Slightly mortifying, but totally hot.”

  He chuckled, and she gave him a glare that he couldn’t even begin to take seriously.

  “By the way, my ass hurts.”

  “If you’re expecting an apology, you’re destined for disappointment. Not only am I not sorry, I’m hoping you do something else that pisses me off so I can do it again.”

  Her brows lifted haughtily. “Hate to break it to you, but if that’s your idea of punishment, you missed the mark by about a mile.”

  Kellan kissed her. Kissing had never figured into sex quite so heavily for him, but he was unable to resist the taste of her, the way she went soft in his arms, the feeling of her hands wrapped around his neck.

  He had intended to keep the kiss simple, chaste even, but with Sara that was impossible. She twisted until she straddled his lap.

  His cock was hard and aching, a fact that must have been unquestionable in their current position. Sara pressed against his covered dick and began to rock.

  They reached the point of no return in about two point seven seconds. He broke the kiss off.

  “Give me thirty seconds.”

  She tilted her head, giving him a quizzical look.

  “Condoms are in the bedroom.”

  “Oh. Some playboy you are. Sort of figured you’d have a box in every room.”

  He would have laughed at her joke if he weren’t in such a hurry to move things to the next level.

  Sara didn’t help matters as she stood slowly, clearly not happy about giving up her place. He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head as he headed for the hallway. He made short work of grabbing a condom and returning.

  Her hands were on her hips when he entered the room. “Your pants are still on.”

  “One of these days, I’m going to teach you a little lesson about patience.”

  Despite his threat, he tugged his pants down, desperate to be inside her. It was no small task considering Sara had approached him and begun kissing him as if her life depended on it. Once he was naked, Sara was there, ready, taking the condom out of his hand to roll it on him.

  “Probably should have told you last night, I’m on the pill, too, so no danger of pregnancy if something goes wrong.”

  He cupped her cheek affectionately. “You’re right. We missed this talk. I’m clean, Sara. Just had my yearly physical last month.”

  “Me, too. So…” She paused. “We’re all good on the grown-up stuff?”

  “Yeah. I think we covered the bases.” He reclaimed his seat at the table and reached out for her. She resumed her previous position, lifted her hips and slowly slid down on his erection. Kellan gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself. She was tight, wet, and hotter than the surface of the sun. Despite the fact that he’d com
e with the force of a freight train last night, it felt as if he hadn’t fucked in centuries.

  Once again, he was pulling her lips toward his, the need to kiss her overpowering every other thought in his head.

  And then that desire twisted into something much more. Kellan used his grip on her hips to lift her off his cock before drawing her back down. The two of them worked together, setting a pace that had him seeing stars within minutes.

  Sara’s nails scored his shoulders as she cried out. She came, but Kellan wasn’t finished with her. He lifted her, his cock buried deep as he turned. Sara had cleared their plates from the table when he went to get the condom, which allowed him to lay her on the table. He resumed his driving rhythm, pounding harder, faster.

  She screamed as another climax struck, and this time, he came with her.

  “Sara. Sweet Sara,” he said, his voice gruff.

  He held himself above her, his elbows next to her, their legs tangled together, hers hanging over the end of the table. Kellan closed his eyes as he tried to come to grips with what was happening here. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was falling for her.

  No. It was the amazing sex confusing him. Their attraction was off the charts, but that didn’t have a damn thing to do with emotion. It was lust. Plain and simple.

  When he opened his eyes, she was studying his face, an amused expression on hers.

  “If I’d known how much a little breakfast turned you on, I would have fried up some bacon for you years ago. Could have brought this damn dry spell of mine to a grinding halt.”

  He laughed, the sound filling the room. While he was grappling to figure out what was going on, Sara appeared to be in complete control of the situation. In the past, her practicality and unwavering common sense had struck him as boring. Now he was grateful for her steadiness. Her humor helped lighten all these unwanted feelings that kept blindsiding him. “Come on, Scrubs. Let’s cool off in the pool.”

  “Skinny dipping?”

  “Is there any other way?”

  She slid off the table and started toward the pool. The open kitchen had sliding glass doors that led to a large patio with his favorite features of the house—the kick-ass grill and outdoor bar. He’d put both to good use over the past few years. On the opposite end of the patio was a hot tub and beyond it, the pool. Thanks to the tall trees that screened his property, he had every intention of fucking her in both.

  Kellan caught a glimpse of her ass, cheeks still tinged pink from his hand, before she darted out the door and dove gracefully into the deep end.

  No reservations. No holding back.

  Kellan followed her, feeling the same need to throw caution to the wind, to plunge himself into the cold water without worry. They’d have plenty of stuff to sort out come Monday. For now, he wanted to live in the moment with Sara.

  Chapter Four

  Sara stretched out on the mattress and released a long, relaxed sigh. After a quick swim, the two of them had moved their fun and games to the shower, indulging in the sexiest version of doggy style she’d ever experienced on the floor of his bedroom, followed by a nap.

  Kellan was still dozing next to her, so she took the opportunity to study him. She had always thought he was handsome, though she had never told him so. The man had an ego the size of California. He didn’t need her telling him that he was hot. He knew it.

  He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome with his dark brown hair and almost black eyes. He clearly made good use of his pool, given his tan, and the gym, given his six-pack. God, she didn’t think any real-life man had a chest like his. She had always believed those sexy muscles were reserved for movie stars and male models.

  Of course, Kellan used his looks and charm and intelligence to entice one woman after another to his bed. He was the complete package, and he wielded his superpowers of seduction with deadly precision.

  It was hard to fault the man for his past affairs when she was so obviously benefiting from his experience. She’d never had a man take her over so completely in the bedroom.

  Kellan knew exactly what to say and how to touch her to keep her body at a constant simmer. All he had to do was turn the heat up the slightest bit and she was boiling, ablaze, lost in a haze of steam and bliss.

  If she weren’t so sexually satisfied, perhaps she’d be stressed out about the fact she had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours rolling around in bed naked with her boss and oldest friend. As it was, he’d turned her brain to mush. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind she’d find plenty of time to fret and worry about what this would do to those two relationships after the weekend was over, but for now she was just going with the flow.

  Glancing at the clock, she was surprised to see it was nearly three in the afternoon. She’d lost track of days and nights since leaving the bar with Kellan. Probably had to do with the fact the two of them kept landing back in bed no matter what time it was.

  Tugging on the T-shirt she’d donned this morning, she decided to venture to the kitchen for a snack. She’d worked up one hell of an appetite.

  Just before she got to the bedroom doorway, she heard a buzzing noise. Rummaging around on the floor, she realized it was Kellan’s phone, still tucked in the back pocket of the pants he’d been wearing at Score.

  She started to place it on the nightstand next to him when it buzzed again. A quick glance at the screen told her it was someone named Veronica who wanted to see him tonight. She chastised herself for feeling the tiniest pang of jealousy. She knew exactly what she was getting when she came home with him. This weekend was about sex and nothing more. As long as she kept her eyes wide open and focused on that fact, she might have a chance of escaping here without foolish dreams about something that would never be.

  She jumped, startled, when she realized Kellan was watching her. Sara flushed, feeling as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

  “I wasn’t snooping,” she said hastily. “Your phone buzzed, and I was just going to put it on the nightstand for you.”

  Kellan appeared amused by her discomfiture. “Who was it?”

  She could lie and pretend she hadn’t read the text—something Kellan would see through in a New York minute—or she could just answer the question.

  “Veronica. I’m not sure, but I think it might have been a booty call…or text, as it were.”

  “Oh.” He didn’t seem enticed by the invitation.

  “Do I know Veronica?” she asked.

  Kellan shook his head. “No.”

  The short answer left Sara with too many questions. Given the sudden stiffness in his shoulders, she figured she should just let it go. But it appeared she’d left the wise Sara who played things safe at the bar last night.

  Sinking down on the bed next to him, she opened the can of worms. “Why don’t you want to get married?”

  That was totally not the question she’d intended to ask, so—like Kellan—she was sort of shocked by it. She’d meant to ask who Veronica was, what she meant to him, if he thought it could become something serious.

  “’Til death do us part is a damn long time, Scrubs.”

  “Be serious.”

  “I am,” he insisted. “Why can’t you understand that marriage isn’t for everyone? There are lots of different lifestyle options out there. Women who don’t want kids. Men who want to marry other men. And people who simply don’t want to get married at all. Look at my life. I’m living the dream here. Good job, great house and friends, and the option to spend my nights alone or”—he pointed to her—“to spend them with a beautiful woman who talks too much and asks way too many questions.”

  Sara could get used to hearing she was beautiful. Her ex had never been one to throw around a lot of compliments, whereas Kellan had no problem telling her she looked pretty. She’d never considered herself the type of person who needed someone’s praise or approval, but it felt damn good to hear it just the same.

  “So,” she said, leaning close en
ough that her breasts brushed against Kellan’s arm, “Are you sure you don’t want to cut our weekend short to take Veronica up on her offer? I could always just leave now.” She’d cut off his dick if he said yes.

  “You don’t have a car.”

  “I have the Uber app on my phone.” She moved away, pretending to look around the room for her cell.

  Kellan reached out to capture her wrist at lightning speed. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  His deep-voiced assertion had her going damp in seconds. God, she needed to get a grip on her hormones.

  “I can leave any time I want.” She wasn’t sure why she felt compelled to argue this point. She sure as hell didn’t intend to leave. He’d promised her another night, a few more fantasies, and given his track record, at least half a dozen more orgasms.

  “Get back in bed, Sara.” Damn him and that demanding tone.

  She crawled next to him, far too pleased that he’d chosen her over Veronica. If she took a few minutes to think about that, she would probably pick up her phone and call the damn cab. Her emotions were traveling down dark and dangerous paths.

  Instead, Kellan rendered her brainless with that sexy, hungry look that told her shit was about to get real.

  He growled at the T-shirt, tugging it over her head. “What part of ‘naked’ are you struggling with this weekend?”

  She rolled to her back, trying to drag him over her, without responding. Sara had never considered herself a sexual person, but there was something about Kellan that had her body humming constantly. One look or sexy comment and she was ready to roll.

  Kellan caged her beneath him.

  She lifted her face, her eyes drifting closed as his lips touched hers. A girl could get seriously addicted to Kellan’s kisses. They were deadly to her self-control, poison to that tiny part of her that insisted she keep her feelings for him in check.

  If this weekend had stayed just about sex, it would be easier. But he was chiseling away at the wall around her heart. She knew it wasn’t intentional. God, if he realized the protective shield was crumbling, he’d call a halt to the whole thing right now.