His Temptation (X Enterprises Book 4)

by Tanya Gallagher

  “What do you mean?” Avery’s stomach gave a weird, queasy lurch.

  “We should probably keep this on the quiet side for now. Until we figure out how to break it to her.”

  She frowned. “We don’t just say, ‘Hey, Soph, we’re together now, get over it?’”

  Geoff repeated her own points back to her. “If I tell her, she’ll cut off my balls because she thinks I’m going to hurt you.”

  Avery’s chin trembled. “Are you?” Maybe Sophie was right. He was a player. But no, she couldn’t think like that now. She’d said yes to Geoff, and she needed to give this thing a chance.

  “No,” he promised, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Relief stretched her mouth into a grin. “Good. So there you go,” she said.

  “Sure. But if you tell Sophie, she’s going to think you’ve gone behind her back.”

  Avery winced. He had a point. “Fine. You’re right.” She gave a long sigh. “I’ll just tell her I was working.”

  He grinned at her. “I mean, that’s what you’re going to do now, isn’t it?”

  She raised an eyebrow at the teasing tone in his voice. “Am I?”

  “Yep. Product research. So you can write about that cock ring with an authoritative voice once and for all.”

  Avery’s skin tingled, and a rush of warmth flowed straight to her core. Geoff climbed to his feet and stepped forward. His strong arms pulled her close once more, guiding her hips against an erection so hard she gasped.

  “Working,” she murmured, and then her voice was lost as he kissed away her words.

  She dropped her phone onto the couch as he plucked the cock ring from her table and led her to the bedroom, the text forgotten, a message never sent.

  Chapter 18

  Avery slipped through Geoff’s front door on Friday night wearing her work clothes and carrying a bottle of wine.

  “Oh my god, what smells so good?” She handed him the wine and slipped out of her heels by the front door, padding barefoot through his house toward the kitchen. She’d changed out her toenail polish—this time to white with polka dots. The flurry of color made Geoff smile. With every piece of professional clothing she slipped off, she got closer and closer to the girl he was falling for. Not that the pencil skirt and silky blouse combo was a bad look for her. Hell, the outfit showed off her legs and her curves, the top dipping just low enough to entice him without being garish.

  “Dinner smells so good,” he promised, watching her ass sway as she walked. In the kitchen, he uncorked the wine and poured two glasses, handing her one with a smile.

  “Can I help you cook?” Avery asked.

  “I think I’ve got it under control. “

  She smiled. “Did Sophie give you aphrodisiac cooking lessons after all?”

  “What?” He shook his head. “Hell, no. I’m a damned good cook all on my own. Sophie and I both had to step up after my parents got divorced, so I’ve been awesome from a young age.” He nodded toward his barstools and Avery sat, taking a deep draw of her wine. “And if I remember correctly, you like Italian food.”

  “You remember that from our date?”

  “From that.” He grinned at her. “And from the time you and Sophie cooked six of Ina Garten’s pasta recipes in one day.”

  “Aww, I love Barefoot Contessa.” Avery traced a finger over the mouth of the glass. “Though if we’re being accurate to memory, I’m pretty sure Sophie did most of the cooking. I was just sous chef.”

  “Either way. I think I ate leftover noodles for a week straight.”

  “There are worse things.”

  Geoff nodded. “It’s true. Anyway, in honor of that, I’m making you a weeknight bolognese with pappardelle and a crusty Italian loaf.”

  Avery’s lips parted on a soft moan. “That sounds incredible.”

  “Good.” He sipped his wine, the alcohol and the heat of the kitchen loosening his muscles. He wanted everything to be incredible for her—wanted to give her a reason to stay.

  Avery took another sip of her wine, then set her glass on the kitchen counter. She glanced over her shoulder at his dining room table. “Tell you what, if you’re doing all the cooking, I’m going to set the table.”

  Shit. He’d left a mess out there, too concerned about starting the sauce on time to clean up the work gear that covered the surface of the table.

  Geoff shook his head and stirred the sauce. “I don’t want you to lift a finger.”

  Avery smiled at him. “I’ll just consider it a warm-up. Don’t want to let my fingers get too lazy.” She lowered her voice to a husky purr. “I might need them later tonight. And my mouth. And my tongue.”

  If she was going to demand to set the table and give him an excuse like that, well damn. Geoff tilted his head at her. “If it makes you happy.”

  Avery nodded. “Good.” She slid off her stool and walked into the dining room, and he turned his attention back to the food. He gave the sauce another quick stir, wafting the scent of sirloin, tomatoes, and basil through his apartment.

  “Just about ready,” he called. Then he pulled the Italian loaf from his oven where it had been warming and set it on a cutting board until it was cool enough to handle.

  “Um, hey.”

  Geoff froze at the uncertainty in Avery’s voice, turning to face her.

  “Where should I put these?” Avery clutched a stack of papers in her hands, work notes he’d jotted late last night after he’d gotten programming feedback from Slay All Night. Judging from the frown on her face, she’d seen them, too.

  “In my studio is fine.” He tried to play it off like no big deal, but the frown on her face didn’t budge.

  “Right.” Her voice was a dry whisper. She slinked away into his studio, returning a minute later empty-handed. Her face was pinched, her eyes worried.

  Avery blew out a deep breath. “So, I know we agreed to keep this thing between us a secret from Sophie, but I didn’t realize it applied to your show, too.”

  Geoff’s chest tightened, and his voice came out thick. “It’s just for a little while, okay? I’m trying to sort out my work life, but this isn’t personal.”

  She wrung her hands together. “Sure.”

  He set his wooden stirring spoon on a plate and walked around the counter to her. He took her hands in his and squeezed gently, so she looked in his eyes. “I’m all in, Avery.”

  Her eyes widened, her cheeks the prettiest pink. “But won’t your listeners realize that you’re, um…” Her eyes drifted away.

  “Seeing someone?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ve got a programming break right now, and I’m figuring out where I go from here. This wasn’t part of my plan, Ave.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. “Am I a burden for you?”

  “No.” She needed to see that this was new for him too. Avery had been right when she called him out the other day. He hadn’t been long-term material up until now, and maybe that was because he was still too fucked up by his parents’ divorce. Or, maybe—and this possibility came deeper still—it was only because no one else had been her. Now that she was here, in his home, her laughter filling his life, he could look toward the future with her. And it looked pretty damn good. But she couldn’t go cold on him now.

  “You’re everything, Cheese Girl. Just give me some time.”

  Avery lifted her eyes back to his, chewed on her lower lip. “Does that make this a good or bad time to tell you I got a wedding invitation from my boss?”

  Geoff’s shoulders stiffened, and he cocked his head at her. “I don’t know.”

  “I got a plus one invite,” she said.

  “Oh. Right.” His stomach clenched at the idea. “Weddings, huh?”

  She nodded. “Weddings.” She looked at him hopefully. “Would you be my date? It’s in November, so if that’s too far out, I totally get it…” She spoke quickly, the way she did when she was nervous, and Geoff wanted to ease her mind even though everything in his body shout
ed to run.

  He swallowed a spike of panic. “Going to a wedding is kind of like symbolizing the death of a single man.”

  Her face went red, and she pulled her hands from his. “But you’re not single anymore. Unless I totally misunderstood everything.”

  He blew out a breath. “No, you’re right Ave. I’m just, you know, trying to break my old programming.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his head. “I think seeing my parents get divorced kind of threw me for a loop, you know. My world got totally upended, and my dad bailed to who the hell knows where. It kind of tore everything apart, and I don’t know if I ever really recovered from that.”

  “Does that mean you don’t believe in weddings?”

  “A wedding’s just a fancy party, right?” He gave her a confident smile. “I can do that.”

  “But I mean, do you believe in marriage?”

  Dammit.

  Geoff’s chest felt heavy. He’d been a dating expert for over three years, and he still didn’t know if happily ever after was possible. At the same time, what he’d said to Avery that night in the car was still true—he didn’t know where this would lead, but he was willing to see it through.

  Geoff cleared his throat. “I believe that it’s possible to find the right person who makes you want to wake up every day and keep choosing her. I believe that with the right person you can be happy for a lifetime.”

  “Oh.” Avery pressed her lips into a smile, and her eyelashes fluttered. “That’s a really good answer.”

  Geoff forced a smile. “Good. And it’s a yes, Ave. We can make it happen. Let’s go to a wedding.”

  “Really?” Her voice was so damn hopeful—he couldn’t disappoint her now.

  “Sure, Cheese. I want to see you in a fancy dress. As long as I get to peel it off of you afterward.”

  “Deal.”

  He was going to do this for her. He had to.

  Nerves churned Geoff’s stomach like an ocean in gale-force winds, but the sparkle in Avery’s eyes almost crowded out his fears.

  Almost.

  But not quite.

  Chapter 19

  Avery woke in Geoff’s bed, the whole of Seattle spread right outside the window. The day was dark and close, October in the Pacific Northwest with an undercurrent of rain. She nestled deeper under the covers, snuggling against the warmth radiating from Geoff’s skin. His chest stretched solid like a comfort, and he brushed a hand down her back.

  “Morning, gorgeous,” he whispered.

  “Morning to you, too.” It felt so easy to fall into him, to let him kiss her awake, and she let all the strain of yesterday fade away. Who cared that he’d turned the color of a sheet of paper when she’d first asked him to go to the wedding? He’d said yes, and maybe he could get past whatever was spooking him.

  And if it was the divorce, well, Sophie was getting past it.

  Geoff would, too.

  Avery propped her chin on his chest, smiling at the way the soft hair on his pecs tickled her chin. “I feel pretty spoiled from that dinner yesterday. Any objections to me making you breakfast?”

  He stroked a lazy hand through her hair, his fingertips on her scalp sending warm tingles through her body. This was what cats must feel like. No wonder they were always so smug about life. “I’m not going to complain about it,” he said.

  “Good.” Avery grinned at him and slipped out of his arms. She was still naked from last night when they’d had each other for dessert. They’d topped off the whole affair with the fresh gingerbread cookies Geoff had baked for her, eaten warm in his bed.

  He was definitely spoiling her.

  Avery pulled open his drawer and slipped one of his T-shirts over her head. He’d worn this back in high school, and she felt like such a fucking grown-up as she wore it now. Then she spun into his kitchen, sorting through the ingredients in his fridge.

  She pulled flour, sugar, eggs, and milk onto his counter, then reached around in his pantry to see what else she could rustle up.

  Chocolate chips.

  Bingo.

  Avery found a recipe for pancakes on Sophie’s Instagram feed, then mixed the batter while she heated a frying pan on Geoff’s stove. This was going to be a good surprise.

  She poured a few scoops of batter into the pan, the sizzle heating her face and the smell of sugar wafting through his apartment. She was on the last batch of pancakes when Geoff’s voice drifted over her shoulder.

  “Oh my god, what smells like heaven?” Geoff walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Chocolate chip pancakes?” He moved her hair aside and pressed a kiss to the crook of her neck.

  Avery giggled. “Obviously. If you don’t make me burn them.”

  Bubbles appeared in the pancakes on the griddle, and she flipped them, smiling way more than necessary.

  Geoff grabbed one of the finished ones off the plate with his fingers and ripped it in two. He fed Avery half, then took a bite of his half and chewed thoughtfully.

  “So good.” He kissed her neck again and brought his hands back to her waist. She liked this connection, the feeling that he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. She felt bold and proud, sexy and wanted. And for the first time in her life, it was for all of her. Not just the side of her she showed the rest of the world.

  “You know,” Geoff said, “the first time I ever saw you it was over a plate of chocolate chip pancakes.”

  Avery stilled, her mouth dropping open. He’d remembered. “Really?” she whispered, and Geoff nodded.

  “Sophie must have had you over for some sleepover, but I’d been out late and didn’t know until I came down to breakfast the next morning. My mom had made pancakes, and you and Sophie were sitting there, looking ready to eat the whole kitchen.” Avery scoffed. “You were cute, Cheese Girl, but after I asked you to pass the syrup, you didn’t say a word for the rest of breakfast.”

  She giggled, remembering. “It was probably safer that way. We all know that when I open my mouth, there’s no saying what will come out.”

  “As I told you before, I like your mouth.”

  She grinned at him and flipped off the burner. “It really is such a mystery to me that I’m so good with writing. But I guess practice makes perfect.”

  “Hmm.” Geoff took another bite of his stolen pancake. “Honest to god, every time I eat these I think of you.”

  “I guess I should make more of them.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and sealed his mouth in a kiss that tasted like chocolate.

  “You should. But let’s be real, the pancakes are just a vehicle for the chocolate.”

  Avery blinked her eyes at him, a picture of mock innocence.

  Geoff grinned and lifted the finished serving plate of food. “Sugar for breakfast. You might try to look all healthy for the rest of the world, but I’m on to you, Cheese Girl.”

  “I have a feeling you are.”

  Avery followed Geoff into his dining room, where light from the windows spilled onto his wide, beautiful table. He set the plate on the table and gestured at the pancakes. “Mind if I post a picture of these to my Instagram feed?”

  “Aww, I love when you talk social to me.”

  Geoff grinned and rolled his eyes. “Yes, PR Queen. I know the secret to your heart.”

  Maybe he did, after all. It felt like he was peeling back all her layers, and she was letting him right in.

  “Hey, speaking of which,” Avery said. Geoff gave her a look, and she hurried to explain. “I mean about PR! Not about the secret to my heart!”

  Oh damn. Always with him. He just laughed and plated a few pancakes on his white dishes, squirting a dollop of whipped cream on top in the shape of a smile. “Go on,” he said.

  “I know that our collaboration episode worked out pretty well for you.” Avery twisted her hands together. “I mean, I looked ridiculous. But whatever. You got good stats off of it, right?”

  Geoff nodded.

  “Maybe you could bring on X Enterprises as a sponsor
down the line. I haven’t run it by my team, but if you wanted to send me rates, maybe we could talk about it.”

  He cleared his throat and rapped his knuckles on the table. “You said yourself that sex toys are the kind of thing that you’d usually introduce later in the game, though, right?”

  “When you’re dating someone?” Avery frowned. “I guess so.”

  “So maybe it wouldn’t fit the vibe of the show right now.”

  “Oh, right.” She shook her head, her chest tight. Geoff was still going to run a dating show. Things hadn’t changed between them. Hell, judging from the lack of angry text messages on her phone, he still hadn’t told Sophie about the two of them. And if he couldn’t even tell his sister, how was he going tell his audience?

  Geoff covered her hand with his, brushed a thumb over the back of her hand. “I’ll think about it, okay? I’m still not sure what direction I’m going with things, Cheese. But that’s the great thing about being your own boss. You can adapt.”

  “Adapt. Right.” Like Sophie had said.

  Geoff snapped a picture of their place settings, the pancakes and orange juice he poured displayed like a welcoming slice of his morning.

  Pancakes for two, he wrote in the caption underneath. Then he spun the phone to Avery before he posted the photo online.

  “Pancakes for two,” she repeated. The thought of it made her chest heat, and she smiled back at him. She didn’t need to push things with the show or their relationship—Geoff would come along at his own pace. There was no need to second-guess him.

  She returned her gaze to the plate of pancakes. “I’ve gotta say, that looks really delicious.”

  He cut a forkful from his stack and held them out for her to eat.

  Avery closed her lips around the food, and the sugar spiked through her blood. She and Geoff? They were going to be fine.

  “First we eat,” he promised, “and then I have a treat for you.”

  “You do?” she asked.

  The gleam in his eyes told her it was going to be good. “I do.”

  Chapter 20