by Anne, Melody
“I’ve never needed to use it before. I’ve also never had a woman so resistant to me, though, so this is all-new territory for me,” he said with a shrug. He didn’t appear at all fazed by her repeated rejections. The man was damn confident. She wasn’t going to tell him how much of a turn-on that was for her.
“I bet you’ve had many women fall at your feet,” she said.
“Just as I’m sure you’ve had men following you around like obedient puppy dogs. I’m sure they didn’t even need a leash,” he countered.
She laughed again, feeling completely at ease. She couldn’t help but enjoy a conversation with someone who not only sparred with her but challenged her, made her laugh, and wasn’t in the least intimidated by a thing she did or said. She’d chased many men away with nothing more than a simple look.
“I’ve dated and possibly made a few men quake in their pretty little leather shoes,” she told him. That wiped the smile from his face, and she laughed again as she held up her glass. “Let’s toast to new adventures and lost puppies.” Surprise popped into his expression, making her glad she was growing so relaxed. It was good to not be predictable.
“Yes, to adventures and . . . puppies,” he told her as he clinked his glass against hers. “And hot, sweaty, exciting nights.”
She didn’t try to argue with him. If he wanted hot, sweaty nights, he could have them. She wasn’t agreeing to be a part of those nights, though it wasn’t an unpleasant thought. Not an unpleasant thought at all.
“Now that we’ve gotten as many innuendos and flirting attempts out of the way as possible, can we talk about work, or do you not know how to do that?” she asked. She was completely relaxed now and didn’t care either way how the conversation went in reality. But she did find that she enjoyed pushing his buttons.
He sat for a long moment as he sipped on his wine and analyzed her. She was tipsy enough that she didn’t mind. She could tell he was thinking deeply. There was no need to ask him what it was about, because she knew he was going to either tell her or ask another question soon enough. When he opened his mouth to speak, she just smiled.
“Would it have made a difference this past year if I’d simply held you captive for a week or month straight?” he asked. He said this with such seriousness it took several times of running his words through her brain before the words processed. The man was utterly shameless, and though she thought she had no filter, she was beginning to think he had even less than her.
She wanted to tell him it wouldn’t have made any difference at all, but she wasn’t sure that was true. If she was locked away with this man, she feared she’d never be able to willingly walk away. If she told him that, though, the amount of power she would be handing over would be something she’d never recover.
“Since that didn’t happen, I guess neither of us will ever know the answer to your question,” she said with a bit of sass and a lot of satisfaction at his shock. He recovered much more quickly than she was able to, though.
“Maybe. But sometimes if you don’t think of the past or the future, the present doesn’t matter,” he said slowly. “And you never know when a good kidnapping is going to take place. Be careful of the challenges you throw out there, Sarah. I never have been able to resist a good one.” She had no doubt it was a warning. But it was one that made her instantly want to challenge him. The man turned her on unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
She sat across from him as he put kinky thoughts into her head. Would their bodies still slide perfectly against one another’s? Would he kiss his way down her shoulders, cup her breasts, whisper in her ear, and cause havoc through her system? Would his mouth make its way between her cleavage and latch on to that sweet spot at her hip that drove her to madness? No other man but him had found it, and just thinking of that made her wet and eager. It had been nine months since she’d last slept with the man. That was far from a lifetime, but it was long enough that she was seriously hurting at the thought of not having him buried deep within her.
Judging by the satisfied look on Noah’s face, she had no doubt that he was very aware of the thoughts he’d put inside her head. He had a large enough ego he was obviously pleased with himself. She wanted to shoot him down, but she was now aching too badly to come up with something good enough to do just that.
He’d wanted to play a game—and he was doing very, very well at it. She was definitely losing this battle of words and looks. However, she was surviving the evening, and she could definitely give herself some major credit for that. It passed by in a blur, and before she knew it, the dinner was finished.
The waiter brought out coffee with dessert, and she gratefully sipped it, needing to clear her head as Noah stayed abnormally quiet. It was much wiser for her to keep her mouth shut now and try to sober up. If a winner had to be called for the evening, he was going home with the gold medal.
“Since we’re starting so early tomorrow, I think we can definitely call it a night,” she finally told him. Had five minutes passed? Ten? She wasn’t sure. He was just as good at knowing when to stop talking as he was at using his words wisely for maximum impact.
He smiled. There was so much behind that expression she wondered what it was he was thinking. But she wasn’t going to ask. If he wanted to tell her something, he certainly would. If he wanted to keep a secret, she was more than confident he’d do just that, too.
“I’ll let us call it a night. We do have an early day tomorrow,” he said, as if he was bestowing a gift upon her.
When he rose, she tried to do the same, but her knees were shaking. She found him leaning over her as she tried to tell herself to breathe. He affected her so much—it was insane.
“I’ll walk you out.” He was standing incredibly close as he said this, and his heated breath caressed her flushed cheeks.
“I can get myself to the door,” she replied.
“I’m very aware you can take care of yourself, but I was taught much better than to let a lady walk herself out,” he said before pushing a lock of her hair from her face and letting his fingers trail down the side of her cheek.
She inhaled sharply before calling herself a few names. She was a grown woman in control of her emotions. Noah had clearly been in charge this entire night, and she was going to have to give herself some major talks before falling asleep, because she wasn’t allowing that to continue to happen. They had a partnership, and it was time she stepped up beside him instead of constantly being a few steps behind.
“I need to go, Noah,” she said, her voice a bit more steady.
He held out his arm. She rolled her eyes but took his elbow. It was going to happen, so she’d rather it was slightly her choice rather than having him take her hand and place it through the crook of his arm. She’d forgotten Chloe was supposed to come back out and join them. Her friend was an utter traitor.
When they made it outside, the streets were empty and quiet as he walked her to her car. Her slight buzz was long gone, but she wasn’t sure her trembling legs were going to allow her to drive. She might be sitting there for quite some time. They didn’t talk as they moved down the street. She took in plenty of cool breaths, glad for the coffee she’d consumed.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said. He’d paid so quickly she hadn’t had a chance to pitch in.
Noah didn’t say anything else as he turned her body, causing her to face him. He looked into her eyes, and she caught her breath, waiting to see what was going to happen next. If he kissed her, she wasn’t sure she’d stop him. He pulled her against him, not with force but with confidence. She allowed it, though she offered a minor protest.
“You’re breaking the rules,” she warned.
“Rules are always made to be broken, and this is long overdue,” he countered.
The desire in his tone matched the hunger in her body. His gentleness ended as he closed the gap between the two of them. There was zero hesitation on her part or his as his lips finally touched hers again. She quickly forgot why she�
�d been fighting him so much.
The first time the man had kissed her, she’d forgotten her own name. It was even more intense now. Knowing his touch and what he could do to her was an aphrodisiac she couldn’t resist. Her hands reached over his shoulders, and she tugged him closer as her mind shut down and her body awoke.
He smelled of sweat and musk, and she wiggled against him as she tried getting closer. It was just a kiss—just one kiss. It couldn’t hurt anyone. But it could bring a lot of pleasure and a lot of pain later. Maybe the pain was worth it.
Before she could even think of getting too lost in his embrace, though, he pulled back from her. It took a few moments for her to realize the kiss had ended. She opened her eyes and saw fire in his expression. He was looking at her with such intensity it made her sway into him, causing him to groan.
She’d been so resolved, so intent on being strong, and then with one simple touch, all of her convictions had flown out the window. Panic invaded her as her throat closed. He seemed to feel the difference in her, because he let her go and took a step back, as if he didn’t trust himself not to touch her if he wasn’t farther away.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said. He didn’t look at her again, just turned and walked away. She didn’t budge from the spot as he moved down the street and disappeared from sight. She wasn’t sure how long she stood there, but eventually the cool night air got to her, and she climbed into her car.
She feared it was going to be a very long, restless night. He’d begun the evening wanting to play a game she hadn’t wanted to play. She was also aware she’d gone along with him and even more aware there’d been a winner and a loser.
And she most definitely hadn’t been the winner.
The most surprising thing of all was she didn’t mind all that much. Sarah had always been a very black-and-white person with an undertone of believing in magic, fairy tales, and Santa Claus. But one thing had never changed her whole life, and that was she wanted to win at all costs.
Suddenly she found herself not knowing what to do because she didn’t mind losing to him. But maybe that was because even if she felt she was losing, she also knew deep down inside that she was also winning.
Yep, she was in trouble . . . big, huge, monstrous trouble.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sarah knew she should assist Noah as she watched him loading up the sleek airplane with more supplies than they could possibly use. But instead, she sat back, out of sight, and watched. He truly was a treat to behold. And since she wasn’t able to turn off her thoughts, she might as well go with it.
His hair was ruffled as he grinned while singing along to a song he had playing loudly. He looked far too charming in his aviator sunglasses and sun-kissed skin. It was so effortless for him to look good she was sure he didn’t even think about it anymore. Maybe he’d been one of those typical teens who’d primped in front of a bathroom mirror for hours, but now she pictured him as a man who climbed from bed and grabbed the clothes on the closest hanger before running his fingers through his hair and calling it good.
He was gorgeous. No effort was needed. Today he wore a pair of dark jeans and a blue polo shirt that she knew matched his piercing gaze. He grabbed another bag and set it in the back of the plane, making the muscles in his arms tighten, stretching the fabric of his shirt in the most delightful way.
He literally took her breath away. He was rugged and handsome but sleek at the same time. And he made her entire body burn. His looks didn’t hurt in the least, but it was the total package of the man that had her so intrigued.
If the man hadn’t walked away from her the night before, she wasn’t sure she’d have been able to keep on telling him no. She felt such a strong pull toward him that if he pushed her much more, they’d both get what she truly wanted. She might be smart enough to know Noah was bad for her, but she was also a woman with needs, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he could satisfy any cravings she was having.
Her stomach clenched as her mind flashed through the last time they’d made love. Going on a treasure hunt with Noah hadn’t been one of the brightest ideas she’d ever come up with. But it was too late to back out now. She needed adventure, needed to spread her wings more, and needed to not live in fear. She wasn’t used to feeling that emotion. She really needed the heck out of her small office.
And she needed to give herself a break. He was a beautiful man, after all. And what harm did it really do to take a peek or two at him? As long as she was smart enough to keep her dang hands off of him, she’d be just fine. She could look her fill, have a few lustful thoughts, and then be the professional she’d spent a lot of time, money, and energy to become.
She’d tried reading one of her favorite self-help books the night before, but instead of the words inspiring her, they’d disgusted her. Normally she was a perfectly reasonable and logical person. She could be impulsive, but not where it truly counted.
Noah loaded the last bag into the plane, and Sarah couldn’t stand there staring at him any longer. He’d wonder where she was, since she wasn’t ever a person to be late.
With a sigh, she pushed away from her semihiding place and began walking across the private jet strip. She had a feeling it was going to be a very, very long day. The excitement brewing in her stomach betrayed how much she wanted to be there, though. She might be afraid of what she was feeling with Noah, but at the same time, she was embracing this adventure the two of them were taking together. She truly couldn’t make up her mind about what she wanted or needed.
She drew closer, with Noah’s back still to her. There was a restless energy about him that told her more than anything that he wasn’t a man to sit still. Even if she were to let her guard down, she wasn’t sure where that would leave the two of them. She might have an adventurous soul beneath her professional demeanor, but she was also a homebody. She’d never be able to leave her friends and family—not even for true love. She feared too much the love she felt for those left behind would end up making her feel resentment toward anyone who tried to pull her away.
Sarah was still several yards behind Noah when he turned and smiled. She hadn’t made a sound, but she wouldn’t be surprised if there were waves coming off her body, alerting him she was there. That magnetic pull between them seemed to only grow stronger the longer they circled one another. She had a feeling that sensation would last a lifetime—or possibly take them both down until they couldn’t get back up.
“I think this might be the first time you’ve ever been late for something,” he said as he licked his bottom lip, sending a little thrill straight to her core. The combo of his deep voice and solid jaw was one that had melted her on more than one occasion. Wet lips just added to the overall perfect picture the man made doing nothing more than standing in front of her. This really was going to be a torturous plane ride. The thing wasn’t big enough for the two of them. Then again, she had a feeling a 747 wasn’t big enough to calm her hormones, even with them on opposite ends of the plane.
“I got caught up in traffic,” she said, which was a lie. She’d been at the small airport awhile, but she’d been enjoying the view for far longer than she’d ever admit.
His smile grew wider, and she wondered if he had known she’d been standing where she’d been the entire time. She shifted on her feet as she grew more and more nervous by the second. Noah might like to come across as a lighthearted playboy, but she knew the amount of intelligence he possessed. She decided she was sticking to her story, and there was nothing he could do about it.
He didn’t say anything to counter her, just walked over to the passenger side of the small aircraft and opened the door, then held out a hand. She stood there, unable to make her feet move.
“We’re losing daylight,” he told her with a small chuckle.
She let out another sigh as she moved forward, ignoring his hand as she gripped the small rail beside the door. She stepped up and climbed inside the compact plane. It was definitely small, but not uncom
fortably so. She glanced behind her and saw two rows. It could comfortably carry six people for a weekend getaway or a sightseeing flight.
Her door shut, and she had only a moment alone inside the shiny plane before his door opened, and he climbed inside. The space considerably shrunk with him in there with her. His legs spread out a bit, and his thigh brushed hers. He seemed utterly comfortable in his space as he began to click on buttons and prepare for their flight. She was trying to slowly shift her leg away from his without him noticing. She didn’t want him to know it was bothering her. But there really wasn’t anywhere for her to go.
She watched as he grabbed his seat belt, and she did the same, trying to figure out how the buckle worked. Of course it couldn’t be simple like the ones in a car. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and then tried to do the same. She failed.
“Have you been in a small plane before?” he asked.
She was still busy fiddling with her seat belt. He didn’t say anything, just leaned over and grabbed it, latching it into place in less than a second. She didn’t bother thanking him, as she hadn’t asked for his help.
“No, I haven’t,” she told him, her breath just a tad husky. He’d been fast buckling her in, but his fingers had brushed her hip, and anywhere the man caressed her made her skin burn, whether there were clothes in the way or not. She knew what it felt like to have nothing between the two of them. She also had no doubt he’d touched that particular place on purpose, as every time his lips went there, her hips had arched, and she hadn’t been able to control the moan. They might not have slept together for a long time, but he’d learned her body as well as a violinist learned their instrument.
“Do you get sick or have any fear of flying?” he asked.
