Provoke Me

by Cari Quinn

  That was it. He had to see if she tasted as good as his overactive imagination said she would. He started to lean in but the raw need on her face closed him down. At the last second, he shifted his mouth away.

  He couldn’t do this. Not now, not with her. She was his employee. Her eyes also revealed a lot more vulnerability than her easy manner suggested.

  “Top of the stairs, second door on the right.”

  She stared at him for a long moment then nodded and slipped out from under his arm. He watched her stroll down the hallway and heaved out a breath when she turned to go up the stairs. The loosened tie around her neck came free, giving him a glimpse of the side of her pale breasts before she began to climb.

  He rubbed a hand over the sweaty back of his neck. As much as he wanted a shower, he wasn’t going up there with her. The way he was feeling, he’d jump her before she’d had a chance to take off her shoes.

  Shaking his head, he strode to the half bath off the den. At this point, even a cold washcloth would feel amazing. He needed something to cool down. Fast.

  A couple minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only his boxers. Just as he emerged, he heard the shower turn on upstairs. She’d made herself right at home, hadn’t she?

  He sighed and tossed his towel around his neck. Looked as though he’d be getting cozy with the couch tonight.

  Chapter Five

  “Stubborn bastard,” Kelly muttered, flicking her fingers through her wet hair as she stood at the entrance to Spencer’s bedroom. She’d hoped to lure him upstairs by acting as if she belonged but maybe she’d overplayed her hand.

  What a shocker. If she’d struggled with how to deal with him before sex, reading him afterward was completely impossible.

  A smile twitched her lips as she rubbed her sore back. Her spine bore siding marks and she had a bruised ass. But finally getting her hands on him had been worth every dent and ding.

  She started to flip on the lights then changed her mind. She could make out shapes in the dark—a dresser, a chair, a big bed with a curved footboard that felt as if it was sleigh-style under her reverent hand. Smooth wood was a weakness of hers, probably because she’d settled for a cheap metal bedframe. Her budget didn’t extend to fancy bedroom suites or—her breath caught—silky sheets that poured through her hands like water.

  She wanted to sleep in this bed. Wanted to sleep here with Spencer, his hard body unyielding against hers.

  In business clothes, he was sexy. Naked, he bumped sexy up to criminal. And from the way he’d held her against the wall, his muscles weren’t just for show. Sex with him in a bed where they could spread out and play would be amazing.

  Would be, but not tonight.

  With a long sigh, she moved toward the chair. She wouldn’t sleep alone in his bed. Along with seeming invasive, she didn’t enjoy self-flagellation. Smelling his shampoo and soap on her skin was bad enough. Laying her head on his pillow would be defeatist in the extreme.

  Inspiration had her turning back to tug down the neatly made sheets. She arranged them messily, as if someone had slept there. She grabbed her purse from where she’d dropped it and pulled out her perfume, then dabbed a little near the headboard. Just a smidgen. This wasn’t about sending him into sensory overload. All she wanted was a nice little hit to remind him what he was missing the next time he rolled into bed.

  Her mood darkened as she remembered Nina. Didn’t matter. Her perfume would be clinging to his sheets whether or not he slept solo.

  She returned to the chair and curled up as best as she could. Long legs weren’t conducive to snuggling but she gave it the post-coitus try. Once she’d gotten into a semi-comfortable position, she dug around for her cell phone and set her alarm for five as always.

  Nothing and no one would make her late for work.

  She winced as she looked at the time. Past two already. Yeah, she’d be a zombie tomorrow but she had a feeling good ol’ Spence wouldn’t be taking any potshots at her for it.

  Marcia, on the other hand…

  Yawning, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. Smelling his aftershave everywhere didn’t help on that score but she forced her mind to empty. All she needed was a couple hours of sleep and she’d be okay.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  “Ah, fuck.” It couldn’t be morning. Just couldn’t. She inched open one eyelid. Spencer had a big picture window in his bedroom and the sky had lightened to a milky gray, the moon barely visible. Dawn would be breaking soon.

  Time to rise, shove her feet back into their torture devices and shine.

  Facing her pained eyes in the bathroom mirror made her wince. Her back ached like a bitch and she couldn’t find any aspirin in Spencer’s medicine cabinet. Of course not. Only mere humans needed pills. He probably thought protein shakes and vitamins were the cure for all life’s ills.

  She shut the cabinet and headed back into Spencer’s room to retrieve her purse. This dress was hardly work-appropriate. She’d have to swing by home really quick, and she’d grab some meds then.

  Halfway up from where she’d bent to grab her purse, she paused. Home and getting there were going to be an issue at 5 a.m., weren’t they? She couldn’t exactly hop a bus when she didn’t know how the schedule ran on this side of town. Her apartment building was only about five miles away, Spencer had claimed, but she didn’t really feel like hauling ass in her spiky sandals. And she would not be late.

  If it killed her, she was going to act as if nothing that had happened last night had rocked her in any lasting way. She could deal. She was dealing. Spencer would never wonder if he’d messed with the wrong woman, because she was going to make an ice cube look positively hot and bothered in comparison.

  In the meantime, she had to get home.

  She dug out her cell phone and called Alana. Time for her lax friend to pay up for her crimes. Although truthfully, Alana’s ditching routine had probably helped her. If she’d stayed with her best friend, she wouldn’t have done anything more than watch Spencer. She certainly wouldn’t have run off with him.

  She bit her lip to stifle a smile. For a woman who prided herself on her level head, run off with sounded pretty damn romantic.

  Alana answered on the second ring. “Kel, I’m sorry!” Alana whispered. So, she hadn’t struck out last night either. Her now and then boyfriend Ramon must’ve showed up as planned for once. “I ran into an old…friend, and uh, we got talking.”

  Or maybe not. “What about Ramon?”

  “He was there too.” Before Kelly could question her further, Alana asked, “What about you?”

  Kelly dodged and evaded. “Listen, I’m not home and I need a ride,” she began, trying to slow Alana down before she got too warmed up.

  Lost cause.

  “You met a guy, didn’t you?”

  “It’s not how it seems.” Hell, if Alana could lie about her activities, so could she. “I know him from work. But I need to get to home and change and he’s asleep.”

  Or at least she assumed he was asleep. With Spencer, nothing was certain.

  “You went home with him on a school night! You naughty tramp!”

  Kelly grinned. Between the two of them, naughty tramp was a badge of honor. “Can you come get me? Now? I’m gonna be late.”

  After listening to more profuse apologies from Alana, and explanations about her car being towed, Kelly cut her off. “Save it. Have fun with your friend.”

  But Alana wasn’t through. She offered to go back to Kink with Kelly that night to make things up to her. Which was more than a little distressing and not because she was afraid Lan would ditch her again.

  Apparently the cops hadn’t raided Kink after all. If the club was still open, that meant Spencer might return. And if he returned and the delicious Nina returned, this time they just might return together.

  Unless she was there to put a stop to it.

  After agreeing to Alana’s offer, she clicked off and sighed. Great, now what? She’d have to a
sk Spencer to take her home. He couldn’t fault her dedication to her job.

  She hurried downstairs and into the living room that spread out at the base of the stairs. From the strewn pillows and clothes piled on the coffee table, he’d spent the night on the couch. She’d expected him to be a neatnik but he clearly wasn’t. Newspapers and magazines overflowed the wicker basket beside the couch and a faint film of dust covered most surfaces. The plasma TV, however, was in pristine condition.

  What did Spencer watch? Sports? The news channel? Porn?

  With a soft snort, she swiveled to take in his space. Though airy and open, the room completely lacked personality. Everything matched but that wasn’t saying much. The brown couched paired well with the maroon leather recliner and the brown-and-red-checked carpet. She wrinkled her nose. Okay, that was seriously ugly. No wonder he thought she had a flare for design if he’d chosen something so ugh for his house.

  She glanced back at the couch, noting the indents in the cushions. Cushions that were half hanging out, as if the person who’d dozed there hadn’t slept well. She smiled evilly. Good. She hoped his cock was so hard he couldn’t even move without remembering her wrapped around him.

  Speaking of Spencer’s cock, where the hell was Spencer?

  She wandered through the next room, a combination den and office. His desk was heaped with papers and folders. Atop the mess was a half-eaten bag of chocolate Twizzlers. She grinned and eased one out of the bag, twirling it between her fingers as she imagined him working late and noshing on candy. If she’d had to guess, she would’ve pegged him as a protein shake and steak stir-fry type of guy.

  Curiouser and curiouser.

  Her gaze drifted left and she gasped. A full wall of floor-to-ceiling cherry bookshelves dominated the room. Not even a speck of dust coated the worn volumes she hurried over to touch. He had classics mixed in with current favorites and his collection was as diverse as it was extensive. She glanced at the shelves above her head, picturing him stretching up on his toes to reach the high titles. Either he cleaned like a maniac in here or these books got a lot of use.

  Kelly leaned forward and lightly thunked her head against a polished shelf. Dear God, she’d done it now. She’d not only found a man who tweaked her in all the right ways, but one who liked chocolate Twizzlers and curling up with Of Mice and Men. Or maybe not curling, per se, but still.

  Oh yeah, her goose was charbroiled and ready for sandwich meat.

  When she could bear to drag herself away from the nirvana that was his office, she walked into the small, overcrowded kitchen. Between the center island, the tiny breakfast table and the appliances, the room was crammed. She hadn’t noticed how tight the accommodations were last night but that was probably because she’d been so horny she hadn’t been able to see straight.

  And that was after coming hard enough to turn her nonexistent panties inside out.

  The note on the table caught her eye. How sweet. Then she picked up the piece of paper.

  Went for a run. Don’t worry about locking up when you leave. I’ll be back soon.

  She dropped the note and let out a large—and very fake—sniff. Being kind was definitely Spencer’s MO.

  Don’t let the door hit you in the ass. C-ya.

  He hadn’t considered she had no vehicle to leave with. Maybe he’d assumed she’d just walk five miles in the heels from hell. Why bother himself overmuch? He had more important things to do. Like run.

  Kelly dug through her purse. She’d just call a damn cab. Hopefully it wouldn’t take too long. And she’d make Spencer pay her damn fare.

  She’d just flipped open her phone when her gaze landed on the keys still sitting dead center of the table. Car keys that belonged to the pretty Acura parked in the drive.

  Humming, she snatched them up and tossed her purse over her shoulder. Maybe she wouldn’t be late after all.

  * * * * *

  She’d stolen his damn car.

  Spencer stopped at the base of his driveway and stared at the place where his car had been an hour ago. Not even a spot of water from the A/C remained.

  He bent at the knees and focused on his breathing. Though he habitually exercised in the morning, he didn’t usually run as if salvation waited at the end. He didn’t usually leave beautiful women alone all night in his bed either, but today was a day for firsts.

  At least he knew if she’d taken his car, she couldn’t be warming up his sheets. Those long arms stretched above her head, leaving her breasts on display. Long legs spread wide, offering an unfettered view of her smooth pink pussy.

  And did he really need to torture himself with images like that while he was already hard and ready and pissed?

  It was his own fault. What had he expected her to do? Those sex stilts she’d been wearing last night weren’t exactly conducive to long walks. He’d just wanted her out of his house and didn’t care how she made that happen.

  Suave, he was not. He also wasn’t thinking straight. Kelly wouldn’t ever be the type of woman he could dismiss, even if it was for her own damn good. She didn’t know what kind of man he was. He’d be doing her a favor if he kept his distance.

  He expelled a long breath and headed up the drive to the back door, which she’d very considerately left unlocked at his suggestion. This must be what it was like to live with someone. Sharing control wasn’t something he relished. Probably why his lovers rarely spent the night. Even negotiating what to have for breakfast seemed like too much trouble.

  He liked his life just as it was. Was that so wrong? And true, Kelly had “borrowed” his car, but at least she hadn’t hung around with mopey eyes waiting for him to say he’d call though they both knew it was a lie.

  Small favors.

  He went into the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel to mop up the sweat dripping down his chest. It was already heading past 75 and it wasn’t even six. Today promised to be one of the hottest days of the year.

  His thoughts shuddered to a stop as he saw the note on the table. She’d crossed out his pithy message and written one of her own.

  Didn’t want to be late. I’ll be sure to return your car in the same condition I borrowed it, with one exception. I’m not wearing panties. And the leather in your Acura is so soft and supple…

  Spencer groaned aloud. God, she had to be kidding. She wouldn’t grind her juicy pussy against his seats.

  Even if she had left a lipstick kiss at the bottom of the note.

  He rubbed at the headache brewing between his eyes. Didn’t matter what she ground where. He’d have the seats professionally cleaned if necessary but he wasn’t getting involved with her. She’d proven to be a bit more dogged in her pursuit than he’d expected—while also remaining oddly, seductively aloof—but he’d dealt with worse. If he knew anything, it was how to handle women.

  Smiling, he pitched the towel in the garbage, the same place he ditched her note. He felt better already.

  Car or no car, Kelly Crossman wasn’t going to get the better of him.

  * * * * *

  “Meeting in the conference room in ten.”

  Kelly didn’t look up from where she’d stationed herself on the floor in the romance section. As Spencer had requested, she’d begun reorganizing the space to be more eye-catching, though she’d had to bargain with Marcia for ten minutes to be given an hour off the register. Now she’d barely started and they were summoning her to a meeting.

  A grin curved her mouth as she stared at the bodice ripper in her lap. Maybe Spencer wanted to show off his preference for public performances by taking her on the conference table in front of the staff. Nah, not likely. That was what the club was for.

  If she went back to Kink again tonight and he didn’t show, she was going to be very disappointed. She hadn’t been entirely lying in her note about how arousing she found the leather in his car. Imagining him fingering her had turned up the wetness factor until she’d been squirming. Pity she hadn’t worn panties or else she would’ve left them tucke
d discreetly in his glove box.

  With a sigh, she stacked books in alphabetical order and tried to calm her racing heart as the hordes mobilized around her. Lots of moving feet meant this was a full staff meeting, which didn’t happen often. That fact was confirmed when she walked past the checkout counter and saw a long line in front of the lone cashier—her nemesis Leigh. Even Marcia had been summoned.

  This couldn’t be good.

  “So you don’t have to head back for the big meeting, huh?” she asked Leigh as she passed.

  “Somebody has to help the customers.” Leigh’s smile dripped insincerity. “Unlike some of you, I don’t have problems doing my job.” Before Kelly could reply, she turned one thousand watts on the next customer. “Cash or charge? The Book Nook credit card, perhaps?”

  Okay, what was the deal with that? Was she getting special perks from the boss? Special perks that went part and parcel with embraces in his office?

  Gritting her teeth, Kelly headed down the hallway to the last door before Spencer’s office. She probably deserved the bitch treatment. God knows she wasn’t exactly warm toward Leigh on most occasions. But it was just patently unfair that Leigh’s hair shone coppery red and her eyes were a mossy green rarely found in nature. She was tiny and adorable and completely together at all times.

  It really pissed her off.

  She stepped into the conference room. Voices buzzed, though few members of the staff were seated.

  A niggle of alarm brewed in Kelly’s stomach when Marcia, Cale and Tony’s gazes zeroed in on her. This couldn’t be about her, could it? What could she have done? Other than bone the boss, but she was pretty sure Spencer wouldn’t have a staff meeting to announce that fact.

  She dropped into a chair at one end of the table. Normally one of the cashiers would lean over and whisper some inconsequential gossip, but today both women beside her remained stone-faced and silent.

  Out of habit, she started to reach for her PDA, which she normally carried in her pocket. God, she missed her electronic security blanket.