Tempted By Trouble

by Wick, Christa

Home. Exhausted. Love you.

  Message sent, she stepped out of her shoes and stripped the dress from her body. With great care, she unhooked the beaded necklace that had been her grandmother's and returned it to the jewelry box on her dresser. Bra and panties disappeared next, tossed into the clothes hamper with a practiced flick of her wrist.

  A fresh pair of underwear in hand, she walked naked to the bathroom, washed the makeup from her face and pulled out the pins holding up her fancy hairdo. For one longing second, she looked at the shower, wanting to wash any trace of Austin's touch from her body. She abandoned the idea. She had to be up at six for a job interview at eight and another at noon. The shower would only wake her up and the memory of Austin as she smoothed the sponge over her body would make sure she didn't get to sleep.

  Leaving the panties folded on the side of the sink, she went back into her simple room, shut the light off and collapsed onto the bed, memories of the man she'd just left chasing her through to morning.

  5

  Long didn't look up from his desk when his secretary entered the room and announced Gina. He continued ignoring both women as the secretary left, his gaze remaining focused on a set of engineering blue lines. When he finally did acknowledge Gina, a scowl imprinted his features.

  Gina tracked the direction of his gaze. She smoothed the line of her jacket's lapel then scowled right back at him.

  Screw him if he didn't like her job hunting attire. She'd been delayed on the last interview then grilled an extra hour by a roundtable of Poydras Street, white-tabbed attorneys acting like they were interviewing for a maid instead of a first-year associate. She hadn't had time to go back to her apartment and change for Long.

  Not that she had intended to do so. No way. This meeting was about one thing only—the planned drilling expansion in Skipjack Bay.

  "What," she snapped. "You were expecting the green dress?"

  The hard lines around his mouth relaxed and he gave her a short eye roll before his attention returned to the technical drawing. "Corset and garter if you're taking requests."

  "Not from you." She marched over to his desk and put an open file on top of the prints. "These are the environmental impact studies and their economic effect on local business."

  He flipped the folder shut, his mouth going flat again, and pushed the file to the edge of his desk. "Read 'em a dozen or more times already."

  "You got anything else to show me?" Looking at her once more, his focus softened, falling on her body and the curve of her hips and thighs. "Baby, that suit is about as tailored as a gunny sack."

  Gina pulled the edges of the jacket together with one hand and swiped the folder from his desk with the other.

  "I'm not some kind of stupid Barbie doll dressed up for your aesthetic pleasure."

  He flexed his fingers, joints popping as he grinned. "Good, I'm much more a feeler than a looker."

  He tilted his head, looked her over head to toe, and grinned again. "Outside of those clothes, you'd definitely be running on all cylinders, baby."

  "I'm not your baby." She held the file against her chest, felt her blood pressure spiking as he continued to trace every spur and valley of her body. "Did you really invite me down here to ogle me?"

  Gina shook the file at him. "You won't even talk to me about this?"

  He had her riled, her body heating as her temper flared. She felt like she was back in first-year contracts, Professor Jakes standing behind the podium, looking bored as she nervously listed case precedent and facts until she stopped and he finished her off with his signature query.

  Yeah, so?

  She deflated all at once. She'd been stupid to think Long had any intention of listening to her. He'd gotten everything he wanted last night, his fingers buried inside her, her desperate moans killing any chance he would take her or her arguments seriously. She could almost hear him laughing at her inside his thick skull.

  Gina spun around, vision blurring as she headed toward his office door.

  Quiet as a housecat and twice as fast, he beat her to it. He pressed his palm against the door, his other hand landing on the small of her back. "I didn't think you'd show."

  She glared at him from the side of one eye. Had she actually found him attractive last night?

  Centering her attention on the middle of the door in front of her, she gripped the handle. "Let go."

  He didn't. She could feel him watching her, feel the heat rolling off him, penetrating her bones to kindle a slow burn.

  "I said let go." She wouldn't let him do this to her a second time.

  Fool me once…

  She shook her head, her elbow lifting to push against his stomach as he took a step closer.

  His hand left her back, lifted to stroke her cheek. "You are more beautiful than fireflies after a thunderstorm, Miss Banks."

  Fool me twice.

  Swallowing down the fire, she shook her head again, jabbed her elbow a little harder against the muscled plates of his lower belly. "Open the door. I'm leaving—"

  "Correct," he purred. "You are leaving. With me."

  Her head snapped right, a string of swear words rising up before the memory of having to cut her own hickory switch as a child pushed them back down.

  "You want to punch me, baby?"

  She snapped the response straight at the center of his smug face. "Yes!"

  "Good." He slid his hand down the door, covered hers and pushed on the handle until the bolt released. "Don't want you thinking that rain check I gave you last night was me being a gentleman."

  She shook her head, thick black curls bouncing along her shoulder. "I won't ever mistake you for a gentleman."

  He bit at his bottom lip, barely contained the smile trying to escape. Running his fingers up under her jacket, he hooked her belt and propelled her into the outer office.

  The secretary looked up. He nodded at the woman.

  "Gladys, this is our new compliance officer on the Skipjack project."

  The woman's smile faltered, her brows slowly crawling up her wrinkled forehead. "Did you already tell me about this, Mr. Long?"

  Continuing to guide Gina toward the elevators, he looked over his shoulder at the woman. "It's okay, Gladys. Just see that you get her an office out at the site and a cube here on the third floor."

  "Very good, sir." Gladys bobbed her head as she reached for a notepad. "What is your name, dear?"

  "Gina Banks." Long answered for her. His fingers did a little dance in the air. "Get her some of those little nameplate things, too, and make sure HR gets her set up before next Monday for payroll and benefits."

  Another head bob from Gladys. Gina stood silent as the grave with her jaw hanging off its hinge. The elevator opened. Long dragged her inside. When the doors closed, he pushed her into the corner, his hand reaching up to cover a plate of black glass above the control panel.

  Seeing the angle of his head and knowing he was about to kiss her, Gina pushed at his chest with both hands.

  "I didn't agree to work for you."

  "Didn't ask." He pushed back, his muscles and height too much for her to restrain.

  "Maybe I have a job, you fucking Neanderthal." She tried to wiggle out but he kept her trapped between his big body and the corner walls.

  "Which firm? I'm sure I can get them to rescind their offer."

  She stopped struggling and looked up at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and real dread.

  "Shh…" He thumbed her cheek then softly captured her mouth with his. "Just joking. I called the placement office at school and they said you were still taking interviews."

  "I interviewed twice today." She turned her head to the side so he couldn't kiss her again.

  Austin dragged her mouth back, his second kiss a little rougher than the first. "I'll double their offer and there's no way they can trump the control you'll have over Skipjack."

  The elevator stopped, the doors opened and he pulled her into the garage. His limo was already there, the same driver
from Sunday standing alongside an open door. Austin folded Gina into the back seat then climbed in after her.

  She retreated to the far side of the limo, her gaze distrustful. "What's the catch?"

  "Tonight. Dinner.”

  6

  Gina sat at a dining table in the parlor adjoining Austin's bedroom and warily studied the man sitting across her.

  Small Cornish game hens had given up their lives for the meal, wearing a salad of fresh greens and berries as their funeral wreath. The only sound in the room was the tick of an antique clock on the fireplace mantle. Waiting for Austin's butler to leave, Gina pushed berries around her plate.

  "We're fine, Samuel." Austin waved the man toward the door. "See you in the morning."

  When the door shut behind Samuel, Gina pointed her fork at Austin. "You're saying you'll give me control over the operations at Skipjack if I have sex with you, correct?"

  "Not quite." He crushed a fat strawberry between his tongue and upper palate, licking the drip of juice from his bottom lip before continuing. "You get to shut down operations if they don't meet environmental plans. That's tens of thousands of dollars lost each hour, before we're even operational. More once we tap into the field."

  Tossing his linen napkin onto the table, Austin stood up. "You have to use your authority judiciously."

  "I got that." Gina pressed her hands into her lap, nervously watching him move around the table to stand next to her.

  He pushed his fingers through her hair, his other hand capturing the side of her face so that she was forced to look up at him. "And it's not just sex you're giving me tonight."

  She licked her bottom lip, her gaze dropping for a second before jumping up after seeing the outline of his erection against his slacks. "What then?"

  He waited, massaging the base of her skull and her tense jaw until she relaxed.

  "Total surrender. That's what you're giving me, Gina."

  She blinked, let his answer sink in. Absorbing the words didn't help her understand them. "What's that mean?"

  He cracked a grin, his brows shooting up as he shook his head. "It's not total if I answer you. You don't like what's happening, walk."

  She closed her eyes, trying to picture the worst that he might demand. There were no rumors about him that she could find. Considering he could buy every television station and newspaper in the state, that meant nothing.

  "If I walk before morning…"

  "You don't get the job." His fingers brushed across her lips one last time before he released her. "What's it going to be?"

  She hesitated, her attention diverted by the lingering heat of his fingers across her mouth. She wanted him. The sensual dreams disrupting last night's sleep had threatened to turn her mattress into a waterbed. She was wet now, the heat and moisture of her sex steaming against the sensitive flesh of her thighs.

  "Come on, baby. I don't care how high your grades are or what judge you clerked for. You're getting twice what the best-connected, most overachieving tight ass would get their first year out." He dropped down to one knee so he could gaze into her eyes. "What else do you need to make this happen?"

  "I need you to be someone other than the head of a company trying to destroy my hometown."

  Simple, right?

  The scowl Gina expected didn't surface.

  "Baby, I'm really trying to meet you half way—"

  "Do you only want to half fuck me?"

  His nostrils flared. His lips parted for a second, eyes wide, and then he stood and grabbed her by the shoulders. He lifted until she was pressed against him.

  With his big hands around her hips, he cinched her to him. "You came last night, calling my name, surrendering control for the first time in your life. I saw it in your face."

  His arms caged her, molded her lower stomach to his cock as he dipped his head to leave a bruising kiss on her throat. "You utterly gave yourself over and were ready to give me more."

  That he was right scared the hell out of Gina. He bought people like they were silk ties, wore them once then tossed them away. What was she to him that he wanted her, was willing to give her control over a multi-billion dollar drill site for one night of submission?

  She twisted until she could see his eyes well enough to read them. Fire ignited in her stomach, flashed up and down simultaneously to lick at her chest and thighs.

  "You want more than one night," she whispered.

  The truth flickered in his gaze but he admitted nothing. "You only have to agree to tonight. What's it going to be?"

  Gina took one last nervous lick of her lips.

  And then nodded.

  7

  As she sat down on his bed, shoulders stiff, but eyes wild and heated, Austin forced himself to keep back, just until he could regain a little more control over his own body.

  He eventually made his way over to her, an unfamiliar restlessness gnawing at him over the question of how far she wanted him to push her. He knew how far he wanted to push—all the way. He wanted her bound, wanted her fiery mind to let go and give in temporarily while he taught her the pleasure and release of other fires burning deep inside her.

  He executed a sharp pivot, took three long steps then nailed his feet to the floor too far away from her to get tempted to break down and touch her, take her.

  Pointing one stern finger at the center of the room, he ordered her to stand.

  "Remove your clothing."

  She stood, moved to the center, kicked off one sensible shoe then the other.

  "Gunny sacks and combat boots," he murmured as he shook his head.

  Gina shot him a look, yanked her jacket off and tossed it aside.

  He could’ve told her what he was thinking when he muttered the observation—that she looked sexy as hell regardless of what she had on. But he didn’t.

  "Slower," Austin said in a deliberate voice. "Or I'll make you put it all back on and start over."

  She huffed, but her movements were compliant, her fingers trembling as she moved from button to button on her blouse. Her shoulders wiggled free, the material sliding down her arms to the floor. She kicked it aside then reached for her belt line.

  "Bra first," he rumbled, his stiff cock making a steady climb up his stomach.

  She reached behind her, the dark gaze locked on his face as she unhooked the material and freed her heavy breasts. She extended her arm, dropped the bra onto her jacket, her flesh lifting and bouncing, the dark nipples attracting his attention and hardening his tongue.

  He wanted to suck on them, turn them raw with his ministrations until she was climaxing and crying at the same time.

  "Turn around," he ordered as Gina started on the pants.

  She smoothed them down her full hips. His cock jerked forward at the first hint of garter belts.

  “Those thigh-high stockings first. But leave the garters on."

  She fumbled a bit to comply with that order. And by the way her legs were shaking, clearly, it wasn’t from an unfamiliarity with the garment.

  Excellent.

  "Bend over while you do that."

  A rough swallow followed his words. Detaching from the wall, Austin came up behind Gina and wrapped his hands around her hips.

  "I'll steady you."

  This close, he could tell that it was more than her legs and hands that were shaking. Her entire body trembled.

  "Are you afraid, baby?" He’d stop in an instant if she was.

  Gina answered with a strangled, but resolute, "no."

  He freed his cock then, his pants pushed down just enough for it to slide between her thighs and rub against the gusset of her panties.

  Feeling Gina pitch forward, Austin pulled her back, braced an arm across her torso and straightened her body.

  "I'll remove the rest."

  Steering her toward the bed, he ordered Gina to get on her elbows and knees. Once he had her perfectly posed, he retrieved the stocking on the floor and peeled the second one from her leg. Then he removed the garter
.

  "Did you mean to meet me halfway on the corset and garter, baby, or did it just creep into your head and take over?"

  She shot him a look over her shoulder that wasn't any kind of answer—just a challenge.

  Grinning, Austin placed the garter belt up by her hands.

  "Normally, I use rough silk ties for this," he said, softly pulling her ankle toward the bed post then grabbing one of her nylons. "But I want you to remember when you storm off again that I only used what you brought with you…that you brought it with you because, deep down, you wanted to please me."

  Her head jerked side-to-side in denial.

  "Ground rules," he said, finished binding one ankle to the bedpost and moving on to the other. "I'm going to do whatever I want to you for the next few hours. You might whisper 'no' or 'don't,' but that won't stop me. Only one word will stop me, Gina. Can you guess what it is?"

  She started to shake her head, then her shoulders slumped forward, her face pressing into the bedding to half-conceal her answer.

  "Skipjack."

  "Exactly." Austin moved to her hands, wound the garter around her wrists in a way that would restrain her, but retained Gina's ability to free herself.

  Finished, he ran his fingers along her flesh. A whisper down her spine, firm over her rounded bottom and muscular thighs, glossing up again to reach her stomach before roughly palming one succulent breast.

  When he had her moaning from just the hard squeeze and gentle plucking of her nipples, Austin pulled away. It was his turn to strip. He did it without a trace of self-consciousness. He wanted to be naked to feel Gina's flesh against his, not to give her a show.

  But he caught her watching him anyway when it was time to peel away the sports briefs that molded around his thick cock. His stomach tightened reflexively. His erection responded with a forward push.

  Without thinking, he crawled onto the bed in front of her. He pushed the briefs lower down his hips, tightened his stomach purposefully, and watched the fat crown descend toward Gina's mouth.

  Her lashes fluttered a few times then she closed her eyes. Her lips opened, the bottom one trembling wildly. Slowly, he pushed inside her mouth, his head rolling backward at the faint graze of her teeth against the tip and shaft. When she took her first suck, Austin almost exploded.