by Shauna Hart
Her surprise was evident. “You wondered about me?”
His eyes met hers, and she felt her nipples tighten embarrassingly.
“More than once,” he admitted.
Drawing in a deep breath, she tried to steady herself. The thought that Connor Mason thought about her made her weak in the knees.
Which was dangerous.
The last thing she wanted to do was start an affair.
Especially with the boss.
Even if she had known him before, it wouldn’t matter.
Everyone else in the office would see it as her sleeping her way to the top. She had worked too hard to get to where she was for rumors like that to start up now. All of her life, she had watched other women take shortcuts. She prided herself on being a woman of integrity, one who got by on skill rather than sexual persuasion.
“No matter what happened between us a year ago, I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about us right now,” she explained.
He took a drink of his wine. “And what would that be?” he asked.
She shifted uneasily in her seat. “That something is going on,” she elaborated.
“Going on?” he repeated, his eyebrows arching.
She let out a heavy sigh. “You know what I mean,” she answered.
He sighed heavily. “I guess I do. So, we should probably get to business. Why don’t you fill me in on the McCready account? I want to be prepared for the dinner meeting tomorrow.”
Melanie tried to keep her mind on business as she began to tell him the history of the account, but she couldn’t help but wonder.
Could they keep things strictly professional?
Could they really pretend that nothing happened a year ago?
Chapter 6
Melanie sat across the table from Connor, a slight smile tickling her lips. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was impressed. For the last hour, as they had dinner with the McCreadys, she had watched him ease their fears. The thing that surprised her most was how effortless he made it all seem. By the time they left, she could tell that any worries they might have had about staying with the firm had been effectively squelched.
But it wasn’t just that.
Maybe it was the wine, but the more time she spent with him, the harder it was to pretend she wasn’t attracted to him. A part of her wanted to forget all of the reasons she shouldn’t indulge herself. If only she had given into that desire with someone, anyone in the last year, maybe she wouldn’t find him so irresistible. That had to be why she found the dimple in his cheek when he smiled so adorable.
But her career was too important to risk.
Wasn’t it?
“What?” he asked, one eyebrow arched.
“What?” she returned, the picture of innocence.
He leaned in, his eyes sparkling. “You’ve been staring at me with that same smile for the past ten minutes,” he observed.
Shifting in her chair, she answered, “I’m impressed.”
His eyebrows drew together. “With what?”
“Well, it’s obvious that they’re going to re-sign with us. You’re good at what you do,” she said.
A grin slashed across his face. “I try,” he replied.
She lifted her glass in mock tribute. “You succeed.”
They both took a sip of their wine before he pinned her with a serious stare. “Not always,” he admitted.
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” she inquired.
“I mean, I don’t always get what I want.”
“Oh, really. Why do I find that hard to believe?” she challenged.
He tilted his head to the side. “You shouldn’t. You’re living proof.”
His statement made her heart beat faster. For a moment, time seemed to stand still between them. The predatory look in his eyes made her nipples tighten.
“I’m sure I was nothing more than a passing fascination,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
One side of his mouth curled up. “Then, why am I still fascinated?”
Before she could respond, he signaled the waiter over to pay the bill.
What was wrong with her?
Why was she so shamelessly flirting with him?
Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure she could stop. All night she had been thinking about what it would be like to feel his hands on her body, his lips on hers. When he turned back to face her, his elbows resting on the table, that desire became almost unbearable.
“So, where are you off to tonight?” he asked.
“Probably just home.”
“Why don’t you come out with me for a drink to celebrate?” he suggested.
She knew she should say no. That it was the safe thing to do. But in all her life, she had never wanted to live dangerously more than she did right now.
“Okay,” she heard herself say.
The answer seemed to shock him as much as it shocked her.
He helped her up, guiding her out of the restaurant with his hand on her lower back. She could feel the heat from his hand through her shirt. As she walked out to the car, one thought was clear.
She had just accepted a date with the devil.
And that wasn’t the worst part.
The worst part was that she wanted to sin.
* * * *
She had made a big mistake.
That was clear.
She knew it as soon as she got into the car. The wine had done its job. It had loosened her up and, in the process, lowered her defenses to a dangerous level. As they walked into the small corner bar, she noticed that there were only a couple of people there. Because it was still early in the evening, they almost had the place to themselves, as only a few regulars sat at the bar nursing their drinks.
Connor led her to a corner of the bar, preferring to stand instead of taking a seat. Before she could order, he beat her to it.
“What did you just order?” she inquired.
He turned to face her, a sly grin gracing his full lips. “It’s called a blue-eyed blonde.”
She watched as the bartender placed two long, skinny glasses filled with a turquoise blue liquor in front of them. A cherry sat on top of the ice, the stem dangling over the side. Taking a sip, she let the sweet liquid slide down her throat.
“So, what’s the symbolism behind the cherry?” she asked.
He leaned over to grab the stem of the cherry, holding it up in front of her mouth. One eyebrow arched expectantly as he waited to see if she would take the bait.
“Well, if you eat it, you’ve…” He trailed off as he watched her mouth open, her tongue coming out to guide the cherry into her mouth.
He let out a breath as her lips closed around the red fruit. After she swallowed, she met his gaze, a mischievous twinkle lighting her blue eyes.
“Let me guess, you’ve popped her cherry?” she provided with a smile.
He grinned sheepishly at her astute assessment. “Well, no one ever said that drinks were politically correct,” he admitted.
She took another drink, her eyes meeting his over the rim of the glass. When she put it back on the bar, she nodded.
“That’s true. Drinks are meant to tease, to entice, not to make political statements,” she replied.
She grabbed the stem of the cherry holding it up in front of him. “So?”
He leaned in, his tongue circling the cherry before pulling it into his mouth.
“Did it work? Does it entice you?” she baited.
He tilted his head to the side, his gaze sliding over her body provocatively. “Not as much as other things,” he answered.
One of her eyebrows arched up playfully. “Like?” she prodded.
He leaned in so that his body was so close to hers that they were almost touching. “I think you know,” he said, his voice lowering to a sexy rumble.
Her nipples tightened. She shouldn’t be flirting with him, but she didn’t have the strength to stop. She had been fighting this thing between them and it had only g
otten worse. Maybe if she gave in, she could finally get him out of her system?
“What do you plan to do about it?”
He took a step forward, letting his body brush against hers. His eyes darkened. She leaned back against the wall, her body softening. When her eyes met his, she knew she was lost. Maybe she had been from the moment she’d accepted his invitation tonight? All she knew was that right now she wanted to feel his body against hers. She wanted to taste his mouth on hers.
And when he leaned in, his gaze focused on her lips, she couldn’t think of one single reason why she should stop him.
His lips pressed against hers tentatively, then with more force. His hands smoothed over her waist before pulling her against him more fully. She could feel the length of his erection against her middle, and her clit swelled in response. Her hands slid over the muscles of his arms to circle around his neck. His tongue delved between the barrier of her lips, sweeping through her mouth to taste her.
She could feel the moisture between her legs as her tongue tangled with his in a sensual dance. Unable to stop herself, she rubbed her breasts against his chest, thrilling at the sweet friction they created. His low groan was muffled inside her mouth.
Dear God, she wanted him.
So, when he led her to the bathrooms at the end of the hall, she didn’t even think about stopping him. Luckily, the bathroom was only equipped to service one person at a time.
Once inside, he shut the door and flipped the lock. He backed her up against the counter, his mouth never leaving hers. His hand slid up her ribcage to cup her breast, his thumb grazing the hard nipple. She moaned into his mouth.
But still, it wasn’t enough.
She wanted more.
Her fingers deftly undid the buttons of his shirt, letting her greedy hands roam over the hard planes of his chest. His head fell back, his eyes closing as she rubbed her thumbs over his nipples. When her hands moved lower to his stomach, he hissed in a shaky breath.
She knew she should stop.
She knew that she was on a one-way trip to disaster.
But the weird thing was, she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
His hands molded her breasts only seconds before she felt his fingers on the buttons of her shirt. She felt a cool rush of air as he pulled it open. He undid the front clasp on her bra, pushing the cups open to reveal her. Her nipples tightened as his gaze devoured her. Then his mouth blazed a trail of fire down her neck and across her collarbone before settling over the one place that begged for his attention. His tongue snaked over her nipple, circling it, before sucking it into the warm hollow of his mouth. Her head fell back as a low moan escaped her lips.
His hands pushed her skirt up to her waist to pull her pantyhose down her legs. He lifted her onto the counter before dropping to his knees in front of her. Spreading her legs wide with his hands, he bared her to his greedy view. Her breath caught in her throat as he stared at her.
She should have been shy.
She should have been more modest, but she couldn’t be.
She wanted him too much.
And it was time to give into that want.
She felt his tongue slide through her wet folds and convulsed.
“So wet, baby. So wet,” he murmured, his breath teasing her.
His tongue formed hot circles around the tight nub that cried out for attention. He slid one finger inside of her, gently pumping until she thought she would go insane. She pressed herself against his mouth desperate for the pleasure that only he could provide. Climbing higher and higher, her hand raked through his hair to hold his head against her in a desperate attempt to reach the peak she was straining for.
Suddenly, it broke.
Waves of pleasure swept through her body, making her cry out. As she was coming down, he rose to his feet. She reached out to grab his bulging erection. Stroking it through his pants, she fumbled with his belt buckle. He helped her by pushing his pants down his legs. Desperate, she reached out to grab his cock, her hand pumping him.
All she knew was that she had to have him inside of her.
And she couldn’t wait.
She had waited long enough.
Stilling her hands long enough to slide a condom over his length, he pulled her closer to the edge of the counter. He entered her in a single thrust, his hands sliding over her buttocks. She looked down to watch his cock disappear inside of her pussy.
It was the most erotic thing she had ever seen.
“You’re so tight,” he said.
Vaguely, she heard someone banging on the door, but she didn’t care.
She couldn’t.
She was too close.
He leaned down, his tongue snaking out to swirl around her taut nipple.
She cried out as her orgasm took over, and she moved against him, mindless to anything but the pleasure she was receiving. His mouth covered hers to stifle her cries, his tongue twisting against hers in a sensual dance. His fingers curled into the sensitive skin of her buttocks as he pumped into her once, twice, three times before groaning into her mouth as he came. For a moment, they were both silent. He rested his forehead against hers as they both tried to catch their breath.
She couldn’t believe it.
She had just had sex with Connor Mason.
Again.
The banging started again, and he raised his head, his cock still nestled inside of her body. A sheepish grin slid across his face as his eyes met hers.
“We better get out of here before they call the manager.”
Of all the things he could have said, she wasn’t expecting that.
Although, maybe she should have.
After all, he had just taken her on the counter of the women’s bathroom in the back of a bar like a common whore.
What did she expect—roses and candlelight?
As they both righted their clothing, color crept into her cheeks.
If she wanted an answer, she had it.
She had accepted a date with the devil to see if she was strong enough to withstand the temptation.
And the answer was no.
Chapter 7
She still couldn’t believe it.
She had been a fool.
Worse, she had been an easy fool.
Now, she would have to face him again. It was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done. The worst part was that she knew it was her fault. After all, she had all but thrown herself at him.
How could she blame him for taking something she so willingly offered up?
What had she expected to happen?
After a quick check of her reflection in the rearview mirror, she opened the car door. There was nothing she could do about what happened last night. All she could do was face the morning and whatever it brought with it.
Opening the back employee entrance, she hesitantly stuck her head inside. With no sign of Connor, she made her way to her cubicle. The morning was blissfully quiet until Callie came over.
“Hey, Mel, would you mind covering the phones for me at lunch? My mom is in town, and she wants to take me to lunch,” she inquired.
With a quick smile, she replied, “Sure, no problem.”
Luckily, she didn’t see or hear from Connor for the rest of the morning. She was beginning to wonder if he was even in. Before she knew it, lunch time came, and it was time to cover the reception desk. Walking up to the front desk, she tapped Callie on the shoulder.
Glancing over her shoulder, Callie offered a wide smile of gratitude. “Thanks so much for doing this, Mel. I really appreciate it.”
Standing up, she gave Melanie her chair.
“Things should be pretty quiet. I think almost everyone is at lunch except for Mr. Mason. He asked me to hold all of his calls,” she explained.
Melanie slid into the chair. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I can handle things here. Go and have fun with your mom,” she instructed.
Watching Callie head out the back, she turned to face the computer screen. She
couldn’t help but be curious about Callie’s words.
What was Connor doing?
As much as she told herself she didn’t care, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Did he regret what happened between them last night?
Just thinking about the awkward car ride they had shared made color invade her cheeks. After a couple of routine calls, the front door opened to reveal a tall redhead. Her tailored black suit clung to every curve, and her white blouse was unbuttoned to reveal a bit of cleavage. Lustrous curls hung around her shoulders. Perfectly lined lips slid into a smile as her hazel eyes focused on Melanie.
“Good afternoon, how can I help you?” Melanie asked.
“I have a lunch appointment with Mr. Mason,” she explained.
Lunch appointment?
Callie didn’t say anything about a lunch appointment, especially one that came in the shape of a tall redhead with long legs and boobs that she was sure were picked out of a brochure.
“I’m sorry. Mr. Mason didn’t say anything about a lunch appointment,” she admitted.
Sighing heavily, she pointed her perfectly manicured finger at the switchboard. “Well, why don’t you tell him that Miranda Talbott is here?” she suggested.
Gritting her teeth to keep from responding to the other woman’s condescending tone, she picked up the headset. Hitting Connor’s line, she waited for a moment before speaking.
“Mr. Mason?”
His low baritone voice came over the intercom, making her insides flutter. “Callie, I asked you to hold all of my calls,” he replied, sounding annoyed.
She couldn’t help but be thankful that he didn’t recognize her voice. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mason, but there’s a Miranda Talbott here to see you. She says that you have a lunch appointment.”
Feeling a moment of triumphant anticipation, she waited for him to dismiss the woman. Then, Ms. Plastic could be on her way back to wherever she came from.
“I’ll be right out,” he said.
Slowly, she replaced the receiver, trying her best to stamp down the jealousy that coursed through her veins. Her gaze rose to meet a very quizzical pair of hazels.
“He’ll be right out,” she repeated.
The words sounded as hollow as they felt.
