Page 35 of Dangerous Secret

“Now?” she squeaked.

“Yes, right now.” They weren’t going to have sex tonight. Her question had come out of the blue, and he couldn’t be certain she’d actually thought it through. Before they took it that far, he needed her to be sure she wouldn’t regret it. He sure wouldn’t, but he didn’t want any remorse on her part on his conscience.

That didn’t mean they couldn’t fool around a little with the added benefit of easing her into being intimate with him. She stared at him as if she was trying to read his mind. Or maybe she was having second thoughts. He hoped not.

With the speed of a sloth, she rose, took a tentative step toward him and stopped.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said. “You can walk away right now, and we’ll still be friends.”

“I want to,” she whispered.

He held out his hand. “Then come to me.” When she placed her hand in his, his damn heart thumped in his chest. That was a first. He’d never in his life had such a strong reaction to a woman. Yeah, it was going to be hard to walk away when she decided it was time.

Something to think about later, but for now, he pulled her onto his lap. Even though she’d been the one to start this, she was as skittish as a feral kitten. “Hey, look at me,” he said when she stared at the floor. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face. “You’re in control here. You have all the power. You can just sit here, and we’ll talk if that’s what you want.”

“I want to kiss you.”

“Then do it. My mouth is yours.” She’d been so bold when she’d propositioned him, but now his kitten had lostsome of her confidence. He wanted ten minutes alone in a room with Pressley for mentally beating this beautiful woman down until she took to hiding herself. He decided right then that he was going to do everything in his power to give that back to her. He’d help her find that woman again.

Her gaze dipped to his lips, and he breathed in her scent as she leaned closer. Did her skin taste like vanilla? He’d like to know. “Are you going to kiss me or not?”

“Yes.”

And then she did, tentatively at first, just a brush of her lips over his. Her eyes were open and staring into his as if gauging his reaction. Then she pressed her mouth harder against his as her eyes slid closed. When her hands traveled over his shoulders and then to the back of his neck, he almost growled his approval.

He tapped her leg with his fingers. “Straddle me.”

“Much better,” she said with a little giggle after she’d straddled him. She lowered her mouth to his again, this time with more urgency, any hesitation on her part gone. Her hands fisted his T-shirt, as if she needed the material to anchor her to him.

It was in his nature to be in control, but he’d told her she had the power, and he was curious to see how far she’d go. So, he lightly rested his hands on her hips and didn’t explore her body like he wanted to.

He let her have her way with his mouth, and they made out like teenagers. He couldn’t remember when he’d last spent this much time kissing a woman without the intention of taking her to bed. Not today anyway.

She made a little noise like a kitten’s growl, and it was the sexiest sound he’d ever heard. A minute later, he made his own sound, a hiss when she wiggled her bottom over his lap. She had to feel how aroused he was, and whenshe squirmed again, he tightened his hands on her waist to still her.

“Easy there, kitten. I’m holding on to my control by a thread, but you’re testing me.”

“What if I want to break that thread?”

“There’s nothing I want more, but not today.”

She put her hands on his chest and pushed away. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

Her gaze skittered away from him. “I practically attacked you.”

“I think we just did a lot of kissing, no attacks involved.” He wasn’t going to allow her to fade back into her shell thinking she’d done something wrong. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “God, you’re beautiful.” Especially now with her cheeks flushed, her lips swollen and damp, and with desire burning in her eyes.

“But you don’t want me. That’s okay.”

When she tried to get off him, he clamped his hands down on her legs. “Make no mistake, Harlow. I want you.” He lifted enough to press his erection against her, letting her feel the truth of that. “Just not today. I want you to take some time and be real sure this is what you want.”

“I wouldn’t be sitting on your lap if I wasn’t sure.”

“You tell me that the next time we’re together, and I’ll have you naked so fast you’ll think I’m a magician.” She might think she was sure, but he wasn’t going to risk any morning-after regrets on her part.

“A magician, huh?”

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