Page 17 of Price of Paradise

Gunner wasn’t so certain that Mae saw him in the right light. “You see only what I show you, Mae. Don’t put on rose-colored glasses.”

Several seconds drifted by as she stared up at him, not speaking. After she looked away she said, “Do you know why I said yes about this weekend? Why I didn’t shove you out the door the minute you showed up?”

“Because you wanted me as much as I did you,” he answered. “Simple as that.”

She swatted at him from beneath the water, and Gunner sucked in a breath at just how close she’d come to smacking his balls. “It wasn’t just about sex,” she chided him. “It wasn’t just for the reason you think. I thought that was why too, but it’smore. It’s because we have a connection. I feel it deep down and I think you feel it too. You are a good person. You aren’t cold and unfeeling like your father. I could never spend the weekend with you if you were.”

Gunner’s heart clutched tight at hearing her words. He enjoyed hearing her assessment of him. Her feelings toward him. Was it accurate? He didn’t know.

“Mae,” he softly demanded. When she was looking over her shoulder at him, Gunner said, “you need to know something. Now that we’re here, now that our relationship has moved onto more personal territory, I won’t let anything come between us.”

She tilted her head and narrowed her gaze. “Even if thatthingis you?”

He kissed her forehead and murmured, “You think I could ever go back to being just your boss after this?”

“We didn’t make a commitment.” She looked forward again. “We decided to have a steamy, wild weekend. Truth is, I don’t want to jump into anything.”

“No jumping, then.” He dropped the sponge and used his hands to stroke her wet curves.Ah, much better. “But until we decide what’s happening between us, then we’re exclusive. Deal?”

She nodded vehemently, which pleased the hell out of him. “Yes, I think that’s a safe assumption.”

“Good, because if some guy made the mistake of touching you they’d lose a hand. I don’t share.”

Mae pushed herself upright and turned to face him. “I don’t share either.” Her green eyes threw sparks of fury. “Got it?”

“Loud and clear.” He clutched her around the waist and pulled her close for a kiss. Gunner kept it brief, knowing he’d take her again if he didn’t, and she probably needed a break after the encounter against the door. “I think we’d better get out. The water’s getting cold.” He lifted her to her feet, then waited for herto leave the tub before he got out and started to dry off.

She patted herself dry, then wrapped the towel around her body and looked up at him. “Gunner?”

Gunner ran the thick terrycloth over his hair and replied, “Yeah?”

“I want…I want to taste you.”

Gunner froze and the towel dropped from his hands, hitting the floor with a wet thump. Taste? Now, that was a damn nice visual. “My dick?”If there was a god.

Without answering, Mae reached out and wrapped her hand around the base of his cock. “I keep imagining what it’d be like to have you in my mouth.”

Gunner locked his legs. Mostly to keep himself from pouncing on her. “Jesus.”

She slowly bent down until she was on her knees before him. “I really want to kiss you.”

“Kiss, lick, suck,” Gunner said softly. “I’m all yours, baby girl.”

Chapter Seven

Mae tilted her head and took Gunner’s cock into her mouth. Deep, or as deep as his thickness and length would allow. As she’d found out already, the man was well-built. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked hard on his engorged flesh.

“That’s so fucking good,” Gunner praised. “Ah, hell.”

With his intense gaze on her, a barrier inside Mae seemed to break away. For the first time she felt as if she were truly free to explore him. To take what she wanted. She cupped his balls and squeezed, swirling her tongue over and around the bulbous head of his shaft. Gunner’s deep voice rumbled low in his chest as he pulled a fistful of her hair. The sting at her scalp sent little arcs of pleasure skating down her spine. The juncture between her legs filled with liquid heat.

As she slipped his cock from between her lips and licked down the underside to his balls, Mae peered up and noticed his blue gaze watching her every move. It turned her on to have his eyes on her. With Gunner she wasn’t shy. She only felt hot, womanly desire around him.

Intent on drawing out his pleasure, Mae sucked one of his balls into her mouth.

“Goddamn, Mae,” Gunner gritted out. He tried to pull her backward. “My cock,” he explained, his voice rough and so low she barely heard him.

She released his sac. “Shh, I’m enjoying this.”

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