Page 24 of Close to the Edge

Hard and fast and rough.

Damn. I wish I hadn’t watched it. Lily was an extremely attractive female with a delectable exterior wrapped around a core of steel. Not to mention a healthy sex drive she wasn’t shy about satisfying with sex toys.

But despite my weakness for strong, intelligent women, rules were rules. They’d kept me at the top of my game for the best part of a decade.

I shut the laptop and shoved away from the table. My hand slipped beneath the waistband of my sweatpants and I gave myself a quick, jaw-clenching few strokes before standing up.

I wouldn’t touch her while she was my client. But there was nothing stopping me from ensuring the ball was kept front and center in her court.

CHAPTER SIX

Lily

HISSECURITYTEAMarrived right on schedule.

Three men carrying six large black cases grunted various forms of hello before they went to work.

Ninety minutes later they were done and gone. The setup was state-of-the-art and discreet enough to almost blend into the decor but their presence still felt intrusive.

“How soon do you want to head to the office?” Caleb asked after running me through the security procedures.

I paused halfway up the stairs and turned to face him. He was right behind me, so close I could smell traces of chlorine mingling with his natural body scent, which didn’t help my desperate need to forget what happened at the pool.

God, he’d tasted incredible—erotic, intoxicating and potentially addictive. Everything I imagined a real man tasted like. And that was with a kiss I’d surprised him with.

Like on the plane last night, taking control had felt...wonderful. Liberating. I went to sleep craving more of it. I woke to the memory of my hand stroking his thick, hard cock. It was what drove me to the pool to cool off.

Except I’d left it craving more of Caleb.

He was waiting for an answer. And I was staring at his mouth like a horny idiot.

I turned away sharply before that left brow completed its mocking ascent. “I just need to transfer data from my laptop to my office work station. So ten minutes?” I needed to be free of his distracting presence for a few hours. The man brought new meaning to the termlarger than life.

“Sounds good.”

Five minutes later I was standing in my closet, assessing my clothes with a critical eye. The notion that I was taking extra time to dress because ofhimintensified my churning emotions. But the powerful thrill that came from knowing Caleb Steele was attracted to me was unstoppable. It was the kind of power that could go to a woman’s head.

But power was corruptible. I should know. Between Chance and my stepfather, they’d used their power over me to control my every move.

It wouldn’t be like that between Caleb and me, though. He’d given me the green light. Hell, he’durgedme to use my power.

And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was sorely tempted.

God, you’re losing it.

I tugged off my leggings and replaced them with black leather pants. I kept my sweater and usual accessories of leather wrist cuffs and choker but I hesitated before reaching for my favorite red lipstick. It drew attention to my mouth, and made me feel sexy but after this morning, did I want to encourage that around Caleb?

Yes, you do. Maybe, even a little too much...

Frowning, I impatiently reached for the peach lip balm.

The earlier I got to the office, the quicker I could disappear into my work and forget my stalker, and Caleb, existed.

He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, eyes on his phone when I reached the landing. I hated myself for half hoping he wouldn’t look up while my stomach churned in hope that he would. Both wishes were answered when halfway down the stairs his head slowly lifted. His gaze collided with mine before those unnervingly hot eyes swept down my body, all the way to the tips of my heeled boots before conducting a slower return journey.

Hell, he wasn’t even hiding the fact that he wanted me anymore. Now he’d told me to come for him, he was granting me unfettered access.

By the time I reached the last step, the simmering heat that hadn’t quite dissipated since our pool encounter was stoked into foot-high flames, licking their way up to my nipples and turning them into traitorous points of need that stood out against my thin sweater.

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