Page 46 of Exclusive

“Hey, BuzzFeed wants to do a write-up on you,” Marilyn from PR said as I arrived at my desk the next morning. “Can you take a call with their staff writer at eleven?”

“Is that a good idea?” I wanted to be taken seriously as a journalist, and this might not be the way to go.

“She’ll do it,” Carrie said, approaching. “Trust me on this one.”

“Really?” I whispered. “Because I don’t want to be the punched woman for the rest of my career.”

“Careerbeing the operative word. Anything that makes people interested in you is good in the world of TV. Especially when you’re an up-and-comer. And you are.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll do it.”

“Perfect,” Marilyn said. “Eleven o’clock.”

“Am I dating a famous woman?” Carrie whispered. My cheeks went instantly hot because she’d just said we were dating. I loved hearing that. I wanted her to write it in whipped cream across my chest.

“Yes. Very famous.” I batted my eyelashes. “The clamoring for me is out of control. You should probably lock me in.”

“Do I need to?” She rested her cheek on her hand in the most adorable pose.

“Not when you look at me like that.” She grinned and went back to her screen, yet I continued to watch her. A few moments later, her cheeks went pink.

“You’re staring, Ms. Ruiz.”

“Damn straight I am,” I said, grinning around my pen.

A pause as she click-clacked away on her keyboard. “Are you heading out on a story?”

“Not until the Commissioner on Agriculture has his press conference in an hour. Why do you ask?”

“Really cool footage I want to show you. But only if you have time.”

“Oh yeah. Of what?” There was no footage. I knew exactly where this was heading based on our last rendezvous and couldn’t like the idea more. A tingling sensation moved across my skin at the thought of kissing her, touching her. The editing bays had locks on each door and no windows. Thank God for whoever implemented those design features. Flawless.

“You know. Footage,” Carrie reiterated. “Of the really cool thing I was telling you about.”

“Hmmm,” I said studiously. “You know, I have been wanting to see that cool thing for a while.”

“Really?” She nodded sagely. “I’ve been wanting to show it to you. Follow me.”

I did. Happily, like a puppy. The door closed, the lights stayed off, and her warm breath tickled my neck. I was in heaven. When she kissed me expertly on the same spot, my whole body went slack in her arms as I relished the stolen moment.

“I’ve missed this,” I said, wrapping my arms around her. She moved her attention from my neck to my lips, and we were off. In a jumble of kissing, groping, and all-around decadent behavior we left ourselves breathless and longing. Our hips pressed together and moved in subtle rhythm, a nod to what we really wanted to be doing to each other. Soon.

“This is a fun but cruel practice,” Carrie whispered in my ear.

“I want to do so much more to you,” I said in the darkness, running a slow finger up the inside of her thigh, inching her skirt up and pausing mere inches from where I really longed to go.

Her breathing went noticeably shallow when I reached the edge of her underwear, tracing it from her midthigh down. “Free later tonight?”

“Mm-hmm,” I said, placing a kiss under her jaw. I found her lips and sank back in. We danced together. Our lips clung, sexy and perfectly in rhythm. Kissing chemistry was important, and we seemed to have it in surplus. It was intoxicating and addictive, kissing Carrie.

Someone tried the door, and we went still. Caught.

She took a step back. “Come over tonight.”

I nodded my agreement as she flipped the lights on. With one last wink, she exited the room, leaving me alone. I sighed. Back to real life and sitting next to the most beautiful woman on Earth and pretending I wasn’t in the land of lust. How many hours until the ten o’clock ended?

Now if only I could get through the day without exploding into a hot and bothered ball of flames. A flash of Carrie’s lips pressed to myneck hit. I went immediately warm and wet. The odds were not in my favor.

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