Page 44 of Tempting Eden

She craned her neck to look me in the eye. “I know, but she tried, didn’t she?”

“Can you blame her?” I said with the most faux arrogance I could muster.

She shook her head, relaxing against me. I nuzzled into her hair, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. She turned her face up to mine and I took a taste, dipping my tongue inside her mouth. She opened for me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her breasts into my chest. My cock jumped to attention. I pressed it into her, letting her know how much I wanted her. She made a soft sound, high and feminine. I captured it, never letting it go farther than our kiss.

Even through my dress shirt, I could feel the hard tips of her nipples. I smoothed a hand down to her breasts and kneaded one. When I slanted my mouth over hers, I felt her go weak. I walked her back and perched her on the edge of the nearest desk, knocking off somebody’s Grumpy Cat calendar and whatever else. I pushed in between her thighs and tangled one hand in her hair, pulling her head back so I could lick up her neck.

“Oh.”

Eden froze. I turned toward the noise. Fairfax stood at the edge of the hallway leading to the back office. He must have been working late.Shit.

I took a step back, and Eden stood. The only sound was the low hum of the air vents.

Fairfax cleared his throat unnecessarily, but didn’t move. It was some sort of awkward standoff.

“I was just, uh, just going home for the night.” Fairfax’s own words jarred him into motion, and he hustled past the desks, making his escape to the elevator. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Night, Fairfax,” I called congenially as Eden frowned at me.

“Right, yeah. Night.” I could hear the embarrassment in his voice.

Another few painful moments eked by before we heard the elevator ping and Fairfax get on. I thought I heard him grumble “at least somebody’s getting some” before the doors closed and the office fell silent again.

I ran a hand through my hair. “Well, hell. So much forthatChristmas card.”

Eden looked at me, and we both burst out laughing.

Wednesday was equally busy—more planning, more calls, more contracts. I was working through lunch when my email dinged yet again. I gave it a quick look, assuming I needed to add another contract to our pile. I glimpsed the Cheshire grin and opened it.

Dearest Jack,

My teacher raved about my paper. She even read some of it to the class. So, I’m fabulous because of you! Come celebrate with dinner at our house tonight. You two have been working too hard, anyway. You could use a break. Don’t say no or I’ll tell my mom to fire you.

Xoxo,

Adele

P.S. Just kidding about that last part… Or am I?

The kid brought a smile to my face. Eden decided to push through her glass doors, catching me with the goofy look. She smirked.

“Who made you smile?” She dropped her voice. “Do you have any idea how hard I work to make you smile and you rarely, if ever, cough one up?”

She leaned against my desk in her now-familiar way. If she thought whispering would keep our little affair a secret, she was mistaken. I’d already been subject to numerous skeptical glances and muttered snarky comments from some of the other assistants and even other brokers.

“If you must know, a rare beauty just sent me a dinner invite.”

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, really. And who might this be?”

“I’m not sure if she’s a person. She might be a cat.”

She made a hrmph noise. “The plot thickens.”

“See for yourself.” I turned the monitor so she could read the email.

She frowned and shook her head. “Oh, Adele.”

I couldn’t ignore the slight sting at the disappointment in her words, but I muscled through it. “I don’t have to come. It was nice of her to ask, all the same. Give her my regards.”

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