Page 30 of The Boss

“‘Red?’” I echoed as my eyes met his. “You can’t do better than that?”

He raised an eyebrow at my challenge, and I had to admit that I’d surprised myself with it, just as I’d shocked the hell out of myself when I’d accepted his invitation to go home with him.

“Sugar?”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s what Zed called me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Definitely notsugarthen.”

“Thank you.”

“Baby?” The corners of his mouth twitched, and I realized he was teasing me now.

“May I make one request about a nickname?” I asked.

Curiosity sparked in his eyes. “Go ahead.”

“Even if you have to call me Red, I don’t want you to call me the same thing you’ve called other women. Especially not that Roma woman.”

If he found my request strange, his expression didn’t show it. After a moment, he nodded. “All right.”

I wasn’t sure if that meant he’d just call me ‘Red’ then, or he was trying to think of something else, but I wasn’t going to demand an answer. There were parts of myself I didn’t want to share with him. I had to respect his boundaries the same.

He cupped my chin and ran his thumb across my bottom lip. My breathing quickened as I waited to see what he’d do next. He gradually bent his head, as if waiting for me to object. When I didn’t, he brushed his lips across mine in a ghost of a kiss. I instinctively leaned forward, wanting more, needing more.

“Not yet.” His voice was a low rumble, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that his usual mocha brown had gone to near-black.

“Please,” I whispered, wetting my lips. My fingers curled into the soft fabric of my dress, fists tightening until my knuckles turned white.

He pressed a kiss to my jaw. “Ask me again.”

Something sparked inside me. “Please.”

His mouth captured mine, and he tried to bury his fingers in my hair, roughly tugging at the pins I’d used to keep my braid coiled around my head. He growled in frustration, his kiss growing rougher as he found himself unable to get at my hair. The pain in my scalp should have had me pushing him away, but instead, it sent a thrill through me, one I didn’t quite understand – or maybe I didn’twantto understand. I grabbed the lapel of his jacket and used it to pull myself closer, my tongue sliding along his as he explored my mouth.

It wasn’t until he moved back that I realized the car had come to a stop. Which meant the driver was just sitting in the front seat, waiting, and he had to know what was keeping us. I was far from the first woman Nate had kissed in this car.

That thought was enough to cool me off a bit, though not enough to make me second-guess my decision to come with him.

He got out of the car and held his hand out to me. When I didn’t take it immediately, his smile faded, but he didn’t look angry. In fact, if I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought he was…sad.

“Angus can take you home.”

His voice was even, but it was the hint of misery in his eyes that prompted me to move. I took his hand, heat rushing through me. “I’m not ready to go home yet.”

He smiled again, his eyes lighting up. He helped me from the car and kept my hand tucked tightly to his side. We went up the front steps and past the doorman, who gave us both a nod. When we stepped onto the elevator, he turned his penthouse key, then wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. I could feel him, half-hard against my back.

“It would be so easy.” His voice was low, but loud enough for me to hear. In fact, he was the only thing I could hear. “So easy to take you right here. Lift up the back of your dress and slip off those soft panties I felt before. Maybe just move them aside. Don’t need much room for me to slide right inside you. I bet you’re all hot and wet for me, aren’t you?’

A shiver went down my spine as I nodded just once. He was right. I was both hotandwet. My skin was flushed, too tight for my body. It practically hummed, like a thin coating of static electricity that didn’t go away. As for wet…making out with guys I’d dated hadn’t even come close to making me feel like this. After coming at the party, I’d already needed to change my panties. Now it was worse.

“But I don’t want our first time together to be a quickie in the elevator.”

First. That sounded promising.

“But maybe later we’ll take a ride and have some fun.”

I liked the sound of that.

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