Page 10 of Billion-Dollar Dating Game

His voice dropped. ‘I’d have noticed.’

Her temperature rose. She dragged in a searing breath. ‘No you wouldn’t—’

He reached out and gently flicked a wisp of hair from her face. His hand landed on her waist when he lowered it.

‘What are you doing?’ she stammered.

He smiled indulgently, his blue gaze intent on her. ‘This is me flirting.’

‘This isn’t flirting, this is just you...crowding me.’

‘Too close?’ he breathed. ‘Shall I step back?’

His ice blue gaze locked on her for a long moment. She was toe-curlingly hot and she couldn’t possibly be wanting what she was thinking. She was supposed to be here to ask him about Helberg—only suddenly she didn’t want to think about any of that. Suddenly she didn’t want to think about anything at all.

‘I don’t think you want me to step back,’ he whispered. ‘I think you want me to stay right where I am.’ He cocked his head. ‘I think you want other things as well. So let me dare you again, Skylar...ask me.’

She swallowed. She should shut this down right now but she simply couldn’t, such was his potency. ‘You get whatyouwant far too easily,’ she muttered feebly.

‘And?’ He slid that hand around her waist, his broad palm spread wide and flat on her back. The heat and strength of him through the thin silk was both arousing and oddlyreassuring...

She’d been here before and once more she couldn’t move. He was the biggest tease and she was falling for it—letting him all over again—because yeah, just like that, she was ayes.

‘Do you want me to walk away?’ he challenged her huskily.

But he was serious. She realised that with one word from her, he would leave. He would not look back. Once again, it would be like this moment had never ever happened.

And suddenly she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t lie and send him from her. Because this was every unfinished fantasy she’d ever had. And she was furious about it.

At universityyearslater, she’d tried to find this fire with someone else. She’d let another guy kiss her. It had left her cold. She’d kissed a different one. Same deal. She’d wondered if maybe her father catching her had caused some shame that she needed time to get over. It had been a relief to think that. A relief not to try anything more with anyone else ever.

But now it destroyed something in her to realise that it wasn’t that at all. Because she still responded toZane. Right here. Right now. She was aroused. And maybe that wouldn’t happen with anyone else whilehewas still in her system. How hideous that he was the only man who she responded to in this insanely intense way. That had to be fixed.

In this second, what happened with Helberg Holdings was irrelevant. There was no one around to interrupt them. No one to tell hernotto dare...

She needed to get over this stupid hang-up. And maybe that was by having what she wanted from him. As galling as it might be to add herself to his list of conquests, maybe she’d be free of her fixation on him at last.

‘Stop teasing me,’ she snapped jerkily. ‘So far you’re all talk.’

Surprise flashed in his eyes, followed swiftly by a flare of satisfaction. Both were engulfed in the blue-black heat of engorged pupils. He didn’t wait for her to change her mind. His hand at her back firmed, pushing her close so they were suddenly belly to belly and he’d proven he wasn’t all tease. He promised very real passion. She gasped as he anchored her to his hard body and as she did, he lowered his head.

‘Will you taste of raspberry candy this time, Skylar?’

She shook her head. She’d not had raspberry candy in years—it was too associated with him. ‘I prefer lemon.’

‘Right,’ he muttered. ‘Apparently you’ve become a little acid drop.’

Taking total advantage of her parted lips, he kissed her—deeply, intimately, endlessly.

Boom. Combustion of epic proportions.

She threw her arms around his neck and held on, tangling her tongue with his, pressing her pelvis closer to his. Power surged and she was out of control all over again. But he didn’t press his forehead on hers and croon her name beneath his breath this time. His hands didn’t tremble as he ran them down her arms. He just demanded her response—and devoured her.

But one thing remained the same. She felt wanted. Absolutely, utterlywanted. And she wanted him right back. Wholly sexually, right?

Wholly unbearably.

He pressed her closer still, grinding her body against his. She had no idea how long they were plastered to each other, frantically kissing. It was an inferno in seconds, every kiss better and better until her whole body quaked with desperation.

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