Page 40 of Wild Blades

“I thought you hated me.”

I suck in a breath as his mouth grazes the shell of my ear. “Might have been lying about that.”

“You’re too young for me.” Michael was right.

“I’m twenty-six.” His hot breath sends shivers down my spine. “You’re thirty-four. Our birthdays are days apart. Eight years, that’s all there is between us. Eight years.”

“You’ve been looking me up, stalker boy?”

“Man.” He growls again, making his chest rumble, and I quite like the thought of him making that same noise,you know, when he’s in the throes of— He interrupts my train of sordid thoughts.

His lips move down the slope of my neck, and I tilt it to the side, desperate for him to kiss me, deliberately rubbing mybreast against him. I want this. I want him. I curl my toes in my shoes, imagining him kissing and licking me in places I shouldn’t be wanting him to, and I squeeze my thighs together, trying to curb the overwhelming need to come. His breath awakening all the filthy thoughts I’ve been having about him and have been trying to push aside.

“I may have happened to stumble upon a few articles about you. You’re one of the top ten supermodels of all time. It wasn’t difficult information to find.” He pulls me closer to him, so close there isn’t even a millimeter between us. “And I’m a man, not a boy. I fuck like a man, too.” He presses his hips more firmly into mine and a gasp leaves my lips.

“Only human, Kali, and you are fucking hot in this little black dress.” Squeezing my waist, he splays his hand at the base of my spine, like he did earlier.

There is so much chemistry between us, it’s electric.

Oh dear, lord, what am I doing? I need to shut this down.

“I’ve been hired to raise your profile.”

“I know. You’re being paid to do a job, and that’s why we can’t.” Flatter than usual, his voice sounds sad, although I’m grateful at least one of us has some self-control and awareness.

Phew.

I think if I had it my way, I might jump his bones right here on the dance floor.

“Doesn’t stop me from wanting to kiss you though.” He says, moving his lips closer again, and I silently beg him to do it. I wonder how he might taste, whether his mouth would be soft or if he’ll dominate the moment. My body coils so tight at the thought, I almost explode… but then reality hits like a bucket of ice water.

I snap out of my fantasies, lean out of our closeness. “If anything was to happen between us, it would ruin our working relationship.”

“I agree, Kali.”

“Leon did say there was lots of sexual tension between us, though. Maybe we should just bang like he said we should.” I try lightening the mood, injecting some humor, but keen to find out what his reply would be. The gentle buzz from the alcohol I’ve consumed combined with the thumping bassy music through the floor makes my body feel like it’s humming with excitement. It’s making me giddy and saying things I shouldn’t. “Sorry. Forget I said that. Completely off the table.”

“Never going to happen.” Hearts beating in time with one another, he bites his bottom lip suggestively, then smiles. “Want another drink?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I need to get away from him and put an end to this. Trying to pull myself out of his arms, he keeps them locked around my waist, preventing me from breaking contact.

“Just give me a minute.” He presses himself firmly against me to make his point.

I make anOshape with my mouth. He’s still hard.

“Say mundane things to me.” He groans as if in pain.

“Did you know over one hundred people choke to death on pens every year?”

“W-what?” he splutters.

“Sloths can hold their breath longer than a whale, or maybe it’s a shark, or was it a dolphin? Now I’m confusing myself. Australia is wider than the moon.”

“No way?”

“That’s true. Actual fact. You can check online if you want. However, don’t believe everything you read online. It might be a lie.”

He laughs at my stupidity.

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