Page 2 of Tangled Temptation

His hand pressed the slightest bit harder on her back as he gazed at her. “Two weeks. We have some renovations to make, and the staff needs some downtime. It works out perfectly with Tyler gone.”

“How much can be done in two weeks? When the offices where I work were renovated, it took months.”And the workmen came to me to solve problems instead of senior management.

“A lot—if you know how to motivate people.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head and fluttered her lashes at him, corny, she knew, but hopefully effective. “And how would you do that?”

He grinned. “Lots of money.” He shifted so there was less space between their bodies.

Her fingers trailed over his broad shoulders to his neck. She stroked his dark brown hair. His hand tightened on her lower back, bringing their hips together, his erection firm against her, even with their formal clothing.Yes! Maybe tonight will work out after all.

Angie skimmed her hand from his neck over his back, fingers dancing against his spine, to his well-defined ass. She rested her palm over one cheek and squeezed.

“Behave.” His breath brushed her ear as he swatted her ass.

“You hit me!”He actually smacked my ass!Not that it hurt—it hadn’t. But now, heat flowed through her veins. How had one little swat made her so hot and needy?

“I’ll do worse if you don’t behave yourself, Angie.”

“Promise?” The word slipped from her before she realized it. The music ended and Jared kept his arm around her waist as he escorted her back to the table and pulled out her chair.

Before she could sit, he cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up. “We’ll talk later.” He dropped a brief, hard kiss on her lips before he released her and strode away.

Her heart skipped several beats as she watched him cross the room. Her hand rose to her lips as she sank onto the chair.Oh, yeah.If he met her later, there wouldn’t be any talking.

***

Jared strode across the tent as he struggled to control his libido.

Have I lost my mind?Nope, just control of his libido. Angie was a force to be reckoned with, and he was just the man to take her in hand.

Since the day she’d stepped foot on the ranch, his mind and body reacted. She was beautiful in the classic sense. It amused him when she tried to force her blonde hair into clips and it continually escaped; his dick hardened every time he caught her staring at him with those deep blue eyes.

His reaction to her surprised him. She knew how to use her sex appeal to her full advantage, and he could tell she was used to being in full control, which might be an issue if he continued on the path he wanted.

He’d noticed over the past few days her innate ability to take charge—with the vendors, with Becca, with the ranch staff. Giving orders seemed second nature for Angie.

Would she release that control in the bedroom? Jared shook his head.

His psyche was one of dominance. Unless he could dominate a woman in the bedroom, in their sex life, he couldn’t be satisfied. There weren’t a lot of women willing to give up total control to a man, even a man they professed to love.

It was very possible Angie couldn’t or wouldn’t either. He’d have to test her before he took this any further.

But was that the right thing to do? He put his hands in his pockets. Jared hadn’t questioned his life choices in a long time.

Something had nagged at the back of his head ever since Tyler and Becca announced their engagement. Something he couldn’t quite define but wouldn’t go away. And being introduced to Angie hadn’t quieted that voice at all.

Tyler was one lucky man to find Becca, a woman who enjoyed his sexual games and didn’t mind what they did at the ranch. Jealousy hit Jared hard. He wanted someone like Becca in his life.

A woman who accepted him for who and what he was. Would that ever happen? Not based on his past experiences with women. Most of them thought they could change him or ran from him.

Across the room, Vic, the ranch’s chef, wheeled out the wedding cake.

Good. The party was almost over. Once it was done, he would get Angie alone and see how serious she was about wanting more from him. Her single word ofpromisemade his dick thicken.

***

An hour later, Jared walked with the happy couple to their waiting vehicle.

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