Page 24 of Tempt

Yeah, my ego was soaring pretty good at that point. I loved knowing I could give as good—or better—than I got. I had Theo’s number from his trust issues to his control…

Oh snap.

I hadn’t thought about that very strange thing he said before we started all this. “Hey Theo?” Post-orgasmic bliss was either the ideal, or worst, time to ask complicated things.

“Mmmm…?”

“That first night we were together? You made me promise to tell you if you pushed me too far. That you had control.”

His head snapped up, his eyes focused.Crap. Not ideal. Oh well, too late.

“Did you not like the way I took care of you?” He asked quickly. “Are you squeamish about oral sex?”

I wanted to laugh at that, but restrained myself. “Umm, no. I’m very good with all kinds of oral. I was just curious… why make such a big deal about control? It seems to me you’ve got plenty.”

I swear his breathing changed, but I couldn’t be positive since he was still catching up from my awesome blow job. “Isn’t that what adults do before starting something intimate and vulnerable?”

It was a total dodge answer. I had a feeling it served him well in business—an answer that isn’t quite and answer that redirects the line of questioning into a safer territory—but it wasn’t going to work on me.

“No, most people do not ask for that much consent before sex, Theo.” I wanted to see how he reacted to a blunt answer.

“Well, they should. Would you like a shower?”

Shut. Down.

I guess in a way it was an answer in and of itself. There was a reason Theo was concerned about going too far, I just didn’t know if it was because he had a thing for pushing the envelope, or because of something that had gone wrong in the past. Either way, I wasn’t going to be getting an answer right now.

Chapter 10

“Fuck that. Pass the… what did you call it?” James looked down his nose at Ava, who grinned back at him wickedly. They were making fun of my Americanisms. “Fries. Can you pass thefries?”

I arched an eyebrow and passed thechips.I was putting on a show of absolute disdain simply for the effect. In reality I was just as bad. I laughed out loud every single time Luis asked me to pass arubber. We were two of the rare architects in our department that still enjoyed working out ideas with a pencil in hand. Thus the need forerasers.

And I was giggling again…

“What are you laughing at?” Ava started giggling, too.

“Nothing. I just love you guys.”

“Where have you been all these years? It’s a wonder HDM2 was in business without you!” Ava absolutely loved to be overdramatic.

“I like to think it’s the three of you who can’t live without me.” To my surprise I was met with three grins. My heart pitter-pattered a little faster. “Aw, fuck. You guys…”

After a very nice group hug we moved out to the garden and I had a beer the size of my face. It was glorious. “So…” James drawled. I immediately got a bad feeling about where he was going next. James was fishing for something. “Have you seen anymore of our mysterious landlord?”

Lying to these three was going to be the single hardest part of seeing Theo in secret. Thank god for phone calls with Elizabeth. “Not since the elevator.”

Ava squealed. “Bethany still talks about that! She says Theo was speechless.Speechless!”

I fought back the world’s biggest grin. I’d made him speechless five different times in the last week. I’d quickly become very good at identifying and fulfilling Theo’s fantasies and I was fucking proud of it.

But I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I’ve turned down dates with more incredibly rich and powerful men than I can count.” Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration.

James shook his head and leaned back. “Oh, I keep forgetting you were born with a silver spoon as well. Lucky bitch.”

I bristled at the B word, but James threw it around constantly, it wasn’t meant to sound harsh, it was just the way he spoke.

“Trust me, most men born into money are dreadful.”

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