Page 59 of The Mogul: Leonard

She smirks. “It was fabulous, wasn’t it?”

I would have ripped it off with my teeth, but I can’t say that to her. I’ve already babbled enough for tonight. I just nod.

“Then why did you reject me? I’m right, you’re an asshole!” she remarks.

“You were young, and you are Raphael’s sister-in-law,” I explain, almost exasperated.

“So what? I was more than legal, consenting, and Raphael has no right to say anything about how I live my life!” she fights back.

She’s right. Everything about what she just laid out is the truth, and I can’t find a single reason to counter her reasoning. Damn, I was the asshole.

“Fuck it,” I whisper right before grabbing a fistful of hair at the base of her neck and crashing my lips on hers. The couch creaks under my sudden move.

I catch her by surprise. She goes still in my arms for a long moment, almost making me wonder if she’s changed her mind since that day. Fuck, what if she doesn’t want it anymore? But then her hands shoot behind my neck, and she presses her body against mine.

A small whimper leaves her lips and when she parts them to take a breath, I take the chance to deepen the kiss. It’s like a fire ignites in my veins. She is so perfectly soft between my arms that I can’t resist running my hand down her spine as she climbs on my lap.

She straddles me, and I growl in response. I’m not usually one to give in to primitive instincts, but she draws the caveman out of me and I want to brand her as mine. She is so sexy, and sweet, and clever. I can’t resist.

I drag my hand lower down her back to reach the soft curves of her ass. I squeeze and press her against my erection. She moans.

I end the kiss to look her in the eyes. Lust and desire are swimming in that bright gaze, signaling that she is into me—even if the eager kiss didn’t give her away—a lot. I’m surprised about how much I like this realization.

She lowers herself against my chest and drags her lips against the skin of my neck. She slowly moves from the collar of my shirt to my ear and slightly bites my lobe. I let out a slow breath and tighten my grip on her hair as her breath catches in her throat.

“Was it so bad kissing me?” she whispers softly, tickling my skin with her breath.

I almost scoff. “This wasn’t something we could do at the wedding reception. Not if we didn’t want to be shot by Raphael’s bodyguards.” I let out a low chuckle.

“There were plenty of rooms to hide in,” she points out, but I can’t answer because her mouth is peppering my neck with soft, languid kisses. Her tongue darts out from time to time and tastes me. I shoot back my head and enjoy every single second of this moment.

She is so perfect. I have no idea how I found the strength to push her away all those years ago. Because right now, I want to sink deep into her and make her mine.

I crush my lips on her again, lashing my tongue against her in a battle neither of us wants to lose. She challenges me in more ways than I expected, and I’m here for this. I love the way she matches the fierce woman she is in everyday life.

She moves her hands on my loosened tie, unfastens it, and snaps open the shirt button.

“I can’t,” I murmur against her lips.

She stops abruptly and detaches from my chest just enough to look at me with a frown. “What?” She is as puzzled as I am.

What did I think would happen after I kissed her like this? That we would stop and go back to work? I didn’t take a moment to think; that’s the problem. I just gave in to my desire and fucked up big time.

“I can’t have sex with you,” I blurt out.

“Why?” She is baffled.

Good question. I can’t find a good enough reason, just excuses that don’t add up. She is way younger than me, Silver’s little sister. I know there is a good reason somewhere I should give her, but my brain is frozen between lust and the urge to stop this.

She takes my silence as an answer. She stands up, grabbing her things. “Unbelievable,” she scoffs.

“Roxanne,” I try to stop her, but she slaps my hand.

“I don’t know what is wrong with you, but I won’t stay and be rejected again.” She storms out of my office barefoot.

I stand up and watch her disappear around the corner, but I don’t follow her. I know I just fucked up, and this time, there is not enough groveling I can do to make it better.

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