Page 78 of Mr. Dangerous

“Rob.”

“I don’t want you to know that sordid history, okay? I can’tstandit.”

I hesitated. On some level, I wanted to ask, archly,there’s more?After all, what had been covered in gruesome detail by newspapers and tabloids was common knowledge in Newport. I was embarrassed by how avidly I had consumed it all as a teen, feeling myself grow wild and anxious for Rob. I had pictured him suffering alone, obsessing over what his dad had done as he sat on the dock behind their mansion. But slowly, as the days passed after the accident, I had become convinced by the bright-faced Rob who swaggered through school with his arm across Kate’s shoulders like hedidn’tcare.

“I don’t know why you would care what I think,” I said. “I’m justthehelp.”

His big hands fell on my hips, pulling me off the desk and against his body. I felt the warm, muscular heat of him along the curve of my ass, felt a familiar thrill of longing, and despite myself, I leaned back into hisstrongarms.

"Naomi," he whispered, his breath against my hair. "I might not be much of a talker, but why can't you believe me when I show you howIfeel?"

He kissed the side of my neck. His soft, warm mouth moved down the sensitive skin below my ear, tugging aside the neck of my shirt so could kiss the place where my neck joined my shoulder. "You smell warm, like vanilla andsunshine."

Sunshine wasn't even a smell. I wanted to say as much, to push him away, but as he kissed my throat, his hands dipped down to caress my breast, pushing aside my bra. When his palm rubbed roughly against my nipple, I could barely bear the urgency I feltforhim.

As if he knew how I felt, he pulled the hem of my t-shirt up, exposing my white lace bra, and slid his hand inside, cupping the other breast. My back archedagainsthim.

"I've wanted to do that since I wasfourteen."

I wanted to tell him,I would have let you. But even if he admitted he wasn't much of a talker, I was going to be less of one. Saying words like that would open up the door for him to hurt meagain.

As his hand rhythmically massaged my breast, the movement seemed to pulse to my very core. I moaned, hating myweakness.

When his palm brushed between my thighs, I dug my fingers into his muscular thighs, trying to push him away. Or pull him closer. I couldn't make sense of itanymore.

"There are worse things," he murmured in my ear, "than being mine. Protected. In mycastle."

I slipped around in his arms, resting my hands on his broad chest. "I'm not convinced there's anything worse than wanting to beyours."

His eyes widened, and then one side of his mouth quirked up into a small smirk. "Oh, Naomi. You're painfullyhonest."

"And you're not. Rob Delaney. I know that you like me, and the fact that we have to play this stupid game of yours... I don't see apoint."

His hands brushed over my hips, pulling me in tight to his body. "No games. Notrightnow."

"Ugh!" I exclaimed, and I felt my nose wrinkle, letting Rob see my disgust. And at the same time, there was so much more than disgust. Rob's smirked widened. The hands spanning my hips pulled my body against his. My legs automatically slid around his lean waist, my arms tightening onhisneck.

Rob whirled around with me, reaching one arm out to sweep the desk. I winced at the sound of books thudding against the floor, the sudden shatter of something – a coffee cup? One of Mitch's elaborate sea glass paperweights? I wondered how soundproof the office was, or if Liam was getting a cringeworthy play-by-play.

"I'll clean it up later," Rob growled, misinterpreting my wince. He set me down on the edge of the desk. Then cool air touched my body, separated from his heat, as he took a step back, pulling his shirt off over his head. His t-shirt briefly caught on his biceps, his arms up exposing the taut rippling six-pack of his abdomen. I couldn't help but reach out to touch his chest, and he was grinning when he'd whipped his t-shirtaway.

Rob half-bent to step out of his jeans, kicking them away, and I leaned back on the cool wood of the table to shuck off my own jeans. As I pushed them down past my knees, he yanked them the rest of the way off, dropping them on the floor beside his own. Then, despite what had seemed like his own sense of urgency, he stopped with his hands on my thighs and leaned down to slowly kiss my thighs, my hip, my stomach, finding his way back up again to press his lips against mine. I dragged him close, my hands wrapping around his hard hipbones.

"Now," I murmured when their lips brokeapart.

"You're the boss," he said. He ripped open the condom wrapper he must have palmed when he took off his pants, rolling it on quickly. I reached for him. He had a long, smooth cock, satisfying in my hands. I rubbed him against myself as if he were a toy. It was his turn to groan, even through the plasticbarrier.

I smiled into his shoulder, glad to be the one in control, to finally satisfy some of my urge for him. His cock traced circles between my thighs, and I pushed him harder and harder against me until he slipped inside. Rob groaned withrelief.

"My turn?" he asked, dropping a kiss inmyhair.

"Yourturn."

He began to pump into me, long, slow strokes that made my legs tightened around him. My fingers dug deep into his muscular shoulders. I went weak in the knees when I orgasmed, letting my head fall back, but Rob had a tight grip around me and he caught me inhisarms.

"Okay," I murmured, feeling the smooth, polished wood of the desk under my ass, Rob's hands wrapped tightly around my hips. "Okay. I'll admit that wasbrilliant."

"See?"

I pushed him away with my hands even as I wanted to pull him closer. "It doesn't change anything. You have got to get it together, Rob. I won’t be bossed around. And I won’t put up with you turning hot andcoldby—"

"Naomi," Rob's voice was frustrated as he interrupted me. "Listen—"

There was a sharp rap on the door. "Kids? Can you stop fighting for a minute?" Liam called. "We've got aguest."

---