Page 38 of The Secret
“Withme,” Micah repeated. “Why is talking withmeso bad?”
I felt my face go hot. Fucking stupid fuckingcrush. “Because you like me less than half the time, maybe?”
Micah opened his mouth and I leaned forward to clap my hand over it before he could speak. “And if you tell me I’m deflecting again, so help me God, I will not be responsible for my actions.”
I could practically feel Micah’s smile grow under my hand.
“Don’t do it,” I warned. “I will… I will throw every single one of these meticulously organized papers on the floor.”
Micah’s breath was hot on my palm as he laughed—laughed! Jesus, I should not like him laughing as much as I did. “What’s so funny? You wouldhate itif I messed up your perfect desk, so don’t make me do it.”
Except we both knew he could stop me, if he wanted to. Could move away in a heartbeat, if he wanted to. He could take everything I dished out and give it right back to me… if he wanted to.
Micah stayed where he was, watching me with those intense green eyes that justdid thingsto me, and that same hot urge that had been riding me since I left the house that morning roared back, stronger than before, but different somehow. All that nonspecific anger had morphed from a simple desire to provoke a reaction into true desire.
Verytargeteddesire.
I cleared my throat as need seared through my belly. My fingers twitched against his face. “Micah? You remember when I told you that our mutual attraction was like a seed?” My voice was low in the silent room.
Micah’s eyes grew wary and he shook his head slowly… but he didn’t move away, and that was as good as an engraved invitation, as far as I was concerned.
I moved my hand away from his mouth, braced my palms on the arms of his chair, and bent my head until our lips were a centimeter apart.
“Constantine,” he warned.
“Micah,” I teased.
I leaned a little farther, closed my eyes, and pressed my mouth to his softly.
Micah froze, about as excited by my proximity as a piece of furniture. So, I kissed him again, harder, because sex was the one thing that had always beeneasyfor Christ’s sake, but he sat there like a block of marble and I realized—like,duh—that him not pushing me away wasnotthe same thing as him wanting me. And more than likely, I’d gotten it wrong again.
Oh,God, I was so stupid. And I’d just ruined—
As I started to pull back, Micah lifted a hand to cup my neck, his lips parted beneath mine, and his tongue came out to trace the seam of my lips. I gasped at the contact—theoh, shit, finally contact—and closed my eyes as the kiss burned hotter.
The hard knot of anger and confusion in my gut transformed into something cleaner, brighter,harmless, like fireworks flaring behind my eyelids. It was so good, not just the way the kiss felt, but the way it mademefeel—that I made this horrifying, needy little noise at the back of my throat and Imeltedinto it. My arms wobbled and I all but climbed onto his lap in an attempt to get closer.
And then Micah’s free hand was on my ass, pulling me toward him, and suddenly Iwasin his lap, straddling him on the narrow rolling chair. My dick pushed against my shorts, needing more friction, and when I rubbed myself against him and foundhimhard, as well, I moaned at the sensation. I speared my hands into his hair, locking him against me as I rocked against his stomach.
Micah inhaled sharply and started to pull back, but I instinctively followed him, not wanting the kiss to end. He yanked at my hair and forced my head back.
“Enough,” he said, his voice smoky-rough, but insistent. “Enough, Con.”
I opened my eyes—I wasn’t really sure when I’d closed them—but the glare of the overhead lights seemed way too bright suddenly, way too intense and real, and I fought the urge to close them again as I backed off his lap and stood up.
“Wow.” I pushed out a breath and forced a smile. “That was good, huh? Better than the last one, even. I mean, not that I’m in the habit of comparing kisses or whatever, because that would be rude, but if I had to rate it—”
“Constantine.” Micah ran a hand through his hair. “Stop.”
“Stopped.” I spread my hands. “Witness me stopping.”
He sighed. “This was a bad idea on so many levels. I swore this wasn’t going to happen again.”
Like I didn’t know that.
“Okay, so it’s done. Over. Do we have to talk about it?” I pleaded. I rubbed my eyes and colors burst behind my lids, which was a little too close to the fireworks I saw when Micah kissed me, so I stopped immediately and opened my eyes to look at him and started ticking the reasons off on my fingers. “You’re not down to fuck. Not with me. I get it. That’s clear. Like, abundantly clear. I knew it. Iknowit. A bad idea on so many levels, like you said. I’m a hot mess. You only like me maybe half the time. I’m youremployee.” I made air quotes. “I just had a moment of temporary insanity, okay? Which, if we’re being honest, was bound to happen at some point because I’mmeand you’re—”
“No. No, Con. It’s not okay.” Micah pushed to his feet and his chair went rolling back to crash into the wall as he loomed over me. “This was not bound to happen. I told you before.Talkto me if you want, but don’t be an asshole and push this—”
