Page 12 of The Silent Count
I’ve caught myself thinking about Lucky Charm a few times tonight. Wondering what I’ll say to him later when he asks about my evening. I contemplate dropping hints, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he might catch on. That he might realize that I’m the person he’s been talking to all this time.
Apart from my job title, I’ve kept my fabrications to a minimum. When I have a bad day at work, he hears about it. Our team meetings frequently overlap. We both work on Sundays. I doubt tonight's hints will make him understand if he hasn't caught on already.
"I had a nice time tonight," I say with a sigh, recognizing that we can’t stay in the parking lot forever.
“Me too.”
Fortune turns toward me, dragging his eyes slowly over my exposed thighs. My white dress has bunched up from the way I’m sitting, and more skin is showing than it was earlier. He doesn’t stop there, though. Those piercing green eyes raking over my collarbone and lingering as he trails them over my breasts. The tension grows stronger with each passing second, like there’s an invisible tether between us, and if either of us makes a move, it will snap in half.
Warmth creeps up my neck when his heated gaze reaches the milky skin on my thighs. They clinch instinctively, trying to relieve some of the pressure that’s building in my core.
Heat hangs in the air between us like a ball waiting to drop. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like him watching me—that I likewatchinghim watch me. A bundle of nerves curls in my stomach. It's been a while since someone looked at me like this, hunger and, dare I say, lust. I can’t help but drink up every second because I might not get a moment like this with him again.
For years I’ve felt his gaze burning into me at events and during work hours, but nothing compares to having his full focus now that we’re alone. It’s nice to know the heat I’ve felt, the desire exuding from him, feels the same in person as it has from afar.
“Fortune,” I breathe out, powerless against his charm.
“Lea.”
His gaze draws up to my lips. I have to close my eyes to maintain my composure. My fingers yearn to reach out and touch him, pull him in, and claim his lips as my own. He reaches forward, snaking his hands into my hair almost as if he could hear my thoughts.
I gulp.
This is wrong. So wrong.
If he cuts the distance between us, there’s no turning back. It will be impossible for him to dispel rumors about us at work tomorrow without being dishonest. I don’t want to make him a dishonest man, but the way he’s leaning in, tracing the outline of my lips with his thumb, is making it difficult.
Right as I think he’s going to cut the distance and lay it on me, he sighs and presses our foreheads together instead. “I’d kiss you right now if I didn’t think I’d lose my job over it.”
I have two rules for myself. One, don’t sleep with your colleagues. And two, on the off chance you break rule one, don’t get caught. Rule two was more of a problem for my younger self, when working with five dozen hot men was new and tempting. I could stand firm back then, but now my head is demanding that I take the risk and face the consequences. I should stand my ground—Ineedto stand my ground for the sake of his job. But I know I’ll regret it if I don’t take the chance while it’s sitting right in front of me.
“Do it anyway.”
His thumb traces the outline of my lips, and I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. Contemplating if the risk is worth it. Wondering what might happen if we get caught. I know what he’s thinking, because the same thoughts are flashing through my brain a million miles a minute.
I hold my breath, waiting for him to make the next move. A few seconds pass of my heart pounding in my ears, and the sinking feeling settling in my stomach tells me he’s not going to kiss me. Will it be embarrassing to face him at work tomorrow? Possibly. Though, I like to think that we’re professionals and can work through any awkwardness with civility.
I turn my face away from his, ready to brush the mistake off my shoulders and call it a night when Fortune whispers, “Fuck it,” while turning my head back toward his and sealing our mouths together.
There’s nothing chaste about our kiss. Our tongues glide together slow and unrushed, which only makes the tension brewing between us stronger. Like we’re building toward the main event instead of trying to chase the end result.
I welcome his lips as he kisses away all of my doubts or fears. Without thinking, I crawl over the console and into his lap, working my hips over him to alleviate some of the friction. He leans the seat back to give us more room to play, as I wiggle my hips against his hard on. Fortune groans against my mouth while sliding his large hands over the back of my thighs. His touch is scorching my skin as he slowly glides them up to cup my ass cheeks.
I want to take this further if he does. He has more to lose by doing this than I do, so I’d understand if he doesn’t want to. Call it nepotism, a double standard, or whatever you’d like, but my father has set boundaries with his players… not with me. If they fuck up and he finds out they’ve broken his golden rule, I’ll still have a job tomorrow.
I pull back with a sigh, lips tingling and my words breathless. “We shouldn’t do this.”
“Tell me to stop then.” Fortune rubs his hands up my back before wrapping them around my waist and pulling me in closer. I know how wrong it must feel for him to be doing this, but fuck, it feels so right. “Tell me to stop right now. We’ll get out, I’ll open your car door, and the second it shuts, we’ll pretend none of this happened.”
I stay still, lips parted, knowing I should let the words roll off my tongue, but not wanting them to. I try to speak, but nothing comes out, so Fortune fills the silence instead.
“We’ll act like you didn’t crawl into my lap and grind yourself against me. Like you weren’t moaning against my lips, desperate for more.” He says as he nibbles along my jawline, pulling out another moan from my body. Fortune’s tone is serious, but the words coming out of his mouth sound so hot that my brain has short-circuited. “We can end this right here. All you have to do is tell me to stop.”
My chest rises and falls as I look down at us. My dress bunched up around my waist and my white lace panties pressed against the zipper of his jeans. Fortune might pretend like this didn’t happen, but there’s no way I will. The next time we make eye contact during a meeting, I will relive being here in the back of his SUV. I will never look at him the same after this, so taking this further, going all the way, won’t make a difference.
“Not a chance.” This time, I’m the one who cuts the distance, crashing our lips together and rolling my hips to get a better feel of how hard he is for me. When he smiles against my mouth, liquid heat races through my veins like never before.
He closes his mouth over mine, and our kisses grow desperate as our tongues glide together. Fortune drags his hands up my sides, then moves them forward to cup my breasts. I whimper against his lips, and he drags my bottom one between his teeth in response.
