Page 19 of Their After Hours Playbook

Or maybe that was part of what made it so hot.

He nestled his face into the back of her hair, pressing his nose against her neck and inhaling her intoxicating scent. Paige stirred and hummed softly, but didn’t utter a word. As much as he liked her, she was a mystery to him. She didn’t show her cards. She kept things locked up inside that beautiful head of hers. Sex seemed to be the only thing that could get her to shed her perfectly composed exterior. In bed, she was free and unguarded. She knew what she wanted, she wasn’t afraid to ask for it and last night, all she had wanted was him. It was such a turn-on.

“You awake?” he muttered, kissing her neck, then her shoulder. He smoothed his hand up along the tempting terrain he’d traveled a moment earlier, then slipped around to her breast and lightly teased her nipple with a fingertip. The bud tightened beneath his touch. How he loved feeling her body respond to him that way.

“Getting there.” A warm and gentle murmur followed her answer, suggesting she appreciated his touch.

“Good. Because I need you, Paige. I need all of you.” He propped himself up on his elbow, pulled her hair back from her neck and kissed her shoulder.

Paige tensed. She cleared her throat. “What time is it?” Her voice was clear. Almost cold.

“It’s a little before eight. Are you okay?”

She eased herself to the edge of the bed, then stood, taking the duvet and wrapping up her luscious body in it. The disappointment was so instantaneous, it made his stomach sink. “I think it’s probably time for you to go.”

“Oh. Okay.” He sat up in bed, tugging the remaining sheet up to his waist to cover up his hard-on. There was nothing worse than your body telegraphing your readiness for sex while the other person in the room wasn’t in the mood. “Is your flight soon?”

“It’s this afternoon. Hold on. I need to pee.” She marched off to the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Zach was more confused than he’d been in quite some time. What in the hell had he done or said to deserve this treatment? Had he shown too much enthusiasm? That didn’t seem possible. She’d been fully into every minute of their night together.

When Paige emerged from the bathroom, she was wrapped up tightly in the white terry cloth hotel robe. “Last night was great, but like I said, you should probably go.”

“Really? Don’t we have a little time?” He patted the empty spot on the mattress next to him.

“Not a good idea.” She shook her head.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. Not at all. You’re amazing and last night was super fun. But everyone staying on our hall is either an agent or an athlete. Nothing good comes from someone spotting you walking out of my room. It wouldn’t be good for business. For either of us.”

He supposed she had a point, but he still didn’t like it. “You know, Moss and Armstrong don’t have to feud forever. I don’t know about your company bylaws, but that certainly isn’t written into ours.”

Paige stepped closer and perched on the edge of the bed. Although he was happy to have her closer, it didn’t feel like a warm or welcoming gesture. “Look. Last night was awesome.”

“It was better than awesome,” he interrupted.

“Excuse me?”

“Paige. I made you come at least five times. It might be more. I lost count.” He remembered reading an article in a men’s magazine about when a woman reached her sexual peak. It had said it could go well into her forties. After last night, he was certain that was true.

She raised both eyebrows and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Leave it to a guy to keep score.”

He shrugged. “I’m competitive. What can I say?” He scooted closer. “Tell me last night wasn’t better than awesome.”

Her cheeks colored with pink and she looked up at him with her deep blue eyes. “Fine, it was incredible. Out of this world. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Only if it’s true.”

She sucked in a deep breath. “It’s true. Okay? You are unbelievable in bed. But you and I are on a work trip, and this was not a great idea given the history of our two agencies.” She cleared her throat again, then stood and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Plus, we need to be realistic. You’re twelve years younger than me. This could never be anything more than sex.”

“I wasn’t aware I’d asked for anything more than that.” He knew it probably came off as rude, but it was the truth. It wasn’t like he’d asked her for a relationship. They’d had sex. And he wanted a whole lot more of it. With her.

“Right. So let’s chalk this up to what it was. Just sex.”

“Which means what?” He knew he probably sounded as though he was being obtuse, but he wanted her to say it. Out loud. Whatever was circulating in her head.

“It means that we can’t see each other again. And we can’t tell anyone about this. No one.”

---