Busted.
At least it wasn’t because I was staring at his crotch this time.
Our eyes were locked tighter than two dueling bucks’ horns.The air in my throat thickened. Boy, was it hard to breathe. The butterflies in my stomach swooped and looped as if they were performing in an aerobatics competition.
I wanted to say something, but my mind blanked. All my energy was going into not diving over the table and leaping on Curtis. I didn’t want to assume he wanted me and embarrass myself. Maybe he just wanted to flirt and then take me home. My vagina told me to shut up and stop spoiling the moment.
“What are you thinking right now?” he asked, his voice low.
I swallowed. What did I have to lose? Only my pride, which there wasn’t much of anyway. “You have nice forearms.”
His forehead wrinkled, and he gave me an “I don’t believe you” look. “Forearms? Seriously?”
I laughed. “Yes. And forearms isn’t a metaphor, although I wouldn’t be averse to seeing yourmetaphoreither.” Was this the most ridiculous yet innuendo-filled conversation I’d ever had with a man? Yes. Did I like it? Definitely. Who knew it could be so fun?
He chuckled, his eyes darkening. “I’d be happy to show you mymetaphorwhenever you want. You just have to ask.” He stood, came to my side of the table, and leaned his backside on it so he was half sitting. “So, are you going to ask? I’m waiting.” There was a hint of playfulness in the command but not enough to hide the husk of yearning.
I gave him a goofy smile. If I was going to spend time with Curtis, I needed to become comfortable with asking for what I wanted. And he was making it as easy as possible to put myself out there. There was no hint of mocking in his eyes, just need and near desperation—I knew I was safe with him. “Show me your metaphor, please, Mr. Knight.”
His thick thighs spread open. Holding his hands out, he said, “Come here.”
The way he was staring at me—hungrily, barely restrained—noman had ever looked at me like that. It did things to my heart, my stomach, and, yes, my vagina. We were all ready to go.
I stood, stepped between his legs, and put my hands on his shoulders. His arms slid around me, his hands settling on my hips before traveling lower. He ran them down the outside of my thighs, learning my curves, leaving tension and expectation in their wake. I wanted to ask what we were going to do, but I didn’t want to ruin the mood. Maybe, for once, I should just let things happen and not overthink it.Finally,was my vagina’s response. Fine. It was time to let her make my decisions for the rest of the night. My brain was done.
His hands found their way to my back, and he tugged me toward him until our faces were inches apart. One hand dragged up my back, pulling me closer. The other slipped to my butt and squeezed. The heat in Curtis’s eyes was all the encouragement I needed to feel safe and like I wasn’t making another mistake. He closed the small distance between us, his lips finding mine.
My fingers tangled in his thick hair as I cradled the back of his head. I slipped my tongue into his mouth, and he greedily accepted it, the wet slide exactly what I craved. Kissing this man was delicious torture, because as much as I never wanted it to stop, I needed more. I matched every firm thrust of his tongue with mine.
But then he stopped.
I blinked, coming out of my daze. “Did I do something wrong?”
His sweet smile was an arrow from his heart to mine. “No. Definitely not.” He cradled my cheek in one palm. “I was just thinking, we should take this to my bedroom; otherwise, I’ll be too distracted to work in here ever again.”
I would’ve said yes to him wanting to take this to the lobby, roof, or hallway. I was beyond the point of no return. “Yes.” Somewhere in my hormone-soaked brain, I knew that didn’t make much sense, but I just wanted to get my point across.
He chuckled. Without a word, he stood, and one arm dove undermy legs, the other around my back. He lifted me off the ground effortlessly, as if I were as light as a box of donuts. That man was strong. I threw my hands around his neck, holding tight. “Don’t drop me. I’m not exactly light.” I was tall, and the men I’d dated had never been that much taller than me. None had ever dared pick me up.
He put his mouth against my ear, the tantalizing vibrations of his words trembling through me, making me shiver. “I’ve got you, beautiful.”
Believing him took me by surprise and filled my chest with an expanding pressure that must be joy.Maybe I’m not as broken as I thought. I nuzzled my nose against his cheek and whispered, “You sure have.”
CURTIS
Faith’s adoring gaze on me as I carried her to my room set my heart pounding. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt truly wanted for me. I was going to do everything to make sure this was the best night of her life.
I kicked my bedroom door shut, just in case any of my staff happened past. They should’ve all gone home by now, but you never knew. My bedside lamps turned on automatically, the ambient glow romantic as heck.
“How did the lights turn on?” Faith asked.
I gently lowered her to standing. “My older brother, Spencer. He’s a tech genius and owns a security company. I tell it to turn off when I want the lights off, and they’re programmed to come on when I walk in after sunset. The program changes as the seasons do.” The pride I felt for my brother was only matched by my glee that the very existence of his company was a thorn in my father’s side. I could be the king of petty when I wanted to be.
“That’s so lit… literally.” She giggled at her silly joke, the sound abalm to my soul. The usual anger that smothered me when I thought about my father dimmed and faded.This woman. Having her here took the edge of stress off. I normally came home from work and worked some more. Even in my downtime, I preferred to be alone, and when was the last time I laughed so much? I felt different when I was with her, still me but better.
She must’ve caught the look in my eyes because her expression sobered, her mouth going from laughing to barely open and sultry in a beat. Her gaze, like the flame from a jet engine, burned defenses I’d spent years reinforcing to ash as if they were made of gossamer moth’s wings.
The fact that this could be more than physical attraction was a fact I didn’t want to contemplate right now. Instead, I lowered my mouth to Faith’s neck, my lips drifting over the sensitive skin. She arched into me, and my pulse clubbed a caveman beat at my throat as I catalogued what she liked.
