What he likes. How he likes it.
He’s the kind of man I imagine thrives on taking charge. I can see it in how he conducts himself. He’s the type who would dominate every inch of a woman’s body. I bet he’d take his time, pushing limits, and denying pleasure until all composure is replaced with desperate need.
He’d reduce you to nothing but a writhing, begging mess.
Stop it, Gemma. You can’t go there.
God, I could practically smell sex appeal oozing from his pores tonight. All silky voice and dangerous presence. He looked at me like he wanted to eat me. And damn if I didn’t want him to. I got wet at the mere sight of him in those perfectly tailored trousers and black shirt that stretched across his strong shoulders.
I wassoclose to buying into his smooth words, but Anna’s voice sliced through my lust-filled haze.
Anna is like the sister I never had, and the threat of losing her trust and potentially destroying our friendship absolutely terrifies me.
I need to put mind over vagina.
That, and the chance of derailing my career. If we keep the account, HR will be breathing down my neck after my and Henry’s meeting with Chadwick. I can’t throw away everything I’ve worked so hard for because Max Browne looks at me like he wants to ruin me.
Even if part of me wants him to.
Warm sunlight filters through the curtains and I slowly open my eyes. My hand skates over my bedside table until I find my wire-framed glasses. I slide them onto the bridge of my nose and peel myself out of bed.
It’s Saturday, and I’m meeting Anna and April to go bridesmaid dress shopping in Mayfair. I’m so excited—trying on dresses, drinking champagne, and enjoying some much-needed girl time. I think this will be the perfect thing to get my mind off the man currently occupying it.
I figure I can use the trip to my advantage—scout out the area to see if anything sparks creative ideas. Something I can add to the Gray Hotel campaign to give the project a fresh edge and me an advantage to stay on the account.
I make myself a coffee, frothing the milk and pouring it into my mug, creating a little foam penis. I smile at my latte art and take unhurried sips while I get ready for the day.
I arrive in Mayfair, spotting Anna outside a fancy boutique April selected on New Bond Street, waving excitedly when she sees me approach.
Anna greets me with a warm hug, and when she pulls away her brows pinch as she assesses me. “I say this with love. You look tired.”
I sigh. “I slept like crap. I need another coffee.”
Just then, April sneaks up behind us, draping her arms over our shoulders. “Eep! I’m so excited!”
“And I’m freezing my tits off. Let’s get inside,” Anna says.
We file into the boutique, sifting through the array of expensive dresses.
Anna leans in close, her voice a hushed whisper. “Holy shit, this dress costs a thousand pounds!”
April breezes by, flicking her long, auburn hair dramatically over her shoulder. “These are on me, by the way.”
I turn to her, surprised. “What? No. We can’t let you pay for our dresses. You’re already paying for the wedding! We can find somewhere else to look. There are plenty of great places around.”
April fixes me with an exasperated look. “My fiancé is rich. I’m buying the bloody dresses, end of story.”
Anna raises an eyebrow. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sweet, modest April?”
April shrugs, biting back a smile.
“Well, in that case.” Anna snatches the dress off the rack, slings it over her shoulder, and marches to the dressing room like a woman on a mission.
I step closer to April, lowering my voice. “Hey, I forgot to ask the other night—how did Lucas take the news about your engagement?”
She rolls her eyes. “He hasn’t said anything. James has tried calling him a few times, but he’s just sending him straight to voicemail.”
Classic Lucas. When he and April broke up, he disappeared without a word—blocking her number and wiping her from all social media as if their relationship never happened. Then months later, he popped up out of nowhere, begging her to take him back. So it’s no surprise he’s handling this like a sulking man-child.
