“‘Production of offspring to occur through natural means’?” she snaps. “You added a footnote telling me we’refuckingto do this?”
I meet her fury head-on. “Keep your voice down.”
“No!” she hisses. Her hands tremble at her sides, but her spine is iron. “You could’ve told me that. Out loud, in person, to my face,something!Instead, you hid it in a clause you thought I wouldn’t read!”
I raise a single brow at her. “I assumed you would read it. And if I’m being entirely honest, I assumed you’d come marching in here like this.”
“You’re unbelievable.” She pushes a hand through her hair. Her bun finally gives up, and her hair tie falls to the ground. She barely notices. “Do you think I’m okay with this? I mean, Jesus, Anthony. You’re offering me the world, but I didn’t know I’d have tofuck youto get it. Do you even understand how that makes me feel? Like some kind of prostitute?—”
“You think this started with the contract?” I step around my desk, letting my fingers drag over the surface before shoving them into my pockets. I close the distance, leaving a few feet between us, and lean forward, bringing myself down to her height. “You started it,April…with your text…with your words. You told me what you wanted in a vivid description.”
“You can’t just…you can’t just keep saying my name like that. And that was a mistake?—”
“Was it?”
Her cheeks turn a deep shade of red. “I was venting, you fucking ass. Fantasizing.”
“Now the fantasy can be real.” My voice drops as my chin tips down, my eyes locking on hers through my lashes. “And you’re terrified that it’s tempting you.”
“Go to hell.”
“I don’t think I will,” I grin. “I think you’re going to give me an heir,April.”
I pull one hand out of my pocket and catch her wrist with it, my thumb dragging over her pulse. Her breath catches; her eyes bore into mine. But she’s making no move to run or hide.
“And I’m going to give you exactly what you’ve been wanting.” Her eyes widen, the fire in them flickering with something else. Something I’ve seen before but didn’t quite know how to name. It’s clear now.
I pull her to me, letting go of her wrist as her chest presses against mine. Bending down just enough to hook my forearm under her ass, lifting her with ease.
“Anthony—”
“You change your mind, princess?” I murmur, pressing the side of my nose against her cheek to speak softly in her ear.
The scent of her hits me like a goddamn semi-truck. Sweet, floral,intoxicating.It’s so much stronger when she’s pressed against me. I inhale deeply, letting it invade my nostrils and branding her into my brain.Fuck. Christ.My fingers tighten around her thigh as I turn toward my desk.
“I…I don’t know,” she whimpers, her hands hesitantly resting on my shoulders for stability.
“Seemed like you were begging for it a few days ago.” I cross the space with ease, stopping beside my desk. “All those filthy thoughts you texted me about what you wanted from me. You wanted me to bend you over my desk and put you in your place when your horny little brain can’t focus on work.” I slowly loosen my grip, letting her slide down my body until her feet are on the floor. With my mouth at her ear, I say, “Is that not what you wanted? Am I meant to believe that was a lie?”
I stand up straight, towering over her by more than a foot. She looks up at me with those wild, doe-like green eyes, but saysnothing. So I let myself keep going.
My hand slides up the curve of her back, and her lashes flutter; her lips part just enough to release a small exhale. My fingers glide up over the back of her neck and into her hair. Before she can react, they tighten into a fist around the blonde strands. A strangled little noise slips from her mouth, and it’s the filthiest, sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.
“You’ve got such a brave mouth on you,” I rasp, my free hand coming up to cradle her jaw before dragging my thumb over her lower lip. “But you’re so quiet now. No retorts. No witty comebacks. You’re not pushing back at all, April. Have I broken that little head of yours?”
Her breath quickens, but my thumb lingers on her lower lip. I stare at the way it moves as my thumb strokes it. Plump, pink,damp, hot.
I can’t resist any longer and push my thumb past her teeth. She startles before sinking into me, her tongue instinctively moving. My breathing stutters. “Christ,” I mutter, while pushing down on her tongue. “You claim you don’t know what you want, but you’re melting like butter.”
She whines softly in response. “Do you really want me to stop, princess?”
She stares up at me, her tongue twitching under my thumb, and shakes her head.No.
“Good fucking girl.”
I wrench my thumb from her mouth and tighten my hold on her hair.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, princess,” I growl, letting my free hand slowly scale down the front of her body. My hand dips between her breasts over her blouse and down the front of her skirt until I’m grasping the hem. “I’m going to give you what you want.” I inch her skirt up her thighs.
