My surprise made him shake his head.
“You clearly don’t know what you look like bent over a drafting table.”
He’d been ogling me in the office? He’d been lusting after me from afar like Mr. Kinkz-william Darcy?
“And,” he continued, “that kiss at the airport might not have been on purpose, but ever since, I’ve had averyhard time thinking about anything else.”
Wow. Maybe the Lloyd thing messed me up more than I originally thought. Had I really gotten so bad at realizing when someone was into me?
Or had I just been hiding from it?
Well. No more.
“Prove it,” I challenged.
“Gladly.”
In a single bound, he captured my cheeks with his big hands, and breathed in my surprised gasp as our lips touched.
Whoa. He wasn’t kidding. He does want me.
It had been so long since someone had touched me even remotely like that. Thank God my body acted on instinct.
Again, evolutionary programming at work.
Heart racing, I gripped at his rib cage with one hand and clutched the soft spot where his neck met his shoulder with the other, pulling him closer to me, deepening the kiss almost as soon as it began.
And I knew this was a bad idea, and that letting myself go after controlling myself so tightly for so long was a recipe for trouble and that I needed to shove him away and end this and never think about it again, but…
Clara was right. I’d been keeping myself from getting what I wanted. I was tired of it.
He tasted like spearmint and sex. I wanted more. This was what I’d been missing for the last few years. Maybe what I’d been missing forever. Kissing Lloyd Exeter was never like this.
When his tongue traced my bottom lip, I parted for him, wanting as much of this man as he would give.
Then my legs spread involuntarily, beckoning him closer. He pressed himself fully against me. My hips rolled, making contact with the hard evidence of his arousal.
“We have to stop,” I breathed.
Without hesitation, Hudson retreated. Before I had time to blink, he was off me—a full step away, hands at his sides. “Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
“I want to set some ground rules first.”
Not ground rules. Experiment parameters.
If I was going to have sex with Hudson, then the only way to keep myself safe was rules. Last time, I’d rushed headfirst into my whatever-it-was-but-definitely-not-an-affair with Lloyd Exeter. This time would be different. This time, I’d make sure a workplace fling didn’t affect me so deeply.
Making myself happy—but with guardrails.
The dimple returned to Hudson’s cheek. “Right. Okay. Yeah. Whatever you want.”
Whatever I wanted. What a strange concept. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d let myself havewhateverI wanted.
The power was intoxicating. Here it was. Everything I’d wished for. A solution to my virginity predicament and an offer to get off with one of the hottest guys I’d ever seen. All mine for the taking.
HowdidI want it?
“I want a one-night stand,” I said, formulating on the fly. “No strings. Just take the virginity, thank you, have a nice day. Then we can focus on the sex toy lessons—absolutely no practical demonstrations. Can you do that?”
