‘Usually. And in the quest for full disclosure, I have a confession to make.’ He pours the blood red liquid into the bowl of a glass. ‘Iama lawyer, but it’s not quite that simple.’ His face is unreadable as he places the glass in my hand.
‘Oh,’ I reply, disconcerted for the second time in as many minutes.I’m an assuming ass. Awesome.Of course, I have an idea where this is leading and my stomach tightens unpleasantly.
‘The school, Al Mishael, belongs to my family, more specifically my mother. It’s named for her. I was on my way to a meeting with the principal on her behalf when I saw you in your classroom. Quite an event in an otherwise dull day.’ The corner of his mouth quirks, rendering him further all kinds of sexy.
But, crap. I amin my boss’s hotel suite.Casting couch, anyone?We each raise a glass to our lips, Kai pausing. Naturally, I take a large gulp.
‘Strictly speaking, you shouldn’t be here on so many levels. But I’m glad that you are. You and that ladder... ’ With a small shake of his head, he fixes his gaze on the glass as he turns the stem. ‘Drink. Please,’ he says, eyes returning to mine. ‘Then maybe say something.’
I take another sip, then raise the glass again for a larger swallow, trying to arrange my thoughts and features behind the bowl.
‘My being here could get you into trouble?’ It wasn’t something that had occurred to me, more the other way around.
‘It could be complicated for me, certainly. I’m on the board and you are an employee, a new employee.’ Placing his barely touched drink back on the cabinet, he steps toward me, taking the glass from my passive hand. ‘There are other things to consider, but as for trouble, it’s a little too late now.’
Heat fills his gaze as he brushes a wayward lock of hair from my face. My breath hitches and for a moment I forget to exhale. When my breath finally hits the air, I know I won’t weigh up the consequences of what’s to follow. I’ll allow myself this moment. For once in my life, I’m going to do what I want, dowhoI desperately want. I’ll leave sensible Kate in the distance and regrets for tomorrow morning.When I roll out of his bed.
‘Thank fuck for wobbling ladders.’ Kai’s voice is low and throaty as he slides one hand into my hair, eyes briefly resting on my mouth. My lips are parched and tingling and my tongue darts out to wet the bottom one, wordlessly willing him to close the space. As his thumb barely brushes the moisture away, I almost levitate closer.
‘Though, if I remember rightly,’ he murmurs, pinning me with his dark, dilated gaze, ‘all I really wanted to do was place my teethhere.’
His free hand glides past the side of my breast without really touching, nipples tightening instinctively. He cups my behind, pulling me in and my body rocks into him, desperate to feel the length of him against me, the drag of his lips.
‘You’re so very pretty,’ he whispers, pressing his mouth against mine in invitation. I take it, leaning into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His lips are soft and unfamiliar andamazingas he opens wider, deepening the kiss, the taste of wine registering on my tongue. Both touch and taste are so unravelling, I tighten my arms, almost curling into him.
Small, exploratory kisses become deeper and wetter. I moan into his mouth. Everything becomes frantic for a moment—teeth and lips dragging until he moves me backwards, resting me against a high-backed sofa. My breathing is ragged as he runs his hands down my arms, pressing his body against mine once more.
‘Let’s slow down.’ His words are whispered into the skin of my neck, their echo and following tongue starting fires everywhere—intimate places, suddenly burning with need.How about getting me there faster instead,the need screams. But then his mouth moves over my neck, alternating between kisses, flicking tongue and grazing teeth. I curl my hands against the sofa edge, holding onto the moment, pursing my lips to silence a trembling moan as his mouth finds mine again. He kisses my bottom lip, taking it into his own and holding it.
If the frontal cortex is responsible for decision making, maybe my bottom lip is its cut off switch. I can’t process what he’s doing or how silly this might look as he bites, gently at first, testing my reactions, increasing the pressure with synchronicity to my sighs. The pressure resonates lower—I’m turned on and shocked, my breath now a small, quivering thing. As he releases my lip, the blood rushes back into the flesh with a subtle sting. I don’t have a chance to reflect on his action— my reactions—as his full, flat tongue then licks it.
‘Sofuckingpretty,’ he growls.
It’s almost as though the growl resonates between my legs.
One hand comes to rest beneath my dress, fingers resting just above my knee. He watches my face with an expression so serious, almost as though waiting for interruption, trailing them upwards to the triangle of fabric between my thighs. I offer no objections as his finger brushes lightly, pressing a damp crease in the fabric. Closing my eyes, my body begins to tremble as his finger moves slow and rhythmically.
‘Relax,’ he whispers, moving to loosen the buttons of my dress. His fingers work quickly from bottom to top until it hangs open, his hands spanning my waist. I stand half exposed, dress hanging open at my sides, thinking I could melt under his gaze, be reduced to a puddle of need at his feet. With a devilish smile, he slides the dress from my shoulders where it pools, forgotten, on the floor. ‘I knew you weren’t so conservative.’
Blinking heavily, I glance down at my underwear: my black lace push up bra and undies are sheer and almost transparent. I send a silent thanks to the knicker-drawer fairy for ensuring decent, if not matching, underwear were at the top of the pile this morning. Because, really, it could’ve been much worse.Never mind about clean knickers in the case of an accident. I’ll never wear old nana knickers again.
‘Your shoes were your tell.’ His mouth curls between small, nipping kisses, his hands still circling my waist. ‘They scream sex.’
I thought they screamed short, but that works for me. I’m hardly covered, barely touched, and absolutely on edge, but the fact that he’s mentioned shoes again, doesn’t go unnoticed.
Pulling back, his mouth is wet and a little swollen, and if my lips are any indication, I expect tingling, too. His eyes travel the length of my body, linger on my feet and slide back up my legs.
‘I think I’m going to leave them on, but otherwise strip you.’ His hand suddenly cups between my thighs, his gaze back on my face. ‘Then I’m going to fuck you. Tell me you want that, too.’
Oh, God, yes.I’m hot, my every nerve ending tingling in anticipation. Iacheto be filled. Leaning forward to kiss him my answer, he stills me with a finger at my chest before my lips have the chance to meet his.
‘I want to hear.’ An eyebrow rises to match his intonation and while he doesn’t smile, it’s there, hovering in suggestion. How is it he senses my discomfort? And no one asks this sort of thing outside of books and maybe, movies. Hasn’t anyone ever told him that? All of a sudden, I can’t for the life of me think why as I raise my eyes to his. Burning, flecked with amber and gold, they demandsay itandI dare youandtell me you want to fuck.
I don’t so much answer as sigh, the flush of arousal and discomfort branding my chest. ‘I want,’ I whisper, taking his hand and pressing it harder between my legs, ‘you... here.’
His nonsmile widens and my hand falls away, my eyes rolling closed as I melt into his fingers, my words echoing in my ears. All too quickly, he moves, turning me until I’m facing the sofa.What?I’ll admit I’m a little shocked, my spine stiffening.Is this how the cool kids do it these days?The straps of my bra move down my arms, his lips at my shoulder. At this point, I lose all train of thought.
Fingertips brush my ribs, his hands slipping around to my breasts, the hard press of him behind as startling as his teeth on my neck. I make a small sound, just a whimper, and hear it deepen into a libidinous moan as his teeth bear down into a tantalising bite. The sensation echoes a lower ache as I raise a hand to the back of his head pulling him toward me, desperate to repeat the feeling, almost bucking against him in need. His low chuckle reverberates through my insides, hands now on my waist as he turns me to face him once again. I don’t mind admitting, my relief is immediate. If I’m going to do this, I want to look at him.
