Kate’s eyes were glassy and her cheeks flushed from the alcohol. She looked adorable. The distinctive smell of pub clung to her, reminding me of my wilder years. She gazed at me, eyes brimming with desire, even though she was struggling to focus. It was clear that nothing would happen between us tonight, even if the glow on her face did things to me I was better off not thinking about.
“Let’s go,” I said.
I still had a lot to get done, but it was late, and the thought of bringing Kate to bed was a lot more appealing than dealing with plans for the marketing budget. I wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, and we left my office together. I typed in a code to lock the door, and we headed to the lifts, Kate pressing herself close to me as we walked. When my stomach knotted, it was out of affection rather than desire—it meant so much to me to see how Kate trusted me, even in this vulnerable state.
“How was it with Rose and Grace?” I asked to keep her awake.
“It was nice,” Kate said, slurring slightly. She grinned. “We drank shots. Just me and Grace. Rose wasn’t there. I’ve never had shots! They burn in your throat.”
I smiled, wishing I’d been there with her. Not to stop her from drinking, but to drink with her, to have fun with her, to celebrate. “Where was Rose?”
“She went home with some guy.”
I pressed the call button for the lift. It took a moment to arrive. The shiny metal doors swished open. I scanned my ID card and pressed the button for the private floor. The lift sprung into action with a barely perceptible jolt, but it was enough to drain the colour from Kate’s face. She pressed her lips together and clung fiercely to me. I drew her in closer, supporting her as she struggled to keep her balance.
A quietdingsignalled that we’d reached the top floor. It was completely silent. I led Kate down the corridor to my penthouse. A look of amazement flitted across her face, just as it had when I’d brought her here for the first time. Back then, I had wondered whether it was the right decision to bring her to my apartment instead of putting her in one of the empty hotel rooms. Today, I knew it had been one of the best decisions of my life. If I hadn’t done so, we probably never would have grown so close.
“I still can’t believe you really live here,” Kate said incredulously, looking around my apartment in amazement, even though she had been here many times before. We spent most nights in her room, but today I wanted her to sleep in my bed. I led her through the apartment to my bedroom and manoeuvred her onto the bed. She looked up at me with her big brown eyes, wrapped her arms aroundmy waist, and hugged my torso. Her face was far too close to where I had often wished it to be.
“I missed you today,” she murmured into my thigh.
I stroked her hair. “I missed you too.”
Her lips curled into a smile. “Really?”
“Really,” I affirmed, and ran my fingers along her jaw.
She sighed and pressed her cheek against my hip. A jolt shot through me, and blood rushed down my body. I couldn’t help it: I grew hard. I hoped Kate wouldn’t notice in her tipsy state, but when she looked up at me again, I was pretty sure she had clocked the bulge in my trousers. Her eyes scanned my face and landed, with surprising precision, on my lips.
“Henry?” she whispered.
“Yes?” I whispered back.
She smiled. “Kiss me.”
I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers but didn’t let myself deepen the kiss, instead fleetingly savouring the taste of her lips. Kate made a frustrated sound and gazed at me with an intensity I hadn’t thought possible in her state. Her cheeks were flushed and her mouth glistened.
“Kiss me properly!”
She looked so enchanting—and her expression was so hopeful—that I couldn’t deny her request. I kissed her again, this time deeper and more fervently. She gave a satisfied sigh and threaded her fingers through my hair. I shivered as her fingernails raked my scalp. Kate pulled me down onto the mattress to lie on top of her with surprising strength. Propping myself up with my hands on either side of her body, I ran my tongue over her lips, tasting the alcohol on them. I felt drunk, although I hadn’t had a drop to drink. Katewrapped a leg around my hips, pulling me closer until my pelvis pressed against hers. My erection pushed at her, hot and eager. I gave a throaty growl, and my dick twitched with eager anticipation.
“We have to stop,” I murmured against her mouth.
Kate made a protesting sound. “Why?”
It was a good question; the same one my body was asking. My blood simmered, and I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in Kate. “Because you’re drunk.”
“But I want you to kiss me. All over.”
Fuuuuuuck.
I swallowed hard. My throat was suddenly dry at the thought of exploring every delicious centimetre of Kate’s body with my lips. I wanted to know how she tasted when I made her orgasm with my tongue. My desire to do so had been building for weeks, but every time I tried to take our kisses further, Kate had hesitated. She clearly wasn’t ready, and I would respect that, no matter how hard it was.
“I will kiss you everywhere, but not today. OK?” My voice was rough.
Hers, on the other hand, was soft. “Shame.”
Impressed by my own restraint, I pulled back and sat up. Kate remained sprawled across the bed. I didn’t want her to sleep in the clothes she’d been wearing—but instead of encouraging her to undress herself, my masochistic side decided to take on the task. I unzipped her leather jacket and slid it off her shoulders. Despite the cold, Kate was wearing only a thin jumper. I made a mental note to get her warmer clothes for the winter. I knelt down and removed her shoes, then her jeans, averting my eyes from her underwear. My self-control was hanging on by a fine thread, and I decided not to take off her jumper—it was clear from the way herhardened nipples pressed against the thin fabric that she wasn’t wearing a bra.
