Page 24 of When He Plays

Nope. “You’re the one making decisions in this room. You’re the one who is working with me.” He was done walking in the dark. If she wanted his help, she’d tell him everything. He waited, still holding her waist, far too aware of her scent and her warmth and the way she felt beneath his hands.

“You kissed me.”

Okay, not what he’d expected her to say. And as far as that kiss was concerned,“That was damn well not a real kiss.”

“It was. You put your mouth on mine. Kinda a textbook definition of a kiss.”

For barely a breath. A real kiss would involve him plunging his tongue past her plump lips and feasting. Taking. Driving them both wild with desire. If she kept pushing him, that was exactly the kind of kiss he’d be giving her.

“You can’t tell them that I’m your PA and then kiss me!”

“Charlotte.” Long. Drawn out. Said with extra syllables.

“Logan?”

“I wouldn’t let my PA into this room. They knew that. I’ve never let a PA into this room for a private game. The only civilians who come in? They are the people that the players are fucking. So when you came in, at my side, looking sexy as hell in your tight dress and the high heels and the fuck-me glasses⁠—”

“They were not⁠—”

“You stood behind me. They thought I was fucking you. To test me, Ares deliberately made that bet about you. He has always wanted to take the things that belong to me.” Take and destroy.

A swallow. “You…didn’t mention that point to me before. That, uh, they’d think I was your lover.”

“I warned you that the situation would change if you came to this particular game. You were adamant about attending.” Now, as predicted, the situation had seriously altered. Ares would be out for blood.

Only fair. Logan certainly wanted the Greek’s blood.

“You bet me.”

“Are we back to that? No one else was going to win you. I had the game well in hand.”

“Did you cheat?” Low. Whispered.

Tension poured through his body. Too much tension. The violence from the fight still heated his blood. Adrenaline poured through him. And…

Jealousy twisted in his gut. Writhed. Like he’d swallowed a damn snake. A very, very new feeling. Something that he definitely did not enjoy. When Ares and Pierre had looked at Charlotte, there had been lust in their eyes. Ares had fully intended to take Charlotte.

Only that hadn’t been an option.

Voice low and lethal, Logan told her, “You don’t accuse a man of cheating, not in his own casino.”

“I, um, think I remember you saying that very thing to Ares. But it’s still not an answer.” Her chin notched higher. “Did you cheat in order to win me?”

“I don’t play to lose.”

“Did you cheat?”

One hand rose and curled under her chin. “I won you.” Done. Pushed too far. Emotions out of control. I hate this seething jealousy. “So I think I should get to enjoy you.”

With that, his mouth claimed hers.

Chapter Five

She should shove him away.

She’d been well trained by the CIA. Charlotte knew a dozen fast and dirty ways to disarm a man. With a few careful maneuvers of her body, she could have Logan on the floor. Or across the room. Or⁠—

Her hands grabbed his shoulders. Held tightly. She pulled him closer.