Page 26 of Mistletoe Mischief

“Tell me,” he said, his fingers rubbing against her harder, creating a tingle of need inside her core, “and I’ll kiss you somewhere else.”

Holy shit! This wasn’t her. She didn’t dirty talk with strangers on cold dark nights, and she especially wasn’t tempted to let them do exactly what they promised in a public area.

He pulled down her T-shirt and sucked at the skin of her collarbone.

She gasped, holding on to his shoulders as he withdrew his mouth with a pop, kissing a trail along her chest until he reached the top of her left breast.

“Your name?” he coaxed, rubbing her in an upward motion through her jeans.

Her pussy tingled, her desire soaking her panties, and Ryler forgot why she should tell him any other name. His touch was like a truth serum, and she whispered, “Ryler,” a second too late and froze.

“Ryler, that’s—”

Suddenly, he jerked away, his jaw hanging slack. “Ryler?”

She held on to the stool, nodding.

“With Excursions?”

“Yes.”

“Shit, I’m Pike.” Pike ran his hands through his hair, staring at her. “I thought you were a guy.”

Ryler laughed softly. “I had a feeling you did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

Ryler slipped off the stool and approached him, frowning when he backed away from her. “I thought it would be a pleasant surprise.”

She reached for him, but he took her hands, shaking his head. “You’re Alia’s assistant.”

Ryler bit her lip. “So?”

“We can’t—you’re here with—” He released her and rubbed his hand over his face, laughing. “Damn it, this has not been my day.”

“Wait, two minutes ago you were fingering me through my jeans, and now you’re dipping because I didn’t tell you I was a girl?”

“No, you don’t understand. I cannot mess this up, and sleeping with you, with Alia Cole’s assistant?” He held his hands up. “You don’t know this, but I piss off nearly every woman I become romantically involved with.”

“At this moment, I can understand why!” Ryler tried walking past him, humiliation gnawing inside her. How had she never considered that Pike would have kept things professional no matter what her gender was?

“Are you going to tell Alia?” he called after her.

A flash of hurt pinched her chest until it was replaced by fury. Was he actually asking her, after offering to go down on her, if she was going to tell her cousin because he what—thought something was going to happen between him and Alia?

“Why? You think you have a chance with her?” Ryler asked waspishly.

“No, I told you. This is the chance of a lifetime for my business partner and me. Letting him down isn’t an option.”

Ryler deflated and swallowed back her disappointment and humiliation, reminding herself that she’d done this to herself. Why the hell had she made a move on Pike in the first place? Now she was stuck here for three weeks, participating in activities that would throw them together, and all the while, she still wanted to kiss him.

Concealing her barrage of emotions with a wry smile, Ryler gave him a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry, Skip. Your secret is safe with me.”

Chapter Seven

There was a ringing in Pike’s ears, making his whole head vibrate with pain, and as he blinked his eyes opened, he let out a strangled cry. What the hell had happened last night, and why did he feel like death?

He remembered having a couple drinks at the bar while he was waiting for Anthony to meet him at Brews. He went outside to get some air, and that woman followed him out …