Chapter Four
“This way,” he said, and guided her to a tree that hadn’t been claimed by anyone else. He debated on holding her hand, but that was far too inappropriate and intimate in public. His grip on her skin loosened, and he found himself making an invisible pattern on her inner wrist. His cock tightened against his jeans.
The previous night, he had kissed her with the intent of breaking her barriers and getting on her good side. It wasn’t shameless seduction, he reminded himself—not when the goal was to save the company, instead of letting her destroy it. If she was with Matthew and trying to play him, well, he just had to play her first. And what if he had enjoyed kissing her?
The way her lips felt against his, and the trace of innocence in her touch in the beginning, had sent him into hormonal overdrive. Damn her. He wasn’t a teenager anymore. He was a successful man in his early thirties, who didn’t need to get caught up in all her business.
“You need to touch it,” he said, and led her hand against the centuries-old sequoia trunk. “So you can remember it later,” he continued, trying not to read too much into the double entendre spilling from his mouth. When had being close become such a hard task? He had never kissed an employee before. Damn it, he wasn’t his father.
She tapped the trunk, her fingers making an up and down movement as if to extract from the tree whatever secrets she could use later to recognize it. Just like she’s doing to me. Did Matthew know she was that smart? That she wanted to steal from the company—was she using him, too? She linked her arms around the trunk for a moment, and he stepped back. The sight of her blindfolded was hot. How to resist the way her lips parted, like she was waiting for him to slip his tongue inside her luscious mouth?
“I’m done,” she said, her breathing a bit labored.
Well, he wasn’t—not by a long shot. Glancing around, he noticed most couples heading back to the starting area after touching the tree. Some of them would take turns maybe. Not him.
“Come, Elena,” he said, and clutched her elbow, guiding her away from the employees. More trees canopied the area, and sunrays of light filtered through the bushes. He noticed a creek to the right, and a few pigeons bathing in it. Squirrels dashed out of their way.
The walk lasted a few minutes longer than he intended, but he needed to make sure no one would find them. She didn’t say a word, but his gaze trailed down her polo shirt, to her hardened nipples straining against the fabric. When he found a more secluded area, he pushed her to the left and went with her. The amount of green, taller bushes and rocks around them should give them enough privacy.
“I don’t hear anyone. Where are we?” she broke her silence.
“I’m selfish. I detoured you because I wanted to kiss you,” he said, and waited for a signal from her. If she pushed against his chest or jerked away, there wasn’t anything he could do.
Instead, she licked her lips and lifted her head as if searching for his.
Encouraged, he dipped his head and captured her lips with his, snatching her into his arms. A gasp flew from her mouth, but she linked her arms around him, her fingers stroking his skin. His cock grew harder, and his blood was like liquid fire. What the hell was happening? He was Devon Wilder, the man the media pegged as Colorado’s Bad Boy Bachelor. The guy who agreed to an open relationship with Regina because he just knew that was the best way not to get hurt. If he didn’t expect much from someone, how could he be vulnerable?
He slid his hand across her back, going lower...lower...lower, until he cupped her round, fleshy buttocks. Thrusting his hips into her, he intensified the kiss, his tongue teasing her, his teeth grazing hers. She removed the blindfold, eyes till closed.
Elena squirmed against him, the sweet curves of her delectable body against the hard ridges of his. He lifted his hand under her shirt, his finger outlining the lace of her bra. Cupping her breast, he heard her moan against his lips. The sound was low, growly, and amazing. Damn it, he wanted to hear her moan, whimper, scream his name. Groaning, he dipped his finger into her bra, and fumbled until he found her tight nipple. The tip of his tongue seared with need to lick it.
He caught her nipple between his index and thumb, and she leaned into him. The woman was freaking sexy. Were they about to fuck in the woods, feet away from the annual retreat in broad daylight? No. They couldn’t, as much as he wanted to.
Disengaging from her, he gathered the type of self-control that made all his kickboxing sessions a walk in the park. She let go of him, eyes widened, fingers touching her swollen lips as if to make sure that had really happened. “We can’t do this here,” he said, managing to sound casual.
She stepped back, hands curled into fists. “Of course not, Devon.”
A strange warmth spread through him at her calling him by his first name. “Come over to my place tonight,” he heard himself saying. Public places could be trouble, because despite what just happened, no one could see them together.
She lifted her brow. “I’m not ready to take things one step further.”
“You mean sex?”
“Yes. I don’t know if I can go all the way yet. You need to slow down.”
I need to slow down?“Why?” he asked. Having sex was like driving a Formula 1 racecar. Slowing down after things got started could be a fatal move. Besides, who was she kidding? Did she really want the whole dating shenanigans when he damn well knew she was up to no good? “What’s your angle, Elena?”
She took a step back. “W-what?”
“Are you sleeping with my brother?” he asked. “Do you have any personal interest in playing us both? What could you gain from it?” Regina had gained a tell-all interview from their affair. Money. Fame. What was Elena after?
She slapped his face. A quick, sharp hit. “I’m not sleeping with your brother, and after that question, sleeping with you is off the table. Which, turns out, suits me just fine. Excuse me.”
***
“Did you hear the rumors? Your sexy boss is having an affair with someone from the office,” Holly squeaked.
“What?” Elena whispered, and glanced down at her espresso.
