Leaning in, Janie took her hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze. “Thanks. You should get going to your meeting.”
“Really? You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
She rubbed her temples. “Damn it, Janie. I was counting on you being the voice of reason. I’m disappointed.”
Janie nodded. “Me too, girl. Me too.”
***
The second her high heels clunked on the wooden floors, a shiver went through her. The friendly doorman had assured her Devon was waiting for her, although she doubted he’d be ready for the kind of news she had to give.
I wanna sleep with you.She snorted. Well, she couldn’t be accused of subtlety. Had to refine the seduction part.
She cleared her throat and drew in a breath before knocking on his imposing front door, filled with deep carvings swirling in an abstract pattern. Twice.
He opened the door, and with a polite smile, gesture for her to enter. “Hi.”
She followed his lead, trying hard not to stare at his mouth-watering ass. He had on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, buttoned up to his neck.
A ginormous living room spread in front of her, stretching all the way into the modern kitchen. A large marble fireplace was the focus of the room, decorated in warm beiges. Floor to ceiling glass wall showcased Denver’s skyline, and she stared at it for a moment. Wow.
“This is nice,” she said, even though freaking amazing would be more fitting.
“Thanks. Do you want to drink some water, coffee, juice?” he asked.
She shrugged. “No.”
“Sit down.” He pointed at one of the massive sofas, and sat on the one across from her. The buttery beige leather was almost slippery, and it had a new furniture smell. “You said you aren’t the one stealing. How do you explain your expensive car?”
“I come from money.” She glanced down at the dark wood flooring, and wished she had a stiff drink in her hands. Even though she wasn’t much of a drinker. Her parents had been blue-collar hardworking Italian immigrants. Thanks to her brothers and their well-deserved financial success, she had been able to go to nice schools and enjoy a privileged lifestyle.
“Fair enough,” he said, unfazed by her revelation. “My main concern is, I want you to keep your mouth shut. Don’t tell Matthew I know he thinks I stole. Can you do that?”
Oh no. Not another favor. Assignment. Goal. Whatever it was called. She rubbed her temple, and started to think out loud. “Despite Matthew having a big head at the moment, he helped me in the past and we’re still friends. I can’t betray him.”
Devon leaned forward, and for a second her breath caught in her throat. Even sitting, his muscles stretched under his shirt, and her fingers tingled to run along his chest. What the hell was happening to her? She curled her fingers into a fist, wishing she could just will away that sensation. That desire. That need.
“How is that betraying him?” he asked.
“Because he knows you kissed someone. Someone saw us, but she couldn’t see me. And he told me to discover who that woman was.”
Devon stood, and let out a long sigh. The atmosphere around them shifted, tension crackling in the air. She lifted her hand to her throat, her fingers drumming over her flesh. “So he can use it against me.”
She nodded. What good was it denying it?
He peered at her, his gorgeous dark eyes flickering. “Why didn’t you tell him that it was you? You obviously don’t need the job.”
“For two reasons. First, I didn’t think it was fair to have you kicked from the CEO race because I asked you to kiss me. But if I said that to Matthew, he would have used it against you.”
“And second?”
She swallowed. Her second reason was a lot less altruistic. “Because I need…you.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a long story, but I haven’t had sex in three years. My vajayjay barely had a pulse, and then you came along, and sometimes I get so wet I’m afraid my underwear will slip off. Look, I’m not asking for a happily ever after. I just need a hands-on approach so I can overcome this…whole thing and move on.”
He scratched his chin. “I heard some pretty strange things from women but this one takes the cake. You want me to teach you how to fuck?”
“I wanna have sex again. All the way. But I can’t promise it will happen on the first try. If you are willing to help me, I won’t tell Matthew you know that he suspects you. And I will help you find the thief, as long as you know I won’t lie about it. Are you in or are you out?”
