at the base of her neck. The silky knot came loose from its binds, long auburn locks tumbling over her shoulders and unleashing more of the citrus-and-vanilla scent that made his head spin.
“If I were a decent man,” he said, “I’d haul you out to security and pat myself on the back for saving the poor bastard who owns this place from whatever schemes you’re undoubtedly planning.”
Dorian released her neck, and she opened her eyes, irises nearly swallowed by the dark pupils.
He pressed a finger to her lips to silence another excuse. The soft heat of her breath ghosted across his fingertip, the promise of her wet mouth making his cock throb.
“But since I’m not a decent man,” he said, “I’m going to make you an offer instead. Two choices. Think very, very carefully about your response—I’m only going to ask once. Understand?”
She nodded, blood pulsing visibly beneath the pale skin of her throat, every heartbeat a seductive whisper, a promise, a warning.
Don’t do this, Redthorne. You know what happens…
Ignoring the voice of reason, he gazed into her beautiful, devious eyes, his cock so hard it fucking ached.
“Option one,” he said. “You walk out that door right now, take the elevator to the ground floor, and disappear. Don’t return to this building. Don’t return to this neighborhood. Forget we ever crossed paths.”
“What’s… what’s option two?”
“Option two.” Dorian lowered his mouth to hers, so close he could taste the gin on her tongue, and fisted her dress, hiking it up to reveal her bare, toned thighs. He slid a hand between them, wet heat radiating through the thin black lace of her panties. With the softest brush of his lips against hers, he whispered, “I’m tearing off this pathetic scrap of lace, dropping to my knees, and fucking you with my mouth until I’m absolutely convinced you’ll never look at another painting again without recalling the time a stranger cornered you in the study at the Salvatore penthouse and forced you to come for him, again… and again… and again.”
She drew a sharp breath, and he increased the pressure between her thighs, dragging his knuckles back and forth.
“So what’s it going to be, little prowler? Will you go, or will you…” He arched his hand up, pushing hard against the damp fabric. “…come?”
“Fuck.” The whisper fell against his lips, her hips rocking as Dorian restarted the slow, teasing strokes.
“What’s that, gorgeous? I didn’t quite catch your answer.”
“Fuck off,” she said, feisty until the very end. Then, with new heat blazing in her eyes, “God, I want option two. Fucking give me option two.”
“Good answer, love. Because here’s my secret.” He hooked his fingers into the panties, and with a swift jerk of his wrist, tore them from her body like tissue paper. “You never really had a choice.”
Chapter Eight
Charley didn’t give a flying fuck what he said about choices.
For her, there was only one way this ended. It was hot, dirty as hell, and screw it—she was more than okay with it. She was a hot-blooded, consenting adult who’d gone without the touch of a man for far too long, and she wanted this. No, she deserved this—a quick indulgence to fuel her imagination for all the lonely nights to come.
“Trust me.” She flashed him a sexy smile. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here, fucking a hot stranger in the study.”
“Ah, but you won’t be fucking a hot stranger.” The man stuffed her ruined underwear into his pocket, then flashed his wolf’s grin, ready to devour her. “The stranger will be fucking you.”
He spun her around and lifted her dress again, fisting the fabric in one hand while his other slipped between her thighs from behind. She leaned against the closet door for leverage as his strong, demanding fingers drove into her aching pussy, stroking her with a masterful touch that threatened to send her over the edge in thirty seconds flat.
“It seems I’ve put you in quite a state,” he rasped, breath hot in her ear. Then, leaning in close, he dragged his hand out and lifted it to his mouth. With a soft, reverent moan he slid his fingers into his mouth, sucking on the evidence of her desire, his eyes dark and foreboding. “My, but you’re exquisite.”
Holy fuck, this guy is off the rails…
And God, he knew exactly how to tease her, how to whisper all the forbidden things that left her wet and throbbing. His deep voice, the accent, his commanding touch… Charley’s skin was