any more, she reached to tug down her bra and thrust her peak against his lips.
With a guttural groan, Colin succumbed to her will and tasted her nipple, twirling his tongue around it and pulling it deeply into his mouth.
“Colin,” she whimpered as her frantic hands reached for his belt. She needed him inside her. Now.
* * *
Colin was so turned on he could hardly see straight. Her creamy, pink-tipped breasts tasted as sweet as honey, and her skin slid beneath his hands like warm silk. He was so hard that it almost hurt, and when she cried out his name, he thought he was going to lose it in his pants.
He was so lost in her that it didn’t register in his brain what her hands were doing. When she freed his belt and unbuttoned the top of his pants, he finally understood. For a split second, he wanted to succumb to her siren’s call. He was dying to feel her soft, warm hand on his aching dick. Then he remembered why he shouldn’t kiss her, much less make love to her.
“Don’t,” he ordered in a ragged voice, grasping her wrists to stop her from going any farther. She stilled at his command, her whole body going stiff against his. He mourned the loss of the languid warmth of her aroused body. But no. He couldn’t do this. He shouldn’t. “We need to stop.”
Slowly, he righted her bra and tugged down her shirt to cover her glorious bare skin. Then he stepped back, tucked his shirt into his slacks and buckled his belt. He couldn’t meet Jihae’s eyes. He hadn’t meant for things to go so far, but when she’d walked into his office, he knew he was going to kiss her. Her boldness and sweet vulnerability were his undoing. But now, he’d pushed her away, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
He finally looked up to find her staring right at him. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to find—maybe embarrassment and regret—but it certainly wasn’t cold fury.
“That’s it?” she asked. “Are you going to avoid me for months now? Are you going to pretend this never happened, too?”
“Jihae, that’s not—”
“I am not a fragile porcelain doll that you need to protect. Even if I were fragile—and I certainly am not—it isn’t your job to protect me. I can take care of myself. If you offer me your bullshit about protecting my reputation again, I will kick your skittish ass.”
“It’s not that simple—”
She cut him off again. “This is the last time I offer myself to you. You want me, but you’re too afraid to take a chance. Well, listen very carefully. I will have you on your knees before I ever let you lay a finger on me again. On. Your. Knees.”
That was the sexiest angry speech he had ever heard. He definitely felt like he’d been put in his place, but it was so incredibly hot. Since thinking of pleasurable ways to get on his knees for her wasn’t conducive to getting his body under control, and Jihae needed to leave his office before he lost all willpower, he decided to just keep his mouth shut. He couldn’t think of what to say at any rate. Other than wow.
She arched a perfect eyebrow when he didn’t offer any more excuses, then tsked impatiently. “I’ll see you next week for the director interviews. Good night.”
With that, she opened the door and walked out of his office with her head held high. Colin was relieved that their last two kissing sessions weren’t going to affect their business relationship. He wasn’t surprised, though. Jihae was a true professional and she wouldn’t let her personal life interfere with her work. If he’d liked and respected her before tonight, he was in awe of her now. She was spectacular in every way.
He’d been doubting his initial belief that Jihae had been involved in Rotelle’s espionage scheme. After tonight, he couldn’t believe that she’d been a part of it. Despite her impenetrable ice-queen image, Jihae was frank, honest and fair, and was an incredible partner to work with. She had such innate integrity that she gave praise and credit where it was due, and wasn’t afraid to admit when she was wrong.
Could such a person have participated in such subterfuge? Colin’s gut instinct told him no. And he would never hold her accountable for the depravities of her family. Rotelle was still the prime suspect for the espionage