Seduced By A Steele (Forged of Steele #12) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,27

He hadn’t stepped back. Was she imagining sexual vibes that seemed to be pouring off him? And why did it seem as if the air shimmering around them was growing taut? “When?”

He lifted a brow. “When what?”

Was she mistaken or was she seeing desire in his eyes? Would she even recognize it if she saw it? “When can I have it?”

“When do you want it?”

She swallowed. They were still talking about a payment plan, weren’t they? “As soon as you can give it to me.”

“How about now?”

She nervously licked her lips as naked heat seemed to fill her. And did her hips just move against him? And did he have an erection?

“Now?” she asked, trying to keep up with what he was saying.

“Yes, now.”

Then he lowered his head and crushed his mouth to hers.

Ten

The kiss was every bit as raw as it was seductive. That was the way Mercury had wanted it to be. He knew what they’d been discussing and in no way was this what she’d asked for, but at that moment he was unapologetically getting what he knew they both wanted.

She might not understand the heated yearning passing between them, but he most certainly did. It was there, a deep desire that pulsed and throbbed. A desire he definitely didn’t want.

This was how he handled such matters, meeting them head-on. Last night he’d kissed her to drill some sense into her. At least that was what he’d told his mother. What was his excuse this time? What was the reason he’d allowed her to get under his skin enough that he’d been tempted to kiss her again? How did Sloan Donahue have the ability to arouse him even without putting forth much effort?

When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he could actually feel anticipation thicken the air. He also felt something else thickening. If he were to ease her a little to the left and then lean forward, he could easily take her on that desk. He was then quickly reminded it was Jaye’s desk. His best friend wouldn’t like Mercury using his office as a make-out room. That thought reminded him of where they were and what they were doing. It also reminded him that he had to regain control of his willpower and he needed to do it now.

He broke off the kiss and took a step back. The dark heat in Sloan’s eyes tempted him to come back, return to her arms and reclaim her mouth. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. He’d crossed another line today and that wasn’t good.

“So,” he said, after giving in to temptation and licking his tongue across his lips, as if to make sure her taste still lingered there. “I’m glad I’ve talked some sense into you, and that you’ve agreed to the money I’m putting into your account.”

He watched her expression. His words had been a reminder of the disagreement they’d been dealing with before the kiss.

“I don’t like taking your money, Mercury. I wish there was another way,” she said softly, not looking at him.

“There’s no other way.”

“And I wish you wouldn’t kiss me every time we disagree about something and claim to be talking some kind of sense into me.”

Was that what she assumed was the only thing driving their kisses? Maybe he needed to enlighten her that there was more to it than that. On the other hand, it might be wiser that he just let her assume whatever she wanted. “Maybe we need to try to be of one accord, then.”

“Or maybe you need to keep your mouth to yourself.”

He could very well tell her it took two to tangle, and that her mouth had been involved just as much as his. “I’ll try.” That was the best he could do since he could no longer ignore the attraction he felt for Sloan.

Unfortunately, he was a man used to acting on attractions. Women in Phoenix knew him. They knew he was a die-hard bachelor with no intentions of ever changing. The only thing they got from