She paused again, then sighed. “Yes.”
He sat up and wrapped his arm around her waist, dragging her closer. “How much more than a year? Ballpark.”
Those lush lashes of hers swept up, showing the alarm in her pretty green-gold eyes. Then she lowered them, the inky lashes brushing a milky cheek. God, she was so pretty and small. He’d given her no time to prepare for his c**k to invade her body…
“Emmy?” he warned her.
Stiffening, she bit her lip. “A couple of months before you joined the team.”
“Over three years!”
She recoiled, and he grabbed her close, his palm sliding up and down her back in a soothing rhythm. Damn, he hadn’t meant to scare her, but three years?
“Baby, I’m so sorry if I hurt you. I’ll be gentle…” Next time? Would there be a next time? They still hadn’t talked about her resignation. At the moment, he wasn’t inclined to accept it. And if she came back to work, should he even be thinking about the next time he f**ked her?
Too late. He was already thinking it.
Normally, he didn’t believe in mixing business with pleasure. It was the primary reason he’d turned off his attraction to Em when they’d first been introduced. But now… He was pretty sure it was too late to put that cat back in the bag. He’d always admired her. But what he felt for Em after this morning had nothing to do with liking the way she kept a filing cabinet or drafted a meeting agenda.
“I know you will,” she whispered, then slanted a sly grin his way. “Feel like proving it?”
His c**k jerked, and he wanted so badly to shove his way between her pretty thighs and thrust deep inside of her again. But he had two problems.
“I don’t have another condom.”
Her smile widened, then she rolled over and reached into her nightstand drawer. She tossed it in his lap. A fresh box of ribbed condoms.
“I-I bought them after I invited you to dinner for your birthday last month. Just in case I worked up the nerve to proposition you, and you said yes.”
Instead, he’d been called out of town on business at the last minute and canceled. Brandon was both staggered and completely flattered that she’d had seduction on her mind.
“Next problem?” Her grin came complete with a dimple, and she looked so adorably sexy. Something about her made him want to scoop her up, tickle her until she squealed and laughed, then f**k her senseless.
“You’re going to be sore, baby. Even if I’m gentle with you…” He shook his head.
Suddenly, she grabbed the box and stashed it away. “It’s fine. If you’re not interested, I understand.”
Brandon frowned. Em had jumped to conclusions, and after three years of his cluelessness, he could understand why. But when she stood and groped for her nearby bathrobe, he’d had enough. The idea that she was covering all her glorious pale skin, that he couldn’t feel her naked against him, was not acceptable. They were going to get a few things straight right now.
Before Em could belt the robe, he grabbed it and pulled it off her body. She gasped and whirled on him. “Who said I wasn’t interested?” He glanced down at his erection. “Do I look like I’m not interested?”
She glanced between his face and his cock. “So you’re capable of an erection. That doesn’t mean you’re actually interested in me.”
“Baby, there’s no one else in the room. Trust me, I want you.” He raised up on his knees and pulled her back to the bed. Her body was starchy and resistant at first, but a kiss and a palm cupping her breast fixed that.
“I really don’t want to hurt you.”
“If that was your only reservation, why wouldn’t you let me tell you when I can’t take anymore?” she challenged.
Brandon couldn’t fault her logic. “All right. If you promise to tell me when you’re too sore, I promise not to bring it up again. I’m sorry if you took my hesitation to mean that I didn’t want you, Em. But you’ve spent some time thinking about us. I’m a little behind the curve. I’m so used to seeing you as professional and capable, not mind-blowingly sexy. Give me a little time to adjust. I’ll get there.”
And suddenly, he knew that he would. Fast. Already, he knew the idea of returning to their old relationship of strictly boss and employee wouldn’t fly. The thought left a wretched taste in his mouth. But he also wanted her back professionally. So they were going to learn to navigate an office romance.
“Promise me that you’ll only be with me if you truly want to,” she demanded, but a hint of tears swam in her eyes.
Brandon had never seen Emmy vulnerable. It brought out all his protective instincts. God, he’d been such a blind idiot for the past three years. But he couldn’t change the past now. All he could do was show her how much he wanted her, how rapidly she was becoming important to him.
“I want to be here, baby. Don’t doubt that.” He leaned closer and fused their mouths together. And he moaned. Somehow, she tasted even sweeter now. How was that possible? She’d already been addicting. Now, he absolutely craved her.