“It’s a back massage. Nothing more.”
“Oh, come now. You left a trail of fire in your wake when you pulled her out of the gala. Rick actually apologized to me for hitting on your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Sorry, sorry… I know, no girlfriends. Only protégés.” He holds up both hands as he turns for the door. “I suppose travel is out until you’re recovered? No worries. I’ll work it out with Grafton.”
He’s gone and my jaw is tight. I flick a ball of paper after him, cringing at my lack of control. Joselyn is not my protégé. Calling her that makes it sound like I’m a lecherous old man, like my office has a casting couch. I’ve never slept with a woman who wasn’t begging for it, and I don’t groom them either.
As it stands with Joselyn, we’ve been home a week, and other than appointment-related messages, we haven’t spoken. She doesn’t sleep with clients. I don’t do relationships. We’re at an impasse.
Only, I’m pissed she’s taking some moral high ground. I broke my rule for her. Now she’s playing hard to get.
Fuck that, she yelped like a puppy riding my dick a week ago. She’ll come around soon enough. The phone on my desk dings, and I flick the button.
My secretary announces, “Miss Winthrop is here for your appointment.”
“Send her back.” Standing, I round the desk as I shed my coat and loosen my tie.
Pouring a tumbler of ice water, I compose myself. If she wants to play games, she’ll learn quickly I never lose.
The door opens, and when I see her, the ground shifts. Her hair is styled in a ponytail on her shoulder, sending red waves down her full breasts, which are straining against rust-colored scrubs. Her face is so fresh and glowing, but her blue eyes are all business.
It reminds me to get my shit together.
“Good morning, Mr. Carrollton.” She rolls in a massage table and assembles it near the windows. “How’s the pain today? Can you rate it on a scale of one to five?”
“First, you can call me Spencer. Let’s not be obtuse. As for my pain, it only hurts when I move in certain directions, and then it ranges from one to five, depending on whether or not I’m lifting something.”
Her full lips press into a thoughtful line, and she nods as she taps on her phone. “This is your second treatment. Based on how you feel this week, we can decide how many more are needed and the amount of time between them.”
I’ve already decided if she insists on continuing this act, it’ll be my last session with her, then I’ll take her home and spank her bottom. That fantasy makes me happy.
I say none of this aloud.
Instead, I lift my tie over my head and unbutton my dress shirt, feigning indifference. “How’s the client building going?”
She takes out a small speaker, a bottle of oil, and several towels. “Pretty slow. Would you prefer lavender oil or peppermint?”
“Considering it’s the beginning of the day, peppermint.”
She nods, placing what looks like a saucer of rocks on my desk and plugging it in. I watch as she pours a small vial over it and steam begins to rise, filling my office with the crisp scent.
Her eyes are averted as I take off my shirt, almost like she refuses to look at me. I’m about to comment on it until I turn back from placing the garment on the back of my chair, and I see her blink away fast, pink flooding her cheeks.
That one little tell, that one slip changes everything. Knowing she’s drooling on the inside evaporates my frustration. It makes me want to toy with her.
She thinks she has the upper hand, but two can play this game.
“Should I remove my pants as well?”
My question seems to startle her, so naturally I unfasten my belt. Let’s do this, Sin.
“No!” She quickly holds up a small towel. “I’ll just tuck this in your waistband. It’ll protect your pants, and the oil is washable.”
“I’d rather not walk around with oil stains on my clothes all day.”
“It won’t happen. I’m very careful.”
Hesitating, I decide not to push her too far on our first office visit. I’ve decided I do want her to return—this is fun. Going to the table, I lie on my stomach, closing my eyes as she carefully tucks the white terrycloth along my waist.
She switches off the lights, and the noise of whales and pan flutes surrounds us. It’s very bothersome. The