great deal of money to keep the nasty shit people made up about him out of the hands of the media, but Cara didn’t have his resources. Or the experience in dealing with this kind of crap.
But as she raised her chin again and stared at him, a gleam of feistiness in her eyes and strength in her jaw, he realized what she did have was backbone.
“I take it you don’t want me to go out and defend your honor? Beat the shit out of the assholes?” he guessed, a half smile tweaking the side of his mouth. Because, God, he sure as hell wanted to.
She grinned back then, her eyes glinting. “You’re sweet. And yes, I did have fantasies of you pounding their asses, but I don’t want you to take them on. Because…”
He waited.
“Because their comments made me realize something.”
“And that is?”
“People already think I’m sleeping with you.”
“I’d made that point earlier today.”
“I know.”
“What’s changed?”
Surprising him, she rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. The shock made him freeze for a second, and she pulled back a little, as his heart rate sped up and his breath came out in a harsh rush.
“What’s changed is that I realized I’ve been following a pattern most of my life. I’ve avoided conflict. Done everything I can to eliminate gossip in my life. Been a good girl. And look where that’s gotten me? A bad reputation, whether I earned it or not. And more important…”
She slid her body closer to his and he reacted—going hard instantly. But he knew what he didn’t want her to say. Knew he didn’t want her to tell him she wanted to sleep with him because her reputation was already compromised. But he waited. Wondered. Held his breath hoping that somehow the desire he had for Cara that went beyond the physical was reciprocated.
“But what I realized was more important,” she continued, her breath a warm hush against the side of his neck, “was that I’d allowed my interpretation of others’ opinions to guide my decisions. I stopped going for what I wanted. I held myself back. And I don’t want to do that anymore.”
“What are you trying to tell me here, Cara?” he asked, tightening his jaw to stay in control.
“I’m trying to say that earlier today, I wanted to accept your dinner invitation without reservation. I wanted to get to know you, too, the way you say you want to get to know me.”
Her hands were now on his shoulders, and her breasts were pressed up to his chest. Her hips were undulating in a slow, sensual rhythm. This didn’t feel like a woman who wanted to eat. He needed clarification.
“Are you saying you’d like me to fix you a sandwich and discuss politics and religion with you over a glass of wine?” he asked, barely breathing.
“No,” she said, then gently bit the side of his neck. “What I’m saying is that I want you to take me,” she said, her words breathy. “Take me hard.”
That was all the encouragement Branden needed. He swept her into arms and kissed her. As their tongues tangled, he moved a few steps forward until her back was against the wall and he let her slide back down to her feet. Pressing up against her, he kissed her harder and pulled her tighter against him. They kissed like they couldn’t get enough of each other, like the desire between them was finally standing proud, refusing to be ignored.
As they kissed, he cupped one of her breasts and caressed it through her blouse. Then he let his hand slide down her side to the back of her thigh, lifting her leg off the floor and wrapping it around his hip. He slid his hand to her ass and pulled her in even tighter. She rocked her hips against him.
His hard cock pressed against her, aching to get out. He slid his hand under her blouse, touching her stomach and causing her body to quiver. His fingers moved over the band of her bra before brushing across her protruding nipples. Then he slipped his hand underneath the band so he could play with her bare breasts. She moaned and bit down on his bottom lip.
God, he felt like a man who had been in the desert for weeks without water and he’d finally found his oasis. Each kiss and each brush of his hand against her amazingly soft, supple body caused him more desperation. He wanted