her. By her reaction to number six—in his arms up against the wall—and number eight—seated on one of the stools in the kitchen with him standing in front of her—they already had an outline of how exactly their return to the condo was going to go.
By the time he hit suggestion ten, they were just waiting for the bill.
“I don’t know if it was your plan all along,” Emerson said, quietly, her voice husky. “But I’m so turned on right now that I might spontaneously combust.”
She bit her lip as she looked at him, and he’d seen the look in her eyes before. The look that told him that she was on the edge before she lost control. It left her looking just a little wild and reckless.
Connor reached out and placed his palm against her cheek. “I’ve been hard as a rock since you appeared in the condo wearing that dress and lipstick. When I race, it’s important to not go out too early. You have to know your pace. Steady, letting it build. And you need to save some energy for that final burst at the end, savoring the anticipation of crossing the line rather than just hurtling toward it. Savoring the anticipation of you tonight has been fucking glorious.”
When the bill arrived, he paid, refusing Emerson’s offer to split it. He used the time to cool his thoughts. Jumping into borderline frozen rivers, running at five in the morning in the snow. Anything to ensure he could do all the things he wanted to with Emerson when they got home.
It felt as though the oxygen had been sucked out of the car. Connor’s hand edged its way along her leg from her knee. His fingertips trailed her inner thigh, her skirt bunching up as he moved higher.
Emerson glanced in the direction of the driver, half expecting his eyes to be glued to the rearview mirror, watching as Connor began to undo her, to make good on the promises he’d whispered in her ear over dinner. Relieved, she found his eyes focused on the road in front of them.
Connor leaned his elbow on the window, hand in his hair as he studied her, his gaze intense. It was a wonder there weren’t physical sparks flickering between the two of them, igniting the seat.
Neither of them said a word.
Emerson answered the question of how far she’d let him go almost as soon as she’d thought it.
As far as he wanted to.
The tip of his finger brushed against her red lace underwear, making her gasp and her stomach muscles clench. She wanted more immediately, but his hand never ventured quite far enough to allow him to apply any pressure.
The side of Connor’s mouth tilted in a smirk. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, or in this case, what he wasn’t doing to her.
She squinted in a mock frown.
Soon, he mouthed.
Emerson let her head fall back on the headrest as she heard Connor chuckle. He moved his hand, the loss of connection immediate. Once he’d straightened her skirt back down, he lifted her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. He kissed them gently and then lowered her hand to his hard erection where he flattened her palm against it. He laid his hand over hers to ensure she didn’t grip it, rocking once, then twice against her.
Okay, so she was doing to him what he was doing to her.
Fair was fair.
This time, she smiled and prayed the driver stepped on the gas.
When they pulled up outside Connor’s apartment building, she reached for the door.
“Wait,” Connor said, pulling a twenty out of his wallet before telling the driver to keep the change. He stepped out of the cab, and Emerson bit her lip as he discretely adjusted himself before walking to her door.
He opened it and offered her his hand.
“Thank you,” she said, stepping out of the cab and walking in front of him into the building. She looked over her shoulder and found him running his tongue along his lower lip as he watched her hips sway.
“Are you checking me out?” she asked.
“Too fucking right I’m checking you out. Walk ahead of me,” he encouraged.
Knowing he was watching caused goosebumps to ripple across her skin. It felt voyeuristic of him, yet she felt safe under his heavy gaze.
When she reached the elevator, she pressed the button as his hand slid around her waist. Connor pressed his lips against her skin. “When we get into the apartment,”