Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,29

just have to sign.”

“Oh … I … thought we’d just be talking about it today. I didn’t realize you’d have me signing something.”

“No point in waiting.”

“Okay, but…” She drew in a breath as she drew her shoulders back. “We need to discuss some terms.”

“You’re right, we do.”

She stood up, thrown off by his relaxed demeanor. She started to pace.

“I want us to be very clear on one thing. This is a business arrangement only,” she said. “There will be no personal involvement between us at all. Business meetings only.” She glanced around. “And preferably in an office or somewhere over coffee.”

“Absolutely not.”

She spun around to face him. “What?”

“I don’t agree to that at all.” He stood up and walked toward her. She had to stop herself from backing up.

“River, I told you…” He stood close to her now. “I want to explore what we had.” His finger brushed her cheek, and he swept her hair behind her ear, sending tingles along her neck. “I want to kiss you. To touch you.” He smiled. “I want to see where this relationship might have gone.”

“It wouldn’t have gone anywhere,” she said through gritted teeth.

His smile grew wider. “You see, that’s where I think you’re wrong.” His fingers slid behind her neck and he drew her forward, then his lips brushed hers.

Nooo, she didn’t want to …

Her heart beat frantically as his lips moved on hers and, heaven help her, she couldn’t stop herself from responding. His other hand slid to her waist and drew her closer as his tongue slid into her mouth.

She could barely breathe. She could barely think.

All she wanted was to melt against him. To succumb to the intense desire thrumming through her. To give herself over to him completely.

His lips drew away and he gazed down at her with smug satisfaction.

“You see, the chemistry has always been great between us. And I think we’d both like to see where it might lead.”

“So you want to have sex with me as part of the deal?”

“No. I want to have sex with you because we both want it. I’m quite happy to admit that what I shared with you physically was the best sex I’ve ever had.”

She pulled away from him, her cheeks flushing.

“Is that why you recorded it and spread it all over school?”

She turned her back to him and walked toward the window, needing space.

He frowned. “I’m sorry, River. I didn’t mean to remind you…” He sighed. “I think it’s time I explain. I was never involved in that. I knew you wouldn’t believe me, so I wanted to give you time to get to know me … to understand that I would never do something like that.”

“So you’re saying you didn’t go out with me on a bet?” The words burned from her mouth like acid pellets.

“I did. But when I met you … when we talked … we hit it off.”

“And then you nailed me.”

“That was never part of the bet.”

“So you say.”

“And why would I lie?”

She placed her hands on her hips. “Everything that happened between us was a lie.”

He grasped her shoulder and turned her around, and then she was in his arms, his mouth on hers. His tongue drove into her. His arms tightened around her. His body so close … the musky scent of his aftershave … his lips moving on hers … overwhelmed her senses.

Memories of their bodies entwined so long ago rampaged through her.

She wanted him. God help her. She wanted to be naked in his arms. Feeling his thick cock gliding inside her.

He released her lips, his indigo eyes locked on hers. “This wasn’t a lie. The way we are together. The way we make each other feel.”

She shook her head. “What you did…” Tears welled in her eyes at the remembered humiliation of hearing that recording. And worse … the intense sense of betrayal. She pulled from his arms and backed away. “I couldn’t go back in the fall. I dropped out.”

“You dropped out of college because of me?”

“My scholarship wasn’t transferable and I didn’t have money like you did.”

“I’m sorry, River. I didn’t know.”

“Now you do.”

His lips compressed. “Look, I’ve always wanted to explain about the recording. At the time, I didn’t know how it happened. I swear I didn’t make it.”

“Are you saying your apartment was bugged?” She didn’t believe him for a minute.

“In a way. It was a practical joke. The guys I hung out with got someone to hack my phone to act like