instant his lips had touched hers, all his tension, all that underlying tightness of anger and guilt, seemed to melt away, leaving them only in this moment.
A moment that had his mind racing and his heart beating triple-time.
“Take me to my room,” she whispered.
His hand slid down her head over her midnight hair. He sucked on her neck and moved up to whisper into her ear. “Lead the way.”
She tensed for a moment in his arms, then softened, her breath heavy against his lips. “This doesn’t change anything…at work?”
He was an adult. He could separate lust and business.
He shook his head. “This doesn’t leave the island.”
He’d made it his mission to keep out of the spotlight. The more focus on him, the more opportunity for people to pry into his past, exposing his demons to the world. And those demons needed to remain buried under the twenty feet of concrete he’d put in place twenty years ago.
He was hyper-aware of her beside him on the walk back to her room. The air practically crackled between them, and when he placed his hand at the small of her back, when he guided her out of the elevator, he was sure he saw sparks.
While she looked for the key in her purse, he checked that no one else was in the hallway, then swiped her hair away from her neck and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. The door beeped, and he held his hand out before pushing them into the quiet space. As soon as the soft click of the door sounded behind them, she twirled in his arms, and he pressed her into the wall, stealing a kiss. She deepened it, snaking her leg up and wrapping it around his hip. When she began to circle beneath him, he wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her up, slamming her breasts into his chest.
He reached down, placing his hand on the backs of her thighs, and lifted. She fit perfectly into his body, wrapping her legs around him as he walked them to the bedroom and placed her gently on the bed.
Her blatant proposition at the bar and her explicit sexuality had been overwhelming. It brought up memories of his past. Memories he never wanted to associate with Penn.
But here he was, a slave to his cock, taking her up on her offer. When they kissed, his demons no longer plagued him, which was why he was here, despite knowing the potential for public scrutiny, despite knowing he would ultimately do something stupid to fuck it all up—her job, their friendship. His whole damn life. Because he had an overwhelming feeling this was going to change everything.
He plundered her mouth with his. The soft whimpers she let escape between their torrid kisses shot straight to his groin.
He pulled away and looked down, taking in every luscious inch of her. He’d never noticed the flawlessness of her skin until he’d kissed it. The softness of her hair until he’d touched it. The ruby red color of her lips until he’d conquered them.
He settled beside her, pulling her leg over his, letting her warm center nestle against his thigh. Her head fell back, and he suckled sweetly against her throat, moving down the corded tendons to her collarbone. Then he kissed the swells of her breasts that peeked out over the edge of her dress. He pulled down the fabric. He wasn’t one for wasting time.
She hadn’t worn a bra, and when he released the zipper at the back of the dress and slid it from her body, he exposed her tattoo. Brown, white, and pink marked her skin. A cherry blossom tree spanned her entire side from hipbone to under her armpit. She wore the tiniest panties that only accentuated her body—tight and curvy. Perfect.
He kneaded her breasts, her nipples stiffening under his touch. His mouth followed, biting her supple flesh. She moaned and her back arched, pushing her breasts farther into him.
“Cole?” she moaned.
He’d always loved hearing his name from her lips. But now, like this, the way she’d said it in that needy tone, was like a drug. And he was a desperate junkie.
Her hand clasped his cheek, and she turned his face to look at her. Her eyes were wide, thoroughly roused from her slumber.
She was in. All in.
They held their gazes for a moment, and the silent exchange between them was as loud as a freight train. One that could very well ruin everything between them.
But