Talking Dirty with the CEO - By Jackie Ashenden Page 0,26
“And I totally didn’t intend to have sex with you when I asked you for the date, okay? That was…kind of unexpected.”
Her honesty took him by surprise. The women he dated tended to be game-players. They pretended they weren’t into his money or his looks, when of course the opposite was true. Not that he cared. He didn’t give a toss about their opinions.
But there was something about Christie’s openness that touched him. “Jumping a woman in my bathroom isn’t something I normally do, either,” he admitted. And, because he wanted to see her smile, “I’m usually way more slick than that.”
His reward was the way her luscious mouth relaxed into a small curve. “I have to say, you don’t look like the type of guy who plays Zombie Force Online.”
“I’m not. And I have another confession for you. I’m not really Studman500.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was in a meeting with one of my employees. Who apparently plays a lot of online games when he should be working. He got up to answer a phone call and while he was on the phone, your chat window popped up on his computer.” Joseph grinned. “I liked the Ugg boot and garter belt combo.”
Christie’s smile deepened. “I did wonder. We were talking about gaming gear and what we wore when we were online. He mentioned something about a Master Chief helmet with built-in microphone. I thought Ugg boots were better.”
“Way better. But I can give him your number if you’d prefer to talk to him.”
“God no. Studman was such a lame handle.”
He laughed. Karl would be gutted. “You’re right. It’s very lame. I would have chosen something much more classy. Like Big Boy. Or Love Machine.”
Christie ducked her head, but not before he caught the brilliance of that smile again. “I like Love Machine. You should keep it.”
“I will.” He waited a moment. “So? Are you going to tell me what made you run out on me?”
“Oh. That.” Christie’s smile faded. “Yeah. I’m sorry about that.”
“I’m sorry, too. I thought I’d hurt you.”
“No. Honestly, you didn’t. I think I just got overwhelmed. I…” She stopped, looking embarrassed. “Well, I don’t normally sleep with guys I’ve only just met and I guess I freaked out.”
Something in him, a small hard knot, abruptly unraveled. He couldn’t stop himself—he reached out, touched the soft skin of her cheek, and cupped her jaw in his palm. “That was some freak-out.”
She didn’t move. “Actually…I…I thought you might regret it.”
“Why on earth would you think that? Did I say something that—”
“No. No, you didn’t. I just…” She faltered, glancing away. “I didn’t want to stick around in case you did regret it.”
The fragile note in her voice made an unfamiliar protectiveness gather inside him. “The only thing I regret,” he said gently, “is your leaving.”
Her gaze came back to his and for a second they just looked at each other.
Then her lashes fell and she pulled away from him. “Sorry, I have to do this interview, remember?”
The wary, guarded look was back in her eyes again, and he decided he didn’t like it.
“You don’t like me touching you?”
“The interview, Joseph.”
He wanted to growl. Why did this woman, this frustrating, surprising woman, have to be so different? Why couldn’t she cling just a bit? Or be all over him like other women seemed to want to do? He wouldn’t mind, not with her.
“Ouch,” he said.
Christie gave him a wary look. “What do you mean, ouch?”
“I’ve never been rejected before. It hurts.”
“But I’m not…not rejecting you.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“No, I’m not. I just don’t want to sleep with you.”
“How is that not rejection?”
She glanced down at her phone again, held loosely in her hands. “I don’t understand. Why should you care? You must have hundreds of women you can call on. You don’t need me.”
“No, you’re right, I don’t need you. But I do want you.”
Stuff the bloody interview. He wanted her smile back. Wanted to bury his face in her neck, inhale the musk and lavender, sensuality and innocence of her scent. She was so sexy in her Gothic T-shirt, her skinny jeans, and her velvet boots. He wanted to push her back on the couch, slowly pull her jeans down, unlace those boots, and peel everything from her.
Or maybe everything but the boots. Yeah, she could keep those on.
Christie stared at her phone for a long moment. Then she raised her head and looked at him. “Why? Why do you want me?”
Challenge lurked in her eyes but behind it,