If I didn't stop this line of conversation, I'd soon be offering to show him what I wore under my jacket. The most daring part of me, a part I hadn't known existed until he'd entered my life, was responding to his words, making me ache and tingle, begging me to go for it. "We need to keep this meeting strictly professional."
"Like we can't be professional naked."
My lips pursed in pure vexation. He spotted the action, and the teasing light fizzled from his eyes as a hot, blazing fire kindled in their blue depths. "I swear I get hard every time you move your lips."
I watched, transfixed, mesmerized, as his gaze traveled over my body in a bold assessment, stopping for a long moment at my bare calves. It felt as if his hands rather than his eyes skimmed over me. And I knew what was coming next. Oh, I dreaded, craved and hungered for what was coming next.
"C'mere," he said, the word a seductive whisper.
Remain strong! my inner Tigress cried.
Where have you been? I mentally shouted at her. Everything about Royce, from the look on his face to the way his body leaned forward as if poised to attack, was a guarantee he planned to kiss me senseless. Again.
I might hate myself later, but I couldn't allow it. Our first (shatteringly exquisite) kiss had been our last. He was too sexy, too potent, and he wanted too much from me. More than that, I wanted him too much.
"I can't," I said, trying to impress upon my sex-starved body the importance of those words. "Besides, you don't have time. Your meeting, remember?"
"Yes, you can," he said, his voice a throaty, heady murmur that seduced me. Lured me. "And I'll always make time for this."
So will I, I thought, my lids lowering to half-mast.
What are you doing? my inner Tigress snapped. Think about the consequences of your actions. Triple Cs are trouble. Pure trouble.
My body said: I don't care. Kiss Royce. Pleeeease.
Royce clicked under his tongue. "If you won't come to me, I'll come to you." He rose. Before taking the steps that brought us together, however, he strode to the door and clicked the lock in place.
Uh-oh. I gulped.
My mind and body continued their war, and I didn't know what to do. Well, I knew what I should do. It was just a matter of doing it, of getting my ass out of the office and away from Royce.
"I gave you plenty of time to run," he said, stalking toward me. "Yet here you remain."
My eyes followed his every movement with horrified fascination and, seconds later, he was in front of me, reaching down and clasping my hands. In one gentle tug, he pulled me to my feet. Even now, I didn't try to escape, didn't utter a protest, but kept my hands cradled in his.
Leap out the window, my inner Tigress cried. You aren't ready to face such a powerful Tiger.
I frowned. I thought a true Tigress never backed down from a fight.
Don't you know anything? When she's in heat, she avoids everything male. Now run!
If only being with him like this didn't feel so right. If only his hands weren't so warm, so callused. Did he work on the planes himself? The thought of him dressed as a mechanic, oil streaking his arms and face… Holy Lord, fantasy overload.
"What type of flowers does your mother like best?" I asked in one last desperate attempt to prevent what I knew-and secretly hoped-was coming. I'd already proven I didn't have the willpower to run. Words were my only hope. "Maybe I'll scatter petals across the floor and tables." And maybe he could have sex with me on those petals. I uttered a nervous laugh. "They'll fragrance the air very nicely."
"Use orchids." His voice became a husky whisper, deep, low, seductive. "I finally figured out what you smell like. Orchids and honeysuckle."
His seduction was melting my resolve, drugging me. Kiss me, I beseeched with my eyes.
Stop that, I commanded them. No beseeching!
"Every time I'm near you, I drown in your scent," he muttered. "But I've told you that, haven't I?"
Lick me.
Shit.
"Did I tell you how sexy your lips are? I can't keep my eyes off them. I want them all over me."
Bite me.
Damn it all to hell.
He nuzzled the side of my cheek with his nose. Nipped with his teeth.
Oh, yeah. He nipped again. Just… like… that.
I sighed, melting. Lust zinged through me, hot and wild. My body trembled, totally and completely winning the battle against my mind. I really, really wanted Royce to kiss me again.
I knew how he affected me, so I knew to guard my emotions. Right? Yes. Right. That meant I could allow myself to kiss him again. Maybe then I could finally get him out of my system and walk away a stronger woman-Tigress-better equipped to resist him later. Right? Yes. Right.
In a hidden corner of my mind, I admitted I'd been waiting for this moment since I had stepped into his office, uncaring of the consequences. He drew me, tempted me.
"You still haven't run," he said softly. His hands slid up my arms, onto my waist and to the small of my back, enfolding me. I sank into him, my chest pressing against his, my legs cradled by his.
His warm breath fanned my cheek until finally his mouth settled over mine. His tongue thrust out, licking, tasting. He teased me with flicks and nibbles, and it wasn't enough. I needed hard and rough and pure passion.
I bit his bottom lip; I coasted my hands up his back, gripped his head and ground him against me. He got the point. His mouth slanted over mine, his tongue thrusting deep, thrusting as hard as I desired. I purred, kissing him with all my pent-up longing. My tongue battled his, retreated, then went back for another delicious skirmish. His coffee-flavored taste intoxicated me.
Royce's sultry attack continued until my head felt wonderfully groggy from lack of air. My nipples were hardened little points, and my heart was thundering inside my chest, erratic and undeniably fast.
He jerked his mouth from mine. I growled my disappointment, my need. I wasn't finished with him. This was the last kiss I was going to allow between us, and, by God, it was going to last a long, long time. My hands tightened on him, holding him, locking him in place.
"See?" he panted. "We're good together." Between each word, he planted hot little kisses along my cheek, my jawline and my neck. "So good."
"No." I had to deny his words. The principle of the matter and all. "We suck together."
"What a little liar you are. I like your idea, though. We should do more sucking." His strained chuckle breezed against my lips, but his laughter soon ceased and he gave me another earth-shattering kiss. "I want you, Naomi."
His words were even headier than his kisses.
"Let's forget the rest of the world and go to my place. Just you and me."
"What about your meeting?"
"I'll cancel."
"I-" My refusal, or agreement, wouldn't form as I battled the seductive fog woven through my every thought.
His movements clipped, Royce set me at arm's length, an emotion I couldn't decipher shining in the depths of his eyes, lines of tension tightening his features. He waited. Simply waited for my agreement. He wouldn't do more, wouldn't touch me again, until I uttered my capitulation.
I opened my mouth, but no sound formed. Why couldn't I say yes? Why couldn't I say no? I wanted both options too much, damn it.
He continued to look at me. He knew exactly what his silence did to me, too. It gave me time to imagine all the things we could be doing to each other. Stripping slowly. Touching and tasting. Shuddering with an exquisite, I've-found-the-gates-of-paradise orgasm. Or two.
A sultry shiver racked my spine, and I fought the urge to grip his chin and jerk him back to me for another kiss. Better leave now-you're already too far over the edge.