She watched him work for a moment, smiling at his intense concentration. Then her face heated, because she realized the last time she’d seen that crease in his brow was when a woman’s mouth had engulfed his dick.
The clench between her legs sent her stumbling back to her stack of tablets, but the idea of going through them again suddenly sounded tedious. She’d much rather ogle Connor as he worked in the garden.
Since she couldn’t go out there empty-handed or he’d know her true intentions, she popped into the cellar first to fill up a few bottles from the cistern that stored cold water.
The men were bare-chested and hard at work when she stepped outside, but they all glanced up at her approach.
She held up the bottles. “I thought you guys could use a water break.”
Rylan and Kade set down their tools and wandered over gratefully, Rylan winking at her as he took the bottle. Connor stayed put, and when his gaze met hers, it was obvious he’d seen right through her. Heat unfurled in his eyes and rippled in her direction, going straight to her core.
She stared at his chest, remembering the way she’d touched it last night, how his muscles had tightened beneath her fingers. She was nowhere near close to having her fill of him, and she didn’t understand it. Why wasn’t it like that with Rylan too? She found Rylan attractive and liked being with him, but she didn’t crave him the way she craved Connor.
Connor was… addictive. She wanted to lick every inch of his body, to find out what it would take to summon that deep rumble from the back of his throat again. He’d made that sexy sound when her mouth was on his cock, but what if she licked his nipple? His earlobe? Bit his neck?
She was dying to find out.
Connor made his way toward her and took the bottle from her suddenly shaky fingers. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
He offered a knowing look. “Anything else you want to give me?”
Hudson gulped. “Nope. Just… the water. I’ll be inside if you need me.”
His soft chuckle followed her back into the lodge, where she resumed the annoying task of exploring the contents of the tablets. She was trying to access the communication system that the Enforcers used, but although the icon for it was right there on every screen, she couldn’t find the link that would normally take her to the password page, and she was too afraid to ask Xander for help because she didn’t want to explain how she knew about the program.
She spent the rest of the day alternating between working on the tablets and popping outside with any excuse to see Connor. By the time late afternoon rolled around, she gave up on the tech and busied herself by cleaning up the lodge.
It was hours later when the door swung open, sending a wave of humid air into the room. She sensed Connor before she saw him. His presence was like an airborne drug, infusing her system and heating her blood, making her entire body buzz with anticipation.
She turned, and her heart stopped when she glimpsed the look on his face.
“Xander,” he said.
The other man absently looked up from the computer screen. “Hmmm?”
“Get the fuck out.”
A beat of silence.
Then Xander chuckled and scraped his chair back. A few seconds later the door quietly creaked shut behind him.
Connor approached with the strides of a predator. “Did you enjoy yourself today?” he asked.
“Um. Yeah. I guess. I was messing around with the tablets and —”
“You were messing around with me.”
Her pulse sped up at the dark gleam in his eyes.
“If you want to fuck me, come out and ask for it,” he drawled. “You don’t have to make excuses to come outside. You don’t have to flaunt that sexy little body while I’m trying to work.”
“Why would I ask for anything? You call the shots, remember?” She was surprised by how composed she sounded, when her heart was pounding hard enough to shake the walls.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t tell me what you want.” A rakish grin stretched across his mouth. “I just decide whether or not to give it to you. But don’t worry. You made your needs more than clear.” He raised one eyebrow. “Take off your clothes.”
Her hands automatically grasped the bottom of her shirt, then stilled as a frown touched her lips. “Why can’t I say no to you?”
“Do you want to say no to me?” He was mocking her again, the way he always seemed to do. “Do you want to keep your clothes on?”
“No. I want them off. I want yours off too.” Helplessness jammed in her throat. “I want to feel your skin against mine and your hands all over me.”
She took a breath, struggling to make sense of her jumbled thoughts. She didn’t understand the swift obedience he summoned from her. The way her brain stopped functioning the moment he voiced a rough command.
“Maybe the question I should be asking is – why am I so quick to say yes to you? I don’t even stop to think about it. I just… do what you ask.”
He stepped closer, dragging his knuckles along her jaw as his voice thickened. “The other night you asked me what your kink is. You still haven’t figured it out?”