“You said you wanted to talk in the morning, and I naturally assumed that meant we’d have the ‘this was a one-time deal’ talk, and to be honest, I was saving us both from that uncomfortable conversation.” I bite my lip and close my eyes, feeling the humiliation all over again.
“That’s not what I was going to talk with you about, Julianne.”
My eyes find his and I grip the edge of the smooth countertop. “It’s not?”
“No.” He shakes his head and closes his eyes and swears under his breath. “When I woke up and you were gone it pissed me off. Then you wouldn’t speak to me for days. You finally asked me to go out with you and your friends, and I thought we had a good time, but then you went back to being professional and cool again. I know you’re giving me all the signs that you’re not interested, but I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
“I like my job, Nate. I worked hard to get it. And I enjoy working for you. You’re so good at what you do, and I’m learning from you. I can’t jeopardize my career because my boss is hot and I’m attracted to him.”
Nate smirks and then runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “It’s none of anyone’s business if we see each other outside of the office.”
“But someone will find out, and then it could be over for both of us.”
“I have very good lawyers, Jules.” Jules? He just called me Jules!!
I shake my head and look down at my swinging feet. I want him, and by some miracle he wants me too. Can we pursue this, whatever it is, and keep it away from work?
“Hey,” he murmurs, and pushes away from the counter to stand between my thighs. He wraps his arms around my behind and hugs me to his chest. He’s so tall, I’m only a few inches taller than him sitting up here. “Don’t worry so much about this, honey. It’ll work out.”
I gaze into his earnest eyes, my blue to his gray, and run my fingers through his soft, long black hair. For the first time in eight months my world feels right. I want to see where this goes.
I want him.
I lean down and brush my lips across his gently and nibble the corner of his mouth. I lean farther and bury my nose in his neck and inhale the musky, clean scent of him, and against my better career-woman judgment, I cave.
“I’m sleeping with you tonight,” I whisper.
“Thank Christ,” he whispers back.
Chapter Four
Nate pulls me against him, cups my ass in his hands and lifts me in his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck and hold on tight.
“I want you. Now.” It’s not a request. His lips are on mine, searching, hot, and I weave my fingers in that glorious hair as he carries me through his apartment and to his bedroom.
“Lights on,” I murmur against his mouth and he grins.
“Fuck, yes.” He flips a switch on the wall as we pass through the doorway and both the lamps on his end tables come to life. I can see his room now, in the light, and it’s simply amazing. Grey walls, white linens, large white furniture. It’s masculine and clean and classy.
It’s so Nate.
He crawls onto the bed with me still in his arms. I love how strong he is. I rest my hands on his arms, reveling at how the muscles move and flex as he lays me on the cool linens. He’s braced above me, his hands planted on either side of my shoulders, his hips cradled in mine, and he leans down and moves that amazingly talented mouth over my lips.
Fuck he can kiss!
I run my hands down his back and pull his t-shirt up to his chest. I want him naked.
Now.
He sits back on his heels and pulls the shirt over his head and I gasp as I sit up, bracing myself on my elbows. The sleeve tattoo on his right arm not only goes up to his shoulder, but over across his right chest-area too. With trembling fingers I trace the swirly tribal design, over his chest, around his nipple, and up over the top of his shoulder down his arm.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur and look up into molten gray eyes. His gaze is searching mine, a slight smile on his lips, patiently letting me explore with my fingers.
I’ll explore it with my mouth before the night is over.
I glace down to his left side and I abandon his right side and trace another tribal design that curls down his rib cage, disappearing into his pants.
“Take your pants off,” I murmur and look back up into his eyes.
“I’d rather get you naked, baby,” He tucks my hair behind my ear.
“Oh trust me, you will, but right now I’m on a treasure hunt. This is much more fun with the lights on.” I continue to follow the beautiful design with my fingertip. He kisses me quickly, chastely, then stands and shucks out of his pants and boxer-briefs, and there is the finest specimen of man I’ve ever seen standing before me.
I feel my jaw drop as I skim my eyes up and down his perfect body. Holy Hell. He’s all tanned skin and toned muscle and he’s breathing rapidly. That tattoo on his left side falls down over his hip and onto his upper thigh. It’s sexy as I don’t know what and I am itching to get my fingers on it.
And then my eyes zero in on his impressive erection – holy Moses, what that thing does to me – and I gasp at the silver metal in the tip. It feels bigger than it is, and I don’t even want to think about the process it took to get it there.
Suddenly feeling over dressed, I sit up and pull my shirt over my head, throwing it on the floor. Nate just stands there, at the edge of the bed, his hot gaze locked on mine, and I lay back and shimmy out of my jeans and kick them on the floor with the rest of our clothes. I’m lying on the bed in just my pink bra and matching panties and I smile up at Nate and do the “come here” motion with my index finger.
“Jesus, Julianne, you are so beautiful.” His voice is rough with emotion. I’ve heard those words hundreds of times, from other men, photographers, my friends, but they’ve never meant what they do to me right now. With this man.