They stood in awkward silence for a minute. Was it her imagination or did his gaze stray to her breasts? Then he gave another shrug. “Give me a second and I’ll grab a T-shirt. We can go up to my office and talk.
She wanted to tell him he didn’t need the T-shirt, but somehow managed to keep the words inside.
As he passed her, she caught a whiff of fresh sweat and soap and warm man and almost swooned toward him.
Get a grip, Lexi.
She followed him out the door then waited as he slipped into another room and came out straightaway, a black T-shirt clutched in his fist. He didn’t put the T-shirt on, just carried it as he led the way back toward the elevator. Perhaps she should suggest he wear it, because he was really very distracting without it. She cast a quick sideways peek. He had flat brown nipples with little turfs of golden hair and more golden hair led the way down his belly, disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants. Her mouth went dry, and she swallowed.
The elevator doors opened, and he ushered her in. She stared at her feet while they rose then at his—he’d slipped on some trainers. Finally, she lifted her head and latched onto his face, trying to avoid the bits in between because they were too disturbing.
“You obviously work out a lot,” she said.
“I do?” His lips twitched.
Yeah, she was so funny. She waved a hand in the general direction of his body. “Well, you have a lot of muscles.” She sneaked another peek, and this time her gaze snagged once again on the bulge in his pants, and she looked away quickly, only to get hooked on his bare chest again. “Put the goddamn T-shirt on,” she muttered. “We need to talk.”
He chuckled. “Am I distracting you?”
“Hell, yes. I’m not used to half naked men.”
He frowned at that comment, but the doors opened at that moment, and he did actually pull the T-shirt on, giving her a quick flash of his armpits and more silky gold hair.
She sighed as she followed him. You reap what you sow. She was reaping the effects of five years of fantasies, and having to accept that he was better in the flesh than anything her imagination had ever conjured up.
They passed a few people, who all studied her curiously, then came to a desk in front of a set of mahogany doors. Sally sat behind the desk and smiled at Lexi, then Josh. “Hey, boss.”
Josh ignored her and pushed open the doors into a huge corner office. There was a desk and chair, and a black leather sofa along one wall. “Come in,” he said.
She followed him inside, and as the door closed she had a last glimpse of Sally craning her neck to see them, and then they were alone. Josh crossed to a coffeemaker on the side and poured two cups, brought them across, and put them on the table in front of the sofa.
“Sit,” he said. He really was good at giving orders, presumably from his time as a sergeant in the army. But she wasn’t one of his soldiers, and it made her want to do the opposite. She reminded herself that she needed something from him, so she perched obediently on the edge of the seat. He sat beside her but about a foot away, and she swiveled a little so she could watch his face.
“So talk,” he said.
She thought for a moment, but her mind was still on his chest, and she couldn’t seem to coordinate her thoughts. Instead she looked around the office. It was huge and impressive. “You seem like you’re doing well,” she said, if only to put off the main topic of conversation until she’d gotten her brain functioning again.
“Not too bad. For someone a little slow.”
She shrugged. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry. Luckily, I’m not the sensitive type.” He studied her for a moment. “Tell me,” he said. “Last night, did you set out to seduce me so we couldn’t get an annulment?”
She could feel the heat creep up over her face. “No… Not really.” She pressed a palm to her burning cheek. “Not at all, actually.”
“Which is it?”
She tugged on her ponytail. “It did occur to me while we were in the car after dinner. But then I decided that…” Crap, how did she put this?
“That…?”
“That I’d just make a complete idiot of myself if I tried. I haven’t got the faintest idea of how to seduce anyone, and I thought you’d end up laughing at me.”
“Why the hell would I laugh at you? Did you see me laughing?”
“No, but I don’t know you, so…”
“Wait a minute. Why don’t you have any idea how to seduce anyone?”
“Because I’ve never done it before.”
“Seduced anyone?”
She gave an exasperated sigh. “Slept with anyone.”
He went still, his brows drawing together. “Say that again.”
She pursed her lips. “I’ve never slept with anyone. And it’s no big deal.”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “You reckon? So let me get this straight. You’re a virgin?”
She rolled her eyes. “Er…no. Not anymore.”
“You didn’t feel like a virgin.” He looked at her accusingly.
She shrugged and squirmed on the seat. “It’s not like I’ve never, you know… I’ve got a vibrator.”