She drew her attention away from the window and settled it on Michael, who sat in a facing seat with Clancy on his lap across a small table from her, dressed like a men’s fashion model. With most anyone else, the limo, expensive watch, custom shoes, and other trappings of wealth would have been off-putting to her, but on him, they were natural. He’d earned this lifestyle himself, and he wore it well. On her, though, the expensive clothes felt foreign.
She looked down at the sweater dress that hugged her curves like it was custom made for her body. She wasn’t used to wearing tight clothes outside of her workout gear, and she was hyperaware of Michael’s frequent head to toe scans of her. After a hot night of crazy dreams, she vowed to keep all conversation light and businesslike. “Yes. I like all of the clothes. Did you pick them out yourself?” she asked, running her hands over her cashmere-clad thighs. Michael’s gaze followed the movement and she immediately froze. Business only, she chanted in her head.
“No. I made note of your sizes based on your existing clothes and shoes and then gave that information, along with a photo of you, to a professional shopper last week.”
“Oh…” That made sense. And she again felt remorse for being so upset last night. He’d obviously been planning ahead, which was his style. She should have known.
“Except the lingerie.” He stroked Clancy’s back. “I selected that myself.”
So much for businesslike conversation. The underwear was gorgeous and super sexy. The thought of him picking it out made her lower body tighten. “New underwear wasn’t necessary. Nobody will see it.”
He shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. At this level, you need to do better than look the part; you need to believe it yourself. You and I will know you’re wearing beautiful lingerie, and it will be apparent in our behavior. You will believe it. Consequently, those around you will, too.”
“Like your super successful businessman playboy role.”
“I am a successful businessman, Mia. It’s not a role I play.”
“And the playboy part?” The second she said it, she regretted it. The question was far from businesslike.
It was his turn to look out the window. “Nothing but inference on the part of the media.”
She arched a brow. “And inference on the part of a neighbor who has heard you in action through the wall.”
They stared at one another for an uncomfortably long time. Why couldn’t she have just let it go?
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“That the weather is lovely,” she lied.
He leaned a bit closer over the table between them. “That’s not what I’m thinking.”
Oh, shit. She could tell from the look on his face she was in trouble. It was the same odd, unreadable poker face look he had in the office before he kissed her.
To her relief, he leaned back and resumed stroking Clancy. “I’m thinking about the first day we met.”
“When I set off the fire alarm and almost flooded your apartment.”
“Yes, but more specifically, when you imitated the noises you’d heard through my wall.”
Mia was hard to embarrass, but that did it. She’d moaned, and imitated sex sounds, and overall made a fool of herself in order to piss him off that first day. And it had worked…sort of. He’d left, anyway. And she had certainly surprised him and thrown him off guard, exactly like he had just done. Shit. Payback was hell. She turned her attention to the scenery zipping by outside the limo.
“I’d like to hear you do that for real.”
“It’s not going to happen.”
“So you’ve said. But your fiancé would know what sounds you make.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Gray.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“You’re wearing the silver-gray bra and panties.”
Too stunned to speak, she simply stared at his face and fought the urge to look down and see if perhaps the straps were showing or something.
“As your fiancé, I would know this. And I’m right, am I not?”
“How did you guess that?” She’d changed clothes while he was packing and she packed all her things after that, while he did some stuff on his computer in another room.
Her heart cranked up a notch as a knowing grin crossed his face, punctuated by dimples.
“No guessing to it. The gray bra is sheerest.” He paused for a moment. “Look down, Mia.”
She did. Her nipples were obvious points jutting beneath the soft layer of cashmere. His casual, sexy banter had turned her on. Hell, everything about him turned her on, which was why this entire trip was a horrible idea. She’d fallen hard for this guy, and she was going to pay the price. The whole freaking weekend was going to be a big no, when all she wanted to do was scream yes, just like her body was doing at that moment. But this was one-sided, and she knew it.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Stop it.”
“Okay. But we both know you don’t really want me to.” He leaned forward again. “You like it. And you’d like what I’d do to you if you’d let me touch you.”