“Beck’s voice tends to carry very well through walls.” He kinda smiled. “I bet you’re wondering who Charlotte is.”
I turned toward him fully, bringing my leg up onto the sofa and hugging it to my chest. “West... It’s not my business. Beck said he meant for me to hear, but I shouldn’t have listened. Besides, I also heard you say you didn’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t. But it doesn’t mean I can’t.”
“Then don’t talk about it. Talk about something else. Like... How old you are, or what your favorite color is, or the last time you did something other than work on an evening.”
“Twenty-nine, green, and tonight.”
“You’re just saying all that.”
He laughed and leaned back, propping his elbow on the back of the sofa. “I really am twenty-nine, I really can’t remember the last time I didn’t work on an evening, and I didn’t have a favorite color until I developed a possibly unhealthy obsession with your eyes.”
I pursed my lips. “Stop sweet-talking me. I know you just want inside my pants.”
“I do, but is it sweet-talking if I’m honest?”
“Yes.”
“Damn it, woman. Shut up and take a compliment.”
I rolled my eyes. “All right, all right. Thanks.”
He nudged my knee. “I don’t believe you mean that.”
“I don’t.”
He smiled, his eyes shining.
I took a sip of wine and rested my chin on my knee. “Do you really work every night? Like, you never take a break?”
“Rarely. Even when I do, I always remember something that needs to be done, or I’m thinking about it, so it’s never really time off.” He looked away from me, out to the end of the yard, where the now-set sun has painted the sky in shades of golden orange. “Beck pretty much made me do everything earlier and forced me to try to take tonight off.”
He was a workaholic—hell, even his idea of fun, when he stripped, was technically still work. That wasn’t healthy for anybody. Surely he had to have something else in his life, or was it all so intertwined with the club that there was no line where work ended and fun really began?
I tilted my head to the side, my gaze trailing over his profile. “Are you thinking about work now?”
“Right now?”
“Yes, right now.”
West turned his face back toward me, and although his eyes shone through the shadows playing across his features from the setting sun, I saw a hint of rawness glaring at me. It made my mouth go dry, and I forced myself to swallow past the tiny lump in my throat.
“No,” he answered quietly, holding my eyes captive with his. “I rarely do when I’m with you. Even when I’m supposed to.”
It was still hot out, but shivers trailed down my arms, leaving goose bumps pimpling across my skin.
“Then what are you thinking about?” I asked.
“I’m thinking that, if I don’t kiss you soon, I might go crazy.”
“So kiss me.”
He didn’t need a second invitation.
I dropped my knee down as he moved toward me, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me against him. I slid along the sofa with one easy tug from him so our bodies collided at the exact moment our lips did. I shuddered as he entwined my hair around his fingers and wrapped his arm around my back, locking me against him.
My own fingers found the collar of his shirt, and I held it for a moment before one hand fell down to his stomach and the other curved around the side of his neck, my thumb brushing against his stubbly jaw.
My body felt alive—completely and utterly alive. Desire trailed over my skin as we kissed. He licked and nipped at my lower lip until I opened my mouth and flicked my tongue against his. His groan vibrated through my body, and he eased me down until I was on my back and he was leaning over me, my legs wrapped around his waist.
His hard cock pushed against my clit, sending a bolt of desire shooting through my entire body until my blood hummed with need. I gasped when his mouth left mine and trailed up my jaw.
“What else are you thinking?” I breathed, tilting my head back against the sofa cushions.
He was breathing heavily as he nipped my earlobe. “Thinking you’re wearing too many clothes.” He kissed my neck. “Thinking I’m already fucking crazy.” Another kiss, this time on my pulse point. “Thinking you should be naked so I can kiss every inch of you.” More kisses, now along my collarbone. “Thinking about licking your clit until you come in my mouth again.” Even more kisses, down to the curve of my breasts. “Thinking about pinning you down and fucking you over and over again.”
I closed my eyes as he left hot, openmouthed kisses across my chest and reached his hand up to tug the low neck of my tank top down. He did, exposing my bra, and moved his dirty mouth down farther, his fingers moving too, until he pulled the cup of my bra down, popping out my breast, and took my nipple in his mouth.