Page 40 of The Naughty or Nice Deal

My stomach dips, my jaw falling open slightly. I thought he’d go for something traditionally romantic, not… not that. The rough edge to his voice sounds so real that for a moment, I forget this is all pretend.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Liam’s face darken before he pointedly looks away. Good. He lost the right to have opinions about my love life when he decided I wasn’t worth fighting for.

“I think that’s my cue to head upstairs,” Lydia says with a knowing giggle, and I realize Ford’s little performance just announced our sex life to his entire family.

My face burns hot enough to melt steel. I mean, if we were really engaged, there would obviously be… activities. But having his parents know about it feels mortifying even in this fake scenario.

We all migrate upstairs together, and I say goodnight to Hayden and Gabriel at their respective doors before following Ford into our shared room. The ensuite bathroom is a work of art—all marble and gold fixtures, with a clawfoot tub big enough to swim in and a shower that looks like it belongs in a luxury spa. Even the towels probably cost more than my monthly grocery budget.

I have to admit, Elaine has exquisite taste. I’ve seen photos of other wealthy homes that look like explosion in a gold leaf factory, but everything here flows together with elegant cohesion. Each room has its own personality while contributing to a beautiful whole. I can definitely see where Ford gets his aesthetic sense.

I wash up and get ready for bed, then vacate the bathroom so Ford can have his turn. Even though exhaustion weighs down my limbs, my heart starts racing as I stare at the king-sized bed that suddenly looks much smaller than it did this morning.

Ford emerges from the bathroom and smirks when he catches me standing there like a deer in headlights. “It’s not going to bite you.”

“I don’t know, those pillows look pretty suspicious.”

He chuckles and climbs into bed with casual confidence. “You’ve been my assistant for two years. If I could keep my hands off you all that time, I think we can survive another two weeks.”

Heat floods my cheeks as I process his words. The way he phrased that makes it sound like I’ve been some kind of temptation he’s had to resist, which is ridiculous. I’m clearly reading too much into it because I’m tired and about to share a bed with the most attractive man I’ve ever worked for.

I climb in gingerly, trying to take up as little space as possible while still looking natural. Ford waits until I’m settled, then adds in a voice so low it’s almost a whisper, “If I ever did touch you, Spitfire, it would be because you begged me to.”

My entire nervous system short-circuits as his breath brushes my ear.

Okay, maybe I’m not surviving this whole ordeal after all.

18

MAEVE

“Please,” I hear myself whisper, the word escaping as a breathless whimper. “Please, Ford, I need⁠—”

“What do you need?” His voice is like gravel and sin, and I can feel the heat of his breath ghosting across my inner thigh like a brand. “Tell me exactly what you want, Spitfire. I want to hear you beg for it.”

My spine arches clean off the mattress as his tongue finds my clit, the tip just grazing the sensitive bundle of nerves before he pulls away with deliberate cruelty.

“I need you,” I gasp, my fingers twisting in the silk sheets as I try to chase his mouth. “Please don’t stop. Please don’t tease me like this.”

“You beg so fucking beautifully,” he murmurs, satisfaction clear in his tone. “I could listen to you plead all night long.”

He dives back in without another word, his mouth claiming me like he’s been starving for this moment. His tongue works my clit with slow, deliberate strokes that have me writhing beneath him, craving more pressure, more friction, more of everything he’s willing to give me.

My eyes flutter shut as pleasure builds like a storm inside me, heat pooling low in my belly. His hands are everywhere—large, warm palms cupping my breasts, thumbs circling my nipples until they peak into hard points.

“That’s it,” a deep voice rumbles, and my heart stutters because I know that voice, and it definitely isn’t Ford. “Look how desperate she is for your mouth. Such a good girl for us.”

My eyes snap open, and I find myself staring up into Hayden’s gorgeous brown eyes. He’s kneeling beside me on the bed, his skilled hands working my breasts while Ford continues his relentless assault between my legs.

“Did you really think we’d let Ford have all the fun?” Gabriel’s subtle accent draws my attention, and I turn to see him on my other side, that devastating smirk playing at his lips. “We could never be so selfish, petit oiseau doux.”

Before I can process what’s happening, Gabriel leans down and finds that sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder. He nips just hard enough to make me gasp, then soothes the sting with his tongue, sending shivers cascading down my spine.

“Oh god,” I breathe, overwhelmed by the sensation of three pairs of hands on me, three mouths worshipping my body like I’m something precious.

“Not god,” Hayden corrects, pinching my nipple just hard enough to blur the line between pleasure and pain. “Just us. Just your men taking care of what’s ours.”

Ford’s tongue delves deeper, fucking into me while his thumb works my clit in maddening circles, and I can feel my climax building like a tidal wave. My breathing becomes ragged, my hips bucking against his mouth as the pleasure coils tighter and tighter.