Page 72 of The Naughty or Nice Deal

“You’re…” She trails off, swallowing hard.

Nothing. I can practically hear her saying it. You’re nothing to me. And that’s exactly what I am to her. I’ve made damn sure of it.

Something inside me snaps.

Before I can think better of it, before the rational part of my brain can take control, I stride toward her and pull her roughly against me.

Then I kiss her.

Heat explodes between us like a match hitting gasoline. She gasps against my lips, her body going rigid with shock for just a heartbeat. Then I sweep my tongue into her mouth, and she moans, kissing me back with a hunger that matches my own.

The rational part of my brain tries to reassert itself, telling me I shouldn’t be doing this, that this crosses every line we’ve maintained for two years.

Then she grinds herself against my straining cock.

There’s no going back now.

Her kiss is everything I’ve been craving for days, weeks, months—sweet and demanding and perfectly her. She tastes like champagne and something uniquely Maeve, her scent wrapping around me, and I want to drown in every sensation.

I end up pressing her back against the door, the solid wood shuddering under the force of our desperation. My hands roam up and down her curves, gripping and exploring, learning the geography of her body through the fabric of her dress. She’s so warm, so soft, and every curve fits perfectly in my palms, just like I’ve fantasized about on the nights when I’ve stroked my cock to thoughts of her.

“You taste so fucking good,” I growl against her mouth. “Just like I always imagined.”

She moans my name, the sound vibrating against my lips and shooting straight to my cock. “Hayden,” she breathes, and the way she says it—like a prayer, like a plea—tells me she needs this just as much as I do.

My cock, already hard from our confrontation, strains painfully against my pants. I press against her, letting her feel exactly what she does to me, and she arches into me with a soft whimper that makes me growl.

“Did you like driving me crazy all night?” I bring my hand up to cup her jaw, staring down into her flushed face. With my other hand, I wrap my fingers around the silky strands of her hair, tugging lightly. “Walking around in this dress, showing off all this gorgeous skin, just to get to me.”

She lifts her chin, some of her natural sass returning despite her obvious arousal. “Maybe I was just trying to look nice for your friends’ family.”

The defiance in her voice makes my blood burn hotter. I grip her hair tighter, just enough to make her gasp, then tilt her head back so she has to meet my gaze.

“Keep talking back to me like that,” I tell her, my voice rough. “Give me a reason to do what I’ve been dying to do ever since you first walked into the Meridian office.”

“What’s that?” she whispers, but I can see the hunger in her eyes, the way her pulse hammers against the delicate skin of her throat. She knows exactly what I want to do to her.

I lean down so my lips brush her ear, her skin burning against mine. “Bend you over and fuck the brat right out of you.”

Her pupils dilate until they nearly overtake the green of her irises.

She’s turned on by the promise of roughness, of being claimed. The knowledge sends a surge of possessive satisfaction through me. I suspected she would be, sensed that she was built for this kind of pleasure, but having it confirmed is so much better than any fantasy.

She licks her lips, then gives me exactly what I’m looking for. “You think you can handle me?”

I growl, the sound rumbling deep in my chest, and haul her away from the door. “We’re about to find out.”

I devour her mouth as I carry her over to the velvet chaise lounge in the corner of the room. Her legs wrap around my waist, and the heat of her body against mine is almost too much. I have to grit my teeth to maintain what little control I have left. Part of me wants to make this last, wants to savor every second, but there’s another part of me that just wants to fuck her like an animal.

I set her down on the plush cushions and start kissing my way down her neck and chest. Her skin is flushed and heated, and she tastes like honey with the slightest hint of salt when I drag my tongue across her collarbone. She shivers beneath me, her hands fisting in my hair.

“God, you smell incredible,” I murmur against her throat, breathing in the intoxicating mix of her perfume and arousal. “I’ve been imagining this for so long. Going to make it count.”

Then I drop to my knees and push her dress up around her waist.

The sight of her spread out before me like a feast makes my mouth water. Her thighs are trembling with anticipation, and I can see the damp spot on her panties that tells me exactly how much she wants this.

I inhale deeply, letting her scent fill my lungs. “Fuck, baby. You’ve been thinking about this too, haven’t you?”