“No,” she said, wishing it had awakened him like Sleeping Beauty in gender reversal. Yet another reason why she had to be realistic about things. Fairy tales never came true. Happy endings never happened anywhere but in movies and books. At least not for her.
“Tell me where we met before.” His expression was intense.
She tried to wriggle out of his embrace. “Let go.”
“Oh, no you don’t, love.” He nuzzled her hair. “Please, I want to know.”
She licked her bottom lip, preparing to spill her guts, but something held her back. Mostly pride and embarrassment. “Does it really matter, Ian?” She had to put a wall back up. She had to remind herself of who he was to the world and to her.
“It’s Christian, and hell no.”
One minute she was standing and the next she was crushed against his chest as he gave her a pop-up foot kind of kiss. His mouth slanted over hers, teasing with his tongue, running it over her bottom lip until he could slide it inside again. She returned his kiss, her tongue rubbing against his and licking at the insides of his mouth. He tasted of passion and ecstasy all rolled into one.
Her body was on fire, desire shooting through every nerve ending. She couldn’t get close enough to him, his hard body. His scent, his taste intoxicating. Of their own volition her arms rose, her fingers finding their way to his hair. Tugging him closer.
He moaned into her mouth, rubbing his erection against her.
Too much, too fast, her brain warned, kicking into gear.
She tore her mouth away, laying her head on his chest. His heart beat at a pace that matched hers.
“Put your mouth back on me.”
“Where?”
“Christ—anywhere.”
Unable to help herself, she nipped at his bottom lip. “Here?”
“Yes.” He cupped her shoulders, then smoothed the material of her dress as his hands slid down her back.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on the balls of her feet to kiss the side of his neck. “What about here?”
“I want to be in you. Right here, right now.” Cool air hit her legs as she felt her dress being tugged up. His palm slid under them hem, brushing the inside of her thigh. “Are you willing to give me that?” Without waiting for an answer, his tongue teased her lips open and eased inside.
She allowed him to press her against the wall of the elevator, his hard, male body a foreign sensation that she wanted to experience. Only he wasn’t foreign to her, this situation was entirely familiar and she knew the consequences of giving into the temptation of him.
She made herself stop kissing him, made her arms go back to the place where they belonged, but she couldn’t contain the thrills of pleasure that continued to remind her of how good things could be between them. At least physically. “I can’t. We have to stop.”
His hands fell away, clenching into fists as he struggled for composure. She knew him that well, even if he still had no idea who she was.
Which made it all the more embarrassing.
Covering her face with her hands, she sought the solace of a corner. He caught her as she turned away, encircling her in his arms once more. “At least let me hold you, yes?”
“All right.” She could handle this. A hug, even this sweet, wasn’t dangerous. Or so she tried to convince herself.
The elevator dinged again. They broke apart like boxers in the ring.
A healthy flush covered his cheekbones. “I’ll walk you to your room, if you’d like.”
Kneeling to pick up her purse, she mulled over the best way to get herself out of the situation she’d allowed herself to get into.
Christian tried to give her his most disarming smile, but it wasn’t easy when all he wanted to do was push her up against the nearest wall and sink inside of her. He knew without a doubt that they’d kissed before. Nearly every first kiss was an awkward positioning of hands and lips, but there had been none of that. They had come together like old lovers. She’d known exactly where to touch him, exactly how to use her tongue and teeth to drive him insane.
For once in his life, he was bothered by the meaningless kisses he’d given women, because for a woman like Zoe, no kiss was meaningless. They had been intimate before. He’d bet his career on it. At what level, he wasn’t certain.
Despite wanting to know, he respected her decision not to tell him. He knew all about pride and keeping up appearances. Besides, he was confident he could get it out of her later. Perhaps over a few glasses of wine.
“I’m not sure.” She bit at her bottom lip and he had the urge to kiss the spot.
He held up his hands and said, “I’m harmless…remember, knife lady?”
She grinned, and all the tension of the moment dissipated. Taking his arm, they walked down the hallway until she stopped at her door. “This is where I get off.” Eyes widening, her face turned red. “Don’t say it.”
“You’re no fun.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I want to see you again. Tomorrow.” Actually, he wanted to see her for the rest of the night, but he wanted to do things differently with her. Take his time for once.
“Are you asking me out on a date or is this more of the help you’re wanting from someone like me?” she asked, her eyes wary.
“About that—”
“It’s fine.”
“I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”
“Quit worrying,” she said with a little smile. “I’d like that explanation now, if you’re willing to share.”
If he shared everything, she might run in the opposite direction. “There are pictures of me that could negatively affect a worthwhile organization, and my—our agent seems to think that changing my reputation by being seen with you would help things should the pictures go viral.” Leaning closer, he breathed in the honeysuckle scent of her. “I won’t kiss you again, unless you ask me.”
Her eyes clouded. “Let’s keep things purely professional, okay?”
No, it wasn’t okay. But he had plenty of time to convince her to come around to his way of thinking. “Meet me around one at the main pool. I have a private cabana and your name will be on the list.”
She arched an elegant brow and he was entranced by the curve. Good God, if he stayed any longer he’d be composing sonnets to it.
“Aren’t you supposed to pick me up?” she asked with a teasing smile, then bit her lip. “I don’t mind flirting with you, if you think it will help. Plus, it’s good for my ego.”