Page 16 of Masters of the Game: Colton

Kelly had seen it coming, and a part of her felt she should deny him.

However, the moment their lips touched, and his tongue slid into her mouth, she knew there was no way she could.

She recalled their one and only kiss two years ago at Monica and Landon’s wedding in the elevator, the one she had initiated and yearned for ever since.

Now she was getting reacquainted with his taste while trying to stay in control… and not let him blow her mind.

But it was too late now, she thought, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and ravaged her mouth.

If he hadn’t wanted her two years ago, he definitely wanted her now.

That night in the hotel room, she had seen his erection pressed against his zipper, but now, she was feeling every aroused inch of him pressing hard against the juncture of her thighs.

She wanted to think everything was okay, and this was all part of her plan anyway, to make him want her and then to reject him.

However, the way he was greedily lapping at her mouth had her rethinking that plan.

The bottom line was, when it came to Colton, she felt defenseless, not to mention way out of her league.

She wasn’t sure how long they had stood there kissing before he finally pulled back. But not before wiping his tongue across her swollen lips.

He was staring down at her with so much passionate hunger, her body tingled all over. The desire that she had held back for two years seemed to suddenly overtake her senses, and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, determined to get her fill of him.

She immediately captured his tongue the way he had done hers, sucking hard.

Then he joined in by dueling with her tongue in a way that made her weak in the knees.

Her entire body became inflamed with desire, even as she struggled to decide what was not enough and what was too much.

Sexual hunger curled her stomach when she realized kissing him was not going to be enough.

She needed more. But how much more could she handle?

Her thoughts scrambled when he escalated the kiss, taking her mouth with a degree of rapacity and greed that she felt all the way to her toes.

And if that wasn’t enough, his hands had dipped below her waist and were now boldly caressing her backside as if he had every right to do it.

Her moans mingled with his, and she knew that if they didn’t stop soon, they’d be at the point no return.

As if with forced effort, he finally withdrew his mouth from hers and leaned close to her ear. “You will never know how much I needed that. How long I’ve yearned for it.”

After the sinfully erotic kiss they’d just shared, Kelly knew she should leave well enough alone, but couldn’t.

When he straightened to stare into her face, she said softly, “You only brought it on yourself, you know. Had you spent thet night with me two years ago, we would have been out of each other’s systems by now. ”

He didn’t say anything for a second and then in a deep raspy voice, he whispered, “We could have made love all that night and the entire weekend, Kelly, and I would not have gotten you out of my system. I wanted you too damn much.”

**

“You rejected me that night, Colton.”

Colton tilted his head back and stared at Kelly. By using the word “rejection,” she’d finally given him some insight into what was at the root of the problem. He had to give Cobra credit. He’d been right, once again.

Reaching out, he cupped her chin to make sure she didn’t look away.

Obviously, he hadn’t made himself clear last week, but now, he was determined to get through to her.

“From the moment I first saw you, Kelly, I was drawn to you, both physically and mentally. Physically, because I thought you were such a beautiful woman. And mentally, because I knew you were someone who could challenge me, make me laugh… The type of woman I wanted to have—and keep--in my life.”

“You honestly thought that?” she asked.

He dropped his hand from her chin but still held her gaze. “Yes. And I still do. I didn’t reject you that night, Kelly. I respected you too much to use you, when I wanted so much more. It was about respect and not rejection.”

She stood there, seeming a little stunned. “You wanted more than one night?” she asked. Her words sounded accusing.

“I told you that I did. You’re the one who wanted less because, according to you, you had to focus on building your agency. But it’s built now. And there’s no reason we can’t have a more meaningful relationship. I will show you how it’s done. That way you can’t use it as an excuse anymore.”

She glared at him. “I wasn’t using it as an excuse, Colton. Why can’t you understand that I can only focus on one thing at a time. I’ve always been that way.”

“I do understand, Kelly. There is nothing wrong with staying focused, but not at the risk of social isolation. Working hours a day without a social outlet can impact both your mental and physical well-being.”

“I do have a social life.”

“Then tell me some of the things you do outside of work and family.”

“Outside of work and family?” she asked.

“Yes.”

From the look on her face, Colton knew that she couldn’t name a single one. “That’s the reason you need to incorporate some element of fun into your busy schedule, Kelly.”

He paused a moment, letting his words sink in. “Let me show you what you’ve been missing these past two years. Let me prove that you don’t have to give up being happy to be successful. It’s a lesson I had to learn.”

Kelly didn’t say anything for a moment, and he wished he knew her thoughts. Then she said, “I was going to give it to you.”

He lifted a brow. “What were you going to give me?”

She took a breath, and he watched her nervously nibble on her bottom lip before saying, “A taste of rejection. I was going to let you think I was all in with us sharing a bed, and then when things got hot, I was going to leave you standing there, alone, the way you left me that night. I wanted you to know how it felt to be left hot and bothered.”

Colton could certainly see her trying to do something like that, though, of course, he’d have made the sexual experience so enjoyable that there would have been no way she’d ever have denied him. “And now that you know the truth, what’s next, Kelly?”

**

Why did he have to ask her that? At least he wasn’t upset with her, and seemed to take her confession in stride. She was grateful for that. Now that she understood what he’d been thinking that night, mentally, she was in a better place.

“Kelly?”

She startled, pulled out of her thoughts.

Although she was in a better place mentally about that night; physically, she was not.

Heat had begun simmering inside of her the moment she’d opened her hotel room door to him for dinner.

And that heat had gone up a notch when he’d held her hand during the play.

Now, after the kisses they’d just shared, she was burning up.

She had a feeling he was feeling that same heat. It was there, in the dark depths of his eyes. If they didn’t do something about it, they would be consumed.

Still, they weren’t in New York to enjoy themselves. She needed to get clarification about something, and he would be the best person to give it to her. After all, he was Masters Unlimited’s Chief Operating Officer. Second in command to the CEO.

“Before I answer your question, I need you to think about something, Colton.”

“What?”

“How will it look if we have an affair while working so closely together. We’re here to do an important job for your company.”

He took a step closer, and she could feel the thickness of his erection brush against her midsection. “We’ll take care of business in a very professional manner, Kelly. But how we spend our downtime, and with whom, is nobody’s business.”

Kelly nodded. The COO had spoken. She didn’t want to think about the past or the future; only the present. “Okay, then, Colton. This is what’s next.”

When she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, he swept her up into big, strong arms and carried her from the sitting area of the suite to the bedroom.

**

Colton placed Kelly on the bed and stood back, gazing down at her, wondering if she fully understood what this moment meant for them. If she didn’t know now, she would eventually. He’d taken the first step in his plan—to convince her to love him as much as he already loved her.

“You aren’t having second thoughts about this, are you, Colton?”

He heard the apprehension in her voice. Who could blame her, after last time?

“No second thoughts, Kelly,” he said, easing down on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes and socks.

Standing, he began unbuttoning his shirt and then tossing it aside.

His gaze held hers the entire time. In minutes, there was nothing left for him to take off but his pants and briefs.

Before removing them, he took his wallet from his pocket to retrieve a condom packet, and placed it on the nightstand.

He recalled that night in Atlanta she had told him that although she wasn’t sexually active, she took periodic injections.

He would let her be the one to decide when making love without a condom would be okay with her. He would not assume anything.

When he reached for her, she asked, “Aren’t you going to take off your pants?”

He smiled as he drew her up toward him. “I want the pleasure of undressing you, first. Then you can finish undressing me.”

She tilted her head, then a sexy smile curved her lips. “I’ve never undressed a man before.”

Colton couldn’t help returning her smile. “When the time comes, I will gladly show you how it’s done. In the meantime…”

With as much control as he could muster, he painstakingly unbuttoned her blouse, wishing he could just rip it from her body instead.

He was just that eager to see her naked.

He couldn’t help thinking of the outfit she’d worn that night two years ago to seduce him.

Did she still have it? Had she worn it for someone else?

He pushed that thought from his mind. A part of him wanted to believe she hadn’t taken anyone else to her bed, the same way he hadn’t since he’d met her.

Finally, with all the buttons undone, he gently pushed the blouse from her shoulders, completely exposing her bra.

It was black lace and he thought he’d never seen anything sexier.

But once he undid the front latch of her bra, freeing her breasts, he had to amend his statement.

He’d never seen anything sexier than this .

Her breasts were beautifully formed, lush-looking, and bountiful. The darkened tips seemed to harden before his eyes, indicating her arousal. Unable to control himself, he reached out and cupped both of them in his hands. Mouthwatering .

Yielding to temptation, he leaned forward and captured one nipple in his mouth and began devouring it.

Her moans urged him on, and he moved from one breast to the other.

He felt her hand at the back of his head, holding him to her, and an image popped into his head of her doing the same thing one day with their baby.

Their baby ?

The thought that she might one day be the mother to his child filled him with happiness. Now all he had to do was convince her. Because he was suddenly overwhelmed by how much he wanted that to happen.

He’d known for a long time that Kelly was the woman destined to get into his soul. Now the real challenge would be for him to get into hers.