Page 48 of Meet Me In The Dark

My lips part, but I don’t say anything.

What is there to say?

Yes, I knew it was you the second I heard your voice.

Yes, I’ve been thinking about your hands ever since they stopped touching me.

“Mr. Blackwood,” I manage, clinging to professionalism like it’s not already splintering beneath me.

His mouth curls at the corner, as if he’s deeply amused. “Don’t play stupid with me.”

“I’m not.”

I hate how badly I want to punch him.

Or maybe kiss him.

His suit jacket brushes against my breasts, and I can smell the expensive cologne that should be illegal on someone like him.

He drops his gaze to my mouth.

My nipples tighten under the silk of my blouse, and I’m genuinely considering pressing my thighs together in front of him to take the edge off.

His fingers shift to my jaw, tilting my face until I’m looking directly into his eyes. They’re a deep, piercing blue, intense enough to reveal every secret I’ve ever tried to hide.

I swallow back the nerves. “Mr. Blackwood—”

“I swear to God, Celeste, if you call me that one more time.”

“I didn’t know it was you.” The truth spills out before I can stop it. “Not until…”

Not until my body betrayed me.

Not until I saw your mouth curl into that same cruel smile and realized I’d been dreaming about it for nights without ever actually seeing it.

“Words, Celeste. Use them.”

Hearing my name on his tongue is enough to undo me.

I close my eyes to absorb it and take a moment. I need to collect my thoughts.

“Why did you say it?” he asks. “Why test me?”

“For the same reasons you did. I had to know,” I whisper, my voice breaking a little.

“But you already knew.”

Of course I did.

His eyes darken as his hand pauses just over my sternum. It moves lower and grazes the underside of my breast before he trails his thumb across my hardened nipple.

A tiny, humiliating sound escapes me.

His smile is pure sin. “There she is.”

“Do you always act this unprofessionally with women you fuck in the dark?” I snap, grasping at control, at dignity, at anything.

“Only when they stare at me across the table like they want to climb onto it and ride my cock in front of their coworkers.”