Page 39 of Play for Power (Central Sparks #3)

“And he said he was nervous.” Addison rolls her eyes from where she peeks over at me from his other side.

We did greetings earlier where we pawed and cooed at each other, Addison looking every bit the little shortcake Noah labeled her.

In a stunning, soft pink silk slip with a train and left side hip slit, giving a sexy twist to the cute color, her blonde hair long and curled down her back but pinned from her face.

Noah’s eyes haven’t strayed, and I don’t blame him, she looks downright edible.

“Lies, you nailed it.” I nudge him gently, and he gives me a grateful smirk.

“I appreciate that, Garcia. And I’m sure you will too.” He dips his chin before gripping Addison’s hand, kissing her knuckles and pulling her away.

“Rosebud.” Smooth sin once again coats over my skin and I slowly let my gaze flick over my shoulder to where Caleb has come to join me at the bar. I give him a teasing smile, an obvious once-over and then turn to fully face him.

“Hotshot.”

“Hmmm, I like carino better.” He winks, his grin deepening when he realizes his comment has thrown me off, and he steps a little closer. That stupid name slipped my lips last weekend—the Spanish just comes out of me sometimes. It’s hard to control it when I’m anything but in control of myself.

“Well…” I search for anything to say, shaking off my shock and raising my chin. “Your pronunciation could use some work.”

“Noted.” He huffs quietly, his smile still firmly in place as his eyes watch me with the same gleam they had on Wednesday night.

Right before I fell asleep, the last thing I remember was his rich laugh, the soreness in my cheeks from my smile, and the light in his eyes that shone with joy. But I had somehow woken up on my bed, not at all remembering how I got there, a blanket covering my legs and a folded note on my pillow:

Thanks, Rosebud

xx C

My apartment was completely empty of him when I rose, the joggers folded at the end of the bed, but his scent had lingered long after, even on my skin and my clothes despite never having slept together. I showered for an hour to wash it away—I needed him off me so I could think straight.

That same glow rests in his observation of me, making my heart beat just a little faster, my breath just a little shorter.

“You are tortuously breathtaking, Rosie Garcia,” he whispers, a finger reaching up to gently pull on a curl as the deep blue of his irises take in my whole face.

The gesture is simple, but I realize it for what it truly is.

A need to touch me in some way, but not wanting to ruin my hair, or the lie that we are anything other than just friends of friends.

I make another obvious once-over of him and his glorious body in that perfect suit, the smell of cedar and… and…

“Is that Chanel?” I whisper the name of my favorite designer brand, a smile growing on my face as I lean in a little closer and catch a whiff of his cologne.

He clears his throat, that same blush from the other night hitting high on his cheekbones, averting his focus for a beat and pulling at his sleeves.

“I didn’t pick you for a Chanel men’s range kind of guy?” I cross my arms and hit him with a playful smirk. He just chuckles and shakes his head, tucking his hands in his pants pocket.

“So, what games do you have planned for the night, Rosebud?” He changes the subject, expertly navigating me to topics I cannot refuse.

“Bold of you to assume I would play any game at an event so important to my future.” My hand presses to my chest in faux offense, my tone dripping in sarcasm.

“Well, if you don’t already have one planned, how about you play my game? I am owed a win after all.” He bites down on his lip to smother one of his world-class smiles, stepping closer.

“Don’t you have a date to get back to? And how on earth are you owed a win?” The balls on this man.

“I’m a free agent tonight. And how could you forget?

” he coos. But I regret the questioning head tilt I give him when he leans closer, that intoxicating scent enveloping me as his warm breath coats my neck and he whispers in my ear, “‘New stakes,’ I said, ‘easy,’ you told me. Remember? Or should I keep going?” He leans back slightly, but air is stuck in my throat as the deep navy of his eyes completely consumes me.

His saccharine smile is devastating as he leans in closer once more.

“I said, ‘You come when I tell you to, each time I tell you to.’ And do you remember what happened next, Rosebud?” His fingers trail up my hand, which lays idle by my side, grazing up my forearm to my shoulder and back down again, the simple touch teasing and sending shivers across my skin.

I nod, because it’s the only thing I know how to do in this moment, completely losing control of my body and its reaction to him, and… goddamnit, I don’t hate it at all.

“You did such a good job, took me so well, Rosie. Do you remember how needy, how wet you were for me?” I nearly gasp as his thumb comes up to pull down on my bottom lip.

I retreat a step, patting down hair that is perfectly in place, smoothing out my dress that hasn’t a crease as I look around the room, realizing…

no one even cares that we’re here. When I find Caleb again, a satisfied and heated look stares back at me.

“Fuck it,” I whisper and grip his hand, turning and dragging him to the nearest dark corner. This was simply because it had been over a week and I’m only human. I can only hold out for so long when the man is standing right in front of me like a fucking sex buffet.

The edge of the bar has a dark corridor used for storage of unused tables and chairs.

I drag Caleb behind me, pushing him up against the wall, and within seconds, my lips are pressed to his.

His grip firm at my lower back, pulling me to him, crushing our bodies together, and when my tongue teases his lips, he answers with a demanding and controlling kiss of his own.

A whimper escapes me as he drags my bottom lip through his teeth, biting down before licking and kissing away the sting.

Nothing about the kiss is elegant, sweet, or subtle.

It’s raw and needy, mixed together with the ferocious heat we’ve held for each other since that one night so many months ago, and every night since.

“Caleb,” I pant when I break the kiss, but he steals my lips once more before he rests his forehead against mine, eyes closed, both of us catching our breaths.

“What was your game idea?” I whisper, and his chuckle has my insides flipping all over themselves.

When I pull back slightly, the smile on his face is the real one that makes my chest feel a bit tighter, the one that has me unable to stop the responding smile that spreads slowly across my face.

His voice is low and gives away just how turned on he is when he whispers back, “I got you something. You have to wear it all night, until I take you home.” I narrow my eyes playfully and then hold out my hand in acceptance.

I mean, really, how hard could it be? I’m sure there is a catch somewhere, but I really, really want to get back to the kissing part. He raises a brow at my hand.

“You accept? So easily too? Rosebud, have my kisses worn you down.”

I slap at his chest before holding my hand out again, wiggling my fingers. “C’mon, hotshot, you scared I’ll win?”

“Oh, Rosebud, I’ve never been surer of my success.

” And with that, he pulls something pink out of his pocket and places it in my hand as he continues, “Bathrooms are behind you. I’ll wait right here to test that it’s on properly before we go back out.

Better hurry, intermission finishes soon.

” He places a soft kiss to my cheek before he leans back on the wall I had him pushed against, arms folded over his chest and a look of sheer arrogance plastered across his face.

My attention snaps to the item in my hand as I close my palm around it, my mouth dropping open.

“You can’t be serious,” I hiss at him, dropping my hand and shoving it in my clutch.

His chin drops to his chest and a heated look that has my panties soaked hits his eyes.

“Deadly.” I narrow my eyes slightly at him and he steps closer to me.

“Don’t play shy with me, Rosebud. I have seen firsthand how badly you love an audience when you come.

Or did you forget our little game all those weeks ago?

” How could I possibly forget? Although the memory of Icky Brad makes me want to gag, I certainly recall the events that occurred in that booth he had me huddled into.

The night I stared right at Caleb and fell apart on someone else…

in a very public venue. “I think you might be a bit of an exhibitionist, Rosebud.” His smile is borderline pornographic, especially with the tiny little glimpse of a dimple in the corner of his half grin.

I try to pull on my confidence, despite the arousal floating through my veins

“You sound jealous, hotshot.”

“Oh, on the contrary, my little vixen.” His hand reaches my face and he dusts a thumb over my cheek.

A quick breath leaves my parted lips as his grip gradually firms around my chin, bringing my lips almost to his as he whispers, “It may have been his fingers you were soaking, but it was my name that slipped these pretty lips while you were moaning.” His thumb emphasizes his point with a soft trace of my bottom lip, and I bite back the moan that nearly follows his words.

“To be clear,” I breathe, barely holding onto my heart rate, “what decides the winner here?”

“You last the whole night without taking it off or coming, and you win. Do either of those things before the stroke of midnight, and I win.” My jaw drops as he slowly backs away, my face cool with the absence of the heat from his hand.

“You give me a panty vibrator to wear in public and you expect me to edge myself the whole damn night?” He shakes his head slowly, pulling out his phone and dragging a finger across the screen, though his eyes never leave mine.

“No, Rosebud, I will be edging you. All. Night. Long.” The vibrations go off in my purse, matching the drags of his thumb across the screen, and I realize what I’m in for. He got me a panty vibrator he can control with his phone, at a black tie event, in a room full of our friends and colleagues.

Great.

Now I’m even hornier than I was before that goddamned kiss. Maybe I am an exhibitionist?

“Well.” I sigh, straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin. “I’m never one to shy from a challenge.” I poke my tongue out at him before spinning and heading to the bathroom, nothing but his chuckles to follow me in.

You want to play, hotshot. Game. On.