Page 18

As Dax’s lips touched hers, Lucy promptly forgot what she’d been thinking. The words she’d been aiming to say were lost in Dax’s gentle breath and the tingling sensation his kiss sent through her body.

She hadn’t expected him to kiss her. At the same time, she felt as if she’d been waiting for it.

Light as a feather, he placed his hand on her upper back, ran his fingertips over her neck, and deepened the kiss without becoming overbearing. He gently pushed his tongue against her lips but never slid between them. He brushed them with his teeth without so much as a nibble.

The kiss was one warm, cautious temptation—a promise of more.

Did she want more?

“See?” Dax whispered, pulling away and gently stroking her cheek with his thumb, tracing the line of her jaw, his gaze following his touch. “That was nice.”

Lucy’s heartbeat quickened and her stomach contracted. Nice? No. That wasn’t the word she was thinking. More was closer to the idea.

More than she would have imagined Dax capable of. More than she could bear. More than she had allowed herself to want. Everything about the kiss had been feeling and giving, not wanting or taking. And she had thought Dax was only good at taking. That he didn’t want anything more than to take. That she only wanted to take. Still, her breathing was shallow. Still, her lips were slightly parted as she stared at him. The heat in her veins rippled and drove the blood to her burning cheeks, overwhelming her heart, making it falter.

She should go. She should turn and leave the room now. Above all, she should not ask what she really wanted to ask.

“Dax,” she said, “did you just kiss me because you want to beat Jack?”

He shook his head. “I kissed you because I’ve been thinking about nothing else for days.”

And that’s when she lost her mind. She saw it practically float out of her head as her body took over. Her eyelids closed slightly and her mouth went dry. She wanted this. Wanted it badly. Had convinced herself it was awful. But how awful could something be if it felt so good?

Still standing close to her, she heard Dax swallow, his hand still on her back.

“Lucy?”

“Yes?”

“You have to stop looking at me that way.”

“Why?”

“Because it gives me incredibly stupid ideas. For example, that you enjoy kissing me.”

Lucy swallowed, bit her lip…and nodded. She couldn’t stop herself. He would notice her pupils dilating anyway, the pulse in her neck beating faster, and the blush filling her cheeks.

Because I’ve been thinking about nothing else for days .

She hadn’t thought about anything else for days either—and she was tired of arguing. She wanted to finally…make up.

As if she had said the words aloud, Dax moaned and claimed her mouth again. This time, there was nothing left of his caution. This time, he threw gentle out the window. His lips were deliciously rough, his tongue slid against hers…and the desire she felt with each move reflected her own.

Her mind was empty, her former doubts were insignificant. All that was left was the lust that had been building inside her for weeks. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled his head down to hers. She was happy she was wearing high heels, but they were obviously not high enough for Dax. The next moment, he grabbed her hips and lifted her onto the desk behind them, then roughly pushed her pencil skirt up so that he could step between her legs and deepen the kiss. His hands were greedy now, his lips even greedier. Still, Lucy wanted more. She wanted him to keep his promise. His promise of more .

She slid her hands under his jacket, over his hard abdominal muscles. They danced beneath her touch while he tugged at her tucked-in blouse. He gathered the fabric aside and grasped her bare waist. His hands were cold and rough on her heated, soft skin. They made her shiver, sending goosebumps up her back and a sweet heaviness into her belly.

With a light touch, his fingers wandered, carefully exploring every inch of bare skin as if he were afraid of missing something. When he finally cupped her breasts over her bra and squeezed them lightly, Lucy felt like she was on fire. A groan escaped her as tiny bolts of lightning darted down her abdomen. Yes, he was the devil. She bit his lower lip to punish him when he stopped. To punish him for savoring the touches for far too long. For tormenting her. For not pushing it.

She felt him smile against her mouth as he roughly rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, eliciting another moan from her.

“For the record,” he whispered, grazing her skin with his beard as he continued playing with her breasts, “I never said I didn’t find your body perfect.” He kissed her again. Deep and wet. Then he slid his lips along her jawline and bit her earlobe as his words washed over her like sunlight. “In fact, I think it’s more than perfect!”

She nodded, and tilted her head so he could kiss her neck better while she tugged impatiently at his shirt to get at more of his muscles, but it just wouldn’t come free from his pants. “Okay,” she breathed. “And I thought I was the last woman on earth you’d want to get involved with.”

“I lied,” he gasped, sliding his splayed fingers under her skirt and pulling the waistband of her thin pantyhose down. Each of his touches made her press her thighs around him tighter, a sweet throbbing between them. “I thought if I said it out loud, it would come true.”

“Ah, that’s not how the world works,” she replied breathlessly and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his hot breath on her neck.

“No shit.” His mouth was on hers again and then sliding to her jaw, drawing wet streaks along her throat, all the while rolling her pantyhose agonizingly slowly down her thighs.

Lucy held her breath. Dax traced every inch of exposed skin with his fingers, drawing leisurely circles over the inside of her legs, and, at the same time, gently tormenting her collarbone with his teeth. She wanted more. Needed more, as he left behind goosebumps wherever his lips and fingers touched. Finally, the delicate stockings fell to the floor, with her skirt following.

Dax pulled away, peered deep into her eyes, and spread her thighs. As his thumbs pressed into her soft flesh, he let his gaze wander leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world while she looked up at him with her mouth open. She swallowed when she noticed how every second his irises darkened, how he licked his lips when his eyes came to her breasts, and how he held his breath as he stared at his tanned fingers against her pale skin.

Lucy suddenly realized that she was sitting in front of him on this strange desk in only her underwear while he was fully dressed. He had touched her almost everywhere—her hands, however, had not so much as reached under the vest of his stupid suit. And by God, the mere thought of it made her even wetter. It made her heart beat faster and the throbbing between her legs unbearable. Because there was still so much to explore.

She could see the fabric of his suit trousers stretching and wanted to reach out to him, to finally touch him. To finally take action. But he grabbed her hands and shook his head. “Oh no,” he murmured, “you’ll need those to hold on to my hair.”

The next moment, he slid to his knees in front of her, her leg over his shoulder, and kissed her inner thigh.

Just like in her dreams.

No, better than in her dreams.

“God, do you know how many times I’ve imagined this?” he whispered. His warm breath brushed her skin, moist from his kisses, sending hot and cold shivers to her core. “Every night for the past week. Every minute you were near me. Every second for the past few hours.”

He slid higher, gently pushing her panties aside with his fingertips, but not touching her where she needed him most. He teased her with his lips on the sensitive skin of her thighs, his fingers light as a feather between her legs—without getting too close to the throbbing desire that drove her crazy.

“Dax…” she gasped, “please!”

“I love that word coming out of your mouth,” he whispered, running his tongue over her most sensitive spot.

A moan escaped her mouth and her pelvis pushed toward him, but he held her back with one hand, pressing her to the wooden desk while he played with her hot center with the tip of his tongue…and sank two long fingers into her at the same time.

Stars lit up before Lucy’s eyes and her head fell back. Her hands sought support in Dax’s hair just as he’d predicted while he sucked and nibbled at her, testing her until he found the exact right spot. He thrust his fingers into her in the same rhythm as he circled her center, and Lucy felt herself flying higher. Hot spirals shot through her abdomen, dragging her over the edge…a moan escaped her mouth until she was close…so close…

Dax pulled away from her, cursing, and got to his feet.

Her eyelids flew open in disbelief. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“Your moans are too hot, Lucy,” he snapped. “I almost came just from that!”

“I don’t care,” she cried out in frustration. “I…”

He silenced her with another deep kiss as he stepped between her legs and rubbed his thumb roughly over her clit. “I know,” he whispered against her lips. “And believe me, you’re about to…” He paused and paled. “Shit. Condom. We don’t have a condom, we…”

“Purse,” she interrupted hoarsely, pointing to the bag she had set down earlier.

Dax let out a gasp and bent over the bag while Lucy tried to draw enough oxygen into her lungs. But it was impossible. Her rapid heartbeat and the desire in her blood made it impossible. And then Dax’s hands were around her face, his teeth nibbling her jaw and her lower lip. He slid down her shoulders, rubbing her hard nipples with the palms of his hands before reaching her hips and pulling her closer to the edge of the desk.

She licked her lips, letting her hands wander and rubbing Dax through his black boxer briefs.

When had he shed his pants?

Lucy didn’t know or care, because the next moment, her panties followed those pants into nirvana. He gasped into her ear as she slipped her hand into his underwear and wrapped it around his hard shaft. All other thoughts left her mind. It was only Dax now.

Her gaze slid to his eyes. The blue of his irises was deeper than the sea. Darker than his voice. Slowly, she ran her hand up and down his length, watching his jaw tense, his Adam’s apple move…before he wrapped her hand tightly in his.

“No more.”

“But I want more.”

“You’ll get it all,” he promised, spreading her legs…and entering her. Because he couldn’t wait any longer. Because she couldn’t wait any longer. Because they both couldn’t wait any longer.

Lucy’s next breath caught in her throat as he slowly filled her with pleasure. He stretched her inch by inch, rubbing exactly the right spots and setting off little tornadoes in her abdomen.

She gripped the edge of the desk and dug her nails into the wood. Panting, she threw her head back as Dax pulled out of her and thrust into her again. He kept the promise he had made to her with his kisses. Gave her more. More and more.

A whimper slipped over her lips, but Dax didn’t give it a chance to fill the room. He caught it with his mouth. Kissed her greedily, he raised her pelvis and pushed infinitely deep with the next thrust. Tormenting her nerve endings. Again. And again.

Lucy was on fire. Her whole body tingled. The sweet tugging in her abdomen built up incredibly quickly…and the orgasm washed over her, forcing the air from her lungs and making her heart stop for a moment.

Dax sped up his rhythm, slid his hand between their bodies, and sent them skyward, prolonging the waves that crashed over her until she believed she could take no more. Only then did he follow her. Only then did his hips pulse against hers. Then he sank his forehead against her shoulder, breathing heavily.

Lucy’s head was spinning as the endorphins raced through her body, and her hand wandered naturally to Dax’s neck. She stroked him gently and buried her nose in it, inhaled his scent. She lost herself in his warmth and the feeling of satisfaction that filled her.

They sat and stood like that for an eternity. In their cocoon of heat and desire. And then the last waves receded, rippling through her veins and bringing calm with them. Her mind cleared. Her breathing stabilized. Her heartbeat returned to normal. But only when Dax pulled out of her and removed the condom, when his scent no longer enveloped her and his warmth no longer lay against her skin…only then did reality hit her. Only then did she realize that the office door was ajar, that anyone could have walked in and caught them having sex. Could still catch them.

“Oh God,” she whispered. Her hand went to her lips as she hurriedly slid off the desk and pulled her panties back on.

“Nope. God had nothing to do with it,” Dax muttered, searching for his pants.

“Oh God,” she repeated and found her pantyhose. “Oh God, oh God, oh God! I just…we just…”

The right corner of Dax’s mouth twitched. “I know. I was there.”

Groaning, she threw her head back, her hands pressed to her face. What had she done? Why had she…how had she…?

Panic rose in her. “You’re a hockey player!” she exclaimed. “I’m supposed to save your image and I just…shit! Shit, shit, shit.” She couldn’t repeat the word enough as she hastily pulled her blouse and pantyhose back on. The blood whooshed in her ears and the last of the endorphins faded. Now adrenaline coursed through her body. “This can’t be. This cannot have happened!” she continued, more to herself than to anyone else.

Because she didn’t understand. How could she have let herself go like that? How could she have forgotten that…that…

“Okay, Lucy,” Dax said tensely, “I think you’re overreacting a bit, you…”

“No!” she snapped, glaring at him. What was wrong with her? “No, I’m not! Because you sleeping with me won’t surprise or bother anyone; the fact that you had sex with me makes you a great guy. It won’t tarnish your reputation, but no one will take me seriously anymore! Everyone will judge me if this gets out.”

“Okay, then it won’t get out,” Dax said, shaking his head and pressing his lips together.

“You can bet on it!” she snapped, pointing at him with a trembling index finger. “I know a lot more secrets about you that could hurt you than you do about me, Dax!”

She knew she’d said the wrong thing. She knew she’d gone too far again. She could see it in the way Dax narrowed his eyes and the way he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Okay,” he said coolly. “I get it. Being associated with me would be the worst thing that could happen to you. I’m good for an orgasm but nothing else? Right?”

Her heart clenched painfully and then dropped. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she whispered. She didn’t want to make what had happened into something terrible. Because it hadn’t been terrible. It had been…everything. More than she could bear. And yet not enough.

But she’d forgotten what the consequences would be. She’d wanted him so much that she’d ignored them…yet now she had her senses back. Now her mind was no longer foggy.

“I’m sorry, Dax,” she whispered, swallowing. “It’s just… This could ruin me. And when you kissed me, it’s like you took the oxygen from my brain…I couldn’t think anymore, and…this shouldn’t have happened, Dax!”

"Yeah, I get that,” he replied tersely, fastening his belt. “But I have to say that it pisses me off that you’re blaming me, like I forced you to fuck me.”

She flinched at the harsh words. He was right. It wasn’t his fault—it was hers. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, slipping into her shoes and holding her hand to her heated forehead. “I wish…but I can’t.”

And then she turned on her heels and left. She needed distance from Dax. She needed as much distance as she could get.