Page 62 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

"I got into law because my parents asked me to choose between becoming a doctor or a lawyer, and I knew I wasn’t cut out to be a doctor, so—" She raises a shoulder.

"And PR?"

"I have the gift of gab and I’ve always been fascinated by media. Besides, I think becoming a lawyer prepared me for the cut-throat world of PR, don’t you think?"

"As a politician, I’ll be the first to admit that I loathe spin doctors while also knowing I can’t do without them."

"You said it," she says lightly.

I laugh. "You’re a breath of fresh air."

"You mean, as opposed to the models you normally date?"

"Was this a date?"

"You tell me."

I ease to a stop for a red light, then turn to her. "If this were a date, I’d have dismissed our security detail from the restaurant and told the staff to leave us undisturbed. Then, I’d have bent you over the table and fucked you so hard, you’d have felt the imprint of my cock for days."

Her breath hitches. Even in the dim light, I can see her pupils dilate.

"Does that excite you, Zara, hmm?"

"As propositions go, that wasn’t very original."

"That wasn’t a proposition. That was a statement of intent."

She laughs, then leans back in her seat. "I’m never sleeping with you, Whittington."

A familiar excitement zings through my blood. The hair on my forearms rises. My fingers tingle, and before I can change my mind, I reach forward, wrap my fingers about the nape of her neck, and pull her forward.

"Wait, what are you—"

I kiss her. I press my lips to hers and inhale her breath.

For a few seconds, she remains stiff, either from surprise or because she’s holding herself back.

Tension vibrates off of her. Her entire body is one coiled mass of rigidity.

I soften my mouth. I nip on her lower lip, and with a groan, she parts her lips.

I sweep my tongue inside, tangle with hers.

Suck on her, draw from her. Pull her as close as the seatbelts we’re wearing will allow.

I tilt my head and deepen the kiss. A moan bleeds from her.

The blood in my body drains to my groin.

The crotch of my pants tightens. A hot sensation wells in my chest. A shiver runs down my spine.

All the cells in my body seem to come alive at once.

Fuck, I need to get closer, need to be inside her, need to—

The blare of a horn cuts through the haze, and we break apart.

Her pulse beats at the base of her throat; her glorious hair flows about her shoulders.

Her lips are swollen, and she’s staring at me with a dazed expression on her face.

She’s not the only one who’s surprised. I hadn’t thought it was possible for me to want a woman so much, so quickly.

Especially a woman I had a strong reaction to on sight—something that doesn’t happen often.

I thought I hated her. Turns out, my response to her is more complex than that.

It’s not black or white. It’s more layered.

.. More complicated. It’s more… Everything.

It’s definitely unexpected. The car behind us honks again.

I step on the accelerator, and the car moves forward.

We drive in silence until I turn off the main road onto the side street leading to her apartment.

"If you think that kiss changed anything, you’re mistaken."

"If you think that kiss meant anything, you’re mistaken."

"Oh, trust me, I know exactly what it was. A chauvinistic way for you to shut me up. I told you I wasn’t going to sleep with you, so of course, you took it as a challenge.

You wanted to prove to yourself, and to me, that I want you, and I assure you, even if I did—which I don’t—I’d get someone else to scratch the itch. "

I brake so suddenly, we’re thrown against our seat belts. I park the car, release my seatbelt, lean over, unlock hers, and once more, grip the nape of her neck and pull her across the partition between our seats.

"Wha—"

I don’t let her complete the word. I close my mouth over hers and kiss her fiercely.

She slaps her hand against my shoulder, then keeps it there, palm flattened against my jacket.

I tighten my hold on her, bring my other hand up, and bury my fingers in her hair.

I tug on it, and she shudders. I deepen the kiss, and with a groan, she grips the front of my shirt with her free arm and tugs me even closer.

She bites down on my lower lip, and my cock jerks.

My thighs harden. I thrust my tongue inside her mouth, dancing it over hers.

Her chest rises and falls, her breasts crushed into my chest. The taste of her coats my mouth, the scent of her sinks into my skin, her curves melt into me, and my head spins.

My breath comes in pants. A bead of sweat slides down my spine.

My stomach muscles harden until it feels like I’ve been sucker-punched.

I release her mouth and stare into her eyes.

She holds my gaze, the look in hers dazed and angry.

She moves, and I guess her intention, but I don’t stop her as her palm connects with my cheek.

My face snaps back with the momentum, but I don’t look away.

She searches my features, with something resembling panic on her face. "Don’t ever do that again," she spits out.

"Worried you won’t be able to stop next time?"

"If I were you, I’d be worried about keeping my balls," she retorts.

"I told you we should have simply fucked it out."

"You’re irredeemable." She raises her hand again, and this time, I catch her wrist. In a flash, I twist it behind her back so her breasts are thrust out. I take my time perusing her features, down the arch of her slender neck to where her tits are outlined against the coat she’s wearing.

By the time I raise my gaze, her face is flushed.

"I’m not going to apologize for what I did," I drawl.

"You’re conforming to your image of being an inconsiderate twat," she snaps.

"Keep talking dirty, and I won’t be responsible for what happens next."

She tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip on her.

"You may be physically stronger than me, but I promise you, I’ll never give into you.

" She bares her teeth at me, and goddamn, all of my senses home in on her.

I want nothing more than to throw her over my lap and spank her curvy behind before I take her so hard, we both see stars.

Unfortunately, though, that will have to wait.

"That remains to be seen." I lift her back over to her seat, then straighten.

“You’re an animal," she snaps.

"Only with you."

She blinks, then barks out a laugh. "That should sound trite, but somehow, coming from you, I almost believe it. Almost."

I rake my fingers through my hair, then drum my fingers on the wheel, "Believe it. I don’t normally get this handsy on a first date—"

"Not a date."

"I took you to a restaurant, we ate, we kissed. Twice. It’s a date."

She draws in a breath, and for a few seconds we sit there in silence. Then she murmurs, "You also bought me Haribos."

"I did."

"Thank you for that."

I tilt my head. "You’re welcome."

"I suppose you’re right." She straightens her spine, "It was a date, but believe me, it’s never going to happen again."

We’ll see.

She snatches her bag from where it’s fallen on the floor. By the time she’s shoved her door open, I’ve walked around the car. I hold it open for her as she steps out.

"You don’t have to walk me to my door."

"On the contrary." I nod to my security detail who are poised on either side of the vehicle, then I walk her up the driveway. She uses her keycard to open the front door and I follow her in, up the wide staircase and to the door of her apartment.

"I’m not going to invite you in."

"I didn’t expect you to."

She opens her door, then steps inside and turns to me. "I’m not going to thank you for tonight, either, except maybe for the champagne and the food which, I have to admit, were exceptional."

She goes to shut the door, and I plant my foot in the way. "See me again."

She laughs. "No fucking way."

"I’ll get my way, one way or the other."

She sets her chin. "Not if I can help it."

"Don’t underestimate me." I narrow my gaze. "When I want something, I go after it."

"Don’t patronize me. Once I make up my mind, it’s very difficult to change it."

A sizzle of excitement zips up my spine. Adrenaline laces my blood. Fucking hell, this thrust and parry of words, this matching of wits is as potent as foreplay.

"And what if I get you to come out with me again?"

She snorts. "Not gonna happen. But if it does, I promise you, next time, I’ll be the one to initiate the kiss."

I hold out my hand. "Deal."