Page 10 of Velvet Sin (Elite Men of Los Angeles #5)

“Quit stalling. We both know you need this.”

“You don’t know what I need.”

“I think I do. No, I know it. You need a steady job that pays enough for you to have a fresh start. I want that for you,” I concluded, and I meant every word.

Whatever it took, so long as she was out from under Cameron and never, ever questioned whether she should’ve stayed with him.

I didn’t know the specifics and doubted she would’ve given them if I’d asked, but the Lenny I knew never gave up on a sure thing.

She needed a comfortable, secure life, and wouldn’t have taken the chance of walking away when she had nothing of her own.

He must have done something to fuck it all up.

“I hate how right you are.” Snatching the pen from my outstretched hand, she signed on the dotted line before thrusting it my way. “Here.”

“Smart girl.” I left the contract on my desk and checked the time again. “We need to get moving. I have a few things I want to check on before the doors open.”

“This is a little overwhelming. You’ll have to excuse me for needing time to catch up.” She stood as I headed for the door, then teetered on her mile-high heels. I doubted she had an excuse to wear them often.

But what they did was give me the excuse to catch her so she didn’t fall, taking her by the waist to hold her steady.

Heat swelled in my chest and in other parts farther south, compelling me to pull her closer, inhaling the lavender clinging to her hair and the bright, floral perfume she wore.

The scent was enticing enough that I leaned in before I knew what I was doing, hoping to catch more of it.

“Whoa, there,” I murmured against her ear. This was the second time in twenty-four hours I had caught her, preventing a fall. The thrill of putting my hands on her body hadn’t lessened. If anything, it was more intense since she was fully conscious and aware.

“I’m fine,” she snapped, pulling her head back and glaring defiantly up at me.

Until the look changed. Something washed over her face, making it go slack like she had received a great shock. “Oh my God. It was you. Wasn’t it?”

“What was me?” I asked, still holding onto her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her slim throat worked. “Los Angeles. Three months ago. I went to a club like this one. And there was a man…” Her voice trailed off until she went silent.

No. It was impossible. “She was blonde.” The words were barely out of my mouth before I realized how stupid they sounded.

“So was I for about five minutes,” she retorted.

I sputtered, stunned, while she added, “The whole time I was sitting there on the sofa, saying to myself, it’s not possible.

It was all coincidence. A club in LA, the masks, the one-night memberships for women.

No means no. Then I sat there thinking what would his face look like if he was wearing a half mask? ”

What were the odds? Did it matter? Something had brought us back together. “You were wearing this dress,” I murmured, and now it seemed obvious. “One of my bouncers stopped us before we could?—”

“Make a mistake.” She touched her hands to my chest and applied pressure, but not enough to make me let go. “It would’ve been a mistake.”

“Not from where I’m standing.” She was so warm, soft yet firm. I released a soft, shuddering breath, looking down to admire her tits and pressing my fingers into her hips. “You walked out on me that night.”

“You ruined our relationship,” she whispered, glaring at me, her nostrils flaring with every sharp breath. “I think we’re even now.”

No. Not even close.

“There was one thing I didn’t get the chance to tell you,” I said.

That caught her off guard, and she parted her lips, prepared to ask what I was talking about.

I took full advantage, catching her mouth with mine.

A soft squeal stirred in her throat, and she stiffened for a heartbeat, then groaned long and low.

It was a sound tinged with regret. She couldn’t help herself any more than I could now that we were locked together, tasting, wanting.

No matter how she fought it, this was always going to happen.

Fuck, she tasted like home. I was a traveler finding his way back for the first time in forever.

Hunger reared its head, making me slide my tongue against hers while taking the back of her head in my hand to hold her in place.

Now that I had her like this, I wasn’t about to let her go until I was satisfied.

And oh, there was so much lost time to make up for.

The touch of her hands was sweet fire, traveling up my chest and over my shoulders, burning my skin through a suit jacket and shirt.

A shudder ran through me and lodged in my throat as a growl once her fingers began running through my hair, turning me into a grunting, panting animal the way only she ever could.

The kiss deepened, and her grip tightened, her frantic breath hitting my face when I came up for air before descending again, this time exploring the silky skin of her neck, lapping against the place where her pulse fluttered until she held my head close, moaning, melting in my arms. My cock strained, twitching every time her body brushed against it.

Her nails scraped my scalp and the back of my neck until I moaned with her and began backing her up against the sofa.

Fuck everything else. It could wait. I had to be inside this woman again—one more time.

“Wait. No, stop.” She was seconds from falling back when something made her slam on the brakes. Her supple body went rigid under my hands while she pulled back, shaking her head. “No. Not happening. Get off me.”

The scorn in her voice was ice water thrown on a fire.

I let go and stepped back because I’d be fucked if I begged a woman who sounded like that.

“Message received,” I grunted out, moving across my office on shaky legs and flipping on the light in my private bathroom.

So much for looking polished tonight. A few seconds with a comb and a little soap and water to remove Lenny’s crimson lipstick went a long way.

Her rejection had a magical effect on my dick, which was already softening even as my balls ached. It would be an uncomfortable night, but I had no one to blame but myself. I adjusted my tie and jacket, staring straight at the mirror, refusing to look at her while she fixed herself.

That wouldn’t happen again. Not when she so clearly hated the idea. Hated me, probably. She was only taking the job for the sake of survival. We were dead and had been for a long time.

And now, I had her name on a contract. I was essentially stuck with her. What the fuck was I thinking?

She said nothing when I joined her, only turning my way with her gaze trained on the floor. “I guess we should head downstairs,” she suggested in a hushed tone.

“We should. It’s going to be a big night,” I predicted, opening the door leading to the side stairs to the main floor. “Here’s your first lesson. I’m a real prick to work for and am never satisfied.”

The dismay that pulled her brows together helped ease the worst of my bruised ego, but it was nowhere near enough.