Page 78 of Remembering Passion

Wear the coat.

I could do that.

It didn’t take long to strip out of the blazer, skirt, and blouse. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I eyed my bra and panties.

Why was this hard?

This was Damien Sinclair. The man liked to play games. I could play too.

Unclasping my bra, I hung it on the back of the bathroom door and pushed my panties down, stepping out of them with my heels in place. To be honest, I was afraid if I took the shoes off, they wouldn’t go back on, not tonight anyway. My hair was still pulled back and my earrings were in place. I applied a new coat of lipstick and smacked my lips together. “Yes, Mr. Sinclair, I can play your game.” With a grin, I went back to the closet, and donned the pink coat.

As I opened the door to the hallway, I felt the sensation Damien predicted. Not only were my nipples hard, but my pussy clenched at the cool air coming under the coat. A look to the left and one to the right confirmed my show of confidence wouldn’t be enjoyed by anyone else.

Standing straight, I knocked on the door.

A moment of terror struck.

What if this wasn’t his room?

The fright disappeared as the door opened and his panty-melting stare was focused only on me.

My breathing deepened and time forgot to pass as he stood in the doorframe, his strong fingers gripping the trim, his bicep bulging beneath his shirt. His molten blue gaze scanned from my hair to the pointed tips of the shoes. I scanned him too, assessing the loss of his suit coat and tie.

“Ms. Crystal?” He gestured toward the room. “What a welcome surprise. Please come in.”

The subtle scent of his lingering cologne tickled my senses as I passed by, entering his room. I turned at the sound of the shutting door and watched as he secured the lock.

It was as he turned that I willed myself into confidence, flashed him a seductive smile, and reached for the belt around my waist.

Damien lifted his hand. “Stop.”

Stop?

My eyes opened in question.

In two long strides, he was in front of me, lifting my chin with his thumb and finger.

The temperature of the room increased as our stare-down continued. Though he’d only said one word since closing the door, within his stare was a symphony of thoughts and feelings. For seconds or minutes, I watched the energy in his eyes, the crackling of lightning in a summer sky or fireworks over a dry field, each spark both beautiful and dangerous, capable of igniting my world. As he’d done on the plane, Damien shifted his focus from my eyes to my lips. I came to his door to fulfill his request. Wear the coat and heels. However, as our breathing deepened, I wanted more.

I wanted him to kiss me like he’d done on the plane.

That wasn’t all.

I was tired of walking this tightrope between what my mind thought was best and my body wanted.

Letting go of my chin, Damien inhaled and took a step back. “You should know you were perfect today.”

Um. Okay. We’re going to talk.

I shook my head. “Thank you. The Shermans are great people. As for the rest, tomorrow will be the big test.”

Damien ran his hand over his hair. “You don’t owe me for the coat. If you don’t want to be here…if you want to sleep…”

What the hell?

“Don’t you want me here?” I asked.

“More than air to breathe.”

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