Page 41 of Analysing Her Assets

“Tamar...” His breath caressed her hair. “Please, give me one more chance. Last night, I barely slept. I shouldn’t have listened to your sister. I shouldn’t have let her spook me like that.”

“Yes, you said that already.” But her stupid, gullible heart sang a little.

“I acted cowardly, running away. I seem to be good at quitting stuff. I’m attracted to you, not just physically, and I think it frightened me. I’m sorry. Please give us another chance. It’s your turn. I’ll do anything you tell me. And I have a gift for you.”

His hot whisper sounded in her ear. His jacket was around her, fresh smelling and masculine.

“A gift?” Now she was wooed with gifts. A first. “What does a corny golden boy like you want to give me? Chocolates? Flowers?” She really should stop talking. She was being a total bitch.

“I’m interviewing someone to take Shemesh out, every day, when I’m at work. A dog walker. I can arrange for Giddy as well. Would you like that? On me—that’s the gift.”

“That’s not a gift. That’s a bribe.” She absolutely loved it.

He brushed aside her hair and kissed her neck, his lips touching the little bit of skin he managed to bare. His hands traveled down her waist, along her thighs, and back up. Warmth pooled in her belly, crawling its way downwards. Gideon Sela knew how to touch a woman. How to touch her.

How easy it would be to lean into him, to be held and kissed and murmured to. Relax into his large, strong arms. But she wouldn’t be fooled into thinking they had more going on than just sex. The deal she struck with him–she would stick to it. No feelings. Sex only. Over in four weeks.

“It’s your turn to tell me what to do,” he whispered and bit her shoulder, zapping her nipples to attention.

“Okay, okay, you got it,” she told him. She knew exactly what she wanted. Yes. She would order him around and instruct him.

“Another chance?”

“Yes.” He was going to tend to her needs in a way that she had never dared to ask of anyone before. “You do what I tell you to the letter.”

“Sure. Tonight?” He gave the hollow in her neck another kiss and chuckled when she shuddered. She craved him. There was no point denying it.

“Yes.”

“Tamar,” the deep seductive voice whispered, “would you wear that red dress again? For me?”

Oh, God, he was such a tease.

“Yes, I’ll wear it, Gideon, but... it won’t be coming off.”

He groaned theatrically, and she wanted to laugh but wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She pushed him away and turned her back at him. Using both hands to pry open the heavy door, she checked if the corridor was empty. Then, she bumped her butt into his crotch, not too gently, relishing his grunt. She shrugged off his great-smelling jacket, letting it drop to the floor.

“When I did fall asleep, I dreamt about it,” Gideon said. He was crouched at her feet, picking up his discarded jacket.

“You dreamt about what?” she couldn’t help asking. He looked up at her, his eyes reflecting the little light from the window.

“About your red dress.”

22. Gideon

Tamar opened her door, barefoot, wearing the red dress. Her dark hair was combed back, leaving the delicate line of her neck exposed. The soft fabric cinched underneath her magnificent breasts and flared out around her thighs.

“Hi, let’s get to it.”

She walked away, and Gideon peeled his chin off the floor and followed that luscious ass. Her bedroom was as colorful as her living room. Her two-door wardrobe, light blue with an orange Mexican motif, took the entire right-side wall, leaving barely half a meter from her bed. A throw carpet, woven material in gray, blue, and orange, covered the small space between her nightstand and the en suite bathroom door. There was no room for a second nightstand, her bed was pushed all the way under the window. He inhaled deeply the Tamar-perfumed air.

They stood, side by side, at the foot of her bed. She was rigid, and he didn’t dare touch her.

“I’m your bitch. I can’t wait,” he said to break the ice. Her lips curved in a close-mouthed smile. A small win.

“Right. You do whatever I say. Like, okay, you know how you follow Waze, even though sometimes it seems like it takes you in a roundabout way? Then like that—follow my instructions and don’t take the initiative, or look for shortcuts, don’t get impatient.”

“I’m not a very kinky person, so hitting, whipping, stuff like that? It’s a no go.”

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