Page 39 of The Player

She rolled her eyes. ‘That’s because you said we had a book launch to attend. For work. Remember?’

He sighed. ‘Believe me, it’s all I think about.’

He took her hand as they entered the underground car park. ‘Next to you, that is.’

An illicit thrill shot through Liza. She shouldn’t be so happy Wade ranked her next to his precious business, not when she was determined to keep him at bay, but she couldn’t help it. The guy was seriously hot and she’d bet he invaded her thoughts a heck of a lot more than she did his.

‘We’re not supposed to do this for a million reasons—’

‘Can’t think of one right now.’

He’d pinned her against the wall before she could blink and plastered his mouth to hers.

The feel of his commanding lips wiped all rational thought from her mind as her body responded on an innate level that scared the hell out of her.

With this one, scorching kiss, she remembered in excruciatingly vivid detail how he’d kissed his way all over her body.

How he’d caressed and stroked until she’d been out of her mind.

How he’d licked and savoured every inch of her skin until she’d melted.

His hands slid over her butt and pulled her flush against him.

Damn, how could something so wrong feel so right?

Liza wriggled, needing to push him off, get in her car, and head home to Cindy. Instead, as he changed the pressure of the kiss and touched his tongue to hers, she combusted.

She arched against him, revelling in the feel of his hardness. She speared her fingers through his hair, angled his head, and kissed him right back, pouring every ounce of her repressed yearning into it.

He groaned. She moaned. His hands everywhere, her skin blistering with the heat generated between their bodies.

He didn’t stop. She didn’t care. Until the sound of a car engine starting on the level below penetrated the erotic fog clouding her head, and she realised what the hell she was doing.

She broke the kiss and dragged in great lungfuls of air, her ragged breathing matching his.

‘Don’t expect me to apologise for that,’ he said, resting his forehead against hers, his hands clasping her waist and leaving her no room to move.

‘I would, if I hadn’t enjoyed it so much.’ She rested her palms on his chest, wishing she had the willpower to shove him away. ‘You won’t take no for an answer, will you?’

He straightened and smiled down at her. ‘You’re only just figuring that out?’

‘Maybe I’m a slow learner.’

‘Or maybe you’re running from something when it’d be better to confront it and grab it with both hands?’ He squeezed her waist. ‘By it I mean you should be grabbing me, of course.’

Laughter bubbled up in her chest and spilled out. She loved an intelligent guy. She loved a funny guy more. Love being figurative.

‘I really need to get home and work on the marketing campaign.’

‘And I really need to get home and work on it too.’ He released her and snapped his fingers. ‘Here’s a thought. Why don’t we head home together and do some work?’

She chuckled. ‘Don’t hold your breath expecting me to ask your place or mine.’

‘Not happening, huh?’

She shook her head. ‘No.’

He ducked his head, nuzzled her neck, and the buzz was back. ‘There’s nothing I can do to change your mind?’

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