Page 48 of The Charmer

“I don’t.” His hands strummed her back through the silk of her kimono, the steady strokes making her arch like a cat. Next she’d be purring. “Don’t worry, we won’t need them. I was only planning on taking a shower, that’s it.”

She didn’t believe him, as he tugged on the knotted tie and peeled open the front of her kimono. He skimmed her skin, teasing with his touch, brushing her nipples with his thumbs until they peaked in sweet agony.

Her breath hitched as he slid the silk from her body with infinite patience, one exquisite inch at a time until the kimono pooled at their feet in a slash of vibrant emerald against the white tiles.

“I don’t think my shower’s big enough for the both of us,” she said, eyeing the small glass cubicle, considering Cooper took up most of the bathroom already.

“All the better for a nice close fit.”

With an arm firmly draped around her waist, he turned on the hot and cold taps with his other hand, tested the water temp, and took the opportunity to turn the five second wait into another scorching kiss.

She could’ve shrugged out of his grip.

She could’ve picked up her kimono and stalked from the bathroom with what little dignity she had left intact.

But where was the fun in that?

She’d spent a lifetime being serious—first surviving the foster system, and later being the model niece for Barb—and more recently, worrying about how to keep the gallery afloat. She never had time for fun. And that’s what this last taste of Cooper would be: pure, unadulterated fun.

“You coming in?” He arched an eyebrow, his arm loosely draped around her waist. “The water’s warm.”

He waited, wearing nothing but a sexy, persuasive smile, as Ariel mentally recited every rational reason she shouldn’t do this.

He’s your enemy. This could be another ploy to soften you up. He’s not your type. He’s your opposite in every way. He’ll break your heart.

Her conscience made a lot of sense, but she always listened to gut instinct and right now, she wanted one, last taste of Cooper.

With a coy glance from beneath her lashes, she said, “You bet,” and stepped with him into the shower.

A staunch environmentalist, Ariel conserved water by taking short showers even though she loved the hot spray peppering her skin. Today, however, her ideals flew out the window along with her reservations as she leaned against Cooper, her back wedged against his front, while his hands travelled her body in long, slow strokes. Soaping, circling, teasing, turning her legs to jelly before he delved between them and brought her to a knee-buckling orgasm with a few deft flicks of his fingers.

“I can’t stand up,” she murmured, sinking against him further, joining in his chuckles when he clunked his head on the nozzle trying to support her.

“That’s not funny.” He rubbed his head and the harder he tried to frown, the more they laughed until she clung to him in mirth rather than desperation.

“You’re a dangerous woman,” he said, pulling her into a tight hug that squeezed the air out of her. Or was it the intensity in his blue-eyed stare that robbed her of the normal function of breathing?

“Not really.” She winked. “But I can be.”

He’d given her so much pleasure, time to return the favour.

Reaching between them, she captured his cock in her hand, stroking until he groaned, loving the ecstasy etched on his face as she slid up and down the shaft.

They watched as she picked up tempo, and she’d never felt so empowered as he came in a hot rush.

His head fell back, exposing the strong column of his neck, and Ariel placed a gentle kiss there, knowing they could never recapture this moment, shocked by how sad that made her feel.

As Cooper opened his eyes and smiled, before resting his forehead against hers, she couldn’t say a word. As water sluiced down on them, she knew why.

They had nothing left to say.

After all, what can you say when you’ve just screwed the enemy?

Chapter Thirty

Cooper knew the precise time his revamped proposal had been delivered to Ariel: ten o’clock. Now, the timestamp on his computer read twenty-five and it would’ve taken her twenty-five minutes to high-tail it to Vance Corporation in Melbourne’s CBD, including the time she would’ve spent jumping up and down on the spot having a tantrum.

She would hate the amendments he’d made to the proposal.

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