Page 40 of Sweet Temptation

They made a beeline out the doors and to the elevator.

“Have they always been like that?” John rubbed his temples. “Don’t they get tired?”

“I think the longest they’ve gone without a spat of some kind is the first week after Theo moved in next door.” Meg’s voice was heavy with amusement. “Unless you count the years Theo was gone. They’re about fifty-fifty as far as victories go, but I think I’ve got my money on Jo this time.”

As her warm laugh curled around him, soothed the demons in his soul, he said, “Something tells me you Marchande girls always get what you want in the end.”

“That would be nice.” She snorted.

“If you don’t get what you want, you should.”

Her brow furrowed, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

He was about to ask her what she wanted when the elevator arrived, and the doors yawned open, then closed behind them with a hushed sound.

They were alone, just the way he liked it.

He stepped closer, his knuckles brushing hers. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.”

“I’ve missed you,” he said softly.

“I’ve missed you, too.” Her voice was a breathy whisper, and he noted the way her chest rose and fell a little quicker with their close proximity. He liked that. A lot.

“It’s was nice having you beside me at lunch yesterday. I’m glad you got to meet Lhane. She means a lot to me.”

“She thinks a lot of you, John. She’s a good judge of character.”

Those words meant more to him than she would ever guess. Did that mean Meg finally thought of him as more than a player?

His mind shifted when Meg placed her palms on his chest, her fingers splayed. He inhaled, his body absorbing the warmth of her touch. He closed one hand over hers, brought her fingers to his mouth and began kissing them one at a time.

A warm flush colored her cheeks. His heart raced, and it had nothing to do with the espresso. His hands slid around her back, and he pulled her against him, reveling in the softness of her body, the way they fit together. If he could, he’d stay like this forever, just holding on to one another. They stood there, locked in an embrace, not even realizing the doors had opened until someone cleared their throat.

They broke apart quickly, and that same person snorted. John turned to see Ava at the front desk, pinning them with a glare. He’d... Well, he’d completely forgotten that she would be here, at her desk, where she was supposed to be.

Meg made him stupid, in the best possible way, but right now, he racked his brain for an explanation that would keep her from telling Theo what she’d just witnessed.

“Ah, Ava...” he began, rocking back and forth on his feet.

She held her hands up, palms out. “My desk is across from the elevator. I’ve seen it all. But maybe you two should probably take it somewhere private. Not everyone has gone home for the night,” she said, and John guessed she was talking about Theo and Jo.

Christ, what kind of secret affair was this if everyone knew?

“Thanks.” He caught the woman’s gaze and nodded, making a mental note to send her something in thanks... Wine, maybe. Flowers. A gift certificate for Meg’s sister’s tattoo shop.

Then he looked at Meg again, and the idea flew right out of his head. Stepping off the elevator while Meg remained on, he turned so that Ava could only see his back.

Leaning back into the elevator, he pressed his lips to Meg’s ear and breathed in her sweet scent as he gave her a command...one of their final ones.

“My room, at nine. Leave your panties at home.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ONCE AGAIN, MEG stood outside the door to John’s hotel room.

Part of her wanted to break through it without even knocking, because she couldn’t bear to be so close to him and not touch him.

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