Page 78 of Worth Every Penny

The doors stay open, gaping like the gates of hell. The office beyond is quiet and the lights are low.

No one’s here.

The lift doors begin to close, and against my better judgment, I stick my hand out to stop them and slide through the gap. This is the most reckless thing I’ve ever done, but I’m so turned on, so wound up, that it’s like I’m having an out-of-body experience.

Every reservation, every hesitation, every single reason not to, has been blown clear out of my mind by the absolute certainty that I can’t let this man walk away.

I don’t give myself a moment to second guess it. If I stop, I’ll never be able to come back.

My heels click down the corridor, my breaths echoing in the silence.

I reach his office, my hand resting on the handle for less than a second before I push the door open.

Nico has his back to me, hands braced on the desk. His broad shoulders look tense, his head lowered between them.

Beyond him, the London skyline sparkles with lights. There might be millions of people out there, but right now, he’s the only one who matters.

“Don’t come in here,” he warns. “I swear, if you step inside this office, I will not be held responsible—”

I kick the door closed behind me, cutting him off. He jerks his head up and his whole body stiffens.

The tension is so thick I can physically feel it. Even the palms of my hands are tingling.

Nico straightens, standing to his full height. Slowly, he turns to face me. His chest rises and falls as he fixes me with a dark gaze, equal parts resentment and desire; a toxic infusion that I can’t resist. His hand finds the knot of his tie, loosening it before he undoes the top button of his shirt. “Lock it.”

God, his voice.So deep and commanding.

I turn around to lock the door and the air between us prickles against my back, the pressure ofhimforcing the breath from my lungs. Nico’s footsteps approach and he stops directly behind me, planting his feet on either side of mine. My heart beats out of control as one of his hands hits the door with a thump, fingers splayed to the left side of my head. Tendons and veins stand out like ribbons under his skin.

With his other hand, he shifts my ponytail and drapes it over my shoulder. The warmth of his breath hits my exposed nape and a shiver trips down my spine.

“I’m going to ask you one more time.” His voice rumbles against my ear. “Do you want this?”

I gulp as I nod.

“Say it.”

“Yes.”

He kisses the back of my neck, a smile in his voice as he murmurs, “I always knew you were a good girl.”

My breath hitches as his praise spills through me like melted butter, the heat of it trickling down to my core. His free hand skims the waistband of my skirt, his fingers sliding along it all the way to my navel, but rather than dip beneath it, he grips my hip and spins me to face him. My body is utterly pliant to his will.

He’s right; there’s no going back from this. Whatever happens from here, I’m forever changed. Even if this, right now, is as faras it goes between us, every cell in my being has been shaken awake, shakenalive, by him.

He closes his eyes, and his muttered ‘fuck,’ rasps like a blade on a whetstone.

His mouth crashes against mine; warm and wet and sending spirals of heat dancing through my entire body.He’s kissing me, he’s kissing me, are the last thoughts that race through my mind before the intensity of his kiss destroys my ability to think. His tongue slides between my lips, and each sensuous swipe dominates my mouth like he’s trying to force a complete surrender. The man kisses like a master, and need surges through me with dizzying force.

My hands find his shoulders and tug at his jacket, but I can’t shift it. Panting heavily, Nico breaks our kiss to shrug it off himself. He drops it to the floor, releasing a fresh wave of his glorious, masculine cologne mixed with something else that’s indescribably Nico.

His eyes find mine and he smiles, bites his bottom lip, and tilts his head at me as if to say,fuck, yes. Let’s do this.

He kisses me again, a little more gently this time, like he’s savouring me rather than devouring me. He slides his hands around my hips, lifting me up, and my skirt rises to my waist as I wrap my legs around him.

His erection presses against the hot centre of my arousal and I grind against him, desperately seeking friction. He growls against the side of my neck, his fingers digging into my flesh.

My shoes fall to the floor along with my inhibitions as he carries me to the sofa, sits me down on the edge, and kneels before me. His eyes blaze like a man possessed.

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