Page 25 of Back in Black

“Lady, you know how to tease. Admit it. You look at a guy and you have him drooling in a heartbeat.”

Warm pleasure spread through her. Did he really think she could be so effective in seduction? “I don’t see you drooling.”

He made a rude sound. “I’m more interested in figuring out how to have you than daydreaming about it. And speaking of that, let me make sure I understand the scenario. You don’t want your personal or professional reputationtaintedby being with me. Do I have that right?”

Hearing him say it aloud like that made it sound really . . .horrid.Gillian’s face went hot at her lack of sensitivity. “Drew . . .”

“Just work me with here, okay?” Far from wounded by her reservations, he asked, “What if I swear not to tell anyone? It could be our own, very private fling. No one has to know, right?” He took a left into a busier business area. “And Gillian, for the record, my word is good.”

She believed him. He might be many things, but he wasn’t a liar. Drew told you what he thought, no holds barred. He had no reason to lie.

“Think about it—an exciting, illicit affair without repercussions of any kind. Sounds tempting, huh?”

Her thoughts scrambled and her heart pounded hard. Was she actually considering this?

Yes, she was.

Drew didn’t let up. “Why not live a little, you know? I’ll make it worthwhile, scout’s honor.”

“You were never a scout.”

“How would you know?”

Another misconception on her part? “Were you?”

“No.”

Of course he wasn’t. Drew Black would never be able to follow rules. Could she handle that? Gillian bit her lip in indecision.

“Come on, Gillian,” he encouraged. “What do you say?”

She drew in a deep breath. “I say . . .” She looked at Drew and gave up. “If no one will know, then there’s really no reason to wait until we aren’t working together.”

His expression was priceless, a mixture of surprise, anticipation, and red-hot heat. Then his mood darkened as he put on his turn signal. “Talk about fucked-up timing.” Pulling into the small lot behind the tattoo parlor, he parked and killed the engine.

Before Gillian had time to blink, he unhooked her seat belt and pulled her half over the console to kiss her silly.

By the time he finished with her, the windows were steamed up—and so was Gillian.

With his mouth still touching hers, he said, “This will probably take a couple of hours.”

Gillian held on to his shoulders. “This?” His expensive sports car wasn’t really big enough for making out. She felt the parking brake dig into her side.

Humor lifted the corners of his sexy mouth. “Dickey, remember?” He smoothed a tendril of hair behind her ear. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Oh.” She tried to straighten away from him, but was too off balance.

Drew set her back in her seat. “But I like how you think. And hey, if it’s hours you want, come home with me after we take care of this. I’ll need to take the edge off first, but then, hey, I can last as well as any guy.”

What had she gotten herself into? Drew Black was more than she could handle.

But she couldn’t wait to try.

WITH the collar of his leather jacket turned up against the damp evening wind, Brett stood out front of Roger’s Rodeo. After the last few days of nicer weather, there was now a decided nip in the air. Black storm clouds obscured the moon and stars, leaving the neon lights of the establishments and the street lamps to glow through the thick humidity.

The flannel he’d put on over a T-shirt wasn’t doing much to keep out the cold.

A few feet down from Brett, a woman leaned against the wall and enjoyed a smoke. Her short leather jacket was meant more for looking good than protecting her from the weather. The glow of her cigarette showed in between ribald comments spoken a little too loudly about what she’d like to do to him. She was drunk and easy to ignore, but her smoke irritated Brett as it carried on the wind.

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