Page 49 of Dangerous Pursuit

It would be better if you’d kiss my lips instead.

However, I keep my thoughts to myself. “I did. My mom made my favorite breakfast and gave me a pair of earrings.” I turn my head to show him.

Pushing my hair back, he runs his fingers along the skin behind my ear, continuing to my neck, and then farther down my chest along the top of my dress, ending at the V between my breasts before pulling back.

For crying out loud, kiss me already.

“They’re beautiful, just like you,” he says while staring at my chest.

All I manage is a gulp in between the panting I can’t seem to control. That desire meter is about to blow.

“Do you like birds?” he asks, jolting me from my stupor.

“Huh?”

He smirks. “Your earrings?”

“Oh… right. They’re for my middle name, Nightingale.”

“Mia Nightingale Marcos. I like it.”

“Yeah, well, my initials are MNM, so there’s that.” He laughs heartily. “My parents thought it was cute and would get me M&M trinkets all the time when I was little. I’m glad I’ve graduated to nightingales.”

He laughs some more. “That’s great. I love it. M&M, huh? Should I start calling you that?”

“Don’t you dare. I will hurt you in your sleep.”

He grins mischievously. “I like the sound of that. I might just have to try it.”

One sentence and I’m back to my dirty thoughts. He’s not playing fair. Maybe I need to give him a taste of his own medicine and see how far I can push him before he breaks.

“Are you looking for trouble, Jackson?” I stick my leg out and rub my heeled foot up his calf.

“You’ve been giving me trouble since the day you got here, Mia, and I have a feeling there’s more to come.” With that, he retreats to his office, shutting the door behind him.

What the hell? That’s all? I’m eighteen, dammit. Isn’t he supposed to grab me and unleash the passion he’s been holding back? That’s how I imagined it, anyway.

Argh! If he wants to play this game, fine by me. But I play to win.

Jackson

I shut the door like always, but this time, it’s not about maintaining distance; it’s about keeping my remaining willpower intact. I’m waiting until tonight to make my move and hope she ends up a fraction as pent up as I’ve been for the last several weeks. Her attempt at provoking me was adorable and didn’t go unnoticed, which was why walking away before the current bulge in my pants became any more visible was necessary.

It’s going to be a long day. I’ll have to get out of the office for some of it if I want half a chance at keeping my hands to myself. That dress she’s wearing… fuck. It would be so easy to undo the tie around it and unveil what’s underneath. And Christ, those heels? She’s making this more difficult than I expected. I already have a plan, though, and I’ll be damned not to see it through.

I’m barely through last night’s emails when there’s a soft knock on my door. “Come in,” I call out.

Mia enters holding a file and shuts the door, giving me pause, but I’m too distracted while checking her out from top to bottom to overthink it. Not a day goes by that I don’t find her attractive, but today she shines. From the dress, heels, and something else Ican’t quite place, she looks different, which is probably a figment of my imagination since it’s finally the day I’ve been waiting weeks for.

“We need to review your schedule and go over a few messages,” she says.

“Sounds good, shoot.”

She sets the file on the desk and then continues around it.

“Mia, what are you doing?” I sit back and turn to face her.

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she climbs onto my lap and straddles me with her knees on the chair.Fuck. Me.I am a dead man. My hands can’t help but reach for her hips, squeezing them.

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