Page 37 of Merrick

“Okay, Sullivan,” she muttered as she stepped out of the vehicle and wrapped her jacket around her, “time to tie this up once and for all.”

*****

He was pissed at her and nervous at the same time. And that made him furious. She had kept him waiting for two damn days and during that time, he had been unable to sleep. The bed had smelled of her, even though his housekeeper had changed the sheets.And he had worried that she would not come back.

That he would not hear from her again. That she would decide it was over between them, even before anything got started.

But she had called.

He would set some rules. Leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes wearily. What the hell was he thinking? Rules? With a woman like her? That would probably send her running in the opposite direction.

And he could not afford that. He snapped to attention when his intercom sounded.

“Ms. Sullivan is on her way up, sir.”

“Thank you.” Releasing the button, he shoved away from the desk and made his way to the cabinet. He was not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him nettled. He had just poured the Scotch from the decanter when his doors swung open. Turning around, he felt every angry thought and resentment melting away at his first sight of her.

She was wearing the familiar faded denims and scarred jacket with a thin navy-blue sweater underneath. Her hair was piled ina haphazard fashion on top of her head. And she wasn’t wearing makeup. And she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her first comment had his pleasure blooming. Coming into the room, she turned in a tight circle, a look of amazement on her face.

“Holy crap! This is all you? No! Don’t answer that, of course it is. And I just met your prune faced assistant who gave me a look of such disdain, I almost told her to kiss my ass.”

She held up a hand. “But I managed to refrain from expressing myself, as hard as that was. Are you going to pour me one of those?” She jerked her head to the drink in his hand.

“It’s Scotch.” His eyes twinkled as he continued to stare at her.

“I happen to know that it is.” She walked in further, her feet sinking into the gold-colored carpet. “What a view.” She moved over to the sofa at the window and knelt there staring out thewindow at the entire city spread out before her. “How the hell do you get any work done? Thanks.” She took the glass from him and turned back to look at the view.

“With considerable effort.’ He joined her on the sofa and stretched his legs out. “How are you?” Taking her arm, he tugged her down next to him.

“I am fine. Hey!”

Chapter 9

Snagging her glass and putting it on the table next to him, he tumbled her into his lap, his arms like steel bands around her waist.

“I would like a proper greeting.”

She struggled a little, but that was token because seeing him brought back all the conflicting feelings. Seeing him reminded her that she had been yearning for the past two days.

A ragged sigh escaped her as he found her mouth. Instead of the punch of power, he surprised her by gentling the kiss and had her sinking into him. But it was not long before the passion exploded and had his hands roaming over her back and pushing off her jacket.

But even that was not enough. He wanted to feel her skin on his. Dragging her sweater up, he felt himself hardening even more at the touch of her flesh.

This time, it was she who became the aggressor. Everything else faded away, but just the two of them. She would think about how far she was compromising her position after, but right now, she had to feel him inside her or she was going to die.

Tearing her mouth from his, she grappled with his sweater, snarling when his arms became tangled.

“Baby, wait.” He winced as her fingers dug into his shoulders.

“I can’t. I want you.” She was on fire, the heat spiraling through her body. “Now. Now.” They rolled on the sofa and fought to get rid of their clothing.

A low growl escaped him when she dragged him up so she could straddle him. Sensations rocketed through his body and had him gripping her hips with brutal fingers.

His heart was racing so fast, he wondered dazedly if he was about to have a heart attack. When he started moving, she tookover and rode him hard and fast, her body bowed, her head thrown back.

Rearing up, he seized her nipple and suckled hungrily. The touch of his mouth on her rigid flesh sent the orgasm punching through her with a violence that staggered both of them.

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