Page 25 of Undercover Billionaire

Yeah.Here she was. Heretheywere. The universe seemed determined to put Ari in her path. Kelsey swallowed. ‘We’re supposed to be a one-time thing, remember?’ Her voice felt high and tight in her throat but sounded like lead as it hit the air.

‘I know.’ He nodded and, for a moment, he looked as lost and bewildered by this thing as she did. ‘But I can’t seem to stop wanting you.’

His words squeezed big handfuls of her gut even though he clearly wasn’t happy about them either, his inner conflict palpable. But his body turned towards her and she mirrored the action before she could stop herself. He was close – so close – his heateverywhereas his hand lifted slowly from the railing.

Kelsey shivered as his fingertips touched down on her jaw, tracing along it, her scalp prickling with sensation. His gaze followed the path of his fingers as they trailed down her throat, stopping at the hollow at the base, his eyes lifting, seeking hers.

Her breath stuttered to a halt; her nipples tightened. He was going to kiss her and she should pull back, she should walk away, but her body, already revelling in his touch, was now clamouring for his taste.

She moaned when his lips touched down, firm and good, hot and seeking. She couldn’t help it or stop it; it came from a place of longing buried so deep she’d forgotten it had even existed. Whisky infused her senses and Kelsey gave into the madness, licked into his mouth, chased the flavour on his tongue and the deep resonance of his groan for long heady seconds.

Her pulse tripped and skipped and jumped all over, her breathing was reduced to wild breathless pants until sanity intruded and she wrenched away. They should not be kissing out here where anyone could stumble across them. They stared at each other for long moments, a charge between them, their breathing ragged.

‘One more night,’ he whispered.

God… it wassotempting. He wassotempting. Did Kelsey follow the rules or the wild beat of her heart? And the threats of mutiny coming from her vagina?

Her vagina won.

‘Go to your room,’ she said, her voice a husky pant. ‘I’ll be there in ten.’

It wasn’t like she hadn’t already committed an indiscretion, right? Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb…

6

Skulking along the passageways, Kelsey arrived at Ari’s door exactly ten minutes later. She’d lifted her hand to knock but noticed it had been chocked open, so she pushed. Stepping inside, she was aware of two things instantly: the soft warm glow of the room and Ari standing at the end of the bed.

He was still fully dressed in the dark suit pants and graphite dress shirt he’d worn to dinner. The tie and jacket had come off, his sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows, but that was as far as his disrobing had gone.

‘I thought you might change your mind,’ he said, his eyes roving hot and rough over her body, picking up where they’d left off at the Aphrodite Lounge.

Kelsey shook her head, cleared her throat of the building huskiness. This whole thing might be crazy but, like Ari, she was having problems resisting. ‘You promised me a shower.’

‘I did.’

‘I’d like to get wet now.’

He gestured in the direction of the bathroom. ‘Wet is good.’ A slight smile added to the intense obsidian of his gaze, and Kelsey felt it right between her legs.

Yeah… she didn’t need a shower for that.

Kelsey contemplated crossing the distance and kissing him, but she didn’t need a degree in human sexual interaction to know wherethatwould lead.

And shereallyneeded a shower. She stank of booze and bar nuts.

Without another word she turned and, kicking off her pumps as she went, disappeared into the bathroom. Quickly divesting herself of her clothes, she glanced at the mirror. Her green eyes glittered with what looked very much like anticipation.

‘You are going to hell,’ she mouthed to her reflection. It didn’t reply, just stared back at her, very decidedly smug.

Kelsey leaned into the shower recess and flicked on the taps, adjusting them to the perfect degree of lukewarm. She looked over her shoulder. No Ari…

She frowned. She’d expected him to follow.

Kelsey took a step to the doorway to find him pouring himself a whisky. She placed her hands high on the door jamb as she caught his eye.

‘Is there a reason you’re still out here?’

His gaze took a slow tour of her body, lingering on all her good bits and causing quite the ruckus. The flare of his nostrils was intensely gratifying.

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