Page 68 of Seducer

He took a deep breath, rubbing his fingers across the sexiest two-day stubble I’d ever seen. “You’re right with a single exception.”

“And what is that?” I was surprised my voice remained as strong as it did.

“When the off-hours activities include stealing from the company.”

Well, shit. I wasn’t aware of what I was doing until I’d folded my shaking body into his executive-style leather chair. Wasn’t this a strange switch? “I wasn’t stealing. Not exactly.”

“Oh, you weren’t?” He was thoroughly enjoying my discomfort. To make matters worse, the lust in his eyes was just as intoxicating as the night we’d… fucked. “Then please, by all means, tell me what you were doing.”

“I was… gathering information.”

“Mmm… Okay. Then please allow me to see what you’re hiding under your lovely silk blouse.”

I involuntarily looked down, my legs trembling the entire time. Sighing, I tugged on my shirt, pulling the copies free. As I placed them on his desk, sliding them across the rich mahogany, henever took his eyes off me. He continued to do the same even as he grabbed the stack I’d so painstakingly copied.

He finally glanced down, flipping from one page to another. Finally, his eyes opened slightly wider and I was reminded just how fucked I was.

“Tell me what you think this is.”

His voice was more commanding than I’d ever heard. “Um, just some information on a contest you hold yearly.”

He laughed and tossed the papers back on the desk. “You mean the Obsidian Society.”

“Maybe.”

“An upper echelon of people selected after going through several tests, some involving the game, some involving real-life scenarios that are considered truly savage beyond belief. The kind of tests that should get the head of the company put in prison.”

I wasn’t certain if he was telling me the truth or goading me. “I don’t know what to say.”

“But I’m certain you have an opinion because that’s what everyone believes based on an article written by a rag reporter. I’m not going to lie to you that the notoriety the article provided likely helped boost Dark Nights and our other games in the ratings. Imagine if people were actually hunted in a dark forest, the hunters wearing crazy and terrifying masks.” He laughed in a way that made me laugh as well.

He was right in that what I was thinking was insane.

“When you put it that way, it does sound ridiculous. But sexy.” The words just slipped from my mouth before I could stop them. I sat back in his chair, holding my breath and wishing I hadn’t put my foot into my mouth.

Zach removed his feet from the desk, leaning over and steepling his hands. “Very few people would call the idea of being chased in the woods or abducted in the middle of the night sexy, Ms. Capshaw, especially most women.”

“I’m not like other women.” I locked eyes with his. The challenge was something I hadn’t anticipated doing. Oddly enough, it felt good. Damn good.

“No, you certainly are not. Now that we’ve established the society isn’t real, you do have me curious. Would you enjoy being chased by a masked man, finding yourself in a dark and dangerous scenario where you aren’t certain if you’ll survive?”

I had to be honest with myself. Excitement was tearing through me as it had never done before. I leaned forward myself, licking my lips before answering. He was watching me intently. “The honest answer is yes, I would. Very much.”

He lifted his eyebrows, which highlighted his chiseled features. “I must admit you surprise me, Ms. Capshaw, and very few people in my world ever do.”

“Maybe you should consider yourself lucky, Mr. Blackwell. Most people shock the hell out of me.”

“Tell me what you’d enjoy about the concept.”

Now he wanted me to dig deep into a part of myself I’d rarely allowed myself to think about, let alone speak to in public with anyone. It wasn’t a polite conversation by any means.Even though we’d been intimate, I felt completely inadequate to expound on the dirty thoughts rumbling through my brain.

But seeing the look in his eyes, the almost urgent need to learn more about me, I felt some tension releasing. In its place was another level of excitement. “I think would be incredible to be forced to rely on the darkest part of myself playing a game, remaining on edge yet unafraid to test new waters and try new things no matter how difficult the scenario. To feel the waves of excitement from being chased, doing everything in an attempt to remain free is something few people are allowed to experience in their lifetimes. Add in the possibility of obtaining a new job, a few perks, maybe some cash, then I’m all for it.”

“No matter how dangerous, violent, or sexual in nature the contest turned out to be?” His eyes were twinkling in the dim lighting.

“Yes, no matter what I’d need to face. I can only imagine how winning would make me feel. More alive than I’ve experienced ever.” I was now breathless as I described the scenario. My lust for adventure wasn’t lost on him.

He took a few seconds, tipping his head to the right. “If there was a contest as we described together, I think you would make an excellent contestant. Your resolve and intelligence are incredible. Sadly, there is no such thing. But I applaud your ingenuity in attempting to learn everything you could to present yourself as a delicious, perfect candidate. Including theft.”

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