Page 39 of The Proximity Effect

His words were filthy, and I lit up inside like a goddamn Christmas tree. This was the Archer I’d been craving—not the distant, professional one who’d been avoiding me, but the raw, primal man who’d kissed me like I was the air he needed to breathe.

I turned my head, and his lips crashed into mine, hard and demanding. His kiss was anything but polite. This was raw, unfiltered need, and it consumed me completely. His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming me in a way that left no room for doubt about what he wanted.

I moaned into his mouth, my hands tangling in his hair as I kissed him back with everything I had. His mouth was cold from the ice cream, and his tongue slid against mine in a way that made my knees weak. He slid his hands down my sides, gripping my hips and pulling me closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between us.

He broke away from my mouth, trailing kisses down my neck that made me gasp. “You interrupted my late-night snack, Tessa,” he murmured against my skin. “But I think I’ve found something much sweeter to eat.”

I let out a shaky breath. “Oh, yeah? And what’s that?”

He nipped at my earlobe, his hands sliding under my thighs as he lifted me off the ground. “You.”

Before I could respond, he had walked to his desk and set me back on my feet. He moved his laptop to the side and stepped back, his eyes raking over me like he was memorizing every detail. “Take off your clothes,” he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I hesitated for a split second, my cheeks burning, but the look in his eyes made it impossible to refuse. I reached for the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head and tossing it to the floor. His gaze dropped to my chest, and I felt a surge of confidence as I unhooked my bra and let it fall away.

“Good girl.” He reached for the button of my pants, his fingers brushing against my stomach as he undid them and slid them down my legs. I kicked them off, leaving me in nothing but my panties.

He stepped back, his gaze raking over me like I was a feast laid out for him. “Fuck, Tessa. You’re so damn beautiful.”

He picked up the spoon from his discarded ice cream, scooping up some. He sucked it into his mouth, his eyes locked on mine, and I swear I almost came right then and there.

Then he was on his knees in front of me, his hands gripping my thighs as he spread them wide. I gasped as he pressed a cold, wet kiss to the inside of my knee, trailing his mouth up my thigh until he reached the edge of my panties. He hooked his fingers under the fabric, pulling them down and off, leaving me completely bare to him.

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with hunger and desire. “Lie back, Tessa. I’m going to devour you.”

I did as he said, my body trembling with anticipation as he pressed a cold, wet kiss to my clit. I cried out, my hands gripping the edge of the desk as he began to lick and suck, his cold tongue sending pleasure through my body.

He slid a finger inside me, then another, stretching me. He curled them, hitting a spot that made me see stars, all while his tongue continued to work its magic on my clit.

“Archer,” I moaned, my hips bucking against his mouth as he pushed me closer and closer to the edge.

He didn’t let up, his tongue flicking over my clit in a way that had me trembling. I was so close, but he pulled away.

My heart jumped into my throat as he grabbed the spoon that had been sitting on top of the ice cream and brought it to my clit. I cried out, my fingers scratching at the surface of the desk.

And then he tapped my clit with the spoon. It wasn’t a full-on smack, but it also wasn’t a soothing caress. The sharp, icy sting made me yelp, my back arching off the desk like I’d been electrocuted. My thighs closed, but he pushed them apart, holding me open for him.

He did it again, and the cold metal sent a shockwave through me. The jolt of sensation was equal parts pleasure and surprise, and I let out a strangled laugh that quickly turned into a moan.

“Archer.” My voice trembled as much as my body. “That’s—oh my God, that’s?—”

“Cold?” His voice was low and teasing. He dragged the spoon down, the metal leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake, before bringing it back up to tap against me again. This time, I was ready for it, but it still made me jerk.

“You’re such an asshole,” I managed, though the words came out more breathless than accusatory. My body was already betraying me, my hips lifting toward him, craving more of that delicious, torturous sensation.

“And yet you’re loving every second of it.” His lips brushed against my thigh as he spoke.

He was right. The contrast of the cold spoon against my overheated skin was driving me wild, and the way he was looking at me like he wanted to devour me whole only made it worse. Or better. I wasn’t sure anymore.

The spoon connected with my sensitive flesh again, and I made the kind of sound that would have mortified me if I’d been in any state to care.

Archer chuckled, the sound dark and satisfied, and I knew he was enjoying this a little too much. “You’re so fucking responsive. I could do this all night.”

“Don’t you dare.” My threat was undermined by the way my voice shook. My body was already on the edge, teetering precariously, and I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take.

He didn’t listen, bringing the spoon down again, this time dragging it slowly, deliberately, over my clit.

My legs trembled, and I whimpered, my hands gripping the edge of the desk so tightly my knuckles turned white. “Please.”

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