Page 35 of Serving the Mogul

My heart was racingat top speed from the moment I saw him leaning against a sleek silver sports car that looked like it cost the moon.

Now it was pounding at a pace that I knew couldn’t be healthy. Maximus was standing close enough that my breasts pressed into his chest, and the warmth of his breath tickled my ear.

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to reach out and touch him again, feel the heat of his chest under my hands, feel his mouth against mine.

But…

There were many reasons not to indulge.

He wanted to work with me on this project.

He had a reputation that made an alley cat look virtuous.

He was already intruding enough on my sleep.

I didn’t want to get close to a guy and end up hurt. Again.

“Say something,” he murmured, lowering his head to press a kiss to my neck.

Fisting my hand in his shirt, I fought the urge to turn my face and seek his mouth.

Instead, I pushed him back, then took a few steps away. My knees were already shaky, and we’d barely touched. “There’s not much to say.”

“Isn’t there?” He pulled me back against him, hands on my hips.

Against my butt, I felt the hard ridge of his erection, and it took far too much willpower not to rub up against him.

“She didn’t even get inside, baby,” Maximus murmured, nuzzling my neck.

With no conscious decision, my head fell to the side to give him better access. He bit me right where the neck curved into my shoulder and the hot aggressive caress made me shiver.

“She stayed only a few minutes and left pissed because I told her to go.”

With just a few touches, he had already cast a spell of seduction around me, making it hard for me to follow his words. But when it finally clicked, I stiffened. “James…”

“I love the sound of my name on your lips.” He cupped one breast in his hand, squeezing possessively. With his other hand, he pulled my hips back into him and rocked against me, letting me feel the hard evidence of his arousal.

I gulped in air and tore away from him, walking on wobbly legs until I had a good ten feet between us. Only then did I turn around and look at him.

“I don’t know whether to believe you,” I told him, not bothering to pretend otherwise. “And it doesn’t matter, anyway. If you want me to work for you, I can’t be in a relationship with you.”

“Why not?”

The response came out so simply and practically, I found myself at a loss for words.

“Because…well, I just can’t!” I blurted.

Maximus arched a brow.

Glaring at him, I turned away and pushed my hands through my hair, then pressed them to my still-flushed cheeks. “I don’t mix business and pleasure. I can’t believe you do.”

“I’ve had no trouble keeping the two separate. I’m surprised you do.”

Irritated by that comment, I looked at him, but instead of the arrogant bastard I half expected to see, he was scowling, looking almost…confused.

“I learned the lesson the hard way,” I heard myself saying.

Maximus tilted his head. “Tell me.”

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