Page 17 of Scottish Seducer
Hopefully, she didn’t fade away during all this shuffling, because Logan needed to see me with a woman who was her own person. I put my arms behind me and said, “You’re helping me with the app idea, and I moved you closer to me as my personal assistant.”
She glanced away. “I don’t know. You’ve been great to me today and I don’t want to be rude, but is this the title you give all your “girlfriends” at work? I can’t lose my job, too, and my dad always told me to be direct.”
“No. I’ve never dated anyone in my companies.” My heart sped up at her question. If she was that agreeable, that quickly, then maybe everything would be fine. I narrowed my gaze. “It means you and I work together.”
She slumped on the bed. “I was happy in my dead-end job, because it made my dream of living close to Jane Austen’s life come true.”
I patted the seat beside me. If she stayed on the bed, I’d let Little Charlie out and have him show her exactly what I wanted. Instead, I asked, “Why?”
She sat up and stared at my hand as she stood, then went to open a box. She took out clothes and said, “Because I had time to sew these and go to various events without having to worry about anyone looking for me.”
Soon, we’d have the best of the best outfits she’d ever seen, but I stood and joined her at the box as I said, “You want more. I’d like to look for you.”
She pouted as she asked, “I do?”
Denying this attraction between us was a mistake. Electric shocks sizzled up and down my arms as I held her and said, “Yeah. You want me. We both know that.”
Her cheeks pinked, but she asked in a more breathless tone, “And if I give in and we…hop in that bed, am I out on my ear in the morning because you’ve had your fill?”
I cupped her hips to walk her backwards. “No. And besides, I think you’re the kind of woman who will get more and more interesting the more I’m with you.”
She lowered her lashes like she expected to be kissed as she said, “I wish I could believe you.”
I tugged her against me and lowered my head, but said, “Don’t shut me out just because I have money.”
I gently tasted her. She was still sweet. I stopped myself from feasting fully as I directed her to the bed. She batted her lashes and said, “I’d have to renounce my sisters and their husbands if I was that snobbish.”
She sat and tugged on my shirt to join her. I kicked off my shoes as I said, “I ran your background check last night.”
She took off her own shoes as she asked, “You did? What did you learn?”
I sat beside her as my heart beat faster. I wanted her, but I needed to hear this one explanation. So I patted her knee as I asked, “That your sisters have all married well. You said you preferred directness, so let me ask you plainly, were you raised to be a gold digger?”
Her chuckle broke through my jumpy skin while I waited for her answer. “No. My parents worked hard. My mom ran some shelters. My dad was an accountant. While we didn’t have much, we always had family. I grew up with my sisters, but plenty of cousins moved in with us when they were having a hard time. What I learned as a girl is that if you have family, you have people who love and support you unconditionally.”
I don’t remember anyone ever talking to me about family before having sex. Or much talking at all. I tugged my shirt off and tossed it on the floor as I said, “But my brother and I are very different, and while he has the same parents, we’d never be friends if we weren’t family.”
She gazed at the abs I spent hours in the gym perfecting—working out helped me think—as she said, “That’s too bad.”
I pointed to my lap and Little Charlie to indicate she needed to join me and said, “Come here, Stephanie.”
Her mouth curved into a sexy smile. “What are you thinking, Charlie?”
The fire that erupted from a simple touch meant she’d likely ignite an inferno between us.
But she paid attention as she climbed on my lap when I said, “It’s time for us to enjoy a few uninterrupted hours.”
She curled her arms around my neck and said, “That’s your line for getting me in a romantic mood?”
I cocked my head to the side and stared at her lips. “Did it work?”
She shook her head and said, “No. You’ll have to try harder.”
“Oh, I always win a dare,” I said, and cupped her ass.
Saucy was sexy when it came to Stephanie, and this time when our lips crashed together, she was mine, and I was ready for whatever she was willing to give.
