Yesterday, it was one of my t-shirts that came down to her midthigh until she reached for something or spread herself out on the couch. Then, those long, tan legs would be fully exposed and the swell of her hips on display, and I would have to force distance between us.
And we all know she’s doing it on purpose. Tempting us with what we shouldn’t want. But we all do.
It’s worse when she prowls at night, moving between our floors, trying to catch us half dressed. After the first time, we had to change our behaviors, locking doors and closing ourselves in our rooms to keep her from spying.
Because when she caught me shirtless, the way her gaze roamed over me set my blood to boil. It took everything insideme not to react when she bit her bottom lip and looked into my eyes.
Prey disguised as a predator.
Dangerous.
I am wholly a predator, and I want to sink my teeth into her. Mark her. Claim her. Ruin her for everyone else.
Sucking in a breath through my nose, I lean back in my office chair and close my eyes.
I can still see the pout of her plump mouth when I ushered her back to her room on the top floor. When I kept her from touching me.
She took it out on me yesterday. Dropping and bending over to pick things up so that the bottoms of her cheeks peeked out from under the hem of her night shirt. That girl needs some sleep shorts. For my sanity’s sake.
But what’s worse is her new tendency of calling me sir like she’s under me in bed.
My armor is cracking. She isn’t safe alone with me. And she seems to revel in the promised violence that comes with it.
Harper is nearly as bad in the office. Those tight pencil skirts and low-cut blouses aren’t much better than what she wears at home.
She’s in another one of those outfits today.
Like I can sense her near, my eyes open to her bent over next to my assistant, her finger pointing at the screen and her ass pointing at me. She’s framed herself in my open door. I have the perfect view of the way her hips spread.
Fuck.
I’m standing before I realize it, charging forward to snatch her up by the elbow. Her gaze doesn’t show a hint of surprise.
“In my office. Now.” My voice grinds against the lowest part of my chest.
I get a few looks, especially from my assistant, but no one dares to say anything as I pull her into my office and close the door, which locks automatically behind us.
A safety feature I’ve never been more grateful to have.
Harper stays pliant in my grip, and I barely resist pushing her against the door with my body.
My inhibitions are frayed, and I need to reclaim my control. I tug her closer to my desk.
I grit my teeth against the want creeping into my voice.
“You want attention? You’ve got it. Now bend over the desk and shut that smart mouth.”
“Say please,” she taunts. Her mouth quirks like she can see me on the brink of cracking and wants to push me over the edge.
Oh, baby girl, we’re already falling. I yank her forward, pressing her body between me and my desk. My hand comes around her throat, and I delight in the soft gasp she gives me. I’m not restricting her breath, just showing that she’s no longer in control.
I put her palms on the shiny mahogany surface with my free hand before my grip slides to the back of her neck, and I bend her forward until she’s on her forearms.
“Keep those palms flat, fingers spread.”
She obeys so easily, her ass wiggling. The soft noise of disappointment when I don’t press myself into her is delightful. It won’t save her from this though.
I step to the side and run my hand across one plump cheek before I rear back and land a hard smack across her flesh.