Page 42 of The Deception: Hercules Valentine and I
The Grove and I
Hercules Valentine
Istand, watching her closely. I’ve been vacillating all morning.Should I ask her out, or am I truly crossing a line?
With Lilith, it was no big deal. My cock doesn’t react to her the way it does to Lark. I’m making myself vulnerable by having sex with Lark. I gulp, moistening my throat, as she continues staring at the painting. I had it delivered and hung on the wall this morning. I wanted it to be ready for viewing before she got here.
“Wow,” she finally says. “You really liked the painting.”
I study her expression, trying to figure out if she’s impressed or if she thinks I’m a creep.
“I tried to bid on it, too, but the final price was too high for my blood,” she says with a chuckle.
I would offer it to her, but I actually like the painting—it reminds me of her. I almost beat off to it twice today. That would have definitely made me a creep.
I let my eyes roam her physique. I’d rather insert myself inside the real woman.
“Um, so…” she says.
My focus snaps back to her face.What’s wrong with me?I don’t want her to think that all I want is sex. There’s a lot I appreciate about Lark Davenport despite my extreme sexual attraction to her. Not only is she smart, but her grace is unrivaled as well. When she speaks, you want to hear what she’s saying. And everything about her feels honest. I like her. I like her a lot.
She hugs her notepad closer to her chest. “Before I sit, should we deal with the elephant in the room?”
Her eyes… I thought they were green.“What elephant?” I ask, fighting the urge to kiss her.
Her face turns red. “The elevator. Sex.”
The way she’s looking at me is cute.Damn it. Where else have I seen her?Then she looks down bashfully.
“As far as I'm concerned, all the elephants in New York City are at the zoo or the circus, not in my office.” I crack a smile so she can see that I’m joking. I don’t want her nervous or worried about letting me have her last night. What she gave me was a gift, and I’m still cherishing it.
She lifts her pretty face. Her smile does something to my heart that I haven’t felt in a long time. I'm glad I can make her loosen up a bit.
“You should sit,” I say. I’m unable to stop observing her, and I know it’s making her extra nervous.
“Sure.” Her gaze roams my office. “And nice office. It’s really plush.”
“Plush?” I like that word.
“Yes. Plush.”
We’re smiling at each other. My body is slowly moving forward. I want to fall into her. It would be nice to be between her thighs.Shit. I lean back in my chair.Get it together, brother.
I clear my throat. “So—products. What do you have for me?”
“Ah, yes,” she says, flipping open her notepad. “Umm…” She runs a finger through her hair and studies the page like she’s confused about something.
“It’s okay, Lark. Take your time. No pressure,” I say, thinking maybe I’ve made her nervous. The fact that I ache for her is probably rising from my skin.
She closes her notebook and sits up straight. “Should we start with the video game since it’s what we’re working on right now? I can give you the ins and outs. Let you know how we’re working with marketing and production and so forth.”
Is she really that unrattled by last night?
If I were acting normally, I would advise her to not be repetitious. I already know the plan. She’s supposed to give me new ideas. But after what happened last night, I think I knocked her off her game. My instincts told me to reschedule our meeting—but I couldn’t. I wanted to see her. I also want to keep her all to myself for as long as possible.
“Definitely. Just start from the beginning,” I say.
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