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Lilly could barely keep her mind on what her assistant in Chicago was telling her about an upcoming legal case. She really needed to concentrate, but Josh was in the next room with Jack and it sounded like a heated conversation.
“Fuck.” Jack’s word, and frustration, permeated the thin wall between them.
“Claire, I’m going to have to call you back. Something has come up here that requires my immediate attention.” Lilly hung up the desk phone and strode to the next office with intentions of scolding both men.
Through the door’s window she saw them facing off, a foot apart. Her brother’s tension was a living, breathing entity bouncing off the Caribbean Sea colored walls. Josh nodded once and it was over. Jack’s shoulders relaxed and Josh looked...resolved? Maybe even thankful.
When Josh’s eyes caught hers, heat rushed through her entire body. She was going to melt into a puddle of want and need right there in the narrow hall. Then she remembered the scene on the street ten minutes before.
No. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders. He was seeing Stacie in a few minutes and spending the evening with her. Probably having sex with her. Maybe even afternoon sex. Lilly couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to have a little afternoon delight. She had two boys and an entire corporation that filled her afternoons, mornings, and most evenings. She didn’t have time for a man, least of all one that would step out on their relationship. Never again would she be such a fool.
Josh said something to Jack. Damn, Lilly wished she read lips. But when both men turned to walk out, Josh’s intent was clear.
“Lilly, I need to talk to you a minute.” He gestured to the office she’d vacated. Closing the door behind him, he snapped the blinds over the door window shut, giving them total privacy.
Before she could protest, he pulled her against his solid body and kissed her. It wasn’t a smooth, gentle seduction of her lips but a claiming of what was his. Her brain said to push him away, but somehow her arms didn’t get that message. Instead, she grabbed his broad shoulders and liquefied into the man who the night before had taken her places she’d never forget. She wanted to go there again. Now would be good.
“You look so sexy in that suit.” His lips crashed onto hers and his hand slid up her bare legs to cup her mound. One long finger slid under the lace of her panties, parting her wet heat and sliding into her. “You’re so wet.” He bit her bottom lip. “And hot.” He slid a second finger into her. “I can’t wait until tonight.”
Tonight. Back in Josh’s bed.
As though a cold Chicago rain had opened up and poured over her, Lilly found her sanity and pushed Josh away at the same time she stepped back. She wasn’t going to sleep with him tonight after he spent the afternoon screwing Stacie.
“No.” She pulled her skirt down and ignored the pulsing pleasure between her legs where his fingers had ignited every nerve. “There will never be a repeat of last night.” Damn it.
“Oh, yes, there will.” He held up two wet fingers. She could smell herself on them. “You want me, and I want you.” He ran the fingers under his nose like a man smelling a good cigar and closed his eyes. “Mmmm.” Then he shoved his fingers into his mouth and sucked her juices. “I want more than this little taste of you. I want you to come on my tongue tonight as I lick you until you scream.”
Her knees went weak at the suggestion. Tonight. The word brought her back to the fact that he wasn’t going to be there until after he’d been with the pretty little excursion director. True, they didn’t have a committed or monogamous relationship but she didn’t share.
In a totally bitch move, she taunted, “Sure you won’t be too tired after spending the afternoon, and evening, with Stacie? She’s young.” And damn it if that wasn’t irritating. “She looks as though she could wear down a man of your years, even one as fit as you.”
Josh smiled. “So you think I’m fit...for my age.”
Argh. Men. Of course he was fit. He had a beautiful body. Tight butt and toned biceps. And he damn well knew it. He could have a young, blonde with tiny hips like Stacie in his bed every night if he wanted. Or every afternoon. Or both. So why on earth would he want her?
Her gaze scanned the length of him. Oh, my god. His erection pushed hard against the zipper of his khaki slacks.
“That’s for you. And only you.” He stepped closer without seeming to move. “You make me want you so much.” He was even closer to her now and reached to lift her chin up, pulling her gaze away from his pants. “Look at me, Lilly.” She raised her eyes to meet his. “Believe me when I tell you, that scene you saw with Stacie was only an act.”
Yeah. Right. And I’m that stupid to believe you. But it was there in his dark blue eyes. He was telling the truth. “You are spending the day, and evening,” she couldn’t bring herself to say the word night, “with her.”
Regret filled every line on his rugged face. “Yes.”
She watched his internal debate through eyes that tensed at the side.
Would he lie to her now? Would he give her the familiar line, I have to work late when he was really off with her? Or could she trust this man?
“Believe it or not, that’s work. I don’t have time to explain right now, and I’m sorry for that. I told you when we first met that this was a working vacation.” He gently laid his lips on hers then pressed his hard cock into her belly. “This is pleasure. All your fantasies. And I promised to fill each and every one of them. I keep my promises.”
“But what about—”
Josh kissed his way down her jaw and nipped at her neck over her carotid. God, she loved that. It was as though he injected passion into her there and her own bloodstream betrayed her as it carried passion through every part of her body. “You are the only woman I’m sleeping with.”
He stopped and lifted his head to face her. Frowning, he advised, “And I’d better be the only man you sleep with until I have to leave Mexico.”
“You are.” She stretched her neck, offering it to him. Now get back to the kissing and...
As if she’d said the last part out loud, he smiled and dropped his open mouth to her throat. He cupped one breast and gently caressed it before finding her hardened nipple and pinching it through too many layers of clothing. It wasn’t enough. She needed more.
“Ever fantasize about sex in the office?” His suggestion created a tidal wave of heat that washed over her, through her, and pooled in her panties.
“Not until you mentioned it.” She heard the roughness in her voice.
“So, it’s a fantasy of yours.” Josh cupped her butt and pulled her against his very hard erection. “Is this what you want, Lilly? Here? Now?”
Oh. My. God. Was she brave enough to have sex in the office? With her family less than fifty feet away? And Jessica? “Are you sure that door is locked?”
A slow wicked smile crossed his face, making him look years younger. “Yes. But you’re going to have to be very quiet and this will have to be fast.”
“That’s how I want it, Josh. Hard and fast.”
He stared at her for a long minute. “Are you sure about this?”
Oh. Hell, yes, she was sure. She reached for his slacks and unfastened his belt.
He pulled her skirt to her waist then picked her up. He placed her on the desk but the cool surface did nothing to dissipate the heat she had waiting for him. “Sit on the edge.”
He grabbed his wallet from his back pocket, pulled out a condom and handed it to her. “Open it.”
Watching Josh unzip his pants and free himself was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. No man had ever wanted her like this before, and it made her feel special. Powerful.
“Sweetheart, are you just going to stare at my dick or are you going to put that condom on it so I can give you this fantasy?”
She looked at the foil packet in her hands and back at his cock. Oh, yes. She wanted that. Inside her. Now. She ripped it open.
As she covered him, he growled, “I love the way you touch me.” He covered her hands with his and together they stroked his length. He seemed to grow thicker with every pass. When he let go, she continued the motion.
He ran his fingers over the lacy gray boy panties and traced the leg opening. Pulling the edge aside, he slid two fingers back into her and pressed her clit with his thumb. “Last chance to say no.”
She almost came when he rubbed her clit hard with the pad of his thumb. “Hurry. And I want it fast.”
He slid fingers out and drove in to the hilt. Damn, he was deep in this position. She loved it.
“Wrap your legs around me.” He pulled out almost completely then slammed back into her. “I’m not going to last long at this pace.”
“Me neither.” But as she rode the excitement of having sex with others so close, she wasn’t ready for it to end. She looked into Josh’s straining face, tight with holding back, and wanted him to—
“Hang onto me,” he ordered and slipped his hand between them where their bodies were so intimately joined. He found her clit and rubbed it hard with every thrust of his hips.
“Josh,” she panted out.
“I know, baby. Go ahead. Let go. I’m right behind you.”
Her world crashed around her as he captured her mouth, swallowing her cries of ecstasy and his name. He arched deep into her and she took his orgasm with her as they fell into mindlessness, wrapped around each other in a way that felt so right.
Sweet kisses and moist, hot breath on her neck brought Lilly back to the office where her nearly bare butt cheeks were stuck to a polished wooden desk. Josh was still inside her but softening.
“I need to get rid of this.” He pulled out and grabbed a wad of tissues from the credenza.
Lilly felt suddenly empty as she glanced around the spare office to see if anything had changed...besides her. She’d had office sex for the first time in her life. A giddiness rose from inside threatening to make her giggle. Yes, Lilly Girard, fierce attorney for a Fortune 500 company, wanted to giggle like a teenager. Josh made her feel like a girl again. Young and adventurous. Daring. She’d just made love with that sexy man who was putting himself back together while she was slumped on the edge of a desk with her skirt around her waist...joy chased by excitement coursed through her veins. What sexual fantasy could they fulfill next?
She’d been having sex since she was seventeen, yet none of her previous lovers could compare to Josh. No girl’s first time is great but at least Lilly’s had been with a boyfriend of six months. They’d been sure they were in love. That relationship hadn’t lasted through their senior year. In college she’d been a bit of a wild child, but she’d only shared her body with three guys, and they’d all been relatively long-term. Then he had swept her off her feet. Josh had made her soar.
Landing back on earth, she slid onto feeble legs, hoping they’d hold her upright as an aftershock wave of pleasure overtook her.
Josh was there, holding onto her. “I’ve got you.” He kissed her lightly. A minute later, he asked, “Better?”
She drew in an unsteady breath that brought the scent of him. Spice and sexy man filled her senses. Ridiculously, she wanted him again. “Yeah, I’m okay now.”
“You’re better than okay.” His smile weakened her knees but she stiffened them to support herself. “You are amazing, Lilly.” He took her mouth with a passionate kiss that promised more. “And we’ll see just how remarkable you are later tonight.” He glanced at the locked door. “I’m sorry, but I have to go back to work now. I promise I’ll explain everything to you, tonight.”
“Yes, you will.” It was a demand and they both knew it. She adjusted her skirt, smoothed her blouse then pulled a mirror from her purse. Her lips were puffy and there was nothing she could do about the orgasmic glow that would fade with the next crisis phone call from Claire.
“Walk me out?” His request surprised her. She considered a minute then decided it would be the best way to cover what they had just done.
Scrambling for a benign topic, she asked, “Do you know a former SEAL named Davin Westin?” Lilly asked as he opened the door and gestured for her to go first.
“Phoenix? Sure. Good man. Why?”
“Jack suggested he might make a good security department head.” Lilly waved through the closed door window at her mother who was on the phone. “I don’t think we’re going to offer the existing director the job with our new cruise line.”
Jack stepped out from the next office and took a long, hard look at both of them before he glared at Josh. He knew. Lilly suddenly felt the need to protect and defend the man who had just rocked her world. “What Josh and I do is none of your business, little brother.”
“She’s my sister,” Jack’s eyes flashed in warning at Josh.
“And I’m a grown woman fully capable of making my own choices.” Lilly planted fists on her hips and glowered at her brother.
Tap, tap, tap.
All eyes shot to the office door next to where they were positioned in a spaghetti western stand-off. Levi’s face was furious as he pointed toward the lobby, but he never stopped talking on the phone.
“Josh was just leaving,” Lilly announced to both men and marched down the hall dragging Josh by the elbow. In the lobby, she glanced at the empty receptionist desk then up to Jack. “I was just asking Josh about Westin. You call him Phoenix.”
Jack finally looked at her. “He’s interested and on his way here. He wants to see the ship while it’s in port.”
“Excellent.” She smiled back at her brother. “You’re handling his tour?”
“Yeah. I want to get another look at Shit Sack.” Jack shook his head. “His file says he’s Mossad, but something’s not kosher.”
“Ha, ha. Cute little pun.” Lilly directed her question to Josh. “What do you think about Phoenix?”
“He’s honest and can get the job done.” Josh smiled. “He knows ships, too.”
Josh’s phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and looked at the screen. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this. Walk out with me, Lilly?”
“Sure.”
The ring tone started again and Josh looked at Jack. “We okay?”
“We’ll talk later.” Jack’s tone was threatening, but she’d handle him.
Josh nodded then swiped his thumb across the screen to accept the call. “Hello, son. What’s wrong?”
Lilly walked with him across the empty lobby to the stairs. Son? Josh had a son? Maybe. He had used that term when talking to Preston so maybe it’s just someone he knows well.
“No, you can’t come live with me. Let me talk to your mother.” Annoyance was written all over Josh’s face.
So he didn’t want his son to live with him? What did that say about the man? He who-did-not-deserve-a-single-thought-today hadn’t wanted the children from his first marriage to live with him either. Maybe she was an asshole magnet. She only attracted men who really didn’t want kids but had them anyway, then left them to their mothers to single-parent.
There was a short pause while she and Josh headed down the stairs to the street level. “Honey, what’s happened now?” Pause. “Uh-huh.”
Lilly could hear an angry woman’s voice on the other end.
“Take a deep breath and calm down. He’s a teenage boy, and he’s going to push your buttons.” Pause. “Honey, put him back on the phone.”
Well, wasn’t this interesting. She certainly wasn’t needed for this conversation, yet there she was. When they stepped onto the busy sidewalk, Lilly was assaulted with the warm moist air and dread that Josh had a teenage son he didn’t want.
“Son, you and your mom are going to have to work this out. I can’t keep playing referee every time you don’t like your mother’s rules. You’re only fifteen, and you’ll be living in her house for at least three more years.” There was another pause while a male voice whined. “I understand, and she’s doing the best she can. But her house, her rules. Until you’re eighteen and graduate from high school, you’re stuck there. Be thankful you have a bed to sleep in and food in the refrigerator. When I get back to D.C. we’ll talk about driver education and a car.”
Lilly could hear the teenager’s excited, “Really?” from three feet away.
“I said we’ll talk about it.” Josh shifted the phone to his other ear as he dug out another phone and began texting. “But you need to prove to her that you’re adult enough to handle the responsibility of taking care of a car. Now go clean your room.” Pause. “I love you, too. Quit torturing your mother, and I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
Josh pocketed both phones and turned to Lilly. He took her hand in his. “I’m sorry about that. Family shit.”
“Your son?” She quizzed him.
Josh gave her a what-the-fuck look. “No.”
“We’re going to talk about that tonight, too.” She was trying to be insistent when he stepped so close, and she lost all thoughts.
“Talking isn’t the only thing we’ll do tonight.” The kiss started out as chaste but went nuclear when he slid his tongue into her mouth. Suddenly, he was gone and she was left standing on a sidewalk filled with tourists. Dazed but happy.
She glanced up and down the street but there was no sign of the man who was her kryptonite. She smiled. No, he wasn’t Superman, he was Aquaman according to Preston. Yeah, she could see him as the king of Atlantis. Admitting she obviously wasn’t his mate, Mera, she gathered her senses and turned her thoughts to the turmoil in her Chicago office.