Conflict of Interest (13 page)

“You were describing how you’d ravish me if you were here instead of miles away.”

His laugh was warm and deep. She closed her eyes, imagining him in the room with her. His voice had dropped an octave. “You do this gasping, moaning thing when I nibble your earlobe that kind of drives me wild, so I’d probably do a lot of that.”

She did something that drove him wild. Her entire body tingled with not quite visualized fantasies and she moaned.

“Just like that. I love that sound.”

Heat crawled over her, and she ran her hand up her stomach. “Did you make yourself match yet?”

“I’m lying on my bed in a pair of boxers, nothing else.”

The image popped into her head, taunting her, and she sighed.

“It’s not fair if I’m the only one saying what I’m thinking.” There was a hint of command in his teasing. “At least reassure me this is turning you on as much as it is me.”

She was turning him on? She hesitated, having trouble forming the words. “I’m tingling, and aroused, and aching with the thoughts of what you can do with your fingers.”

“Just my fingers?”

“Not just. Everything else too.” She pushed her shirt aside, brushing the bottom of her own breasts with her fingertips.

His throaty voice filled her thoughts. “I’m hard just thinking about sucking on your nipples. How they feel against my tongue, and the way you squirm under me.”

She hesitated. The conversation was screaming over every nerve ending, but saying those kinds of things out loud was a line she didn’t know if she could cross.

“We’ll have to work on the whole telling me what you’re thinking thing.” His voice was heavy. “Since I’m not there, are you touching yourself?”

“Yes.” Her reply was breathy, soft. She squeezed her breast, gasping when she pinched her own tender skin.

His breathing was ragged. “Tell me those moans are real.”

“Very.” A hot ache called for her attention between her legs.

His moan tickled her ear. “You know I’m stroking myself harder every time you say something new, right?”

The confession increased her arousal another notch. That she could have that impact on him, just by talking, sent her into overdrive. “I do now.”

“Tell me what you’re doing to yourself. What you’d want me to do if I was there,” he ordered.

The outside world seemed to fall away, and she let herself sink into the sensation. It was as if only they existed, making it safe to say things she would never dream of vocalizing. “I do have this fantasy.”

“I like the sound of that. Details?”

With her eyes closed, she could almost feel his warm breath, his lips vibrating against her skin with each rumbling word. She licked her lips. “Of you pinning my arms over my head, holding me in place while you pound inside me.”

His soft groan filtered into her ear. “There’s no way you’d let me get away with that.”

“I would.” Her body tingled and screamed for more everywhere her hand touched. Her stomach, her thighs. “Especially when you growl. I’d do pretty much anything with that sound rolling through my skin.”

His voice shifted, the same irresistible growl running through it. “Anything?”

She arched her back, a whimper slipping out before she could stop it. “Drop to my knees, wrap a hand around your shaft, take you in my mouth.”

“I like that a lot. What about putting on a show?”

She hadn’t thought it could get any warmer in the room until he said that. Her “What?” was barely a squeak.

“On your back, spread wide open, showing me how you really like it.”

Her heart hammered in her chest, making it difficult to hear. “I couldn’t.”

“No?” Teasing disappointment ran through his question. “You’re almost doing it now, right?”

She swallowed. “It’s not the same. No one’s watching.”

“Would it be so bad if I was?” Seduction lined his coercion. “I bet you’re lying on your comforter right now. Humor me. Tell me if it would be such a horrible thing if I were in the room with you.”

She let the thought flit through her mind, and the heat between her legs screamed in response. “Maybe.”

“Maybe it would be a bad thing?”

Her voice was soft. “Maybe it would be okay.”

His sigh sent tingles through her. His voice was coaxing, but didn’t leave room for argument. “Then it’s a shame I’m not there.”

“Very much so.” She breathed the words, almost able to feel him hovering over her.

“So you’ll have to tell me about it instead. I can’t forget how good you tasted in the dressing room. The scent of your perfume—just the memory of that screws with my head. What would it take to get you gasping like that again?”

Okay, she could do the talking. No public audience. Still, she couldn’t get the image of him watching her out of her thoughts, and it heightened the moment to an intensity she wouldn’t have thought possible. “You’re doing a pretty good job already.”

“Touch yourself.”

She moved her hand down, dipping between her own folds. “I’m so wet right now.” She glided along her slit, lightly brushing. “My fingers are soaked.”

“Put them inside you.”

She did as she was told, squirming under her own touch, pumping in and out, and making sure he heard her moans and sighs. “It’s not the same as you being here,” she managed between gasps. “But it’s not bad.”

“You’re still imagining me watching?”

“Yes.” She couldn’t get rid of the thought, and it was making her mind short-circuit.

“Play with your clit.” That hungry growl had invaded his voice again. “Show me how you like it.”

She moved her hand back up, gasping in shock and pleasure when she brushed the swollen nub. “I won’t last much longer if you make me do this.”

“Good.” His breath was heavy against the receiver. “Rub it hard and fast, I want to hear you come.”

She did, stroking in small circles, feeling her climax build inside. She tried to keep the motion slow, but desire won out. As she peaked, she didn’t try and hold back the cries. Her hips thrust against her hands until her own touch was too much, and she shuddered as she pulled away.

His breath was heavy in her ear, and she kept her eyes closed, imagining the heat brushing her skin.

“Are you close?” Her voice was soft, coaxing. “Knowing how wet you made me. How hard I came imagining you watch me? How swollen and sensitive my nipples are from thinking about your tongue flicking over them? Pretending I’m there with you, stroking, sucking, pleading with my eyes for you to finish.”

“God, yes.” His familiar grunts greeted her, stretching on for several seconds before nothing but pants filled the line.

She opened her eyes, her entire body relaxing. She licked her lips, a soft smile playing on her face, and waited for him to be able to talk again. The breeze from the window brushed her flushed skin, and she watched the patterns dance on the ceiling. Her voice was still breathy. “You’re a horrible influence on me.”

“If I thought you were doing anything you didn’t want to, I wouldn’t ask.” The deep grumble was still there, soft and seductive. “But if you’re complaining…”

“No.” She assured him. “Most certainly not.”

He laughed—he was doing a lot of it that night, and it sounded wonderful. “Me too. I’ve never done anything like that before.”

“Masturbation? Really? The tail’s been that good for that long in your life?” It felt good to be the one doing the teasing.

“Phone sex. I can assure you I’ve been beating off since before I was a teenager.”

“Typical guy. So, when was your first time?”

“I—” He paused. “You’re serious.”

The hesitation caught her attention. “I am now.”

“You’ll laugh.” The uncertainty in his tone was out of character. He had so many layers.

“I won’t,” she assured him. “But now you have to tell me, or I’ll make something up about it being with a Sears catalog.”

“No. That would be normal.” He gave a nervous laugh. “It was a D & D monster compendium.”

Her jaw dropped, and she was glad he couldn’t see her shock. “Dungeons and Dragons? You jerked off to a book with C’thulu in it?”

“There was this drow queen, and she was hot, and I was young, and it wasn’t like my parents believed in things like Sears catalogs, and they hated that I gamed, so it was already taboo, and I wasn’t allowed to have an internet connection in my room at that age.”

A snort of laugher slipped out. “I’m sorry.” She bit back her amusement. “I can’t help it. A black-skinned, dominant elf in a chainmail bikini.”

“Yes.” Indignation rang heavy in his voice. “You can’t laugh that hard if you know what I’m talking about.”

She shook her head. “Riley plays. A drow, really?”

“What about you? Is this your first time?”

She shouldn’t let him redirect the conversation, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment. “No to the masturbation, yes to the phone sex.”

“So another first for me.” He didn’t sound smug the way she’d expected.

The heat that had finally started to dissipate from her body flooded back in. “Maybe.” She swallowed the rest of her comment, not wanting to inflate his ego by telling him just his voice was sending chills through her. On second thought, screw reservation. “It’s a shame you’re not here.”

“So you could tease me to my face?”

She winced at the hint of seriousness in his joke. “So I could curl up against you and fall asleep.” Her words were faint, even to her own ears, but she felt a flood of warm relief having said it out loud.

“I like that idea.”

Another pause hung between them, but this time she didn’t feel any panic, as though she needed to fill the void. She’d never felt so exposed before, but at the same time she felt completely comfortable and safe.

“So.” He broke the silence again, voice still low and deep. “Now will you answer my question?”

She hadn’t answered enough? Her brow furrowed. “Which was?”

“What are you wearing?” he asked again. “To the investor dinner tomorrow night,” he added.

Oh. Her blush deepened when she realized the last half hour had been built off that one misunderstanding. And she didn’t regret it for a second. “Why?”

“Maybe. Why. Maybe. Why. You need some new words,” he teased. “It’s a surprise. I don’t need details or anything, just a color. Black? Red?”

Red at an investor dinner? Tacky. The vagueness made her curious, but he wasn’t going to spill unless he wanted to, so there was no reason to push. “Yes, black.”

“Sounds stunning. See you tomorrow night.”

She turned her head to the side, knocking her earpiece out, and stared at the phone on her nightstand. What was that about? Any of it. Her pulse sped up every time another snippet of the conversation replayed in her head, bringing a new revelation with it. She was falling for him. The thought warmed every inch of her until she remembered this was supposed to be a strictly physical relationship. Damn it.

Kenzie stood with her sister just out of most people’s view at the edge of the room, watching guests mingle pre-dinner. Some were already staking out tables, others gathered near the bar or in small clumps, chatting and gossiping.

Boredom was already sinking into Riley’s expression as she smoothed invisible wrinkles from a red dress that was almost too short to be acceptable. “Ritzy. Dull.”

Kenzie rolled her eyes and handed her keys to her sister. “I’m so glad I trust you to behave. Hold my keys until after dinner?”

Riley dropped them in a satin handbag that matched her dress and let the wristlet dangle. “Why aren’t you carrying a purse? You have five billion black ones.”

“None looked right.” Kenzie had fidgeted in front of the mirror for hours as it was. She’d tried to tell herself it was because this was an extraordinarily important night for a client. Part of her knew it was because she wanted to look good for Scott.

“You know,” Scott’s smooth voice right next to her ear startled her, “I don’t usually like women who wear all black, but the way you do it is just so sexy.”

A warm tremor ran through her, and her pulse increased. She bit back a smile and spun to face him. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

“I might once it gets old. If it gets old.” He was wearing a suit she’d never seen before. An actual tuxedo, bow tie, cummerbund, the works.

She ran her fingers along the edge of his lapels “Is this real silk?”

He shrugged. “You really do look amazing. Is this Riley?”

Riley’s gaze raked over him, appraising, a smirk replacing her boredom, and she stuck out her hand. “Are you the wallet?”

Kenzie had to fight the urge to slap her forehead.

Scott just laughed and returned the handshake. “I suppose. Do you mind if I borrow your dinner date for a moment?”

Riley shrugged, mischief still dancing on her face. “Suit yourself. I’ll go find another one.”

Kenzie grabbed her sister’s fingers. “Not any of the board members, please.”

Riley rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You mean those old guys? I had my eye on that really cute waiter. Besides, you just said you trust me.”

“Fine.” Kenzie let her go.

Scott chuckled. “You were right, only physically identical.”

Had she just been insulted? Kenzie studied him, still a little breathless at how incredible he looked.

“I mean it in the best way possible.” He grasped her wrist loosely and tugged.

She hissed softly at the tender contact—this wasn’t the time or place to lose herself in his touch—and allowed herself to be pulled even farther out of anyone’s line of sight.

He leaned against a pillar and dropped his hands into his pockets, toe tapping. “Thank you for coming tonight.”

She ducked her head. “Of course. I couldn’t pass up a chance to see you looking good.” She realized how that sounded. “With your peers,” she quickly added. Professional. She had to keep this professional. “All my hard work paying off and all that.”

His fidgeting increased. “Right.” He pulled his hand from his pocket. A small black box rested in his palm. “This is for you. I hear corsages are tacky at grown-up parties, so I hope this will do instead.”

Her curiosity spiked as she took it from him. The velvet was soft against her fingers. She gasped at what was inside, and her heart hammered in her ears. A delicate violet made of gems and surrounded by a smattering of diamonds hung from a silver chain. “It’s beautiful.”