Under Contract (The GEG Series) (5 page)

“Hey.”

My eyes shoot up at the sound of her voice. She’s leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom in nothing but my dress shirt. Her long, wavy hair is pulled to one side.
Damn, she is a vision.

“Hey,” I say with a slight smile. “Go back to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

She nods. “Okay. Can I grab a water?”

“Here ... have mine.” I hold it up. She walks over and takes it from me, then brings it to her lips. I match her smile—that sexy little smile—before she takes a sip.

“Sit back.” She pushes at my shoulder. I rest my back against the cushions. She turns and pulls at my shirt to make sure it covers her bum before sitting across my lap and stretching her legs out on the couch.

“Yes, Charlotte, we must remain modest at all times,” I tease her. She rewards me with her girlish giggle, then leans against my chest and tucks her head into the curve of my neck.

“Why are you up in the middle of the night, Mr. Colton?” She raises her head to look at me. Her fingers play with my lips. “Very rude of you, sir, leaving me all by my lonesome.”

I touch her cheek. “Your eyes are beautiful.”

“You’re changing the subject.” Her eyebrow arches. I shrug and look down at her legs, then rest my hand on her thigh and gradually let it slide up.

“Just thinking. That’s all.”

“Well, that’s just the sort of thing that will get you into trouble.” She rests her head back in the crook of my neck.

“Really? Thinking?” I humor her.

“Yes. Thinking can get in the way of doing. Sometimes you need to just do things without thinking, because they need to get done. Think about it!” She holds her hand out for emphasis, then quickly acts like she’s holding a drumstick and sounds off a couple of beats that would come after a one-liner. I can’t help but chuckle at her.
Damn it, she’s cute!

“So, I should do and not think about it?” I lay my head back.

“Yes.”

I eye her. “Like sign a contract that pays me far less than what I’m worth?”

“Mitch ... did you not ask for an educated woman?” She lifts her head.

“Mitchell.” I give her “The Look.” “And yes, I did.”

“That’s right. It’s only acceptable for me to call you Mitch when I’m coming ... right?” Her smile hits her eyes.
Damn it!
“Moving along ...” She winks. “Since I pride myself on being quite the erudite woman, I am not going to play dumb. I certainly don’t believe you are lacking in the intelligence department, either. In saying that, I
am
new to this ‘scene.’” She actually makes air quotation marks. “But that doesn’t mean I haven’t done my homework. I know there are women out there who charge two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for just a weekend. I know what I’m worth, Mitchell. I don’t need a dollar sign attached to a ridiculous number for me to believe it. I’m not an avaricious person, either. I have priorities that require only the basic necessities, and most of those necessities cannot be provided by money.

“However, the things that do require money are costly. It’s difficult for me to maintain a regular job right now that will meet both my financial situation and the schedule I require. My lack of negotiations is purely for my benefit, not yours. I do need the money. I feel it’s a sufficient amount for your requirements, plus you’re offering me the ability to stay off the radar, which is by far one of the most important requirements I have. Not that I’ve ever had trouble with the law. I haven’t, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

I almost can’t believe my ears when she finally quiets that lovely mouth of hers. Good God! Did she just say all of that in one breath?

“Mitchell ...”

“What?”

“Say something.” She looks down.

“Sorry. I’m overwhelmed by your veracity. You are quite the rare breed, aren’t you?” I chuck her chin.

“Yeah ... I’m pretty much a bullshit-free zone. I don’t take it, I don’t give it, and quite frankly I want nothing to do with it. If I smell bullshit—I call it and leave the room.” I can tell I have a goofy grin on my face as she rambles on. “Sorry.”

“For?”

“Nattering on.”

“I’m quite fond of your nattering.” I curl my index finger under her chin and hold it with my thumb. Leaning in, I grasp her lips with mine. “So,” I breathe, letting my mouth hover over hers. My hand moves down her neck and into my shirt. Slowly, my fingers trace around her nipple. I listen to the tempo of her breathing change. “How do you like the new career you’ve had all of six hours?”

“Oh, well, I’m not all that new at this. I’ve been doing it longer than six hours, Mitchell.” She pulls away. I feel a spark of jealousy at this. My fingers still.

I look away from her. “How long?”

“Just about ... seven hours,” she says after some thought.

“Ugh—Charlotte!” I say in irritation. “I can already tell you’re going to drive me crazy.”

“Crazy in a good way?
And
... it’s Charley,” she taps my nose with her index finger.

“Well, that remains to be seen ...
Charlotte
.” I grab her hand gently.

“Charley,” she says, getting off my lap only to turn around and straddle me.

“Charlotte,” I say very slowly while leaning my head back to look at her. What an idiot her husband was.

“Mitch,” she says softly, placing her finger over my lips when I part them to correct her. She leans down near my ear. “Touch me, Mitch ... please.”

I close my eyes, fighting back whatever she’s stirring in me. She straightens back up and stares into my eyes as she unbuttons my dress shirt.

Placing my hands on her hips, I gently squeeze them. “I thought I was the boss here.” I smirk at her and lick my lips. The curve of her breast becomes visible from her seductively slow unbuttoning.

“Don’t you think staff morale would go up if you allowed them to take charge of a few things?” She matches my smirk with her playful banter.

“Baby.” I shift and her eyes go wide. “As you can see—er, feel—the morale of my staff has been up since you sat on my lap.” I push against her and listen to her gasp.

“We should probably debrief the staff immediately, then take advantage of the raise in morale.” I find myself eager to play along with her flirting again. I almost hate how fucking cute I think she is.

“Why should we debrief?” I raise my eyebrows as the tips of my thumbs slowly meet each other in the middle of her stomach. From there, my hands begin their patient crawl up her torso.

“Because there’s a touchy situation that may have a very sticky end result.” Now she’s the one licking her lips as my thumbs circle around her nipples at a pace I’m sure may kill her.

“Oh, I think we’ll be drowning in the effects of the touchy situation.” My hand travels back down her body and searches between her legs. I swirl a finger around her entrance a few times before plunging it in. “I see you agree with me.” I brace her with my arm as she arches back from the intrusion. Pulling her closer to me, I taste the skin at the base of her neck. I nip gently, avoiding the urge to savor it. I don’t want to leave marks on her, and yet I want to somehow brand her. Anyone that looks at her—dares to think of touching her—should know that she is
mine
and move on without another thought of her.

“Mitch ... Mitch, please,” she’s breathless. Wanting. She embraces my face with her soft, sweet hands. Their coolness calms me in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.

“I need you, Mitch.”

She needs me ...

“I want you.”

She wants me ...

“Baby ... please.”

Baby ...

I stare into her jade-colored eyes. They show me her words are pure and true. My head says to run ... run fast, or she’ll destroy you
.
Except, no other part of me is listening to my head as I toss her onto the couch. I will brand her. I will make it so she will not want another man’s hands on her body. No other lips will do. My hands, my kiss will be all she thinks about—craves—when she is not near me. My fingers and mouth comply with the plan as they worship her body, like she’s an exotic goddess. I believe she is, actually.

I glance at the clock on the wall as it ticks to the exact minute I began my worshipping, two hours ago. Charlotte is cradled in my arms, softly crying. Every few minutes, she stops long enough to kiss my neck and shoulder. I am almost certain it is her way of telling me, without words, that no man has ever adored her the way I just did.

“The sun will be up soon, baby.” I glide my hand up the length of her body. “We should get back to bed.” Charlotte lifts her head to look at me. Her eyes pierce mine and I swear, if I let her stare long enough, she could uncover every last secret I have. “What?” I touch her cheek lightly.

“Nothing,” she murmurs, shaking her head.

“Don’t lie to me.” I strum her bottom lip with my thumb. “What’s on your mind?”

“I’m not lying. Not exactly. I’m not quite sure what to think. I don’t want to say any more. You know I ramble. I don’t want to say anything that may scare you off.” She offers me a half smile before she lays her head back down.

“Charlotte,” I say, trying to mask my building frustration. “You can’t say all of that and not explain what you mean.”

“Mitch, there’s nothing to explain. Nothing that I can really articulate well enough to form an explanation.” She leans on her hand and runs her fingers over the stubble on my chin.

“Charlotte ... why do you think it would scare me off?” I grab her hand and allow my voice to show my impatience.

She gives it back to me with an exasperated sigh. “Okay—here it goes.” She pauses, closing her eyes momentarily. Seems a bit dramatic to me, really. I almost laugh.

“C’mon!” I slap her ass playfully when she takes too long.

“Ow—sorry.”

“There’s more where that came from if you don’t spill it.” I bite at her pouty lip and rub where I just smacked.

“Ha ... well, I was going go to say, before you rudely interrupted me—fourth rude thing, by the way.” She taps my chin with her index finger.

“I’m going to show you ‘rude’ in a minute if you don’t get to it—just so you’re clear on my definition.” I give her my sternest look, and she replies with that sexy little smile, a hint of sass on her lips. I bring my hand down again on her ... harder than I intended. Charlotte jumps up from my arms.

“Whoa ... wait ... wait.” I pull her to me. “Sorry, baby. Sorry. I didn’t mean to do it that hard.” I laugh nervously as I try to hold her to me. “Baby.” I kiss her shoulder. “Look at me, please.” I touch her chin lightly and turn her face to me. “I’m sorry ... honestly.” I lean forward and nudge her lips with mine.

“Don’t do it again,” she says quietly.

“I promise, I won’t.”

“C’mon, let’s go to bed,” she says after a deep sigh and nod of her head.

“Wait, you didn’t tell me what you were thinking.” I stand up with her and help her back into my shirt. I don’t know why she’s bothering; it’ll be back off in a minute.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Oh ... that’s not fair.” I grab her hand and walk to the bedroom with her.

“No rewards for bad behavior, Mitch.” She climbs onto the bed. I run a hand through my hair as I try to figure her out. I shouldn’t have to figure anything out.

“Shirt off, Charlotte,” I say before climbing in. She glances at me before taking it off, and then curls up on her side, facing away from me. “In my arms, Charlotte!” I snap. She turns to me and slowly slides halfway onto me, into my arms.

“Goodnight, Mitchell.” She kisses me, then lays her head down.

Mitchell? Shit!

“Charley,” I whisper, cringing at the use her nickname. “Don’t be like this, please. Not even an hour ago you were like butter—melting under my touch.” I run my hands up and down her back. “I want this to work with you, Charley, but I’m not going to put up with this behavior.”

“You fucking hit me, Mitch! You want me to be all warm and fuzzy toward you now?” She lifts her head.

“I said I was sorry! What else do you want me to do?” I yell.

“Just give me a goddamn chance to calm down and get over it!” she yells back. I grab her face and kiss her hard. Christ, she’s fucking hot as hell when she’s mad! She tries to pull away. I turn her and pin her down on the bed.

“Get off of me!” she says through clenched teeth and tries to break free from my hold. I tighten my grasp on her and knee her legs open wider. She bucks her hips and pushes off the bed with her right foot, flipping me onto my back.
Damn, she’s strong!
She holds my arms down and whips her hair over onto her shoulder. I sit up quickly with enough force to knock her on her back and pin her once more. I attack her lips, biting at them—savoring them. Placing both of her arms above her head, I use my free hand to pin them together. I free my trapped hand and grasp at her breast, then pull her nipple into my mouth and grind it gently with my teeth. She squirms and bucks, trying to break free. I bring my mouth up to her ear.

“Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte,” I sigh. “The more you fight me, baby ... the harder I’m going to fuck that sweet, tight pussy of yours.”

“Ah!” she gasps.

I bite at her earlobe. “Keep fighting me, baby ... I want to make your pussy so sore.” I notice Charlotte go limp and start breathing erratically, so I lift my head to look down into her face. Her eyes are wide. “Is my choice of words offending you?” I grin playfully and continue to torture her nipple with my fingers.