Naomi opened her mouth, but I held up my hand, preventing her from interrupting, knowing all too well what correction she’d make.
“That’s right. Not sex. Fucking. Sinful, lust-filled, depraved fucking.”
I looked at Naomi, expecting her to jump up and cheer. There was no way she could argue I didn’t put it all out there with that. Instead, she simply gaped at me. Well, more like past me.
Awareness prickled my skin, a warmth settling low in my stomach as the hair on my nape stood on end. There was only one person who had that effect on me.
I swallowed hard. “He’s here, isn’t he?”
Naomi pulled her lips between her teeth, fighting back a grin, and nodded.
Closing my eyes, I sucked in a deep breath before looking back at her. “Since you’re the amazing friend you are, I need you to do me a favor…” I grabbed the steak knife off the table and handed it to her. “Take that and stab me straight through the heart.” I mimicked the motion. “Don’t hold back. Just thrust it in there, because I’m ready to fucking die right now anyway.” I gritted a fake smile. “Please. Put me out of my misery.”
A hand skimmed along my shoulder blades exposed by my halter-style sundress. A shiver rolled down my spine as he brushed my hair to the side, the heat of his breath an inferno against my skin.
“But if she did that…,” he murmured into my ear, “how would I be able to… What was it?” I didn’t even have to look at him to see the smirk curving his mouth. “Enjoy a week of sinful, lust-filled, depraved sex?”
I parted my lips, about to explain we were just joking. But he quickly moved in front of me, pressing a single finger against my mouth, silencing me. I sucked in a sharp breath when I was treated to his gaze in the light of day. His eyes were dark with desire, intense and powerful, unraveling me piece by piece.
“Wait,” he said coyly. “Not sex.” He leaned toward me, his lips a whisper from mine. I whimpered at the proximity. “Fucking. Sinful, lust-filled, depraved fucking.”
My god. Those words coming from his mouth nearly caused me to orgasm right then and there. I attempted to squeeze my legs together in the hopes of finding some relief. As if sensing my discomfort, he placed a strong hand on my knee, preventing me from doing so, making me squirm in my seat.
Fuck. Me.
This may very well go down as one of the most erotic moments in the history of mankind.
Or at least in my history.
“Well then…” Naomi’s bright voice cut through, reminding me we weren’t alone. I tore my eyes to her as she jumped to her feet, grabbing her cell phone and shoving it into her purse. “I’ll take that as my cue to leave. I have work to do anyway. You two have fun. A lot of fun.”
“Naomi, wait!” I pleaded. Now that Chris had overheard my proposition, my insides knotted at the prospect of being alone with him.
“Nice to meet you, Chris,” she said with a smile, ignoring me.
“You, too, Naomi,” he answered smoothly, as if it were normal for him to walk in on some forty-year-old woman talking about wanting to use him for a week of sex.
Wait.
Not sex.
Fucking.
“And don’t let her say no to your…thunder from down under,” she called out before disappearing into the house.
I didn’t think this could get any more embarrassing. But, as was typically the case, I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
What I wouldn’t give to wake up and learn this was all a dream. Or a nightmare.
But when Chris’ finger slowly glided up my leg, causing another delicious shiver to roll through me, I knew it wasn’t.
My breathing grew labored, the match he lit early this morning reigniting, urging me to do this, to finally allow myself this release. So, instead of resisting, I parted my legs, wordlessly giving him permission to go even higher.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he released his hold on me, walking around the table and taking Naomi’s chair. With a casual air about him, he poured wine into her empty glass and took a sip, completely oblivious to the fact I was a moment away from coming undone.
Or maybe that was all part of his plan.
“Now that we’re alone, it appears we have a few things to discuss.” He arched a brow. “Don’t you agree, Belle?”
Summoning every bit of confidence I could muster, I mimicked his motions, grabbing my own wine glass and swirling it around. After taking a sip, I made a deliberate show of licking my lips, just to see his reaction.
His jaw tensed. Muscles clenched. Pupils dilated.
That was all the encouragement I needed.
With a coy smile, I replied, “It appears we do, Chris.”