“Honestly, I was just winging it up till now,” I say. “But you’re right. I should be going somewhere with this…”
I lift my heels and kiss him.
We stop moving. Time stops flowing altogether. The music disappears, and so does the rest of the world. His lips, the taste of him, his tongue clashing with mine—it’s all I can focus on as he deepens the kiss and takes proper hold of me. His grip on me tightens. He pulls me closer, damn near consuming my body with his as we let the fire between us burn brighter and hotter.
It feels like forever.
My head’s getting light as a feather. I think my feet are no longer touching the ground.
He assured me there would be no professional repercussions, but still… I take a step back, stopping us from rolling farther downhill from here. As soon as we’re apart, the cool evening air hits me. His lips glisten in the amber terrace lights as he looks at me, his eyes wondering. Soon enough, however, his reasoning finds mine without either of us saying a word.
There’s obviously a metric ton of attraction between us, and I’m pretty sure it transcends the physical plane. But there’s also an equal amount of fear.
“I don’t think we should rush… whatever this is,” he says. “I’ve had a wonderful time tonight, Olivia. We could end it here for now. See how we feel tomorrow?”
Disappointment washes over me, cold and unpleasant, even though I’m the one who pulled away. Will was just following my lead.
“Would you walk me to my suite?” I ask, trying to think of what else to do. I don’t want tonight to end. I fear tomorrow might bring us back to reality, and then… then I’ll be alone and yearning for a man I normally wouldn’t even dare reach for. He’s with me right now.
I don’t want to waste this opportunity.
“Sure,” he says and offers me his arm.
I don’t have enough courage to do what I want with him. There are plenty of ideas and strategies, but deep down, I’m terrified.
And yet, funnily enough, none of my anxieties and insecurities are as bad as the prospect of sleeping alone in my bed tonight.
CHAPTER15
OLIVIA
The walk back to our floor is deliberately slow.
Neither of us is rushing to see the night end, yet we both sort of pushed for it. I suppose it was fear, uncertainty, the prospect of potentially ruining a great professional relationship with… this incredible, magnetic force that keeps pulling us closer, together, tighter until we may very well become one. I’m having a hard time controlling my own body as Will holds my hand in his, squeezing whenever he’s got something to say.
Every time our eyes meet, fireworks sparkle and opportunities arise.
I’ve had enough wine to do something crazy, but he’s being so kind and reserved and courteous, it’s hard to step on my own restraint, not to mention his. But the closer we’re getting to my suite, the more desperate I feel myself becoming.
The lights are dim past midnight, making the lobby look like a scene out of an old movie, shades of amber and orange melting into the walls. My sandals have small but clicking heels, and every step echoes into the silent, first-floor night. Every step is a closer to an end I’m not yet ready for, because my lips still tremble from his kiss. There’s so much he still has to give me, and I him.
“I’ll see you downstairs for breakfast?” Will asks as we finally reach my door.
There’s an unbearable ache gathering at the apex of my thighs. I can’t let this go.
I shake my head and come closer, just enough for his heady cologne to get me drunker than all the wine we’ve had tonight. “Maybe it’s better if we have breakfast in bed,” I whisper, dropping a sweet kiss on his cheek.
“This is dangerous, Olivia.”
“You gave me absolute freedom, remember?”
His hands slide down to my hips and he pulls me into him, my pelvis pressed against his… bulging manhood. Oh, wow, he is definitely hot for me and then some. My skin sizzles as heat unfurls down below.
“Absolute freedom is insane, I thought you’d stick to some kind of limit,” Will replies, but his teeth graze my earlobe while my hand searches for the access card in my clutch purse. By God, I’m shaking all over.
“Stay the night, Will. We’ll regret it in the morning,” I say.
“My place,” he demands, making me put my key card away. He moves us away from my door and over to his. His lips trail down the side of my neck as he opens the door to his suite, and we go in. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, Olivia. I was hoping I’d never get the chance,” he grunts and gently pushes me against the wall. A fire has been burning between us for a while, and it’s finally letting loose and destroying everything in its path.