Jake

I had a whole seduction plan, but that’s gone out the window. Good. Plans are overrated.

My driver is waiting when we reach the car. I give him a terse instruction to take us to the hotel, then help Jana into the warm limo.

Then I tug her into my lap and out of her parka.

She looks like she walked off the cover of a Land’s End catalogue, if Land’s End sold sex. I tell her that and she laughs.

“I’ve missed that sound,” I say tightly, because every part of me is wound up right now.

“Oh?” She leans in and brushes her lips against mine. “You could have called.”

“I should have.” I catch her lower lip between my teeth and her breath hitched. “I was busy. Not an excuse, but I couldn’t spare the time to come and explain in person, and I didn’t want to…pretend.”

Instead of pulling away, she leans in and kisses me, slow and deep. She licks her way into my mouth, and I think, this is not the same woman I left in Baltimore. When she eases back, it’s only far enough to look at me. She slowly slides her index finger across my bottom lip, wet from her mouth. “Here’s the thing, Mr. Aston.” She catches the corner of her lip, her top teeth sinking into pink flesh, and beneath her lap my cock thumps his approval of her using my whole name. “This might surprise you to know, but all the major news networks do a pretty comprehensive job of covering your companies. I don’t always pay attention, but now that I know who you are, I take note. So I know you’ve been busy.”

That’s more of a pass than I deserve, but I don’t care. I’ll take it. And the name works for me in a big way, too. “Call me that again.”

“Mr. Aston?” Her voice is all breathy now. I don’t care if she’s putting it on for effect.

“Yeah.” I’m reduced to caveman grunts.

She sways toward me again and I grip her hips. Every sense is heightened as her body brushes against mine. It’s like a drug. I want more of her nearness. More of her body, more of her scent.

Fuck. I guide her exactly where I want her and it feels damn perfect. Her leggings are thin enough for me to feel the curve of her muscles, the softness of her ass, and right against where my cock strains at my suit pants, the heat of her pussy.

I don’t grind into her. I don’t need to. I’m thick and hard, and the way she’s breathing, she knows it. I curse again in my head, and maybe out loud, because she jerks her gaze back to my face.

We’re in the backseat of a limo and the tension is zapping like we might strip down right here. Can’t wait five fucking minutes.

I wouldn’t even need to get her naked.

I could—

The limo pulls to a stop and Jana jolts, then scrambles off my lap as she lets out a quiet, nervous giggle and pulls on her parka.

Yeah. Shit, but even the jolt of reality does nothing for my erection. I cup the back of my neck and think about stock numbers.

That helps right up until she puts her hand on my knee. “Come on then, Mr. Aston. Show me your fancy hotel room.”

I let her lead until we’re in the lobby, which is nice, but not the Plaza. Then I press my hand into the small of her back and guide her to the elevator. “It’s not that fancy,” I murmur against the curve of her ear. “But it’s private. And that’s all that matters.”

At the base of her neck, her pulse jumps.

That makes up for everything about this rustic Christmas-themed town that doesn’t have a decent penthouse.

“So we’ve determined that I’ve been busy, and lonely.” I grin down at her as she leans into my side. “You’ve been good?”

We’re alone on the elevator, but she still pauses before she answers. “I’ve been…distracted.”

“By?” I slide her parka open. Her sweater underneath—fuzzy, pale pink sabotage for questing fingers—limits what I can do, but her collarbone is bare.

She shudders as I trace the edge of where her sweater meets her creamy skin. “You. What we didn’t do that afternoon.” She licks her lips as I raise a line of goosebumps. “What I want you to do—”

Ding.

The elevator doors slide open and I guide her out, my legs moving fast now, because there are a lot of ways she could end that sentence and I like every single one.

I’ve got a loft suite at the end of the hall. Halfway down the hall, Jana twists to look at me, a smile on her face, and my hand slips from her back to her elbow.

She turns her arm and as my hand drops, she slides her fingers through mine and squeezes my hand.

I want to fuck this girl into next week. I want to get on my knees and bury my face between her legs. I want her screaming my name because I’m sucking on her tits.

But her holding my hand hits me on a whole different level.

There’s what I want to do—so much, over and over again—and then there’s this, which is fucking sweet, and probably unconscious for her.

It reminds me we come from two different worlds. There isn’t much about me that’s sweet. I’m ruthless. Demanding.

And when it comes to Jana, I already know I’m hungry. Maybe just as much for the sweet as anything else.

I glance up and down the hall. We’re alone.

“Come here.” I pull her to me, keeping our hands together. Her eyes widen and her lips part. Making her react like that? Fucking addictive. I lift her fingers to my mouth and kiss her knuckles, then press her back against the wall as she exhales. Another sound I love. She stretches onto her toes as I slide our hands up the wall, pinning her in place.

Then I kiss her. Hard, fast. Demanding and hungry. Ruthlessly. I put everything I am into the kiss, showing her with my mouth what I don’t know how to say out loud. I’m a hard man who wants to take everything she has.

I’m not adorable.

I’ve never been into hand-holding, although if anyone could convince me otherwise, it’ll be Jana. Hell, she may have done it with one touch.

She says my name when I pull back. Her voice is breathy and hitching, and her lips are swollen.

Our hands are still entwined and pressed against the wall.

I want to lean in and kiss her again. She has other ideas.

“What are you waiting for?” She wiggles her fingers free and slides out from under my arm. “I believe I was promised a private hotel room where we could act out all my filthy fantasies.”

Okay, so maybe she’s not a completely incurable romantic. I slide my room key out of my pocket and wrap my arm around her, palming her ass as I scoop her into my side

She leans right into me and brings her mouth to my ear as I try to get the door open. “I owe you an orgasm, Mr. Aston.”

Right. Game on.