I wake up alone in a big bed and glance around, taking two seconds to recognize where I am. Kit’s room. And suddenly what we did last night comes back to me.
Smiling, I ease out of bed and hop into the shower and spending five minutes fantasizing about last night while I’m soaping and shampooing myself. Then I step out and wrap up in a towel.
Spotting my clothes neatly folded on the nightstand, I quickly get dressed and snatch up my heels.
I pad downstairs, dressed but barefoot. I spot Kit bent over a laptop in the living room. My heart skips a beat at the sight of his disheveled dark brown hair. I ache to run my fingers through the curls at his nape.
He’s bare chested, wearing nothing but slacks, his hair fresh from a recent shower.
I could have died and gone to heaven. But I know from the fast beat of my heart that I’m very much alive. Very. Much. Alive.
And very much into the wicked temptation that is Kit Walker.
Oh, what to do. What to do?
I really don’t want to overstay my welcome.
He glances up from his laptop, a smile curving his lips.
“Good morning, Miss Croft.” Kit stands and sets his laptop aside. “Are you hungry? I guess it’s almost lunchtime...” he says, his gaze raking me appreciatively head to toe.
Feeling myself blush and not yet ready to go as well as sensing that he isn’t ready to let me go yet either, I set my heels aside. “Good morning, Mr. Walker. Yes. I actually am. I could cook something for us. Soup maybe?”
“Sounds good.”
I try not to stare at his bare chest while I make myself busy collecting ingredients from the fridge.
I lay everything out, trying to stay calm. I’m happy that I found enough goodies to make a decent vegetable soup.
Kit crosses the room, peering around me inquisitively.
“You seem nervous. Why?” His voice is a low, gruff whisper fluttering the hairs at the top of my head.
I shake my head first, then nod, confirming his suspicion. How do I tell him that I can’t stop thinking about him? That I want him more than I’ve wanted anything in my life?
I can’t.
I still can’t really fully admit it to myself. “I guess I don’t know what’s going on here.”
Kit bites his lip, then releases it. “Yeah. Me neither. But there’s no use hiding away from it, right?”
I shrug shyly. “I guess not.”
“There’s a lot I have to tell you... I want us to have the final design worked out and take the app for a test drive next week. Get everyone in the office to open a profile, check out the messaging system...”
I shift positions to face him, alert. “I love that idea!”
I’m so excited, I feel heat rushing through me, and I smile as the warmth reaches my cheeks.
I stare at Kit. “I can’t believe we never thought about doing a double beta before...”
“I know...this’ll help us relaunch to the public with more confidence. And avoid any pitfalls.”
“I’m so excited.”
“Me too.” Kit pulls me in for a hug, and I let him.
I let him because I need someone to help me believe that this is actually happening. That this is really my life. I know maybe it shouldn’t be my boss, the one whose embrace I crave most.
And yet here I am, unable to pull away. Kit Walker is holding me in his strong arms, and I really want it to be real. Kit strokes the back of my head.
Both of us smile as I ease back and look up at him.
“We can download it now. I was going to share the news last night before we got caught up in something just as good.” His eyes twinkle.
“It’s really ready to download?”
“Certainly.” He pulls out his phone. “I’ve got it right here. We still need to change the design, but most of the tech side is done. Here. I’m texting you the link.”
I fish out my phone, click the link in his text and download the app.
By the time it downloads, we’re teasing each other and setting up our profiles. Kit just uses KW, so I go with AC.
“Send me a heart,” he instructs as we navigate.
I send him a heart.
Suddenly, my app pings back.
KW sent you a heart.
I smile.
“Now send me a message,” Kit instructs.
I shoot him a simple one. Just one word.
Testing
Kit reads my message, his eyebrows pulling together thoughtfully as if he expected something else. He smiles wryly at some sort of private joke only he knows, and tucks his phone away. “We’ll get the beta test done and then go live once we work out the kinks,” he tells me.
I’m grinning ear to ear, forcing myself to tuck my phone away, too. “I can’t wait.”
I return to the counter to get back to work on the soup.
I’m really glad that I never reported anything negative about Kit to Alastair. It’s all going well. We may not know what’s going on between us, but we’re consenting adults, and as long as we keep it strictly business in the office, maybe we can figure it out.
My heart jumps happily at the thought.
I head over to the sink to wash the vegetables and Kit follows me. He watches as if he’s never seen a woman cook before. “I usually make this when I’m sick.”
“Where did you learn to cook? Your parents? Mum never cooked for me, and Alastair is hopeless.”
I laugh. “Who cooked for you? Your nanny?” When he nods, I determine to cook for this man whenever possible. “Like I told you, my parents are the most dedicated workaholics you’ll ever meet. But even though they’ve worked most of their lives, there wasn’t always a lot of money to pay for nannies. They’re compulsive business starters. So that left me in charge of my sister Helena while we grew up. Unfortunately, I’m not a very good cook. But I tried, at least. I sort of taught myself to cook her healthy things.” I glance at him over my shoulder. “Did your brother never cook for you, either?”
“Not really. We’re not that close. Plus, William’s an uptight perfectionist, and although I know he can cook, I doubt he’d ever cook for anyone. He’s such a hard-ass, people nicknamed him Stone. He can’t stand anything but working and living by the rules. Me?” He cants his head sideways. “I bloody love breaking rules. It drives him up the wall.”
I laugh. “You two sound like complete opposites.”
“We’re vastly different,” Kit concedes. “His mum is a socialite. My mum... Dad met her at Platinum. A strip club in London.” A wry smile touches his lips but it doesn’t conceal the love he feels for her in his eyes.
I’d never spoken to anyone so openly about my family. I can sense Kit doesn’t open up about the subject, either.
There’s an intimacy between us in this moment that wasn’t there before.
An unspoken truce. Even more than that, something like open respect and admiration.
It’s as if overnight, we founded each other’s fan club.
“Sometimes I overwork myself,” I confide. “I used to think it was a good thing, but seeing my parents take it too far my whole life...and also after meeting you... I don’t know. Until now, it’s been scary because I had no one to stop me, and I rarely stop myself because of my sister, Helena.”
“What about Helena?”
“I pay for her studies. My parents encouraged us to make our own way after high school. They think people don’t put their best foot forward unless they’re pressured to do so. But Helena’s my sister, and I want to offer her every opportunity possible so that when her time comes, she will go out there and succeed. I guess that’s why I’m a workaholic, too. I can’t help it, I was raised to be one, and it’s in my DNA.” I smirk. “You haven’t been around long enough to see me work myself into a perennial state of insomnia during a big launch.”
“Really, Alexandra?” Kit tsks quietly. “We can’t have that, beautiful. It seems that my father and I have been working you too hard at the office.”
The protectiveness in his eyes makes me blush, and I almost want to put my walls back up. I’m not used to being so vulnerable around anyone. It feels good opening up. But maybe too good.
“Hey, I love it. Don’t take it too easy on me or treat me like I’m fragile or I’ll get mad. You won’t like me mad.” I smirk and stick my tongue out at him playfully.
Kit laughs. “My little redhead, spitting fire.”
He’s teasing me, nuzzling my ear as he does.
I smile shyly at his use of the word my, ducking my head under his arm to get out the plates.
“You know, I owed you some soup since the day you brought me your mom’s lemonade. I think that’s the day I realized I liked you more than I wanted to.”
I blush for a moment, realizing what I’ve just admitted out loud.
“I didn’t bring you lemonade so you would make me soup, Alex.”
My teasing smile falters at the somberness in his tone.
“I know,” I admit, turning to face him. “You were nice to me that day. I remember seeing you at that door and thinking, ‘damn, he’s here to gloat.’ But you weren’t. You were actually trying to help me feel better. It was noble of you. One of the many things I’ve grown to admire and...appreciate about you.”
Love about you, a shocking little whisper in my subconscious pipes in.
Kit is silent for a moment, watching me. Then he changes the subject. “You look sexy when you cook...” His voice is getting huskier, and my heart is pounding harder.
I try to play it cool, though his simple touch has sent me into overdrive. “I’m just chopping veggies...” I waggle my knife at him. “So, that’s your kink, hmm? A bit of knife play?”
Kit hoists himself onto the counter next to me.
I smile, but I’m a little distracted by how close he is. His leg is practically touching me. He reaches out and brushes a hair behind my ear. “Maybe I’m just into anything you do.”
I coyly duck away from his hand, continuing to chop the vegetables.
Kit hops down from the counter, his hands moving straight to my waist. I drop the knife on the counter, letting out a little gasp as his face comes close to mine. My heart is racing. Everything is moving so quickly but I don’t mind. My eyes flicker to his lips.
Then I’m kissing him, desperately, my hands clawing for every part of him I can reach. We stumble together, a mess of limbs, and I feel alive again. I allow myself to forget everything that’s happened lately as I lose myself in his touch.
Kit pulls away to look at me. “Is this okay?” he gruffs out.
I pull him back to me, nodding frantically. “This is what I’ve been waiting for.”
He tugs me closer and I kiss him back with abandon. With my whole being. Then I pull out one of the kitchen chairs and push him down on it. I clamber on top of him, and Kit smiles, letting me take the reins. I push my breasts up against his face as I make myself comfortable.
He leans forward and kisses me harder, his hunger matching mine.
I’m losing control, but I don’t want control anymore. I just want him.
I grind against his erection. I can feel how wet I’ve become in a short amount of time, desperate to get intimate with Kit. Feel him inside me again. Move with him, come apart for him. With him.
His hands grip my ass hard, guiding me as I move against him. He groans, and loosens the sash of the terry bathrobe he loaned me. He parts and eases it down my shoulders, and his hungry lips find my bare breasts, his tongue warm and soft as it explores my skin. I can’t help letting out a whimper, the robe sliding to my feet. He pauses to run his hands over me, examining every inch of me with hungry eyes.
“God, Alex...” he murmurs, his lips dipping back to my skin. His touch is delicate and sweet, like he’s making love for the first time. But right now, that’s not what I need.
“You don’t have to be gentle with me,” I breathe.
Kit’s eyes meet mine.
He flashes me a wicked grin, and I shiver in anticipation, closing my eyes and moving faster against him. I know I’m soaked, but I don’t care. I’m not embarrassed to admit that I find him so very hot.
Kit suddenly lifts me up off his lap, placing me on the table. He takes off his slacks, and I don’t know what to do with myself, so I lay back slightly on my elbows. The maneuver is awkward, reminding me of my college days and the few times I slept with a guy. But when Kit pushes my legs apart, I know this won’t be anything like that.
I frantically wrap my legs around him, pulling him in for a kiss. Then he’s carrying me again, leading us out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
In his room, I feel a sense of nostalgia, and a hint of regret for when I need to leave here. I’ve secretly dreamed for nights about his kiss, his hands on me. Now I’m here, and I’m making the memory I’ve been aching for. Again. But it feels too good to be true.
We fall onto the bed together. I can feel his cock pressing against me as he moves between my legs slowly, teasing me.
“I won’t last if you keep doing that,” I tell him. He gives me a sly smile, his dark eyes full of mischief.
“Say please.”
I scowl, taking matters into my own hands. I push him away from me. Kit doesn’t protest as I clamber on top of him, his hands immediately moving to grasp my breasts.
“So, this is how it’s going to be...”
I nod cheekily.
Kit watches me, lust in his eyes. He sits up and slides a finger inside me. It was a move that I wasn’t expecting, but one I can’t claim to dislike. I buck against him. Our eyes meet as his pace quickens, and he slides two more fingers inside me. I grip his hair hard, pulling his hand away from my wetness and to his lips. He sucks his fingers gently, his eyes fixated on mine. He seems almost in a trance, mesmerized by what’s happening.
I place a hand on Kit’s chest, pushing him back down again. I’m done waiting. I want the main event. “Condoms?” I ask breathily.
He stretches out his arm and pulls out a packet from his nightstand. He tears it open, and I grab the rubber, loving the way he groans when I slide it on him. I position myself over him, stroking his penis gently. He shivers, his eyes never leaving mine.
“I expected to be doing a bit more of the heavy lifting...”
I smile down at him. Towering over him, naked, I feel glorious. I feel myself. “You’ll get your chance later.”
Before Kit can say anything, I sink down on his hard length. He moans in pleasure as I work up a rhythm. It’s been a long time since I did something so raw and sexual, but I find it comes to me naturally. With him, I knew it would.
Each time, I sink down on him a little farther, pushing him deeper and deeper inside me. He sits up to guide me, his lips exploring my body and his hands supporting my ass. I’m sweating, breathless, but alive.
More alive than I have been for a long time.
“You feel so good,” I gasp, clutching the back of his head closer to my breasts while Kit hungrily suckles me. “Please don’t stop,” I rasp in his ear. “I want you. Please.”
“Shh. Alex...if you want me, you’ll have me.” His tone is almost amused as he rolls me onto my back. And when he pins my hands above my head and thrusts again, I see stars. Giving up complete control, giving myself to him.
“Kit!” I cry with every ramming of his hips, gripping his hands with mine, which he keeps pinned down to the bed. His erection fills me up so completely I feel stretched and possessed by this man. This fantasy.
He groans, thrusting harder as his breathing grows more rapid. “You feel good, Alex, so damn good...” Our pace becomes crazy and jerkier as we approach our climax, and then we’re there. His name leaves my lips on a moan as I hear him groan out “Alex” in a way that pushes me even farther past the edge.
When it’s over, Kit and I lie in bed. My legs are trembling.
“I feel like with all these distractions, I should give up on making the soup.”
Kit nuzzles my neck. “Totally worth it.” His lips find mine again, and I close my eyes, sighing into him.