Friday is another dry spell I don’t have a single meeting with Christian scheduled.

On the one hand, it makes it easier to build out my plans for him since he’s not here to distract me with those eyes and that body.

On the other hand, even though he’s not here in person, all I can think of are his eyes—the way the black of his pupil is ringed by a lightning strike of blue so light that it’s almost pure white. It reminds me of the way the ocean waves exploded outward from the shore in various shades of blue, ringing around a tropical island I once visited with my parents when I was a teenager. Christian’s eyes are a different color of blue, changing from moment to moment, depending on the light, his mood…

Now that I’m intimately acquainted with his body, that’s hard to forget, too. I’m as professional as they come, but when he’s sitting across from me, his ripped abs hidden by a crisp white shirt and topped by a slim-cut jacket that does nothing but emphasize the hard line of his waist…

I shake my head and loosen my grip on the computer mouse. It’s one thing to catch yourself rubbing your thighs against one another underneath your desk at work. It’s another to completely abandon your job to go masturbate in the bathroom.

My heart thunders in my chest. It’s so dangerous to be with Christian. I could lose my job if anyone were to find out. I don’t want to get fired from HRM. Not now that I have no safety net back in Colorado, and not when I’m finally making big strides in my career. A ruined reputation is no joke.

But how can I stay away from him?

I bite my lip as I maneuver some of the events around on his calendar.

The answer is that I can’t.

I can’t.

I don’t want to.

And I won’t.

We’ll proceed cautiously, and not because of my job. It seems like a long time ago now, but it hasn’t been long since I had my heart shattered and then stomped on and spat on by that bastard Derek. Christian might have a tenderhearted side, but there’s no guarantee he’s good right to the core.

My body heats up at the thought of him. I’m trying to be rational, but what I’m feeling isn’t a rational emotion. I know we’re right together—at least right now.

Day by day, Quinn. Day by day.

It’s after 5:00, and I’m making the last few changes to next week’s schedule when my phone vibrates in my purse.

When I pick it up, the sight of Christian’s name sends my heart rate skyrocketing.

Head over heels, for sure.

Run away with me.

Right now???

I want to show you the real me.

Haven’t I met you before??

I’m waiting outside in the car. You’re not working late on a Friday

Is that a question? :)

It’s an order ;)

A shiver runs down my spine. He might be joking, but imagining the kind of orders a man like Christian could give turns me on. Even if I’m the kind of woman who’s not the sweet, submissive type. Sex is like a battle between us, and that’s how I like it.

I’ll get my things together…

Don’t linger, my love

I stop dead at the words on the screen, my breath hitching in my throat. It’s not quite an I love you, but it’s close.

I leave the office at a measured pace, because it’s not very seemly for a senior reputation manager to sprint out of the room, fling herself into a waiting Town Car, all while tearing off her clothes in the process, which is exactly what I’d like to do right now.

I stand calmly in the elevator as it whisks me down to the lobby, and I even take the time to tuck my access badge into my purse and put on my sunglasses before exiting the building.

The Town Car is parked right in front of the HRM headquarters. Louis stands outside the back door, waiting to open it for me. After a quick glance to the left and right to make sure no one is watching, I’m striding across the hot pavement. With a nod to Louis, I slip into the cool, leather-filled interior of the Town Car.

Christian’s hands are on me in an instant, and he only takes them off to punch a button on the side of the car.

“What—” I start to say, and then his mouth is on mine, and I’m lost in his kiss, drowning in desire as a partition goes up between us and Louis. It’s the first time Christian has ever used it.

We’re pulling away from the curb before he breaks the kiss and smiles broadly at me, his eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun.

“Wow,” I say breathlessly.

“Run away with me.” He repeats the words from the text message as if I hadn’t already agreed to come.

“I am—aren’t I?”

“I can still drop you off at home.”

“Don’t do that. Wait—where are we going? Shouldn’t I get clothes?”

“You don’t need clothes.” He gives me a wicked look.

I want to bite at his lip, kiss him harder, and so I do. When we come up for air, I continue the conversation. “I’ll need clothes at some point.”

“What I meant was,” he replies, his voice smooth and sexy and confident, “I have clothes for you where we’re going.”

I look toward the ceiling of the Town Car and shake my head a little in bewilderment. “You’re such a…such a…”

“Billionaire?” His half-smile lights me up from head to toe.

“What if I want my own clothes?”

He leans over to whisper in my ear, despite the partition. “You won’t be thinking about clothes for long once we’re there.”

I suck in a deep breath, shudders of pleasure running rampant through my body. “Where’s there?”

“Do you want me to ruin the surprise?”

“What I meant was, how long is the ride?”

“Two hours.”

“How soundproof is that partition?”

He answers me with his tongue.