What was I thinking, agreeing to let Blake come to my house? I should have called him back as soon as he ended the call with that little threat he wrapped up like a promise. Resisting his charms, like it would be that hard. He was handsome, gorgeous even, and charming as hell. But he also wanted to take my company, which meant that I couldn’t trust him. Especially now that I knew that his tool of choice, would be seduction.

He would be sorely disappointed on all counts. First, because as a virgin, I didn’t sleep around. Also because I’d invited Talia and her date to come by and play chaperone. He wouldn’t have an opportunity to turn those big blue eyes on me and seduce OAA out of my hands. I made it home with thirty minutes to spare, plenty of time to change into a plain black t-shirt that didn’t show off my assets. There was no point tempting fate with a man so desperate to get his hands on my company that he was willing to sleep with me to accomplish it.

Just to be sure, I placed an order at Angelo’s for garlic shrimp, meat-a-holic’s pizza and salad. Greek salad. That was enough bad breath food, carbs and meat to make a night of romance all but impossible. At least I hoped so. Then again, Blake was a determined man.

Too bad for him, I was just as determined. Determined to do what, I had no idea. I still had time to decide if I wanted to run Out & About Adventures or sell it, but I knew one thing.

If Blake succeeded in seducing me, which he wouldn’t, I would never sell him the company. Ever.

The bell rang and I jumped up off the sofa, closing my laptop and put it away before pulling the door open. “Talia, thank god you’re here!”

She laughed and stepped inside with her date, Kyle. They’d only been dating for a few months but there was something about him that I didn’t like, but being a damn good friend, I kept my mouth shut. She liked him and for now, that was enough. “I can’t remember the last time someone was so happy to see me,” she laughed.

“Oh hush up, I’m always happy to see you. Every single morning.”

“Only because I bring you coffee,” she shot back, pecking a kiss to my cheek as she entered with Kyle following behind.

“Yeah but your coffee always comes with bad news, so it’s not that.” With all the drama at the company, there were threats and bad news that cropped up all the time. “Hey Kyle, how’s it going?”

He shrugged. “It’s going.”

Great conversationalist, that one. “What time are your reservations Talia?”

“Eight thirty, so we can’t stay long.” She flashed an apologetic smile but with enough mischief to let me know she could have changed plans if she wanted to. “Besides, you can handle one little hot as hell CEO, can’t you?”

“Absolutely not, Tal! If I could, he wouldn’t be on his way over any minute now.”

“You could just not answer the door,” Kyle added. Did I mention that Kyle was useless?

“He’s determined enough that it wouldn’t matter.” I didn’t know much about Blake Sayers, but I knew the man had no quit in him. At least where my company was concerned. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. You’re leaving at eight and it is what it is. Wine or booze?”

“Booze,” they both answered at the same time and I found my way to the kitchen to get drinks.

The bell rang again and seconds later, Blake appeared in the kitchen. “You sent for reinforcements.”

I turned and my gaze slammed right into a dazzling grin that made me want to kiss him. And punch him. “No, I invited my friend and her boyfriend over because two person gaming is lame.” And because I didn’t trust myself alone with him.

He just smiled. “Got one of those for me?”

“No expensive Chateau whatever, but red, white and silver.”

“Silver?” He barked out a laugh when I lifted up the bottle of tequila. “I like your style, Poppy.”

“Sure you do,” I told him and handed him four glasses. “Take those out front and I’ll be there soon.” He looked at me curiously and I turned him around and pushed him out of the kitchen, ignoring his narrow waist, tight with muscles and his ass, looking even finer in denim than it did in his expensive slacks. This was a bad idea. A really bad idea.

“You plan to hide out in here all night?” Talia leaned against the counter, smirking at me while I made margaritas.

“No, I’m making cocktails,” I told her in my most prim and proper voice. She opened her mouth to speak again and I turned on the blender to drown her out. She glared and I did it two more times because it was my right as her best friend to screw with her.

“Done?”

I grinned and nodded, pouring the contents of the blender into a glass pitcher. “Yep.”

“What’s the big deal? He’s hot and charming,” she leaned in and sneaked a glance at the door. “And rich. What’s the problem?”

“He wants to seduce me into selling him the company.”

“So?” She shrugged and leaned forward. “He can use you, or think he is and you can use him too. Let him pop your cherry thinking he’s getting you close to OAA, and you can just…get off.”

I stared at her. “I can’t believe you just said that!”

“What? Whatever else he is, Blake is smoking hot. Just think about it.”

“Like I’ll be able to avoid it now,” I told her, my tone grumpy as I took the pitcher into the living room, where Kyle and Blake were already into a game.

“You’re welcome.”

I rolled my eyes and took a seat on the floor, far away from Blake and his expensive, intoxicating cologne. “I got winner.”

Five minutes later I reluctantly switched spots with Kyle, ignoring the way Blake scooted closer until his shoulder brushed mine. “Ready to lose?”

“In your dreams,” I told him as the game started, gripping my joystick and ready to throttle him. “It helps if you actually hit the button, it’s that big orange circle right there.”

“Graphic designer, CEO and comedienne. Who knew?” His tone was amused, despite his snarky words.

“You’re supposed to kill the aliens, not make friends with them.” His laugh was loud and deep, filled with amusement as the sound bounced off the windows and walls. It was sexy as hell and I crossed my legs, squeezing them tight to stop the throbbing that started with his closeness and short circuited when he laughed.

“Worry about your fight. I’ll befriend them and we’ll work together to beat you. It’s a solid plan.”

“Someone needs to tell your date that’s not how you play,” Kyle added. The guy had a perpetual stick up his ass. He was handsome, in an accountant kind of way, but the man didn’t make or get jokes, sarcasm or fun.

“Not a date,” I shot back, focusing on the important stuff.

Talia snickered and I shot her a wary glare. The little traitor smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. “Since you don’t need us anymore, we’re going to head out so we can make it to dinner.” She stood and motioned for Kyle to do the same.

“Already? You just got here?” I couldn’t believe she was actually leaving me so soon.

“Poppy it’s five minutes to eight. You two have been doing some kind of weird nerd foreplay for more than an hour.”

“Dinner,” Blake said. “We’re going out to eat?”

I opened my mouth to tell him he was more than welcome to leave and go in search of sustenance, but the doorbell interrupted what Maple would call my rude mouth. “No, we’re not. They are. You can.”

He frowned. “Nah, I’ll just make something here,” he said, flashing a seductive grin that made my legs wobbly when I stood.

I opened the door for the delivery guy, took the food that seemed like too much now, and tipped him. Without casting one damn look at Blake, I carried the food into the kitchen as Talia and Kyle made a quick, quiet exit. And I was alone in my house with Blake.

“I guess we have dinner after all.”

“Of course. I wasn’t going to starve myself just to get you out of here faster. Plus I won, I have no reason to feel bad.”

He grinned. “Except you wounded my fragile ego. My poor, fragile ego.”

I nearly dropped the garlic shrimp as laughter burst out of me. “Oh god,” I panted, “your ego? Fragile?” I couldn’t help the laughing even though I knew it was rude and I knew Maple would have given me a proper finger wagging lecture for my behavior, but the idea of Blake Sayers having a fragile ego was hilarious. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard you say.”

He frowned and walked to the counter, those piercing blue eyes staring at me over the delicious aromas wafting up between us. His gaze was intense and I felt it in places I shouldn’t. “Are you implying that I am an egomaniac?”

“No, not implying. I’m saying it outright.”

“Confidence,” he said, leaning in so just a few inches separated us. “I have confidence. And yeah, my kid sister thinks I have an ego problem but she’s predisposed to think that.”

“And me?”

“Your mind is just clouded by how much you want me so you’re looking for any reason not to.” He was so confident, so damn arrogant that I really did want to punch him in the gut. But he wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Maybe I don’t want to because your motives are suspect.” Which was the honest to goodness truth. My gaze dropped to the table and the food, anywhere but at Blake. “Grab some of those dishes so we can eat, lover boy.”

“Not yet, but soon.” Blake watched me and took a slice of pizza, eyes like a caress over my body. “My motives aren’t suspect at all. You’re gorgeous and I fully plan to take you to bed. But separate from that, I want Out & About Apparel. And I plan to get it.” He walked around the counter, leaning against it and staring down at me with an intent look on his face.

I knew that look and I took step back, but Blake took a step forward. And smiled. I took another step back and pointed. “You stay right there.”

He chuckled and advanced on me until my back was pressed up against the fridge and I gasped. “Why would I want to do that, when you’re all the way over here?”

My breaths came in quick, shallow pants as his body pressed into mine. Big and hard, smelling like sandalwood, coconuts and hot, sexy man. My body responded instantly, no matter how much I told her to stop being such a dirty, dirty girl.

She didn’t listen. “Because you don’t want me, Blake. You want my company.”

“They’re not mutually exclusive,” he said and before I could say anything else, his mouth was on mine, hungry and insistent as he devoured mine. They were as soft as they looked, but firmer and stronger. His tongue slid over my lips, first the top and then the bottom before he darted inside and his tongue danced with mine, played and teased every square inch of my mouth. It was divine. It was heart stopping. Panty melting. Earth fucking shattering.

All of my senses were on high alert when his hands cupped my face and held me so he could deepen the kiss. I thought what he’d done before was what it felt like to be devoured, until he actually fucking devoured me. Made sweet, dirty love to my mouth until every nerve ending in my body stood on end, poised for explosion.

I tried to step back and break the kiss, but there was nothing but wall behind me. Hell, in front of me too. Blake’s mouth continued to lay claim to mine until my body shook and vibrated with need. It was too much.

It wasn’t enough.

I pulled back anyway and it smacked on the wall for good measure.

“Why’d you do that?” He frowned, pouted adorably at the broken kiss. “It was just starting to get really good.” His smile returned, hot and charming.

“I know,” I told him, my fingers grazing over lips that still tingled from his kiss. “That’s why I stopped it.”

“Scared of all this chemistry?”

I laughed, placed my hand on his chest and shoved him away to give myself some space. “You really are unbelievable.” And very close to the truth.

“It’s true, I am. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.” He winked and his gaze went right to my lips like he was picturing the hottest kiss I’d ever experienced. “I demand a rematch, Poppy.”

I laughed. “We’ll see, Blake.” I moved him towards the door, eager to have the place to myself so I could clear my head. And yeah, maybe relive that kiss a time or ten. “The night wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

He frowned again. “Then I need to make sure next time is better than ‘not that bad’, don’t I?”

“No! That wasn’t an-,” he stepped out the door and closed it. “invitation.”

After that kiss, I knew one thing for certain.

I needed to keep my distance from Blake Sayers.