CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Vaughn

Cora crushed her lips against Vaughn’s, pushing her tongue into his mouth with an urgency he craved. Her hand wrapped around his neck, her nails digging into his skin with a sublime pressure.

The Latin beauty had taken over his dreams every night, leaving his dick wanting every morning. He certainly didn’t expect her to jump him like this the second he opened the door at her knock.

Not that he minded. She tasted like chocolate mocha and cinnamon.

Once again, his cock stood at full attention, just from her body pressed against his.

“Good morning to you, too,” he finally managed when he could take a breath.

She grinned. Her adorable sweetheart-neckline black shirt accentuated her cleavage just enough to make him drool. Her high ponytail with the large curls at the ends skimmed just between her shoulder blades.

Licking her bottom lip, her gaze drifted to the erection against his jeans. “I’m pretty happy to see you, too.”

He hummed his approval, and kissed her again, taking his time at tasting her more thoroughly. “Do you have time for a not-too-quickie?”

Cora shrugged. “Twist my arm.”

Her fingers went to work unbuttoning his steel blue shirt, as he unzipped her dark jeans. The fabric fell away from his shoulders, and her nails scraped down his bare abs.

Everything in his body hummed. The anticipation of another romp with Cora Castillo nearly made his not-too-quickie turn into way-too-quickie. They tangoed backward step by step, her three-inch black heels clicking along the hardwood.

He pulled the bottom of her shirt up over her head, and nearly groaned out loud at the sight. Her satin black bra hugged her breasts so beautifully, laces crisscrossing the front like a mini-corset.

The sweet perfume intensified when he ducked his head to kiss along her skin.

“Are you all set for tonight?”

Cora pulled back, her glorious lips swollen from his kisses, and her face flushed with arousal. She pressed a finger to the corner of his mouth, licking her lip as she traced his. “The less you know, the better. Plausible deniability.”

His hot cheeks started to cool with that statement. The firm reminder that she was going to be doing something questionable…something dangerous, while he danced away with clients for whom he had no feelings…started to chill his bones.

She dropped her hand. “Yeah, kind of kills the mood, doesn’t it?”

With a deep breath, Vaughn kissed her knuckles. “Probably a good thing. If we’re both supposed to keep our heads on straight.”

“Speaking of which…” She reached into her back pocket, and pulled out a folded envelope. “Your payment for tonight.”

He frowned. “Portia Conway’s the one hiring me.”

“A bonus, then.”

The taste of her mouth lingered on his lips. Staring at the envelope in her hand made his gut twist. “I’d rather not.”

Her delectable smile slipped. “Then, how about as payment for your hour in the coffee shop with Conway?”

The twisting still didn’t go away. He grabbed the envelope and tossed it on his couch. Money from Cora didn’t feel right.

Not anymore. Not for this.

If Vaughn could just forget the Knight business between them, how they started out…

Maybe holding her against him, he could get that hot, lustful mood to return.

He pulled her in close until her breasts pushed up against his pecs. Smothering her mouth with a deep kiss certainly brought back his passion. And hers.

She reached down and grabbed his hard-on though his pants, squeezing in her tight grasp. His sac tightened, and his tongue dived deeper into her mouth.

A chirp rang through the room, and she pulled away. “Damn,” Cora whispered.

Incoming text on her phone.

A few quick taps on the screen, and she read the message. Standing there in just her bra, pants, and ponytail, her intimidating factor increased ten-fold, typing back a text with lightning fast fingers. When she finished, she shoved her phone back in her pocket. Her deep sigh tightened around his heart. “Look, after tonight…I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Maybe nothing. I might not find what I’m looking for, and I’m back to square one. Or, I might find it, and this could lead to much bigger doors for my career.”

No shocker where this speech was headed. Had heard it before. Hell, Vaughn had said something similar, back when he played football in college. Translation. This could be her last night in Texas. The last time he’d ever see her.

This was the first time hearing the speech where it started to make his chest ache.

“Who knows where this could lead?” Her expression melted into something apologetic, and a few sad wrinkles appeared at her eyes.

Normally, he’d steer clear of these serious conversations. He’d have been ecstatic over this fling with no strings clinging to his heart. Yet, in one of those wet-dreams this week, he and Cora were older, together, in the clichéd suburban house with a giant rock on her finger. Deliriously, happily married. He’d never felt better any other morning.

Going with the flow this time didn’t seem as satisfying, as it had been all the previous years.

Vaughn swallowed back his words and took her hand.

She tightened her grip around his, as he kissed her fingertips.

He wouldn’t take this dream away from her. This was her whole life, something she was passionate over. More passionate than anyone he’d ever met.

More than that, he couldn’t risk the rejection.

“But I want to thank you,” she continued. “For agreeing to help me. I’m not sure I would’ve reached this point without it.”

He smiled, and pressed her hand against his chest, over his heart. “I’m sure you would’ve. One way or another. I hope you get everything you’re looking for tonight.” With a touch of his forehead to hers, he closed his eyes. “Because you deserve it.”