Chapter 5
He could picture her beneath him, their bodies intimately joined. He knew how good it would feel, better than anyone before her.
He was still kissing her, seemingly unable to stop. Hell, who was he kidding? He didn’t want to stop. He grabbed her ass and pulled her against him.
Why couldn't he feel this rush of lust for someone else, anyone else?
There was sex in his life — plenty of sex — and no shortage of women looking to be the next one.
And he liked each one of those women, enjoyed fucking them like any red-blooded American male would.
But this one, this one woman, got him hotter than a frying pan left on the fire.
He'd even wondered if it was her or the fact that he couldn't have her that did it to him. Not that he would ever be able to tell the difference between the two, because he never had any intention of acting on his desire.
Of course, he never expected Charlotte to show up at his stateroom asking him to sleep with her.
For a week.
The thought sent another rush of blood to his already engorged cock. He turned her around and pressed her against the desk, moving his hips and thrusting against her backside while he kissed her neck. Reason shot through his brain like lightning through metal.
Think about what happens if you do this.
There was her brother Logan, who might get over it and might not. HERO Force was about to become Cowboy's responsibility, and if he slept with Charlotte, he would be alienating one of his own men. At least, potentially so.
And what about Charlotte? She said she was only interested in a fling, one week of sex with no strings attached for the future. But could he trust her to let it go at that?
He wasn’t relationship material. He was the fun guy. Happy to get you through a rebound or a weekend and not so happy to stick around. That was for guys with their heads screwed on straight and the ability to take care of another person in the long-term.
That was not Cowboy.
She twisted around and touched his erection, making him jolt. He grabbed her shoulders and held her just inches from him.
“This is not a good idea,” he said.
Her stare fell to his lips, and he could feel them tingling.
“I didn't say it was a good idea, Leo. But it sure as hell sounds like a lot of fun. Look at what we do to each other. I’m so turned on I could fuck you right now.”
What a dirty mouth, and he loved it. Would she talk dirty in bed, too? Tell him how to treat her? His cock was throbbing, pressed up against the fly of his jeans and screaming to be set free.
Abby was with the royals until dinner.
Don't tell me you're really considering this.
But he was, God help him, he was. Abby wouldn't even have to know Charlotte was here.
Abby. Shit. “The woman who's here with me on the ship might end up working for HERO Force.”
“So don’t tell her I’m Logan’s sister. Problem solved.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is if you let it be, Leo.”
He still held her shoulders, and she leaned into him, keeping up the pressure. He was just about to give in to his desire when it struck him.
She will be your downfall.
He froze. He was on the cusp of attaining everything he’d ever wanted, more than he’d ever thought he deserved, and having sex with Logan’s sister would be the thing to start the avalanche he knew was coming.
All of it would go away. His promotion. HERO Force. The only things he’d ever been good at. He had to make her understand.
“I don’t want to do this, Charlotte.”
“You don’t want to?” She raised her eyebrows and leaned back. Her cheeks flushed and she was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her, even as he watched his words register on her features.
He’d hurt her feelings. He could feel it, feel the air between them growing cold, and he longed to reach out and take it back, make it better. “I’m sorry, Charlotte.”
She moved to the other side of the room and turned on him.
“You are so full of shit,” she said, pointing her finger at him.
“You want me so bad you can barely keep your dick in your pants. Why don’t you admit you’re a coward who’s too afraid to go for what you want instead of pretending you don’t want to fuck me? Because clearly that isn’t true.”
His feet were moving, his better judgement no longer in control of his body. She was fiery, and an answering fire leaped to life inside him. “Fine. I want you, Charlotte. I want to fuck you so badly I could push you down on that bed and hike up your skirt and ride you until you scream.
“But I don’t want to alienate your brother, who you know full well would be upset as all hell to know you’re here, and I don’t want to screw up this mission because I’m distracted or because I left a newbie in charge so I could get laid, and I don’t want to lose Jax’s respect right before he makes me commander of HERO Force.
It’s too important to me. Can’t you understand that, Charlotte? Or does that just make me a coward?”
She walked to the couch, picked up her purse and turned toward the door, looking back as she reached for the knob. “I’ll see you around, Leo.” She walked out, slamming the door behind her.
“I’m sorry,” he said to the empty room. “Fuck!”