Chapter 6 #2
Desiree felt her breath catch in her lungs, and she had to force herself to breathe.
She frowned at Cobra, wondering what game he was playing.
Hadn’t he taken a vow of celibacy? If that was true, he sure wasn’t acting like it.
But then he hadn’t asked her to share a bed with him. He only wanted a kiss.
“Have you forgotten we don’t like each other?” she asked. He thought her mouth was fascinating. She could certainly say the same about his.
“I think we can put the dislike aside for one kiss, Desiree.”
“What makes you think I want to kiss a man I don’t even like?”
A smile touched the corners of his lips. “You might not like me, but you’ll like my kiss.”
This was madness. She should ask him to leave, then call her grandfather and ask for Ron to pick her up as planned.
What was Cobra thinking, showing up here with such foolishness on his mind?
All that confidence and charm had gone to his head.
Did he think she would be so easily persuaded to give him whatever he wanted?
“And what if I don’t like it?”
“You will.”
God, Cobra was as conceited as they came. In fact, his arrogance reminded her of Aimery’s. But then, according to what the women in the ladies’ room said, it seemed that, unlike Aimery, Cobra was a good lover. An incredible one, even.
“You are so sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Let’s just say I’ve never heard a woman complain.”
Desiree thought back to how it had been with Aimery.
She’d actually thought herself frigid for a while.
Thanks to Camille, she had discovered that several women had a lot to say about Aimery’s selfishness in bed, but he never knew because they faked their orgasms. The last thing they wanted was to miss out on all the lavish gifts he often gave his lovers.
She hadn’t needed or wanted his gifts and had refused to fake anything in the bedroom.
“A lot of men think they’re hot simply because very few women have the courage to tell them they are not,” she said.
By his frown, she could tell he didn’t like her questioning his virility. “Do you want me to prove it?” he asked.
Desiree rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You just met me Saturday, Cobra, and today is Thursday. We haven’t even known each other a week.”
“And that’s supposed to mean something? I’m not asking you to go to bed with me, Desiree. All I want is a kiss.”
Although he didn’t know it, she knew why he wasn’t trying to sleep with her. The conversation she’d overheard that day in the ladies’ room had been fortuitous. Still, she couldn’t resist asking, “And what if you can’t stop after a kiss, Cobra?”
“I’ll stop, trust me.”
“You sound pretty sure of yourself.”
“No reason for me not to be.”
She held his gaze for a moment. “So you don’t think I’m capable of driving you insane with desire? Of pushing you over the edge of lust to the point of no return?” Although Aimery had claimed she’d lacked skills in the bedroom, he’d always seemed to enjoy her kisses.
Cobra stood and slowly walked over to her desk, standing beside her chair. Her heart rate had increased with every step he took. “There is no doubt in my mind that I’ll likely want more than a kiss, and there’s a strong chance I’ll be tempted to talk you into giving me more. But I won’t.”
“Why not?” she asked. Would he tell her the reason?
“Because all I want to do is kiss you.”
“Is the fact that I’m Richard’s granddaughter stopping you from wanting more?”
“No. You’re an adult who can make your own decisions. I believe Richard would respect that.”
Desiree believed that as well. But he still wasn’t giving her a straight answer—the answer she already knew.
To him, this was all about emotional gaslighting—a type of psychological manipulation that some men used.
Thanks to Camille, Desiree knew more about the workings of the human mind than most people.
Right now, she wasn’t sure just what he was up to or what nonsense he was thinking of using on her.
But whatever his plan, Cobra would soon find out she was a worthy opponent.
She was a Sharpe. And it wasn’t just her name.
Like the other definition of ‘sharp’, she was quick-witted, perceptive, and able to think on her feet. And she wasn’t afraid to draw blood.
Pushing her chair back, she stood in front of him. When he took a step toward her, she held her ground. “One kiss, Cobra, and that’s it.”
A smile touched his lips. “One kiss, Desiree, unless you ask for more. However, I give you my word, kisses are all we will share. I won’t take you on this desk. No matter how tempted I might be.”
“Take me on this desk? Hmmm… Why not? It sounds rather intriguing.”
He stared at her, and she could tell her response hadn’t been what he’d expected.
He’d obviously assumed she would resist such an idea, at least display indignation that he had said such a thing, but she hadn’t.
Her accepting attitude to what he’d said had surprised him and, at the same time, had seemed to spark something within him.
She picked up on the way his breathing had changed.
Not only that, but the look in his eyes had darkened, making him look aroused, dangerous… and oh, so tempting.
The mischievous side of her couldn’t resist poking the bear even further to see how much control he had. Why not? Hadn’t he planned to do the same thing to her? Test her control, while having no intention of doing more than kissing her? Well, two could certainly play his game.
“Desiree?”
Why did he have to say her name in such a deep, sexy tone? “Yes?” He didn’t say anything as he continued to stare at her. Was he going to tell her why he wouldn’t take things beyond kissing? About his vow of celibacy?
Instead, he said, “The timing to do more isn’t right for us now.”
“Why not?” she asked again. She decided that if he didn’t answer honestly this time, she wouldn’t ask him again.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he shifted closer, bringing his face just inches from hers. Before she could release her next breath, he captured her mouth with his.