Chapter 2 #3
Her gaze dropped to the tablet.
I didn’t push.
Instead, I asked, “What about Omaha?”
“What about it?”
“Do you like it?”
Her smile returned.
“Yes. It’s home.”
“Tell me something about it I wouldn’t know.”
She thought.
“In winter, people will complain for three straight months about the cold and then get personally offended if anyone from another state complains about Nebraska.”
I laughed.
“That seems irrational.”
“It is. We take pride in it.”
“And what would surprise you about Dubai?”
She gestured around the room.
“I’m currently sitting in a sheikh’s private residence debating cat names after spending the day telling his executives how to change an advertising campaign. My surprise capacity is fairly occupied.”
“You make me sound like any sheikh.”
Her cheeks pinkened.
“You are one.”
“This morning you were instructed to remember that.”
“I apologized.”
“And then immediately went back to Tariq.”
“You said I could.”
“I did.”
Her gaze held mine.
Her smile faded, and the silence stretched between us.
No staff remained inside. The doors were open, and security stood beyond the private hallway, but we were alone enough that the air between us felt charged.
I had wanted her since she walked into yesterday’s meeting.
“There’s something I want, Chrissy.”
She swallowed before I said another word, and my pulse kicked harder.
“I want to kiss you.”
Her breath shortened.
“But I don’t want you wondering whether saying no changes anything about this week. It doesn’t. Not your work, your room, your transportation, or StayWell’s relationship with my company.”
“I know that.”
“I need you to be sure.”
Her fingers curled around the arm of her chair.
“I’m attracted to you.”
Heat tightened low in my body.
“And that makes you nervous?”
“It’s fast.”
“I know it is.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“It bothers me a little.”
I nodded.
“Then we stop here.”
Her eyes widened.
“I didn’t say I wanted you to stop.”
I remained where I was.
“Then tell me what you do want.”
She stood.
So did I.
“I’m nervous.”
She came around the table.
“And I still want you to kiss me.”
I looked down at her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.”
She closed the last step herself.
I cupped the side of her neck and kissed her.
Chrissy made a soft sound against my mouth.
This sound was nothing like breakfast. This one was for me.
Her hands caught the front of my clothes, then slid upward over my chest as she kissed me back.
She was sweet for less than three seconds.
Then she opened beneath my mouth and met my tongue with hers.
Fuck.
I wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her against me.
Her breasts pressed into my chest, and the hard length of my cock pressed against her hips.
Chrissy gasped.
I kissed her harder.
She rose onto her toes and slid one hand into my hair.
Her hand went exactly where I’d wanted mine that morning.
I went rigid beneath her touch, and her fingers tightened.
I backed her one step until the backs of her knees touched the low table, then stopped.
One more second with her against me would make it harder to stop at all.
Chrissy’s lips were swollen when I lifted my mouth from hers.
Her blue eyes opened slowly.
“That was...”
I brushed my thumb once along the side of her neck.
“Finish the sentence.”
She gave me a breathless laugh.
“I was going to say intense.”
“Was it too intense?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
I kissed her once more, slower this time.
Then I stepped back.
Confusion crossed her face.
“You’re stopping now?”
“I am.”
“Why are you stopping?”
I could already imagine spreading her across the nearest surface, but she’d told me this was fast and that it made her nervous.
“You said this is fast.”
“It still is.”
“I heard you.”
Her expression softened.
I took another step away before I changed my mind.
“I’m not asking you for one night, Chrissy.”
Her lips parted.
I continued.
“I’m also not asking you to decide anything tonight. But I won’t pretend I’m interested in taking you to bed once and behaving as though this meant nothing afterward.”
She went still.
“That’s a terrifying thing to say after one kiss.”
I smiled.
“I knew it before the kiss.”
“That’s not less terrifying.”
“I suppose it isn’t.”
She laughed softly.
Then she was quiet for a long moment.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
“You’re working on a hotel campaign.”
She almost smiled.
“And apparently collecting stray cats.”
“You’re doing that too.”
“And kissing the client.”
“Only one client, I hope.”
She laughed again.
I wanted to kiss her for it.
I didn’t.
Chrissy picked up her tablet.
“I think I should go to my room before my decision-making gets worse.”
“That might be wise.”
She paused near the door and turned back to me.
“Thank you for the cat.”
I inclined my head.
“And for stopping.”
“You’re welcome.”
She smiled at me.
“Good night.”
“Good night, Chrissy.”
I listened to her footsteps disappear toward the guest wing.
Following her would have been easy.
Staying where I was took more effort.
Tomorrow, I wanted Chrissy to walk into a room because she wanted to be there.
I wanted her to call me Tariq again.
And when I kissed her next, I wanted another yes.