Chapter Seven
COLTON
"Why?" I asked, standing straighter and rolling my chair a few inches away. I couldn't think straight. That damn perfume was messing with my senses and my mind.
"Because I think it will help me understand how you think. I've never worked with a CEO before who was also a scientist. A lot of your emails deal with your lab work."
"I don't allow many people in my lab."
She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not going to give away any company secrets, Colton. I just think it would help me help you, but if you insist that it's not something you want to do…"
I abruptly rose from my chair. "Let's go."
"Wow, that was fast." She jumped to her feet. "Let's go before you change your mind."
There was a risk of that. Very few people had ever been inside the lab. It was a place where I could simply be quiet with my thoughts just as much as it was a place of work for me. Sometimes I did non-research work there too.
I led her out of the office. She walked in front of me, and I drank in the way her ass and hips swayed. She looked delicious in those high heels.
She's here to help you manage the workload, Colton, and that's it. Don't mess things up.
I needed to have a serious chat with my grandmother. She couldn't go around saying stuff like that. Apparently, her words got stuck in my brain, and I was thinking things I had no business thinking.
Maybe 5 percent of my employees had ever stepped inside the lab. There was simply no need for them to do so. The research facilities were on the second floor, and all the scientists had their own private work areas. There was rarely a need for anyone to come into mine.
I activated the biometric security with my retina, and the door opened. Out of reflex, I took the white coat from the hook, then put it back.
"Do you need to put that on? Do you need to give me something for protection?" Zoey asked.
"No, that was just a reflex."
She looked around the room. "I was expecting something different."
I laughed. "I think most people would when they think about a lab. This is where I do all of my research work, sometimes even other types of work."
"How come none of your other brothers got involved in biotech?" she asked.
"I was the only one with an interest. Besides, Whitley Industries is large enough that we needed all of my brothers to cover each company. And my half brothers too."
She glanced from the whiteboard to me. "Half brothers?"
I scrutinized her. She was genuinely curious. "Yes. I've got three."
"Would you prefer to change the topic?"
"That obvious?"
"Your tone just got more clipped. You’ve suddenly got about 5,000 percent more frown lines. If that's not a sign, then I don't know what is. So, let me see if I’ve got this right. In case I don't find you in your office, I should come here and search for you?"
"Or you can just text me."
"You've got a signal in this bunker?"
I nodded. "Yes. I don't like to be cut off from the world. Sometimes I spend hours here. If something happened to my grandparents, or there’s an emergency, I need to be available."
Her features softened. She came up next to me at the lab table, putting both her hands on the edge and leaning slightly forward, glancing around the room. From that position, I had a good view of her from above. Without even trying, I could see down her shirt, and she looked amazing.
I quickly snapped my gaze away. Fucking hell, I needed to get myself under control. I simply couldn't lust after Zoey. I wasn't my father.
She turned around, sitting against the edge of the lab table and crossing her arms over her chest, which pushed her breasts upward.
I drew in a sharp breath. She glanced at me, but I didn't look away this time.
All thoughts blurred. I didn't care about my rules.
Hell, I couldn't even remember them at the moment.
All I wanted was to taste her, capture her mouth, possess it.
I tilted forward, and she parted her lips, eyes wide with surprise.
The second my lips connected with hers, she opened up to me.
Fucking hell, I needed this. I needed her.
Her mouth was warm and inviting, and I couldn't get enough.
She tasted amazing. The sounds she made were downright delicious.
Her moans were low, but they vibrated through my body, going straight to my cock.
I was going to get hard if I kept kissing her, yet I couldn't stop.
I wanted to deepen the kiss and increase her pleasure.
The more I explored her, the more I wanted to keep doing it.
A groan tore through me, though I wasn't sure if it was hers or mine. I put a hand on her waist, moving slightly upward, brushing my thumb on the lower edge of her bra. She rewarded me with the most delicious moan and then gasped, pulling her hand back. I swallowed hard, looking at her.
"Colton," she murmured.
"Zoey."
"I don't know what to say."
"I don't usually do this."
"What, kiss women in your lab? Is this your secret spot?"
I took a step back. "No, I've never brought a woman here."
She narrowed her eyes. "I'm tempted to tease you that that sounds like a line, but I'm sensing that you're really getting upset. You just gave me a smoking-hot kiss, yet all those frown lines are right back where they were before."
"Zoey." I moved closer to her again. "I don't do this."
"Yes, well, we all do things we're not supposed to," she murmured.
I wanted to explain, but the words didn't come easily to me. I wasn't used to having to explain myself to others. Usually I did as I pleased and didn't care what others thought about me, but I didn't want her to think I was an asshole. "Do you have plans for tonight?"
"That escalated quickly."
"That's not what I meant." She was too full of sass, but I couldn't deny that I liked it. "Why don't I take you out to dinner and explain?"
"Why you're still brooding despite the smoking-hot kiss?" She grinned. I had the feeling that nothing could deter her. I’d never met someone who simply rolled with the punches like Zoey, joking at every turn. "Unless you want to have your ass kicked by my brothers, tonight's not a good night."
"Why not?" I asked.
"I'm going out with them for drinks. They wouldn't take it lightly if I cancel at the last minute, and especially not if I do that because I want to get down and dirty with my newest client."
My cock twitched on the word dirty. I drew in a sharp breath and then kissed her again. I needed another taste. This was even more delicious than the one before.
She pressed herself into me, putting her hand on my shoulder and running it up until she reached my neck, then dug her fingers into the back of my head and groaned. I realized she was pushing herself forward on her toes so she could reach me better. She was much smaller than me.
I lifted her off her feet, putting her on the lab desk and spreading her thighs open, then stepped closer to her. Something tore, and then she gasped, pulling back.
"Holy shit." I stepped backward, and she jumped right off the table. "That's my skirt.” She ran her hand over her thigh. “It's okay. Just a small tear at the seam."
"I'm sorry about that," I said. "I didn't realize."
"No problem," she said. "No one’s ever kissed me so hard that I forgot what I was doing. That makes you the first one."
I swallowed hard, barely keeping myself from pinning her against the table.
"Let me make it up to you," I insisted.
"Oh, you will, don't worry. And if you forget, I’ll promptly remind you, but right now I really have to go. I need to change, or my brothers will ask what's wrong with my skirt.”
“I’ll walk you to the elevator.”
She beamed. “There’s no need for that. Besides, you look like you’re having dangerous ideas.”
“Fucking dangerous,” I confirmed as she backed toward the door.
“See?” She opened the door. “Good night, Colton."
"Good night, Zoey.”