Selling Seduction (Your Ad Here #1) (16 page)

Hating you.
The words hit Ian harder than he thought possible, wrenching everything inside. “I’m sorry. Flowery words and rambling aside, I really am. My merger offer is independent of my apology, and something I know will take time—and that’s only if you agree. But both are sincere. Completely and honestly.”

“I know. And I mean it that I’ll look at everything. One of us has to be a rational adult about this.” A teasing glint tugged up the corners of her eyes.

He was going to push his luck a little harder. “So… losing sleep over me. That means I’m not the only one hooked.”

“No comment.” Her growing amusement was broken by another yawn.

“You need your rest. Do you want to get out of here?”

“I’m good…” Another yawn. “Or maybe not so much.”

He tossed some money on the table. “Did you drive? Are you okay to make it back to your hotel?”

“I caught a cab.”

“Come on.” He took her belongings from the back of her seat, nudged her to stand, and helped her shrug her coat on. “I’ll take you back. Where are you staying?”

“Airport Super 8.” She laughed.

“Did I miss something?”

“No.” She slid her hand into his. Despite the chill on her still-cold fingers, a jolt of heat raced through him. His pulse sped another notch when she leaned her head on his shoulder as they headed outside. “I was thinking… I used to wonder what it would be like to have someone dote on me the way you do on Liz.” Her voice was tired.

He didn’t know how he missed that before. “I don’t
dote.
”

“Whatever. You do.”

He wasn’t in the mood to argue, even over something small. “And that’s funny?”

“No.” She leaned more of her weight against him. “But now I know how it feels. It’s pretty fucking nice.”

Letting go of her so she could hop into the SUV made him itch for her touch. He was addicted. She didn’t let go of his hand yet. She kept her legs dangling outside the car and tugged him to stand between them. “I have a favor to ask.” The bravado vanished from her voice.

“Of course. Anything. You have to know that.”

“I assumed you’d say that, but don’t promise me the world yet.”

He was willing to. The thought hit him hard and rocketed from his hair to his toes. He wasn’t sure what to do with the information. “What is it?”

“Stay with me tonight?” She studied him through her lashes. Fuck. She wore
demure
as well as she did everything else.

“You need your sleep,” he said.

“And I’ll get it.” She tugged him closer and rested her forehead on his chest, muffling her words. Her hot breath seeped through his shirt and teased his skin. “That’s why it’s a selfish request. I won’t be very good company.”

He kissed the top of her head, drawing the moment in his mind and sealing it there. “Of course I will. Always.”

* * * *

Mercy leaned into Ian, as he glided his lips down the back of her neck. God. He was good at that.

“I have to go into the office.” His words vibrated against her skin.

It was barely six. She didn’t realize people got up this early and stayed sane—except Liz.

Mercy felt better than she had in ages. Even weirder, after expecting to be up half the night despite her exhaustion, she’d passed out by nine. It turned out that having Ian there—not fighting how much she liked him; the peace that came from lying in his arms—was rather relaxing.

She tilted her head, to give him a better angle. “If you were the boss, maybe you could make your own hours.”

“These
are
my hours.” He kissed along her shoulder and trailed his fingers down her arm. “Are you going to be gone and vanished into the deep recesses of another state, before my work day is over?” His voice hitched at the end of the question.

She wasn’t going back. The thought was there since she touched down yesterday, and niggled at her even before then. She wasn’t sure she was ready to tell him that yet. “My ticket is for Thursday afternoon.”

“Another day.” He gripped her hip “Leave room for me in your schedule. I want to see you tonight.” He pressed closer, as if to emphasize his point, and his hard length teased her.

“You don’t want to see me right now?” Uncertainty loomed, but much of the stress was behind her. It left room for a playful spark inside. She shifted enough to roll onto her back, so she could see him. She inched up the bottom of her shirt, but stopped when it was halfway up her ribs.

He groaned and settled his palm on her stomach. “I have to work.”

“So you’d leave me here all alone?” She pulled off her top and tossed it aside. “Naked and unsupervised?”

“Only for the day. I’ll be back tonight.” In a single motion, he shifted his weight enough to hold her in place and pinned her hands above her head. He scraped his teeth along her collarbone.

She squirmed underneath him, not to get free, but because the friction danced along her skin, lighting her senses on fire. “But that’s so
long
.” She stretched out the word and rubbed her hip against his cock. Her panties and his boxers didn’t provide much of a barrier. “It’ll be so
hard
to wait.”

“You should have thought of that before you started undressing.” He blew across one nipple, never making contact, and it hardened to a nub.

Dampness grew between her legs, which slipped and slid each time she shifted position. “You’ve got five minutes, right? It’s still early.”

“If you get me started, I’m not going to want to walk away.”

“We’re already started.”

“How about this, then? I want to take my time with you. Five minutes is a joke.”

She worked one hand free and grabbed him through his shorts. She stroked his length, languishing in the chills his moans sent through her. “Big words, big guy. Do you have the stamina to back it up?” She’d let him leave, but he didn’t seem more interested in doing so than she was in watching him go.

He knelt, and let go of her hand, as he wedged one knee between her legs. “Is that a challenge?”

“I don’t know. I’d hate to keep you from work.”

He cupped one of her breasts and grazed his thumb over the rigid peak. She twisted against the rough contact, whimpering for more.

“Still want me to leave?” His voice rolled deep and low through her body.

“I’m pretty sure I was the one who wanted you to stay a little longer…” She sighed when he lowered his head and flicked his tongue over her other nipple.

He nipped at the sensitive skin with his teeth, then alternated between sucking and licking. Need spiraled through her, traveling to her gut and pooling between her legs. She writhed beneath him, trying to draw closer one moment and wriggling to get away the next, when he hit the right nerves and pleasure spiked through her. She wasn’t sure how long he spent alternating between her breasts, lavishing them with attention. Her head grew light, and she shifted closer to the leg just out of reach of her aching core.

When she thought he couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled away. Disbelief and cold air spilled over her but didn’t cool the heat begging for more.

She grabbed his hand when he tried to rise from the bed. “Wait.” It was a struggle to force the word through her dry throat. “Where are you going?”

“Condom.”

“I don’t care.” The frantic desire inside wasn’t willing to wait the few seconds this conversation took. “IUD. I’m safe.”

“Me too.”

“Forget it, then.”

As he drew his mouth along her collarbone, up her jaw, and to her lips, he murmured, “And here I thought you couldn’t get sexier.”

“You’re biased.” She arched her back at each feather-light kiss and caress.

“Yup.” He stripped off her panties, knelt between her legs again, and supported his weight with one hand near her head. He fisted his cock and dragged the head along her slit. “Fuck, you’re soaked.”

The teasing made it hard to think, especially when he bumped her clit. She thrust, to get closer, and he drew away, dipping near her opening before sliding back up.

She couldn’t find a response. “More?”

“You’ll have to be specific.” He bumped her throbbing button again but didn’t move away. When he pumped his hand, stroking his cock, he hit her clit at a delicious angle.

She gripped the sheets, clenching her hands until her knuckles ached, focused on the pressure building inside. “That’s good.”

“Like this?” He rubbed faster, jerking them both off at the same time.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Orgasm built inside, slow and steady, nudging her closer to the edge with each bump. As he increased his speed, she struggled to catch her breath, grinding and panting.

When she peaked, climax tearing through her, he pushed inside with a hard thrust.

Being stretched out as she came, feeling him hammer the right spot, drew out her pleasure. One moment faded into the next, and she lost herself in the bliss rolling through her.

There was no way she could walk away from this. From him. And it wasn’t just how in sync they were in bed—though that helped.

He kissed her hard, still slamming against her, steadily and with hungry intensity. The kiss filled her with all the pleasantness since they found each other again. Each moment of joy, laugh, and exquisite thrill.

She definitely couldn’t give him up.

Ian clenched his jaw, to keep from coming too soon. He wanted this to stretch forever. Or at least, as long as possible. This wasn’t an intense lust-fueled fuckfest, like they shared in the past. Though it was fierce, this was making love.
Wow.
He really did love her. The parting of her lips, as she drew close to climax again. Her hair fanned around her on the pillow. That he was late for work, and he’d still stick around to talk, enjoying every minute of it.

“God, Ian.” Even the way she gasped his name sent tendrils of pleasure snaking through him. She arched her back under him, wrists straining against his grip, but not to get away. “You feel so amazing.”

She tightened around him when she came, clenching, teasing, and grinding against him. He pounded harder, falling into the ecstasy, thoughts turning to vapor, until all that remained was him and her. His grunts melded to a single groan when he spilled inside her. He still didn’t want to stop, but as release flowed through him, the frantic thrusting ebbed and faded. He rested his hands on both sides of her head and kissed her, before leaning his forehead against hers. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

“Shameless flatterer.” She smiled and nudged him, prompting him to roll onto his side, so he could still see her.

He couldn’t let her get away. It would suck, sending her back home tomorrow. Again. But he needed something more from her than
long distance doesn’t work.
“I mean every word of it. I also mean it when I say I love you.”

“I—” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and pulled her gaze from his. “You need to get to the office, not run my company into the ground before I get to it.”

Not the response he hoped for, but he wasn’t done yet. The hint of numbness spreading through him was misplaced. He’d rather feel this than block it out, even if things between them ended up not working. They would go the way he wanted though. “Soon. First, though, I know you keep telling me it won’t work, but I’m stubborn.”

“You? Nah.” She gave a short laugh.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m going to ask one more time—reconsider trying things out, long distance. I’m not ready to give up on us, and I can wait for you to get there.”

“No.” She pulled her gaze from his and moved away, before grabbing a long T-shirt from the top of her luggage. “No. I won’t.”

This was too much. Maybe he didn’t want to experience the heartache after all. He was so sure… The hurt started in his chest and spread through his body.

“We don’t need to,” she said, before he could find a response.

His thoughts slid like socks on linoleum, unable to find purchase. “What?”

“I’m moving back here.”

Agony flipped to hope and lifted his heart. “What?” He still couldn’t manage anything more intelligent.

“I haven’t told anyone yet. I decided last night. This is home, and Atlanta isn’t. I’ve fought it for so long, but being back here… I miss it. I miss Liz and getting to know my little sister… And I’d miss you.”

That was closer to what he hoped to hear. Fuck. This was a million times better, in a lot of ways. “Move in with me,” he said. It was impulsive, like so much of his time with her, but it felt right.

“Ian…” She still didn’t look at him. “What if it doesn’t work out? You’re putting a lot of everything into this.”

“I’m not worried. If it falls apart, it’ll be a hell of a ride. But it won’t. We’ll be amazing together. I love you, and you love me.” He wasn’t sure about that last bit, but he had a pretty good feeling it was true.

“You’re that certain?” Something was off about her voice.

He climbed from the bed. “Yes.” He knelt in front of her and realized she wore a giant grin

She met his gaze. “You’re an arrogant ass. You know that, don’t you?”

Relief filled him. “I’ve heard it before.”

“You’re right, though. I do love you. I hate the idea of not knowing when or if I’ll see you again. And I can’t give you up.”

Hearing her say the words buoyed him in a way he didn’t think possible. He felt so light he might float away. “Is that a
yes
, to the moving in?”

“And a tentative
yes
to the merger. And a God-damn-fucking-straight I want to see you tonight.”

He knotted his fingers in her hair, rose to eye level, and crushed his mouth to hers until she was the only thing in the world. When they broke apart, it was with a gasp.

She laid soft kisses along his mouth. “You really should get to work.” Her tone was light and playful.

“I am. Have your lawyer call mine?”

“You say the sexiest things. And okay.”

This was insane. All of it impulsive and unplanned and completely open to go wrong. Ian wasn’t worried. As he studied Mercy—her bright gaze, her flushed and swollen lips—he’d never been more certain he was doing the right thing.

* * * *

One month later

Mercy resisted the urge to adjust her stockings. Again. The pencil skirt felt too tight, the matching jacket too restrictive in the shoulders, and the silk shirt underneath was suffocating.

Liz said she needed to look nice, though. As much as Mercy put on a bold face and insisted over and over she had this covered—she could do professional—she was still terrified. Last time this much anxiousness filled her, eighteen-year-old her was hopping on a plane to South America and leaving her past behind.

She licked her lips, but it didn’t help bring the moisture back into her mouth. It wasn’t as though she thought this was a bad idea. The opposite. She struggled to believe it had gone so well up to this point. The contracts were in place, the details ironed out, and her attorney assured her she didn’t surrender any autonomy in this deal.

One of the paralegals led Mercy and her lawyer into a conference room, and Mercy’s pulse hammered in her ears. Ian already sat at the table, next to his own representative. Seeing him helped relieve some of the tension, especially with the smile he flashed her as everyone shook hands.

A notary and witnesses were there. It was Mercy’s understanding that this type of paperwork was usually signed with the interested parties in separate rooms, at different times, and everything was assembled afterward. She wanted Ian with her, though. His presence was comforting, despite the stuffy professional atmosphere sucking the life from the air.

For the next hour and a half, people pointed at signature lines, skipped over so much of the relevant information in their contracts, and asked them both to pen things. She knew what was in the documents; she’d scoured them for weeks.

When it was all done, her wrist ached, and the adrenaline coursing through her had dulled to a raw gnawing in her gut.

People shook hands again, congratulations were passed around, and Ian’s lawyer told him he could have the room if he needed to finish anything up.

The moment the door closed after the last person, leaving Ian and Mercy alone, she slumped into her chair in relief. Checks needed to clear escrow—she was assured it was only a formality—and other behind-the-scenes stuff would still happen, but as far as she knew, it was as good as done. Which also meant Ian’s people could deal with this professional, legal, stressful bullshit in the future. Not that she thought the transition would be easy—integrating staff, figuring out logistics—but she looked forward to the challenge.

Ian crossed the room, rolled her chair back a few inches, and rested against the edge of the table, facing her. His smile grew. “So, Ms. Rowe, welcome to Thompson Advertising.”

“
Rowe
and Thompson Advertising.” She couldn’t even pretend to be irritated.

He grasped her fingers and pulled her to her feet and into him. “Of course. How could I forget?”

“With the number of times we went back and forth over naming?” She knew he hadn’t even started to. She draped her arms around his neck and slid between his legs. Pressing her body to his was one of her favorite pastimes. She didn’t see it ever getting old. The heat, the familiar smell of aftershave and
him
—she didn’t know how else to describe it—was all just
right.
“Well, I’m broke until the checks clear. Where are you taking me for lunch?”

He glided his hands down her back and over her ass. When he reached the hem of her skirt, he inched it up, until he brushed her thighs with his fingers. “I thought I’d eat here.” He slid higher, to the edge of her panties.

“In the lawyer’s office.” She sucked in a sharp breath at the teasing contact, and it took all her restraint not to shift her weight enough to grind against his hand.

“No?”

“We should at least make it to the car.”

He kissed her hard, holding her close enough his erection dug into her stomach. When he broke away, he didn’t let go. “You’re going to have to walk in front of me. I can’t hide this.”

“Whose fault is that?”

“Yours.” He shifted his hands to her hips and pushed her back. “But I’ll compromise. I’ll try and keep my hands to myself,
mostly
, until we’re out of the office,
if
I get to cop a feel in the elevator.”

“I suppose.” She laced her fingers with his and tugged him toward the door. “But only because I would’ve let you do that anyway.”

With his warm palm settled against her skin, and the energy flowing between them—hell, with everything—Mercy’s heart felt safe for the first time in her life.

It was a better sensation than she ever imagined.

THE END

~*~

If you enjoyed Ian and Mercy’s story, and want to read about the rest of the gang, the remaining
Your Ad Here
books are coming later in 2016.

In
Leasing Love
, Liz is finally getting her life on track. Until legal snags, thanks to the merger, hit Rowe and Thompson Advertising. On top of that, Liz’s ex-fiancé makes national news when he’s arrested for securities fraud, and drags her into the spotlight. And then there are her new neighbors. Infuriating. Provoking. And oh so tempting.

~*~

In the meantime, if you’re looking for more cubicle dwellers and geek love to warm your heart and scorch the pages of your e-reader, check out the Love Hack series, starting with
Breaching His Defenses
.
Jared doesn’t expect to see the sexy siren who rescued him from singing a duet alone in a karaoke again. He definitely didn’t think she was behind the network security concerns plaguing his IT company.

~*~

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