Sex, Lies and Midnight (13 page)

“Sure. But maybe we should go downstairs? I saw a nice library we could relax in,” he said. He tried for his shirt again, but the cat gave him an ugly look, like she was on a mission for her mistress to keep him half-clothed and she wasn’t afraid to use violence.

“I have another idea,” Maya said. She gave a tiny shrug and her robe fell from her shoulders. A loaded gun couldn’t have kept his gaze from following its path. Down those sinuous arms. The leopard print caught on her delicate wrists, and with a quick flick of her fingers, puddled around her bare feet.

For a breathless second, he stared at those red-tipped toes.

And knew he was lost. But dammit, he wasn’t going down without a fight.

And just thinking that put so many delicious images in his head.

“This isn’t a good idea,” he told her, truly regretting the words he was about to use to try and push her away. “I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re vulnerable like this.”

“Take advantage?” She gave an incredulous laugh, waving that away like she had no clue what he meant. “I came to you, Simon. I’m not doing anything I don’t totally want to do.”

“Look, Maya—”

Before he could finish his thought—before he even knew what he was going to say—she took two steps forward, bringing her body within touching distance of his.

The scent of her, night-spiced flowers, wrapped around him like a hypnotic spell. Her eyes were wide, lashes so thick and lush they brushed her brows as she looked up at him. She wet her lips, the sight of her pink tongue making Simon’s body harden painfully.

Maya stepped away, stopping right next to the fluffy down comforter turned down on his four-poster bed. The distance should have given his brain breathing room to function.

But it didn’t.

Her eyes holding his, she traced her fingers over the lacy edge of her nighty. Her nails scraped gently, just enough to leave a faint red trail from her cleavage to the tiny strap on her shoulder.

Her lashes swept down, just for a second. A warning? Then, one brow arched, she met Simon’s eyes again. Her lips quirked in a teasing smile.

And she pushed down the strap.

Simon tried to swallow, but his mouth was as dry as the Sahara.

Her hand still poised on her shoulder, she reached up with the other and pushed the opposite strap down. Now that tiny piece of leopard print fabric protecting her modesty was only held up by her arms, crossed over her breasts.

“Wait,” he protested. If she dropped those arms, he’d be lost. His heart pounded, hoping she’d ignore him. Desperate to taste her, to see her. To see how incredible she’d feel under his body.

“You don’t want me to wait,” she said, her words low and amused. “You just want me.”

Hell, yeah, he did. Desperate, Simon strode over. He skimmed both hands up her arms, to the delicate straps. His fingers caught the fabric, pulling it back up to safety.

He’d diffused a bomb once. He’d had this same rush of energy, like a tidal wave, crashing over him. The sure knowledge that he’d just escaped his life changing forever.

Only when he’d stepped away from the bomb, he’d been glad.

Now? Now his entire body protested, with his dick screaming the loudest furious complaints.

“Gotcha,” she said with a grin, shifting her arms so they twined sinuously around his shoulders. Her fingers scraped again, this time over the back of his neck. The move sent a hot shaft of energy straight through his body. Exciting energy. Turned-on energy.
Please, I’m begging you, let-me-have-you-now energy.

Maya stood on tiptoe, leaning her body into his for balance as she pulled his mouth down to hers. Her lips moved over his, soft and sweet, like a siren luring him to his heavenly doom. He couldn’t resist the invitation. He swept his tongue over her full lower lip, then when she gave a purring moan of approval, he slipped it between hers. Gently. Carefully. As if she were just as volatile as that bomb.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this was stupid. Crazy. At worst, he was putting his career in jeopardy. At best, he could be banned from the case.

Then she swirled her tongue around his. Gently, she sucked. His erection, already clamoring for attention, grew painful.

Oh, God.
He was in so much trouble. As he lost himself in the warm sweetness of her mouth, he knew he was going to pay for this later. And he knew, whatever the price, it’d be worth it.

Because his dick? It was singing a happy tune.

MAYA WAS MELTING. HER body was one big, molten puddle of lust, vibrating in time with the movements of Simon’s mouth.

Oh, baby
. He tasted so good. Felt so incredible. She skimmed her fingers over the planes of his chest, reveling in the smooth power, the warm strength of his body. Pressing herself tighter against that strength, she moaned as the tips of her breasts pressed, oh so gently, into his chest.

More.

She wanted more. She needed more.

He was everything right now. The perfect distraction, the answer to all of her problems. And best of all, a damned good kisser.

Now to find out what else he was damned good at.

Before she could get to exploring, though, he shifted the kiss and he pulled away. He was nice about it. Gentle, even, as he released her lips and, his hands firm on her shoulders, he set her away. And points to him, he didn’t trip over his own feet as he scurried backward a safe, untouchable, four steps back.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his magnolia-laced accent caressing the words. “I shouldn’t have taken advantage.”

Maya rolled her eyes. “What advantage? I kissed you.”

“Yes, well…” He grimaced, then jerked one shoulder in a quick shrug. “I was trying to be polite.”

Stung, Maya sucked in her lower lip and slapped her arms over her chest to glare. Polite, hell? He and his tongue had been totally involved there.

“Are you saying you don’t want me?”

Not sure if she wanted to cry over the humiliation of rejection or the sexual frustration coursing through her, Maya lifted her chin.

“Well?” she demanded.

He pulled a face, then showing more frustration than she’d seen from him in their short association, he shoved both hands through his hair. Blond strands spiked up all over, giving him an edgy look that went nicely with the intense look in his eyes and the gorgeous sexiness of his bare chest.

“All I’m saying is that I’m not so sure that having sex as some twisted revenge against your father is a good idea,” he protested.

Frustration flamed into fury. Her pout turned into a glare.

“As far as I can see, there are only two people in this room,” she pointed out.

“Maya…”

“Simon,” she interrupted, slashing an angry hand to cut him off. She didn’t need to hear that crap. She’d come in here to forget about her father, dammit. Not to get revenge.

And she’d be damned if she’d be denied that much-needed oblivion. If Simon didn’t want her, that was one thing. But to say no because he was trying to be some kind of emotional white knight? Nope. If he wanted to turn her down, he’d have to do a much better job than that.

Holding his eyes captive with hers, Maya tilted her head so her hair tumbled in a mass of silken curls over her shoulders and chest. Then she reached up, and with a quick flick of her fingers, she sent the straps of her nighty sliding down her arms. With them went the rest of the nighty, so it caught at her waist.

Simon’s eyes were dilated so that the green was barely visible. Instead he looked like a starving man facing an all-night buffet. And all he had to do was reach out and fill himself to satisfaction. He held her gaze for another full second, then let his eyes drop.

The look in his eyes, hot and needy, made her feel sexy. And made it much easier to ignore the warning bells ringing in the back of her head.

Bells that warned that this step was bigger than she thought. That it’d change things, and shift control in ways she’d never be able to overcome.

She didn’t care.

She wanted Simon.

She needed him.

“Well?” she challenged.

Simon slowly slid his gaze back up the length of her suddenly super-sensitized body. It was like he’d touched her, teasing and heating her skin with the softest of caresses.

His eyes met hers and he arched one brow and gave a shrug she knew was meant to look casual. She tried to hide her grin, though. Because the bulge behind his zipper wasn’t the only thing that was obviously stiff.

“But who am I to tell you how to handle your family issues?” Simon said quietly. “You want revenge, I’m your man.”

Laughing at both his words, and the teasing look on his face, Maya stepped forward. The sway of her hips released the silky leopard print fabric from her hips. It hit the floor with a whispered swoosh. She just kept walking, stepping out of it like there was nothing to the idea of prancing mostly naked across a room to throw herself at a man.

The clicking sound of Simon trying not to swallow his tongue was gratifying. Reaching him, she slid her hands up his arms, from wrist to those oh-so-heavenly shoulders. Then, gently teasing, she scraped her nails down the bare deliciousness of his chest, over a six-pack that made her want to weep in appreciation, to his belt.

“It seems one of us is a little overdressed,” she whispered. Excitement with its sharp needy edges took hold. It was strong enough, powerful enough, to push away all her stress. All she could think about now, all she could feel, was the pleasure Simon offered her.

“Yeah, whatever,” was all he said as he shoved his hands into her hair and, almost lifting as he supported the back of her head, he lowered his mouth to hers.

And ravaged it.

Oh, god, there was no other word.

Maya groaned, her mouth opening to his demand. She couldn’t keep up. Tongue, teeth and lips all moved in a wild concert. Pounding, reverberating, filling her with an unquenchable need.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she tried to keep from falling at his feet.

Passion, hot and edgy with a dangerous helping of desperation, clawed its way through her. The only thing she still wore, tiny black satin panties, grew moist with desire.

Her nipples puckered, begging for attention. Her body sagged into the hard planes of his, knowing he’d hold her up. He had to. She couldn’t do it herself.

No man had ever kissed her like this before. As if the entire sexual extravaganza were contained in just this one act.

Her brain had never, ever shut off before, either.

But it did now.

Then he turned up the heat.

His hands left her hair, skimming down her back and leaving a trail of tingling awareness behind. His fingers curved over her hips, tangling in the tiny straps of her panties. Her heart pounded. Her breath was coming in gasps as the kiss got hotter. But even as his mouth overwhelmed her, her attention, her focus was on his hands. Would he strip away that last piece of modesty? Would he like what he saw? Was he a visual kind of guy or purely kinesthetic?

His knuckles pressing lightly into her hipbones, he slid his fingers back, then forth inside that skinny piece of elastic. His fingernails traced, low on her belly. Fingertips tangled in her curls. But he didn’t do more than skim. Back and forth. He was driving her crazy.

“More,” she breathed against his mouth.

“Patience,” he chided, his words distracted and husky as he focused on their kiss.

Maya almost laughed. Her? Patient? Never.

Time to take matters, or maybe something more interesting, into her own hands.

To tease them both, and because it was something she’d been wanting to do since the first time she’d saw him, she slid her hands around to the small of Simon’s back, then pressed them lower, over his butt.

And squeezed.

Because, oh baby, he did have the nicest ass she’d ever seen.

Then she got down to business. Reaching around, her fingers curled over his straining erection, the length and hardness causing serious stress against the zipper of his jeans.