Temporary Boss, Permanent Mistress

So he’d play this as if everything were completely normal.

Lydia closed her eyes, focusing on the moment when Jake would be kneeling back between her thighs. She heard the sound of foil ripping, and then the mattress dipped again beneath his weight.

At last.

The tip of his penis nudged against her entrance; and finally, with one slow, deep thrust, he was inside her. In response, she wrapped her legs round his waist, tilting her hips and urging him deeper.

‘OK?’ he asked softly.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. ‘Very OK.’ She almost blurted out that he was the perfect fit, but stopped herself; instead, she slid her hands into his hair, drawing his head down to hers and kissing him deeply.

It shouldn’t have felt this good, not for a first time. But she’d never been in tune with anyone before, the way she was with Jake.

She could feel the pressure growing as he moved, her climax building and building and building, until she didn’t think she could take any more. She gasped out his name as she hit the peak, and felt his answering shudder before he wrapped his arms round her, rolling onto his back and taking her with him so that her head was pillowed on his shoulder.

She lay against him, utterly sated; and then, gently, he moved her to the side.

‘I’m just going to deal with the condom,’ he said softly, and brushed a kiss against her mouth.

When he returned, she noticed that he was wearing soft grey boxer shorts. And he didn’t remove them before climbing back into bed with her.

Shy?

Or regretting what they’d done?

She felt her face heating. How did you say to a man that you’d just had the best sex of your entire life with him—but it was OK, you could see it wasn’t the same for him, so if he wouldn’t mind looking the other way you’d get dressed and leave now?

Completely out of her depth, she closed her eyes and wished that she were a thousand miles away.

‘Lydia.’ He touched the back of his fingers lightly against her cheek. ‘I think we need to talk.’

Uh-oh. Here it came.

Well, she was going to say it first. Salvage some of her pride. ‘I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.’

‘We both knew it would.’

What? That made her open her eyes and look at him.

‘You’re right. It shouldn’t have happened. We’re supposed to be colleagues.’ He smiled wryly. ‘I’ve already made a mess of this. I can’t make it much worse, so I might as well be open with you. I can’t take my eyes off you,’ he admitted. ‘And I think it’s the same for you. Every time I’ve glanced at you for the last two days, you’ve been looking at me, too.’

Lydia flushed. ‘Um. I was trying to be discreet.’

‘Me, too,’ he said wryly. ‘I’m normally so in control. But I lost it, just now. And I think you did, as well.’

She swallowed. ‘Just so you know, I’m not in the habit of—’

‘—leaping into bed with someone you haven’t been dating,’ he finished. ‘I know. I don’t, either. But there’s something about you that makes me…Ah, I don’t know.’ He raked his hand through his hair.

Lydia felt desire pulse through her again. She’d just bet he had no idea how sexy he looked with his hair all messy like that—all tough and Viking marauder.

‘There isn’t an easy way to say this.’

‘But this was just one night and can we just forget it happened?’ she suggested.

‘Is that what you want?’

She couldn’t read his expression at all. Surely he should be looking relieved that she was letting him off the hook so easily? Or did he want this to be the start of something else?

This was crazy.

She knew what she ought to say. Yes, this was just one night and we’ll forget about it. But something entirely different slipped out. ‘I don’t know.’

‘So your head’s saying yes and your body’s saying, you want more?’ he asked.

Oh, this was bad. ‘You could’ve warned me you’re a mindreader,’ she muttered, splaying a hand over her face to hide her embarrassment.

He laughed, took her hand and raised it to his lips. Kissed the back of her hand, and kept it cradled in his own. ‘I’m not. I’m just saying what I’m feeling.’ He grew serious as she looked at him. ‘But I need to be fair with you, Lydia. Whatever this thing is between us—and I can’t explain it either—I can’t offer you a future.’

‘You’re committed elsewhere?’

‘Absolutely not.’ He shook his head in emphasis. ‘I’d never cheat. I’ve been single for a while, now. No strings, no complications. You?’

‘No. There’s nobody.’

‘So there’s no reason why we can’t have a mad fling and blow each other’s minds for the next few days. Well, apart from the fact that I’m your boss, and ethically that makes this completely wrong.’

But at that precise moment he couldn’t give a damn about ethics.

The only thing that filled his head was the need to touch her again. To ease his body into hers. To see her eyes widen with pleasure as he brought her to climax—and feel her body tightening round his, tipping him into his own release.