He could feel her nails digging into his shoulders, and he welcomed the pain as he quickly found himself losing his grip on reality. He moved the hand around her waist to slide in under her skirt. Tightly squeezing her bare ass, Cole lifted her up to get his other hand under her as well. Once he had a firm grasp on both her ass cheeks, he quickly pulled her down onto his cock, and then he stilled, waiting for her to open her eyes.

It didn’t take long. The minute she realized he had stopped moving, her eyes snapped open, and he nodded once.

“I just wanted to make sure I had your attention and that we are now clear about me wanting you here.”

With that, he crushed his mouth back down on top of hers. He pulled out of her slowly and then tugged her hips forward, sliding back inside. Penetrating her deeper than before, she cried out against his lips while Cole firmly held on to her ass. Her thighs clenched around his hips as she pulled herself forward to meet every thrust. Using his cock in the most delicious way, she got closer and closer to that moment when—

Her eyes flew open, locking with his, as he felt her pussy grip him like a hot silk fist. She screamed his name, and that was all he had been waiting for. Cole steadied his legs and then hammered into her as her fingers came down over his chest, tracing the outline of the wolf tattooed on his pec.

Her sultry eyes came up to meet his, and while his hot cock pounded inside her, the sex bomb arched her brow. Licking her glistening lips, she gave him a smile so full of sex. He almost cried as she reached out and twisted hard on one of his nipple piercings. Clenching her ass, Cole threw his head back and came with a loud shout as he thought to himself, Who the fuck won that round?

11

Rachel stood barefoot in front of a glass sliding door that opened out onto a balcony. The night had closed in on downtown Chicago, and lights were twinkling in the distance on the lake.

Cole had told her to make herself at home as he had walked down to his bedroom to put on some clothes. He probably meant a three-piece suit, Rachel thought, feeling a mischievous laugh leave her swollen lips. It’s not that she was complaining about anything because when that suit came off…Wow. Just wow.

The man was a walking contradiction. During the day, he was completely put together, not a single blond hair out of place, but after hours, she was finding that there was a lot more to Cole than she had originally suspected. The tattoos, five in total as far as she was aware, were enough of a shock, but the piercings were what made Rachel’s mind spin.

“I brought something more comfortable for you to change into, only if you would like, of course.”

His persuasive deep voice broke through the silence. He sounded closer to her than she had expected. Rachel steeled herself for what she would find as she looked over her shoulder. In the middle of his living room, he was standing behind her, dressed in a simple white cotton tee and an expensive pair of jeans that fit his long, lean legs perfectly.

Damn it! Even in jeans, the man has me thinking dirty, salacious thoughts.

Her eyes moved to his arm extended out to her, and she saw he was holding a white shirt. Walking toward him, Rachel let her tongue come out to touch her abused top lip. When she was standing directly in front of his raised arm, she fingered the cool material. Bringing her eyes back to his, she questioned, “Just a shirt?”

As she took it from him, he moved to stand behind her. She felt his hand softly graze her back as he swept her hair over her shoulder. Slipping his fingers into the top of her dress, he methodically undid the hook-and-eye clasp and unzipped her zipper.

“It’s not just a shirt. It’s my shirt,” he admitted against the base of her neck with a soft kiss. He lifted the left strap off her shoulder and drew it down over her arm. Running one of his fingers down her spine, he continued, “I want you to wear something that is mine.”

Rachel looked over her now bare shoulder and met his covetous gaze. “Is that so?”

His lips tugged into his version of a grin as he leaned forward and kissed her. “It is.”

Facing forward, Rachel reached up to remove her other strap and slid it down, letting the dress fall over her waist to pool at her feet. She was about to put on the shirt when Cole stepped around in front of her.

He fingered the front clasp of the only remaining scrap of lace on her. Raising his eyes to hers, he deftly unsnapped the bra and parted it. He permitted himself to look down at her as he discarded the bra on the ground.

“Next time, I want you like this—completely naked.”

As she stood naked in his house, she didn’t know where her courage came from, but she couldn’t help herself from pointing out, “Well, if you hadn’t been so impatient—”

“On the contrary, I’ve shown immense patience.” He flicked her silver navel ring. “I’ve been waiting to get you here for months.”

Rachel parted her lips with a sigh. “I can just walk around your place naked if you like.”

“No, I can’t have that, or I’ll never actually learn anything about you. I’ll just end up keeping your mouth busy and my hands full. So, for now, wear my shirt.”

Cole chuckled as he turned and headed over toward the kitchen. Rachel kicked off her shoes and slipped the shirt on her arms. She buttoned it down the center, and as she bent over to pick up her dress, she angled her body to give him a good look at her bare ass beneath the shirt.

“Behave yourself, Rachel,” he told her from behind the counter where he had placed two tumblers.

Straightening, she draped the dress over the black leather couch and made her way around it and over to him. Standing on the opposite side of the kitchen island, she took a moment to really look at him. He seemed so different, standing there in his kitchen. He was almost approachable, almost easygoing.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, his voice calm but inquisitive. Turning to a cabinet, he pulled out a bottle of liquor.

When he was facing her again, she noticed it was Macallan.

“I was just thinking how different you seem here.”

As he uncorked the bottle, he placed it on the granite counter. “How? How do I seem different?”

Rachel shrugged as she suddenly lost her nerve.

“No, don’t do that,” he admonished, pouring himself a glass. “Would you like one?”

Shaking her head, she declined. She needed all her wits about her when dealing with him. “Don’t do what?”

After putting the bottle away, he leaned up against the far counter, crossing his legs, as he stared her down. “Don’t cop out.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You made a statement. Now, back it up.”

Rachel pursed her lips at him. “You’re really aggravating sometimes.”

“I know. It’s one of my most endearing qualities.”

Through an indignant snort, Rachel demanded to know, “Who told you that? Your mother?”

With his glass halfway to his mouth, he paused and narrowed his eyes at her over the rim. In a voice that seemed removed, he said, “No, not my mother.” He downed the rest of the scotch in one gulp, pushed off the counter, and placed the tumbler down. Stepping over to the island where she was standing, he asked her again, “How do I seem different?”

Rachel crossed her legs at the no-nonsense tone. “Well, I was going to say that you seem more approachable.”

* * *

Cole knew he wasn’t doing a good job at hiding his emotions. Her mention of his mother had made him think about how useless he was when it came to that whole situation, and that thought completely pissed him off.

Trying to forget about something in which he had no control over, he instead decided to push for the power where he knew he could find it. “You were going to? But now, you’ve changed your mind. Why?”

Letting out an exasperated breath that shifted her black hair against the side of her face, she gave him a look that should have been captioned, Really?

“Jeez, Cole. What is this? Twenty questions?”

“No, it was three. Are you going to answer them?”

“Are you going to loosen up?”

Raising his right hand to his chin, he rubbed it. “Now, that’s something I have never quite gotten the hang of or saw the need for.”

“What? Loosening up?”

Cole walked around the island and stopped beside her. “Answer me, and I’ll answer you.”

Gritting her teeth, she turned to him and raised her hands in defeat. “Fine. You win. I was just going to say that you appeared more approachable here, more easygoing in your kitchen.

“But not now?”

“No! Now, you’re all up in my face, being your usual overbearing and intimidating self.”

Cole felt his mouth twitch as he held back a full-on laugh. Damn, I like this woman. “You think I’m intimidating? That’s kind of harsh.”

She rolled her eyes as her feet shifted on the hardwood. “I hardly think I’ve hurt your feelings.”

“You’re right. You haven’t. I’m choosing to take it as a compliment.” Reaching forward, he took her hand, bringing her closer to him. “I think you’re intriguing, and I want to know everything about you.”

Her eyes lowered as she seemed to slowly hide and disappear inside herself. “There’s not that much to know.”

Cole wondered about what was really going on in her head. “I disagree. Look at me.”

As she did, he pulled her left hand up to his chest.

“The minute I saw you, I wanted you. I still ache for you, and I had you a little less than fifteen minutes ago. Everything about you makes me want to know more,” he confessed as he stroked her hair with his free hand. “This hair is so sleek yet so fucking eye-catching. Why do you do it? And what about this tattoo you have printed down your spine like some kind of self-religion? Plus, the two shiny secrets, which are hidden away for a certain someone to find.” Lowering his head, he pressed a soft kiss against her ear. “For me to find. Take note, Rachel. I’m officially intrigued, and my attention is usually very hard to acquire.”

* * *

Rachel turned her head and moved a fraction closer, unable to stop herself from pressing her lips up against his. He didn’t seem to mind though as he released her hand and wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her in tight against him. Parting her lips, she shivered as he slid his tongue in against hers, stroking the roof of her mouth.

This man is going to unravel me. She could feel it in her blood, and she knew it somewhere in her brain. Rachel was aware that she should be working out how to build a wall around herself, but as his hands drifted down, sneaking under the shirt to stroke her bare ass, she couldn’t find the fortitude to start.

Pulling his head back, his piercing hazel eyes met hers. “Take the week off,” he suggested.

“What?” She laughed. She couldn’t quite believe what had come from the mouth of the man who never stopped working.

“The week—can you take it off?”

Gripping his arms, Rachel shook her head. “Not really. I have to work at Precious Petals in the morning and Exquisite at night.”

“How late?”

Rachel winced. “Usually, I get home around one.”

“Shit,” he cursed as he released his hold of her. “Well, that doesn’t work at all.”

“I’m sorry, but I need money to pay for bills, like my rent,” Rachel quipped sarcastically.

Pushing a hand up through his hair, Cole nodded absentmindedly. “I know, I know. I’m just trying to work out how we can make this happen. Your schedule is a disaster.”

“Yeah? Well, your ability to try and understand is poorly lacking as well,” she mumbled.

Cole seemingly ignored her as he started to pace back and forth.

Rachel couldn’t help herself as she asked, “Is this your thinking dance?”

He stopped and looked over to her. “Huh?”

She pointed to his bare feet as her fingers followed the trail of his motions. “The pacing? Do you do that whenever you are thinking?”

Almost as though he hadn’t realized he was doing it, he frowned. “Huh. I suppose so. I’ve never really thought about it. Now, you say you start over at Exquisite when?”

“I didn’t, but I start at six.”

“Right. Well, I’ll be there at six thirty.”

Rachel laughed incredulously. “What? Why?”