“That’s because I’m a badass. Which reminds me, your personal shopper is a super interesting guy.”
Lifting his brows, he strolls closer. “Interesting in what way?”
“In all the ways. How long has he worked for you?”
His gaze drops to my mouth as he approaches. “Axel and I have known each other for a while.”
I say brightly, “Oh look, another cryptic evasion masquerading as an answer! You’re very good at dodging questions, Mr. McCord.”
“And you’re very good at busting my balls, Ms. Sanders. That wasn’t on your resume.”
He reaches out, takes me by the shoulders, and pulls me against his chest. I wind my arms around his back and smile up at him. “This is better than when you’re pretending we’re not going to have a relationship.”
“I wasn’t pretending, I was being protective. And I haven’t said anything about a relationship.”
“Seriously? You just stole a pair of my dirty panties. We’re totally in relationship territory now. Wait, sorry—situationship.”
When he purses his lips in displeasure, I sigh.
“You know what? You’re right. We’ll just have an ongoing series of one-night stands and pretend we don’t know each other the rest of the time.”
He strokes his thumb over my cheekbone and gazes at me in pensive silence for a moment. Then he says something that makes me want to do more than bust his balls—it makes me want to take a hammer to them.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
“I was joking!”
“Let’s not get into this right now. I need to feed you.”
“You know, if I were a few years older, being around you would put me at extreme risk of cardiac arrest.”
He brushes my lips with his. “Because you’re so attracted to me?”
“Nice try. No, because you’re bad for my blood pressure.”
Into my ear, he whispers, “Is that what you think when I’m buried inside you, and you’re clawing my back and moaning my name? That I’m bad for your blood pressure?”
His words evoke a memory of this morning in the stairwell, and a small, involuntary shudder runs through me.
He chuckles. “That’s what I thought.”
“Don’t be smug. I hate smug.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And don’t be sarcastic either.”
Squeezing me tighter, he chuckles again, his breath warm on my neck. “So many rules. Are you ready to go?”
I say drily, “Sure. Just let me grab something sharp to poke you with first.”
“You don’t need anything else. You’ve already got that tongue of yours.”
“Ha. Touché, Mr. McCord. Touché.”
His SUV is big, black, and luxurious. He has to help me into the passenger seat because it sits so high. Then he buckles me in, kisses me, and slides his hand up my bare thigh.
“It’s taking all the self-restraint I have not to bury my face between your legs and eat your pussy, baby, because I love the way you smell and taste. But after dinner…”
He smiles, looking straight into my eyes.
My nipples harden. My heart pounds. I want him to do it right now, and I don’t even care that we’re in a public parking lot.
“Dessert, then,” I say, amazed at the effect he has on my nervous system.
He closes my door and gets behind the wheel. As soon as we pull out of the driveway, he takes my hand. We drive through the city holding hands, and if I stare at his profile too much, he doesn’t seem to mind it.
“You’re very handsome. But of course you know that.”
He glances over at me. “I don’t see myself the way you do.”
“You should. It’s an incredible view.”
He lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles. “You’re being sweet.”
“I’m being honest. You’re the best-looking man I’ve ever met.”
“You should see my brother, Callum. Then tell me what you think.”
Intrigued, I turn toward him. “Is he Emery’s husband?”
“Yes.”
“I haven’t seen him around the office. I met Carter the first day I started, but not since.”
His voice turns dry. “Count your blessings.”
“You don’t get along with them?”
“Everyone assumes it would be so great to work for a family business until they actually do work for one, which is typically when they realize they can’t stand the people they share DNA with and start to wish they were adopted.”