Back in Black by Lori Foster Read Free Book Online Page B

“Now.”
    She blinked twice fast. “Now . . . what?”
    “My turn.” As Drew touched her neck and brushed her soft hair over her shoulder, his voice went husky in anticipation. “You ready?”
    “Really, Drew.” She tried to scoff, but her lashes kept fluttering and her lips trembled. “No preparation is needed. It’s only a kiss, and only on my neck.”
    We’ll see, he thought. “Okay then.” He leaned in and breathed against her skin. “When I kiss you, you can count to three for me. When the time is up, let me know.”
    “Got it.”
    So soft and husky—she could deny it all she wanted, but her voice gave her away; she anticipated this as much as he did.
    Dragging out the suspense, Drew got close enough to breathe in her scent but didn’t yet touch her. He kept his hands at his sides, but he was so much bigger than her that he still surrounded her by his size and strength.
    He liked that.
    Gillian wasn’t a frail woman; she had curves galore, but she was small boned and delicate compared to him.
    He brushed his lips over her and felt her involuntary gasp. Opening his mouth, he took a soft love bite, soothed with his tongue, and then sucked against her skin.
    Holding perfectly still, even her breath held, Gillian didn’t protest.
    She didn’t count either. But then, hell, Drew got so drawn into tasting her, enjoying her, that he forgot that this was meant to tease, to keep her from getting the upper hand.
    With a soft moan, she tipped her head more and her hands came up to clutch at his shirt. Drew slipped his arms around her and drew her in close.
    Yeah, that felt right.
    She pressed against him, trembling, and Drew realized that things had gotten out of hand. He couldn’t, wouldn’t , finish this tonight, so there was no point in further teasing her, or himself.
    As he lifted his head, he pressed hers to his shoulder and whispered, “Three.”
    She stiffened, but he was quick to run a hand up and down her back. “Don’t get prickly, because I sure as hell forgot what I was doing, too.”
    She tucked in her chin so that her forehead was against his pecs. “I . . . I don’t know what to say.” But then she pushed back from him. “I’m sorry.”
    His eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? For what?”
    “For letting that get out of hand.” She smoothed her clothes with shaking hands and tried to infuse a hoity-toity tone to her next jibe. “We all know that your behavior sinks to unreasonable depths on a regular basis, but I’m supposed to—”
    “Be better than that?” He crossed his arms. “Better than me?”
    “I was going to say more professional.”
    “Yeah, I just bet you were.” So pissed that he could barely contain himself, Drew glared at her. That she would cop this attitude now, when only moments before he could have . . .
    Inspired, he dropped his arms and indulged in an evil smile.
    “What?” Alarmed, Gillian took a step back. “What are you thinking?”
    “You want me, Gillian Noode. Wallow in denial all you want, but it’s still true. And know what? You’re going to have me.”
    “What? No , I most certainly am not.”
    “Oh, yeah, you are. Probably sooner than you think.” When she looked ready to run, he held up a hand. “Even you have to know I don’t force women.”
    “I never said you did.”
    But still she looked at him as if he might sprout horns. Drew shook his head. “We’ll continue playing these games for now, because I don’t mind waiting. But mark my words, lady, your time will come.”
    Gillian put her shoulders back in a display of affront. “I’ve had enough of your bullying.”
    “Yeah, well, if you’re not going to eat dinner with me, then it’s time for you to go anyway.”
    Her mouth fell open. “Would you honestly expect me to sit through dinner now?”
    Shrugging, he said, “Why not?” He looked her over. “Afraid you won’t be able to resist me that long?”
    Jerking around, she grabbed up her belongings, all the while