Temporary Boss, Permanent Mistress

CHAPTER THREE

AFTER two days of working closely with Lydia, Jake was going quietly crazy. He managed to keep his mind focused on work in the office; but when they were back at the hotel nothing could get her out of his mind. Cold showers, long swims, workouts in the hotel gym…Nothing worked.

It was even worse when Lydia was sitting next to him at the table in the sitting room of his suite, working her way through the contract they were hammering out with Nils. All he could think about was leaning across to kiss her—and the fact that his bedroom was only a few steps away.

On the Friday night, Lydia was talking him through the document. Jake was hardly aware of what she was saying; he couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth. And because she wore hardly any make-up, her lips were their natural shape and colour: a soft blush rose, with a natural pout.

All he could think about was how much he wanted to taste her.

How much he wanted to plunder.

How much he wanted that gorgeous mouth kissing him back, demanding everything he was prepared to give and offering just as much back.

‘Jake? Is that OK with you?’

‘Uh. Yeah. You’re absolutely right.’ Actually, he didn’t have a clue what Lydia had just said, but he’d seen her work first-hand over the last couple of days. She was meticulous, so he had absolute confidence in her judgement.

And he went back to watching her mouth. Keeping himself in check—just—but still wondering.

Until the moment he let his gaze flicker up to her eyes and realised that she was staring at him, too. That she was looking at his mouth.

Was she wondering what it would feel like if…?

No. He had to be sensible about this.

He dragged his attention back to the contract. Managed to discuss it with her as if he were totally focused on business.

But then they both reached for the same piece of paper at the same time, and their fingers brushed by accident. It felt as if he’d been hit by lightning. Jake’s whole body quivered, and his control finally snapped; he twisted round to face Lydia, slid his hands into her hair, and brushed his mouth against hers.

The lightest, sweetest, gentlest kiss.

His lips tingled where they’d touched hers, and he was about to kiss her again more thoroughly when his common sense kicked in.

What the hell was he doing? Apart from the fact that he was setting himself up for being sued for sexual harassment, he’d promised himself that he wouldn’t give in to his body’s urging. He’d promised himself that he’d be sensible about this, that he’d ignore the attraction.

He was about to loosen his hands, move away and apologise, when he felt a soft kiss pressed against his mouth.

Lydia was kissing him back.

Jake’s control splintered again, and he responded, nibbling her lower lip until her mouth opened, letting him deepen the kiss and explore her mouth more intimately. His hands glided down her back to her waist; right now, he needed to touch as well as taste. He untucked her shirt from the waistband of her skirt and slid his fingers underneath the cotton so he could splay his palms against her back. Her skin was warm and smooth and soft, and it made him want to explore further. He moved his fingertips in tiny circles against her skin, and she murmured something against his mouth.

The tiny sound broke the spell and he stopped, pulling away from her and staring at her, aghast. Lydia—the cool, calm lawyer he’d worked with all week—looked completely dishevelled. And it was all his fault.

Ah, hell. What had he been thinking?

‘I’m sorry, Lydia,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’

Her eyes were wide and worried as she looked back at him, but she didn’t say a word.

He raked a hand through his hair and stared at the table. ‘I apologise. I can assure you that I don’t normally leap on my colleagues like that—and it certainly wasn’t the reason why I brought you to Norway.’

‘I know.’

There was the tiniest, tiniest quiver in her voice, which made him look at her. Her mouth was lush and reddened with his kisses; he just about managed to drag his gaze to her eyes, and then he realised that she was staring at his mouth again, too.

So it really wasn’t just him. She wanted this, too.

He needed to talk to her about this. To do the honourable thing—explain that he couldn’t offer her any more than a fling.

But then she reached up with a shy smile. Pressed the flat of her palm to his cheek, and rubbed the pad of her thumb along his lower lip. Automatically, his mouth opened; he drew her thumb into his mouth and sucked. Hard. Her pupils grew huge and her mouth parted, and Jake was lost.

He released her thumb, cupped her face with both hands and lowered his mouth to hers again. She tasted like heaven; her mouth was warm and sweet and giving, and he just couldn’t get enough. He wanted everything she was offering, and more.

Kissing her made his head spin, and the next thing he knew they were standing by his bed. He had absolutely no idea whether they’d walked there or whether he’d gone caveman and carried her there.

But what he did know was that this was absolutely mutual. Because she’d untucked his shirt and her hands were underneath the soft cotton, her fingertips teasing her skin just as he’d teased hers earlier.

His blood felt as though it were fizzing in his veins, her touch made him so hot.

‘If you want me to stop,’ he said, his voice shaking slightly, ‘you need to tell me now.’

‘Don’t stop.’ Her voice was practically a whisper, and as quivery as his own, and her pupils were enormous. She was just as turned on as he was, needed the release just as much as he did. She was with him all the way. So he could do exactly what he’d wanted to do for days.

He undid the buttons of her shirt, taking it slowly and stroking tiny circles on her skin with the tips of his fingers as he revealed it. He could see from the way her nipples hardened, visible through the cream lace of her bra, that she liked it. Good. Because he loved the warmth and softness of her skin beneath his hands, the way her body responded to his touch.

He bent his head to kiss the curve of her neck, tracing a path of kisses along her collarbones and lingering in the hollows. That soft floral scent he’d noticed back in London, warm and sweet…‘You smell gorgeous,’ he murmured. ‘What is it?’

‘Gardenia.’

‘It’s fabulous.’ Tomorrow, he’d buy her more. He’d run a deep, foamy bath scented with the stuff, and make love with her in it. He undid the buttons at her wrists, then slid her shirt from her shoulders. He traced the lacy edge of her bra, then rubbed the pad of his thumb against her hardened nipples; she dragged in a breath and tipped her head back, offering her throat to him.

‘Jake. You’re driving me crazy,’ she whispered.

‘You’re driving me crazy, too. I want to touch you, Lydia. See you.’ He paused. ‘Taste you.’

‘Yes.’ The word was almost a hiss of pleasure, and colour bloomed in her cheeks. Colour that he was going to make, oh, so much more intense when he made love with her. And they were both going to enjoy every second of it.

‘I need to touch you, too,’ she whispered.

Within limits.

He’d stop her before it got…complicated.

He slid one bra strap off her shoulder and kissed the bare skin. ‘I’m in your hands, min kjære.’

She undid the buttons of his shirt, her fingers hesitant at first and then more confident; once she’d bared his chest, she splayed her fingers across it. ‘You’re perfect.’

He smiled wryly. ‘And you’re good for my ego.’

Her hands drifted lower, over his abdomen, and he felt a kick of excitement as she undid his belt.

Funny, it was like being a teenager again. The sense of urgency, the need, the feeling that he was somehow stepping into the unknown. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like that.

Certainly not with Grace.

But it was pointless feeling bitter about it. Practically anyone would’ve done the same, in his ex-fiancée’s position. And she’d done him a favour, really—she’d saved him from future heartache, because he wasn’t going to let anyone into his heart again. Wasn’t going to let anyone close enough to reject him the way Grace had.

This was one night out of time.

Getting the mutual attraction out of their systems.

Tomorrow, maybe everything would be back to normal and he could be sensible again. Tonight, he was going to give in to the need that was driving him crazy, and lose himself in Lydia.

He quivered as she undid the button of his trousers, lowered the zip infinitely slowly and trailed one fingertip along his erection through the soft cotton of his underpants.

What it would feel like, to be skin to skin with her…

But she was getting a little too close for comfort. Gently, he locked his hand round hers. Stopped her. ‘I’d rather you didn’t.’

She flushed. ‘I’m sorry. I’m not usually this…’

She broke off, but he could guess the rest. Uninhibited. Reckless.

Now she was embarrassed, clearly believing that he thought she was easy.

Oh, hell. He hadn’t thought that she might take it that way; he’d just wanted to avoid an awkward explanation. ‘It’s not that, min kjære.’ He fumbled for the right words to reassure her. ‘You’re delightful.’

She said nothing, but her eyes were so expressive. Really?

Someone had obviously hurt her very, very badly. Hacked her confidence away.

And he was a bastard to take advantage of her like this. He really ought to stop.

Yet, if he stopped now, he knew they’d both feel bad. Awkward, embarrassed and frustrated. And he wanted to make Lydia feel good. He wanted to see her eyes go hazy with desire and her body arching against his.

So he dropped a sweet, reassuring kiss on her mouth. ‘It’s not you, elskling. Only…’ He’d tell her the truth. Just not the whole truth. ‘It’s been a while for me, and I find your touch incredibly arousing. If you touch me now, I won’t be able to make it good for you.’

The wariness in her eyes vanished, to his relief, and he caught her lower lip gently between his. ‘And I want to make it good for you, Lydia. I want to blow your mind.’

‘You’re doing pretty well so far,’ she said shakily.

He undid the zip of her skirt and eased the material over her hips so it fell to the floor; then he dropped to his knees before her and rolled her tights slowly downwards. As he stroked her inner thighs, she shivered. Good. Because he needed her too turned on to think straight and use that clever lawyer’s mind when they were finally skin to skin. He stroked the sensitive spot at the back of her knee, then drew her tights down over her calves, her ankles. Her skin was so soft; he didn’t think he’d ever be able to stop touching her.

He pressed his mouth against her abdomen and kissed his way up to her ribcage, breathing in her scent and loving it. Deftly, he unclipped her bra, letting it drop to the floor while he cupped her breasts. ‘Oh. Now this, I really like.’ He rubbed the pads of his thumbs over her nipples, enjoying her little gasp of response. ‘Lydia Sheridan, you’re utterly gorgeous, and right now I feel like a kid in a sweetshop. I want to look, to touch, I want everything.’

He rose to his feet, kicked off his shoes and removed his trousers and socks, then lifted her onto the bed, laying her back against the pillows.

‘You’re absolutely sure you don’t want me to stop?’ he checked, wanting to make it clear that he wasn’t taking her for granted.

‘If you don’t touch me in the next nanosecond, I’m going to go completely insane.’ Her voice had grown deeper, huskier, with arousal.

‘Good,’ he said, and knelt between her parted thighs. He teased one nipple with his lips and tongue.

‘Oh, yes, Jake,’ she whispered, sliding her hands into his hair and urging him on. ‘Yes.’

He teased her other nipple, then kissed his way down her abdomen. When he slid one finger underneath the edge of her knickers, she quivered and arched against him, tilting her hips to give him the access he wanted. Slowly, looking straight into her eyes, he pushed one finger inside her. She felt like hot, wet silk wrapped round him. Glorious. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted to see her shatter in climax, her mouth parted and her eyes unfocused with pleasure. He wanted to know that his touch could turn this clever, capable woman to mush.

And he wanted her to do exactly the same to him.

He moved his thumb to tease her clitoris, and she dragged in a breath.

‘Don’t tease, Jake.’

‘No teasing, min kjære.’ But he needed her right on the edge before he removed the rest of his clothes. Too caught up in the moment to think. Because, despite the surgeon’s skill, he was sure that it was obvious.

And he knew that if Lydia noticed, she’d ask. Tactfully, but she’d definitely ask.

‘Lift up for me,’ he said softly. She did so, and he swiftly removed her knickers, abandoning them over the side of the bed.

Lydia had never had hot sex with a man she wasn’t even officially dating. This was way, way out of character for her.

And she didn’t regret a single second of it.

Because Jakob Andersen was gorgeous. His body was firm and toned, his skin was soft, and he knew exactly how to use his mouth and his hands to give her maximum pleasure. How to stoke her desire higher and higher until she was burning.

He kissed the hollows of her ankles, and as his lips moved slowly upwards her pulse quickened. She realised exactly what he had in mind—and, oh, she wanted it.

Desperately.

She could feel the heat of his breath against her inner thighs; she gripped the pillow and held on for dear life as she finally felt the touch of his mouth against her sex, the long, slow stroke of his tongue exploring and teasing and stoking her desire.

‘Oh, yes. Jake. Please, yes.’ She hardly even recognised the voice coming from her mouth, it was so guttural and deep. And it didn’t matter that she was begging shamelessly, because she knew that later she’d have him in exactly the same state—completely given over to pleasure and wanting more. This was mutual.

‘Please,’ she whispered. ‘I need you. Inside me. Now.’

Jake knew he had her exactly where he wanted her: at the point where she wasn’t going to ask questions. Where her need for him was so great, she’d accept him exactly as he was.

He climbed off the bed and grabbed his wallet from his trousers. The condom in there was so old, it was probably out of date. But in the circumstances, that didn’t matter. There was no real need for protection: he could tell that Lydia didn’t make a habit of sleeping around, and neither did he. And, more to the point, he couldn’t make her pregnant. Not without the help of a laboratory and an army of doctors—and she’d be the one who’d have to go through the mill.

But he didn’t want to explain all that. To see the pity in her eyes.

Not yet.

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.

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