Driven to Temptation, page 9
Delaney’s eyes opened as she scrambled to her feet, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Getting caught eavesdropping on her boss’s private moment would be an awful idea. She could kiss any hope of a promotion good-bye if that happened.
She headed back across the room and barely got her butt in the chair before the bathroom door opened. She grabbed her laptop, willed herself to stay calm as she jabbed at the keyboard.
God, she’d done nothing but work the past few months, trying to make a good, strong impression on Harold, hoping he’d give her a chance to run her own project. On top of that, she’d worked nights and weekends to hone the presentation—
Aidan stalked out of the bathroom in much the same way he’d stalked in, only this time all he had on were his jeans.
With the buttons undone.
The soft mat of hair trailed down to Happy Land. But it was apparent that underneath his unbuttoned jeans, Aidan was commando.
Delaney’s mouth dried. She should tear her gaze away, plant it firmly on the computer screen, turn her mind from the erotic path it’d taken to the more sane one.
Damn it.
She knew what she had to do, yet she couldn’t. Look. Away.
Thank God he seemed too preoccupied with grabbing his duffel bag off the bed and heading back to the bathroom.
Once the door shut, she slumped against the chair, the softly padded fabric against her thin tank top the only thing grounding her in place. She heaved in a deep, steadying breath and fanned herself with one hand. He was way too sexy for his own good…or hers.
She swallowed, cleared her throat. She could do this; she could get through tonight and the next without tearing Aidan’s clothes off and impaling herself on him.
That’s right. She could do it because there was way more at stake here. No matter how awesome sex with him might be. Not that she was going to think about it anymore. No. Way.
Delaney clenched her eyes shut almost as tightly as she clenched her thighs together. Work. The best panacea at the moment. Which was exactly what she needed to do, anyway, to put the finishing touches on her presentation.
A few minutes later the door to the bathroom opened, and Aidan stepped out in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a soft white T-shirt. His jaw was set and there was a dark, almost hungry gleam in his eyes. Especially since it wasn’t too far from what was racing through her at the moment.
Oh, yeah. There it was. His steel-gray eyes seemed to pull her toward him on some weird, unintelligible level. Delaney blindly reached for the computer mouse, and this time she tore her gaze away, hoping he didn’t see the answering flash of hunger she was sure was mirrored on her own face.
“What are you working on?”
The question was enough to snap her out of the crazy path her head was going. Now was her opportunity to accomplish what she most wanted on this trip: a chance to prove to him she deserved to head up the Century Plains project. She’d make it happen.
“My presentation.” She raised her chin toward her laptop. “Come check it out.”
This was exactly what she needed to get them back on track, back to the reason they’d traveled six hours in the first place. Well, okay, so it was more like eight, but who was counting?
She tapped a few keys to enter her password, then waited for the program to load. “I just finished working on this last night.”
“What, exactly, is ‘this?’” Aidan asked beside her.
God, he smelled so damned good. Fresh. Clean. Masculine. His scent reached across the small distance that separated them, and she fought to not lean in toward him.
Delaney gave herself a mental shake. Behave.
She cleared her throat, focused on the screen in front of her. “It’s a program that’ll build a 3-D model from the parameters of a project and help our clients visualize what it looks like when it’s done.”
She moved the wireless mouse and opened the program. “This will help identify any conflicts from the start.” She clicked on an icon. “The best part is the model will help clients see if what they’re asking for is really what they want.”
“Because clients sometimes regret what they ask for.”
“Exactly.” Her heart pounded. Ohmigod. She was actually doing it. She was pitching her program to Aidan, and he understood its value. “Then, if a client wants to tweak the plans, it can be done before a bunch of money is spent.”
“Okay.” He was doing the statue-thing again, and she resisted the urge to shove at him, to get him to move somehow. With his gaze still on the screen, a corner of his mouth quirked up. “Changes at the beginning would be cheaper and easier versus making those changes once we’ve already broken ground.”
“That’s right.” She swallowed and then focused on her breathing.
Was he impressed? God, she hoped so.
On top of smelling so damned good, she felt him, too, felt his body heat from where he stood next to her, felt the magnetic pull of him as he leaned to get a closer look at the screen.
Behave, damn it.
He grabbed the mouse and maneuvered it over a computer graphic. “This is where the parameters are set?”
She itched to cover his hands with hers, itched to trace a finger over the ridges as he clasped the computer mouse.
How would his hands feel on her, bringing her body to life? Aidan touching her.
Just. Touching. Her.
She bit her lower lip and slouched forward, sure her nipples were now visible through the thin tank top. Thank God he was standing beside her.
“Delaney?”
She blinked. The question. He’d asked a question. What the hell was it?
“Yes. Longitude. Latitude.” She cleared her throat and nodded. “With the availability of GPS these days, those are easy enough to figure out, no matter where the project is located. It could be out in the middle of a Nevada desert or Seattle’s busiest neighborhood. Wouldn’t matter.”
He was silent a long time. Forever, it seemed, and she fought the need to move her hand, her foot, anything to dissipate the nervous energy building up inside her. Instead she gripped the arms of her chair, kept her gaze straight ahead.
Just the way Aidan’s was.
He continued to study the graph, his breathing barely audible, but his heat…God, his heat continued a sensuous assault on her, wrapping itself around her so she felt him. Felt him like a warm caress on an even warmer day.
She struggled to stay focused, struggled against the need to turn her face to his with each question he asked, each light breath against her cheek, each soft brush of his hand against her hand or on her back as he moved beside her.
She answered his questions, adequately enough, apparently, though she couldn’t quite concentrate on his words. Her focus was split by hyperawareness and the high that came with Aidan’s questions and the way he seemed to believe she’d hit on something that would benefit Ross and Associates.
“You designed this program?” He half turned his head to face her.
He was close. So, so close. Her gaze dropped briefly to his mouth before she snapped her attention back to the computer screen. The Minions could’ve been on it, for all she could see at the moment. She nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“Why’d you choose civil engineering instead of software engineering? This is genius, Delaney.”
His voice ignited another round of assault on her senses. Pride cascaded through her, even as she shrugged. “I like the outdoors. I didn’t want to be stuck inside all day, tied to a desk and all that.” Even now the thought made her cringe. She could do a lot of things, prided herself on it. Being stuck at a desk wasn’t one of them.
He grinned. “Lucky me.”
There was that warmth thing going on again, seeping through her like molten caramel.
“I have a business proposal.” The words were blurted out before her brain had a chance to engage. She shot out of her chair and paced a few feet away before turning to face him. It was the only way she could think.
Forget Century Plains. She could go for the brass ring.
“Go on.”
“A partnership.” Thank God her tone was professional. “I want a partnership with Ross and Associates.”
“Oh, really?” He straightened, crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What makes you say that?”
“Because with this”—she pointed at the computer—“I’m going to bring in some large accounts for your company. And when I do, you’re going to make me partner.”
He raised an eyebrow, and his gaze kept her rooted on the other side of the chair.
Her heart pounded out a nervous beat. Okay, maybe bringing it up now wasn’t the best idea, but if not now, when?
He was quiet as he studied her. Probably gauging how serious she was.
“Tell you what,” he said slowly. “Land a contract with Pierce Engineering and I’ll consider it.” There was that über-sexy grin that seemed to match the challenge in his eyes.
A surge of excitement bubbled up inside her. “It’s yours.” Never mind that nailing the Pierce Engineering account had eluded Harold for as long as she could remember. She’d do it. Then she’d make partner. The next step on the rung toward owning her own company.
Aidan turned his attention back to the screen. “This really is genius.”
She slipped into the chair again, the leather seat cool against her thighs. That he’d give her ideas a second glance, let alone ask intelligent questions about it like he really cared, was enough to make Delaney’s head spin. That he’d consider making her partner at all amazed her, honored her, made her feel she truly could hold her own in a man’s world. That he believed she could hold her own.
The attention was heady, surreal. She reveled in the moment, held it close, as close as Aidan came every time he leaned toward the computer, his shoulder brushing hers slightly and sending tremors of need shooting through her.
She bit her lower lip to stifle a moan. Her eyes drifted shut, and she swayed slightly. Then her head collided with a muscled shoulder.
She pulled back, her eyes snapping open, and her gaze caught his. His lust-filled gaze latched onto hers like he had no intention of allowing her to break their connection.
Like she had a choice.
“Oh God.” She breathed the words out in a prayer she wasn’t sure she really wanted answered. At least, not at the moment.
Then she did it. She stretched toward him. When he didn’t pull back, she was confident he wanted what was going to happen as much as she wanted it.
And the moment their lips locked, Delaney knew she’d made the right move.
Chapter Fourteen
Holy fucking damn.
Aidan couldn’t fight the driving need to possess her. How could he resist the smooth feel of her skin? Or the way she tasted?
Especially the way she tasted.
He’d never forget it, or the even sweeter scent coming off her skin like some feminine lure only she’d discovered—and chosen to keep to herself.
His mouth coaxed hers open. Within moments their tongues touched, retreated, repeating the intimate dance in much the same way he knew his dick wanted. And not just with her mouth.
He straightened, taking every willing part of Delaney with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, the soft moan she gave was indication she wanted this as much as he did. Damn, did he want her. He’d fought it all through the drive up, tried to work it out of his system in the shower, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to stop now.
She pressed herself against him, her legs tightening even more with each undulating movement of her hips. It was like heaven and hell wrapped into one. Like the need to rush and the need to slow down at the same time. Like he wanted to take home base, yet stroll through it, slowly, leisurely, with all the time in the world.
“Aidan.” Her whispered plea—whimpered, almost—jolted him into movement.
He fell onto the closest bed, landing on his back and arranging her on top of him. And still their mouths remained latched in intimate exploration. Nips…tugs…tongues dueling for control.
When he wasn’t sure he could take any more, she pulled away. Her firm, tight, perfectly molded breasts teased him even more than they had on the drive earlier. Slowly, ever so slowly, she eased her tank top off, then tossed the thin garment aside.
He’d spent most of the last eight excruciating hours wondering what she looked like underneath the frumpy clothes, then later wanting a peek at what her yoga pants and top covered.
Now he knew. They were perfect. Like exotic fruit for him to feast on.
He gently pulled her down so he could suck on one breast, rolling the tight bud between his teeth and tugging so she moaned and ground into him in one fluid motion.
She watched, mesmerized, when he nipped the side of her breast before releasing it and taking the other in his mouth. He teased it in the same way, not stopping—not wanting to stop—until she’d moaned even deeper.
She pressed herself toward him, telling him without words how much she wanted this…wanted him.
He didn’t waste any time after that, flipping her onto her stomach.
“Hey.” She laughed, a low, husky sound that fed the fire burning between them. “What are you doing?”
“There’s so much to explore,” he explained between kisses. “I didn’t want to be distracted by your gorgeous nipples all night.”
She giggled, the sound soft and feminine. He kissed the back of her bare shoulder, his hands caressing the sides of her breasts and down her body to where her hips flared out slightly. He straddled her legs, his hands tugging her shorts and panties down.
Holy fucking hell.
She had the sexiest bottom, too. Smooth, perfectly rounded globes that teased him as she lifted up when he tugged her shorts and panties over her ass. Was everything about this woman so perfect?
He shut away that part of his brain, the one that wanted to dissect and analyze what he was going through, and instead concentrated on Delaney. Warm. Willing. And occupying his bed.
He lightly nipped the bottom of her left cheek, her halfhearted wail of protest mixed with a shriek, then followed by a laugh. “You like that, huh?”
“Who wouldn’t?”
He grinned. All that mattered was that she enjoyed it.
So far, there wasn’t a spot he’d touched that she objected to. God, he hoped it stayed that way.
While Aidan hadn’t known her very long, he did know one thing. He’d been more relaxed with her in the last few hours than he had with anyone else in the past six months.
He liked it.
In one swift movement, she turned, then managed to wrestle him off her. She yanked at his clothes, pulling the shirt off him, then tugging his pajama bottoms off.
“You’re commando.” She looked at him, that soft smile on her lips and a look of awe on her face.
He folded both arms, his hands laced underneath his head. “The better for you to eat me,” he teased.
“Why am I not surprised?” She shot him a pretty smile, her eyes shiny bright.
“Did you expect something predictable?”
“Nothing about you is predictable.”
Yet wasn’t it strange he preferred things to be predictable?
“And,” Delaney continued, leaning back on her heels, “that’s a good thing.”
He studied her under hooded eyes, watched as she reached out a hand. Anxiously anticipated the moment her fingers wrapped around his shaft, and nearly died when she leaned forward, devouring him with her sweet, warm mouth.
Aidan groaned. He unlaced his fingers and lowered his arms. Instinctively, he reached for her, touched the sides of her face as she worked his dick in her mouth, flicking her tongue around his tip, sucking on his shaft with just the right amount of pressure.
Holy fuck.
He wasn’t going to last much longer if she kept this up. A moment later he gasped, so close to the edge. “Delaney.” He choked back a groan and reached for her head, stilling her before gently pulling her away. “I don’t want to come yet.”
She pouted. “But I was enjoying myself.”
“So was I.” He sat up and brought his face to hers. “I promise there’ll be more time for that.”
He kissed her then, this time softly, slowly, letting the moment build until…
Condom. You need a condom.
The thought registered, a quiet, almost desperate plea for acknowledgment.
God fucking damn.
He pulled back, saw the confusion in her eyes, then planted a reassuring kiss on her sweet, sweet mouth again. “I don’t suppose you have a condom, do you?”
“No.” She kissed his chin, then down his neck. “I didn’t expect…”
Well, shit. Neither did he. He’d started out the day sure he was going to share a room with Harold. Not some temptress with red hair and a passion to match.
He tried to rein in his galloping libido long enough to come up with a plan. So far, none of today’s plans had come through. Looked like this one would top that list.
God fucking damn.
…
“No problem,” Delaney said, and planted another kiss on his mouth. God, he tasted good.
So.
Good.
She moaned softly, sure she could spend most of the night just kissing him. His hands gripped her waist as she ground her slick opening up against him, and a burst of pleasure built up inside when she angled herself just right, rubbed her tight bud against him. “Good,” she whispered, eyes closed. “That feels so good.”
He was huge, and her inner muscles clenched in anticipation.
“I need to go downstairs.” His hands firmly gripped her hips in place.
“Why?”
He sat up and kissed her thoroughly, one hand brushing strands of hair out of her eyes. The movement was so soft, so tender, it made her heart cry out in a stabbing jolt of pleasure-pain. “We need a condom.”
His hands held her face, and his eyes had the same intensity she’d seen in him most of the day. A man on a mission. A man determined to get what he wanted. And right now, he wanted her.
A flood of power flowed through her as she turned her head to kiss the palm of one hand. “The minibar,” she said. “There’s one in there.”
