The Spiral Down (The Fall Up #2)(30)

I also knew I was going to try anyway.

With no other way to move, his hips rolled against mine—his hard-on finding brief friction with mine.

Fuck.

Shit. That felt good.

Too good.

And it dragged me out of the moment.

Rules were a real bitch like that.

But the reasons for the rules were even worse.

My chest heaved as I quickly stepped away. I couldn’t catch my breath, not while staring at his swollen and bruised lips. The scruff on my chin had left red marks across his mouth, and I’ll be damned if the sight didn’t make me want to go back for seconds.

With wide eyes, he lifted his hand to his lips. Gone was his confident smirk, but if possible, the sexual fog was even better. It made me want more than just seconds.

And I didn’t have to wait long before Henry gave them to me.

He stormed forward, crashing his mouth against mine. His hands flew into my hair, holding me to him as his tongue pillaged my mouth. It was raw but far from harsh.

Sliding his hands down to my ass, he ground himself against me. We both groaned at the contact.

“Please,” he breathed into my mouth.

What he wanted wasn’t lost on me.

I just couldn’t give it to him.

He kept at my mouth while his fingers drifted down my chest. They paused to brush over my nipple before continuing to my abs. The cool air met my stomach as he pressed my shirt up and snuck his hand underneath.

“Fuck. Your body. Insane,” he moaned, teasing his way over the ripples of my abs.

A smile crept across my mouth at his praise. Henry could no doubt have any man he wanted, and there he was—with me.

Hard as a f*cking rock.

Speechless over my body.

Me.

And I was about five seconds from letting him have me. At least physically.

If I didn’t end this until I could get Jessica in the middle, it was going to ruin everything I had promised myself over the last decade.

I couldn’t go back down that road.

Not even for Henry.

Fuck… Especially not for Henry.

His fingers had just slipped into the waistband of my jeans when I backed out of his reach.

“Evan?” he called, but my senses were finally reemerging.

Wiping my mouth on the back of my arm, I said, “That. Can’t—” I stopped when a strange emotion passed over his face. It looked a lot like understanding, as if it were a moment he’d been waiting for. I arched an eyebrow but continued. “That can’t happen again.”

He immediately lifted his hands in surrender but sauntered toward me. “Okay. Just calm down. It’s fine.”

It wasn’t. Because I wanted it—and so much more—to happen again.

He didn’t stop advancing until he was in my space.

Not touching me.

Just hovering.

“It’s okay. I promise,” he whispered.

I wanted to kiss him again.

I wanted him to kiss me again.

Instead, I fisted my hands at my sides to keep from touching him.

“So let’s forget that happened. No one will know.” His warm breath breezed across my jaw. “Your job is safe, Evan.”

Stop saying my name! I’m the only one in the room!

“Do you still want to go to dinner? We could go back to my suite and order up some food if that would make you more comfortable. I’ll get rid of the girls—”

“No.” I interrupted. “Get rid of Tabitha. Jessica stays.”

His mouth formed a thin line. “Right. Jessica.”

I couldn’t help the twitch of my lips. A reaction he definitely noticed.

Pointing at the wall where I’d just had him pinned, I said, “That won’t happen again. I don’t do the gay thing, Henry.”

He swayed away, but I caught him at the back of his neck.

“However, if we add Jessica, I think we might be onto something.”

His eyes flared wide. “Add Jessica?”

“Threesome. I’m sure you know how to share.” I curled my hand into the blond hair at the nape of his neck.

“I, uh…” he stammered.

“That’s my offer, Henry. I can’t f*ck Tabitha. I’m afraid my dick would freeze off.”

His eyes nervously searched mine. “Evan, I…”

I stepped away and began smoothing my mussed shirt down. “Don’t stress. I’ll convince Jessica. Your job is figuring out how to get the house to fall on the wicked witch.”

His eyes lit and his smile returned. “Did you just use a Wizard of Oz reference?”

I ignored his question. “Deal?”

He swallowed hard and glanced over my shoulder at the door. “Um…”

No um.

Um was unacceptable when my balls were aching for this man. He could f*ck Tabitha on his own time. If I was going to risk the best job I’d ever had to be with him, um shouldn’t have been in his vocabulary.

I wasn’t above playing dirty.

“Deal?” I repeated, adjusting my hard-on in my jeans.

His eyed jumped down at the movement, and then he swallowed hard. “Yeah. Deal.”

A huge smile spread across my face as I headed toward the door.

I didn’t look back.

But, some hours later, I’d wish that I had.