Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love #1)(20)

One minute we were kissing, the next it was over with absolutely no transition. His arms dropped me so quickly I lost my balance and almost landed flat on my ass. My eyes fluttered open and I looked up at Jett’s cool expression.

“What’s wrong?” I croaked confused, my mind fighting its way back to reality. Telltale dampness had gathered in my panties. I crossed my legs and pressed my thighs together to hide the shameful result of my lust.

Jett’s lips were still moist from our heated kiss, and his eyes shimmered with need. Apart from that, he seemed unnaturally collected, unfazed by what happened between us.

Well done, Brooke, one day in the job and already you’re trying to jump the boss’s bones.

I hadn’t started it, but I sure did nothing to stop it.

Flames of shame burned my cheeks and wandered down my neck. I moistened my lips and looked away. “I’m sorry. I—”

“Don’t be,” Jett cut me off.

I shook my head. “It’s all my fault. I probably gave you the wrong impression, which wasn’t my intention. My boyfriend and I just broke up and I—”

Jett’s thumb moved beneath my chin and he pressed gently, forcing me to face him. His expression was dark, menacing even, and his face was a mask of controlled irritation. Whatever I did or said didn’t seem to please him, so I clamped my mouth shut before I managed to humiliate myself even more.

“We need to sort this out before it gets out of control,” he said matter-of-factly. He made it sound like what happened between us was nothing but an inconvenience that needed immediate dealing with.

“Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”

“It will, Brooke. The moment I met you, I knew you wanted me as much as I wanted you. Don’t even pretend it’s not true.” His gaze settled on my open lips. For a moment I thought he’d kiss me again…until he let go and turned his back on me. “Wait for me in the living room. I’ll be with you shortly.” His tone was hard and left no room for discussion. I regarded his strong back and shoulders. His muscles were tense beneath his smooth, taut skin. A tiny drop of sweat rolled down his spine and gathered at the waistband of his pants. Whatever issues he had, he wasn’t as unperturbed as I thought.

“Yes, sir,” I said with a smile as I walked out of his bedroom holding my head high, quite pleased with myself. Whatever strange reaction Jett Mayfield could evoke in me with nothing but a handshake, he wasn’t immune to me either. The realization excited me. It made the trouble I knew I was getting myself into almost worth it.

Chapter 10

“So,” Jett said, pushing a sheet of paper across the couch table toward me. He was fully dressed now in black slacks and a pale blue shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders. Unfortunately, his fully clothed status did nothing to diminish his sex appeal.

I narrowed my gaze as I tried to scan the paper without looking too obvious. He pressed his palm on top of it, obscuring my vision. “It’s sort of a CSACA.”

I peered up at him. “A what?”

“I don’t f**k my staff, Brooke. I know better than that.” He drew a sharp breath and held it for a moment before he let it out slowly and shook his head, as though irritated with whatever he was about to say. “And yet here I am, almost taking you on that bedroom floor. Apparently there’s something about you that makes me want to rip off your clothes, and I know you feel the same way about me. If we’re to work together, we need to sort this out once and for all.”

Boy, was I cheap. What gave me away? My wet panties, or the labored breathing every time he so much as gazed at me? I heaved a silent sigh. Had my attraction to him been so obvious? And more importantly, was I really so delusional to think I could hide it?

Yeah, I was.

“I’m not really sure where this is going,” I said more to myself than to him.

“By agreeing to an arrangement, there’ll never be a misunderstanding as to what’s happening between us and where we’re standing.” His gaze plunged into me with an intensity that frightened me. I just stared at him, lost in his eyes. The guy was not only stunning, he also seemed to know what he was talking about. You can’t keep your head screwed on while lusting after the boss. And we both needed a clear head if we wanted to get this job done.

“I agree. What sort of arrangement do you propose? Working in different rooms? Communicating via email and text messages?”

“Not quite, Brooke.” His lips curled into a wicked smile. “Since we’re adults and this goes way beyond the usual sexual attraction, it’s about time we gave each other what we so desperately crave.”

My jaw dropped and my cheeks flamed up. Was it the kind of proposition I thought it was? He couldn’t be serious, and yet I knew from his no-nonsense expression that he was. “Pardon me?” He must have noticed my shocked expression because he remained silent for a moment, giving me time to process his words. I released a hissing breath I didn’t know I had been holding. While my brain was still protesting, my abdomen did tiny somersaults at the prospect of getting down and dirty with the guy. What would be the harm in following Sylvie’s advice and giving in to my own needs for once? I was single and had nothing to lose.

Apart from your job and heart.

No, my heart wouldn’t be in it. Just sex. And lots of it, or as much as it’d take to get bored and move on.