Tangled (The Tangled Series)(45)

I’m at my desk, in boxers, working on my laptop. It’s what I do every Sunday afternoon.

Kate? No—she’s still here. But after our f*ck-a-thon last night, I figured I should let her sleep in. Recharge the batteries. I canceled brunch with my mother and blew off the basketball game with the boys. And now I’m staring at the final draft of a contract when a sleepy voice calls me from the doorway.

“Hey.”

I look up and smile. “Hi.”

She’s wearing another one of my T-shirts—the black Metallica one. It goes past her knees. That and the sleep-mussed hair make her look sweet but sexy. Alluring. Compared to Kate, work’s not looking so appetizing anymore.

She runs a hand through her hair as her eyes sweep over the room. “This is a beautiful office, Drew. Breathtaking.”

Kate is the type of woman who appreciates the importance of an awe-inspiring workspace. If you want to be a winner, you need an office that says you already are one. “Thanks. It’s my favorite room in the apartment.”

“I can see why.”

She picks up a frame from one of the shelves and shows it to me. “Who’s this?”

It’s a picture of Mackenzie and me at the beach last summer. She buried me up to my neck in the sand. “My niece, Mackenzie.”

She looks at the photo and smiles. “She’s adorable. I bet she worships you.”

“Yeah, she does. And I’d pretty much cut my hand off for her if she asked me to, so it’s equitable. I’d love for you to meet her one day.”

Kate doesn’t hesitate. “I’d really like that.”

She makes her way over to my chair and perches herself on my knee. I lean forward till my lips find hers—my tongue driving deep into the mouth I now know so well.

She snuggles back against my bare chest. “You’re so warm.” She rests her head on my shoulder and looks toward my computer. “What are you working on?”

I sigh. “This deal with Jarvis Technologies.”

Jarvis is a communications company. They’re looking to acquire a broadband satellite subsidiary.

I rub my eyes.

“Problems?”

I’m usually a lone wolf when it comes to business. I don’t confide—I don’t share. My opinion is the only one that counts. But talking to Kate about business is kind of like talking to myself. I’m actually interested in hearing what she has to say. “Yeah. The CEO is all brains and no balls. I’ve got the perfect deal lined up, but he won’t pull the trigger. He’s nervous about the risk.”

Her finger traces my jaw. “Every acquisition has risks. You have to show him the payoff is worth it.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

She perks up then. “You know, I have something that could help you out. One of my old study partners from Wharton designed a template for a new valuation model. If you run it and the numbers are solid, it might just be enough to persuade Jarvis to take the plunge.”

I’m starting to think Kate’s brain turns me on almost as much as her ass.

Almost.

“It’s on disk in my bag. I’ll get it for you.”

As she stands to go, I grab the bottom of her shirt and pull her back down on my lap—so there’s no way she can miss the perpetual hard-on I’m sporting. My arms wrap around her waist, trapping her. My mouth’s against her ear.

“Before we get into that, there’s something I want to do first.”

There’s amusement in her voice as she asks, “What do you want to do, Drew?”

I pick her up, sweep everything off my desk, and lay her down.

“You.”





We spend the rest of the day working. And talking. And laughing. I tell Kate about Mackenzie and the Bad Word Jar that’s sucking me dry. She tells me more about growing up in Greenville and her parents’ café. We eat lunch on the balcony. It’s cold, so Kate sits on my lap to keep warm and feeds me with her fingers.

I can’t remember ever having such a good time. And we aren’t even screwing.

Go figure.





It’s after ten. We’re getting ready for bed. Kate is in the shower.

Alone.

She took my razor and kicked me out. Unlike women, guys don’t need privacy. There is no bodily function a man won’t perform in front of an audience.

We have no shame.

But whatever; if Kate needs her space, she can have it. I keep myself busy while I wait for her. I change the sheets. I take the box of condoms out of my drawer—to have a few in easy reach.

Then my heart sinks. And if he could, my dick would cry.

The box is empty. “Fuck.”

“My thoughts exactly. Great minds think alike.”

I turn at Kate’s voice. She stands in the doorway, one hand on her hip, the other braced against the doorframe. She’s beautifully, wonderfully naked. Her snatch is shaven even closer than before—just a whisper of dark curls. Sweet Christ.

I keep waiting for the time when Kate’s body doesn’t get to me. When I feel been-there-done-that. So far, it’s just the opposite.

It’s like…eating lobster. If you’ve never eaten it, you think, “Eh, maybe.” But once you’ve tasted it? The chance to eat it again gets your mouth watering like the goddamn Mississippi River. Because now you know how f*cking delicious it really is. Even just the thought her…God. I may end up being the first man in history capable of masturbating without touching himself.