Learning Curves(7)

Asshole.

“As a matter of fact, I can’t break my plans. I’ll be away with my boyfriend,” she blurted out.

“There you are.” Linc stepped in between her and Matthew, and she stiffened when he bent and pressed his lips to her temple. Warm breath fanned over her face when he whispered, “Follow my lead.”

“Linc,” she said, realizing he was coming to her rescue. Thank you. Playing along she said, “You surprised me.”

He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her tight against him. Oh wow, that felt nice. “Did you think you could sneak out of here without kissing me good-bye?”

Take that Matthew.

Lauren mimicked Jessica’s giggle. That’s right. She’d taken drama in high school and was a quick study. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He cupped her chin, his thumb brushing her lower lip. Damn. His touch was incredibly hot. She relaxed into him, and he dropped the hottest, firmest kiss onto her mouth. His tongue coaxed her lips open, then pushed inside. Barbed pleasure spiked through her as he took control. Powerful and rough, demanding and greedy, the man took without asking. She reveled in the taste, relished in the danger.

When he finally broke the kiss, she stood there panting, He inched back, looking as powerful and composed as ever, and said, “You know I’d never make it through the afternoon without kissing you again.”

“Same,” she whispered, desperate for an encore.

She tipped her face up, offering him her mouth, and he bent, taking it again. What the hell am I doing? His lips lightly brushed hers this time, a soft caress that would have sent her to her knees had he not been holding her. When a needy sound caught in her throat, he pulled her tighter and deepened the kiss. Holy hell. She’d been prepared to put on a show but nothing could have prepared her for a kiss like this. Her lids slipped shut. If she was dreaming, she never wanted to wake.

Linc broke the kiss, leaving cold where there was once heat. With her mouth still poised open, her lids flickered, and she found him smiling down at her. Eyes a deeper shade of blue than they’d been moments before moved over her face. She licked her bottom lip, savoring the taste of him.

“So I’ll see you at seven?”

“Can’t wait,” she said, breathlessly.

He straightened and turned, and when he caught her ex staring at him, his mouth agape, Linc gave him a sheepish look and said. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Linc chuckled and held his hand out. “That’s what she does to me.” Matthew shook Linc’s hand. “I’m Linc Blair.”

“I…I know who you are,” Matthew said, his gaze darting between the two. “I didn’t know…you were seeing each other.”

“That’s because we’ve been keeping it a secret.” He faced Lauren, his gaze suggestive, as he ran the backs of his knuckles over her cheek. A surge of heat moved through her, and if she knew what was good for her, she’d turn and run as fast as she could. “I’m not ready to share this beautiful woman with the world just yet.” He turned his attention to Matthew’s fiancée.

As Matthew continued to stare, Lauren struggled to pull herself together long enough to do the introductions. She cleared her throat. “Linc, this is Jessica.”

Jessica slid her hand into Linc’s. Her blatant appraisal of the man towering over them all brought a scowl to Matthew’s face. “Nice to meet you,” she purred.

Polite, yet not giving Jessica the attention she was so clearly used to, he gave her hand a quick shake and dragged Lauren back into his arms, planting his pelvis firmly against her stomach. “Speaking of tonight, why don’t you wear that blue dress,” Linc said. “You know how much I love that one on you.” He winked. “And off you.”

She chuckled, went up on tiptoe, and pressed her lips to his. “As long as you don’t pop the buttons again when you’re tearing it off me. It took forever to find them on your kitchen floor.”

They were trying to get a reaction out of Matthew, but her words seem to do something to Linc. His nostrils flared, and he bent, purposely putting his mouth near her ear, like his words were meant for her and her alone. “Leave your hair up. I want to be the one to take it down.”





Chapter Two

Linc stood there trying to remember how to breathe as Lauren walked out of the skybox. His gaze dropped to the lush curves hidden behind her tight skirt. Christ, she had the sweetest, sexiest ass he’d ever laid eyes on, and this weekend he was going to spank it, knead it, bite it—selfishly own the fucking hell out of it. Every stroke and thrust would be deep, forbidden, greedy. Oh yeah, this weekend she was his, and he was damn well going to keep her in his bed and do the dirtiest things to her. He sucked in a ragged breath as his cock throbbed in anticipation.