New Game in Town(4)

His assertive fingers continued to stroke back and forth from the bottom of her breasts, over her quivering belly, to the edge of the waistband of her skirt, while his lips nuzzled along the sensitive skin of her neck. She felt the palm of his hand increase the pressure on her middle, pulling her still tighter against him, the feel of his fully aroused rod rubbing against her ass eliciting another groan of pure desire from her parted lips.

“Please…” Gina wasn’t entirely sure what she was begging him for.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would guess that you put together a spreadsheet of your sexual wish list and the potential men that would help you reach your, ah, goals.”

Connor’s emphasis on his last word wasn’t lost on either of them. His lips dropped to her shoulder, taking a gentle love bite of the soft flesh of her shoulder as he slid his hands up to finally pull her bra down and cup her breasts. His fingers finally closing over her protruding nipples, giving them a delicate squeeze that had her knees threaten to buckle from under her.

“Aw God, stop,” she pleaded, trying to hold on to her pride but failing miserably.

Ignoring her weak protest, he interrupted, his harsh growl attesting to his own lust, “Did you really use a spreadsheet to decide on which man to take as a lover?” Laughter combined with a little awe. “Talk about using your Smartphone—wisely.”

Gina tensed at just how accurate his words were. Fear and mortification snaked through her already overly sensitized body. Some of her newfound confidence began to slip when past insecurities came trickling back, leaving her feeling foolish.

Why would any of these gorgeous men, who had their pick of women, be interested in someone like her? After all, her dismal track record with men spoke for itself. And God, to have this man read about her sexual fantasy wish list was just too much to handle!

She had to stop this before she made a total fool of herself. The absurdity of allowing this man to touch her so intimately when they hadn’t exchanged more than a dozen words wasn’t lost on her. But the man made her hum like a well-played guitar, and the way she was reacting to him wasn’t lost on either of them. With a determined step forward, Gina shook her head no and shrugged off his hands, putting a few needed inches between them. Pulling away from his erotic touch, she quickly adjusted her bra and smoothed her blouse back into her skirt. Schooling her features into what she hoped was a casual look of disdain, she prepared herself to see the smug look on his face. But before she turned and looked at Connor, she caught a look at her reflection in the framed mirror hanging behind her desk. What she saw there still managed to give her pause. Even today, she was a little surprised at the sexy woman staring back at her. On the outside, she was completely transformed into a new woman from the one she had been before her makeover.

Catching a glance of her new look in the glass was an effective reminder about the mantra that she repeated to herself daily. I am beautiful, I am desirable, I am worthy.

With little choice but to brazen out the situation, Gina ignored Connor and moved to sit behind her desk. The large physical barrier gave her little protection from his perceptive gaze or his mockingly raised eyebrow. Not as brave as she had hoped to be, she glanced down unseeingly at a file on her desk and, with as much dignity she could muster, she muttered, “I apologize for sending you the wrong attachment. I’ll be sure to send you the correct information.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Gina. Was that a list of potential lovers?”

The sudden steel in his voice had Gina glancing up sharply. It didn’t take a genius to see that he disapproved.

Why should he care?

“It’s really none of your concern, Connor. What I do in my personal life is just that—personal.” Gina knew she had to end this conversation now. Just being in the same room with Connor was enough to shake her equilibrium.

This man always had the power to make her hot. From the moment Gina had first seen him walking the arena hallways last year, laughing and joking with the different women he escorted on a nightly basis, she had felt true envy. What would it be like to have his arm around her shoulders as he stared into her eyes with desire? Back then, she had fantasized that she was the woman going home with him for the night. She had even woken up from a very erotic dream one night, crying out his name in need. The private memory had her blushing even more.

No, she couldn’t let him get under her skin. At least not any further than he already was. Even with her newfound confidence, Gina wasn’t courageous enough to explore the deep emotions he unknowingly elicited from within her. Self-preservation refused to allow her to explore why this man affected her control so deeply.