"You should first … um, learn about access points." Kate spread her fingers out over his chest. "And authority control."
"Hmm." He turned them both so her back was up against the wall. "Sounds good."
She shot him a shy look from beneath her lashes. Her cheeks were pink. Damn, he wanted her more with every passing second. He'd never had a woman like her before-an organizational efficiency expert with a razor-sharp mind and incredibly awkward social abilities whose ugly clothes concealed a lush, heavenly body. She was a thousand contradictions. He suddenly wanted to know all of them.
He grabbed her skirt and tugged it up far enough to edge his knee between her thighs. As he'd expected, her eyes grew wide with shock.
"Tyler … "
"You smell incredible … " He lowered his head to the side of her neck, inhaling her delicious scent. "One whiff of you, and I'm hard as a rock."
A noise emerged from her throat, a husky whimper that jerked his dick into full stiffness. He groaned, rubbing his jaw against her soft cheek. Before he could think, his fingers were working the buttons of her shirt. Her breasts heaved under her heavy slip.
He considered himself an expert on women's lingerie, but despite his best efforts he found no way of unhooking her slip from the front. As much as he wanted to touch her naked skin, he didn't have the patience to get her clothes off. Instead he covered her full breasts with his hands, squeezing and caressing their plump fullness. Goddamned perfect fit. Nipples like berries poking against her bodice. He was ready to come just touching her.
"Oh my God, that feels so good," Kate whispered, her breath brushing against his neck. "But we really shouldn't … "
She moved her hands tentatively downward and slipped them under his shirt. When her cool fingers touched his hot skin, he jerked in reaction. She murmured with pleasure as she traced his abs, trailing her fingertips along the waistband of his jeans and then up to his pecs. Fuck if her light, timid exploration wasn't the most incredible thing he'd felt in ages.
He pushed his knee upward between her legs, tugging her skirt all the way up to her hips. She tensed for an instant. Then she groaned and settled against him, her luscious legs cradling his thigh. Tyler tightened his fingers on her hips. The heat of her pussy burned clear through his jeans and however many layers of underclothes she wore.
"Damn, you're hot." He grazed his hand up her stocking-clad thigh. "Come on, Darling. Let me feel you move."
She curled her fingers into his chest. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. She lifted her head, her eyes dazed and her breath puffing sweetly against his lips. He flexed his hands on her hips, aching to feel her writhing and shuddering against his thigh.
"Tyler," she whispered.
"Kate," he whispered back, trailing his lips across her cheek and down to her neck.
She jerked away. He lifted his head. Like a windshield wiper washing off condensation, the heat disappeared from her expression.
"Nice try," she said dryly.
He stared at her in shock. She smirked, shoving his hands from her hips and slipping away from him. He dragged a hot breath into his lungs, willing his dick to settle down.
"Uh … what … " he stammered.
"I said, nice try." She pulled her skirt down and fastened her jacket quickly. Though her skin was still flushed pink, a derisive glint replaced the arousal in her eyes. "Trying to seduce me into doing your job."
Shit.
He dragged a hand through his hair. Guilt stabbed him.
"I wasn't trying to-" he began futilely.
"Yeah right." Kate made a scoffing noise and strode to the desk to pack up her briefcase. "I know about guys like you, Tyler. I grew up around plenty of men who thought they could get what they wanted with a smile and a wink. I realized early on how silly it is to fall for such nonsense. Instead I learned the value of good, hard work. Clearly it's your turn to learn that lesson. However, because both I and the rest of Sugar Rush need the library to operate effectively, I'll throw you a bone."
She pulled her cell phone out of the holster and typed. "Check your email. There's a library sciences online curriculum you can start with. I would be happy to answer questions, but the job itself is yours."
She slipped her phone back into the holster and lifted her head. Their gazes met. A current of heat sizzled between them. He could still feel the shape of her breasts, like they'd been imprinted on his hands.
"Come on, Tyler." Kate snapped her briefcase shut and narrowed her eyes at him. "Let me see you work."