“Right.” She pushed from her chair. “The sun has set, and you don’t want your daily update. I think it’s time for me to go.”
Something inside of him twisted to see her walk away from him. The need to act roared through him. He needed to stop her. Make her understand.
Make her stay.
Chapter Nine
Hayden leaped to his feet as Avery stepped from the balcony. He raced forward, catching her arm before she could slip away.
He stared down at her, noting her refusal to meet his gaze.
Careful. One wrong move and you’ll lose her.
Now would be an excellent time to turn on the charm. To use any of the empty words or phrases he’d perfected to get him out of trouble over the past years. But instead of flattery, only one blunt truth fell from his lips.
“Nothing about you is interchangeable.”
She stiffened in his hold, not speaking but not leaving, either.
He waited, knowing his words had been nothing but the truth. She was unique. It’s what made her so damn irresistible. Life had trained him to predict the actions of others. He’d always been on his guard because everyone wanted something from him.
Except Avery. All she wanted was a job she could pour her heart and soul into.
She didn’t want his money. She didn’t want to use his connections.
Hell, most of the time she didn’t want anything to do with him at all.
But then there were other times. Other times when she turned her head toward him and those dark, knowing eyes slowly rose to his, seeing far deeper into him than anyone else had ever bothered to look.
His breath caught in his chest as he stared down at her, afraid one false move would send her sprinting from the room.
Her eyes dipped to his mouth before meeting his gaze again. She was so close, trapped between the doorjamb and his body. He wanted to drag her forward into the room and press her back against the wall. Every instinct in is body begged him to touch her, kiss her.
Claim her.
“We just don’t work together, Hayden,” she said, her voice soft.
“We do,” he replied. “And I look forward to proving it to you.”
The indecision in her gaze tugged at his heart.
“Trust me,” he said, meaning the words in a way he never had before. “I can be what you need.”
A soft sigh escaped her. “It’s a nice thought but…”
“It’s more than a thought. Give me a chance, Avery.” He dared to shift a little closer.
Her hand rose, hesitating a moment before he felt her fingers trace along his jaw. He caught her fingers, raising them to his lips. “This isn’t a game. I swear it.”
Her thumb brushed against his mouth. “But what if I wanted to play?”
She spoke the words so quietly he almost missed them.
But when they computed, fire ignited within him.
“Oh, Avery. Don’t you know all you need to do is ask?”
Giving in to temptation, he pulled her to him, his mouth capturing hers. Her soft gasp was muffled by his lips, and for a moment he feared she would pull away. Then she melted into his arms just as he’d imagined her doing again and again these past months
The hunger that always lived just beneath the surface when she was near flared back to the forefront. He’d never get tired of feeling her body pressed against his.
Wrapping his hands around her waist, he waltzed her backward into the room, his lips never leaving hers. He knew what would happen if he gave her time to think. She’d talk herself out of what they both wanted, and the idea of losing her now ripped into him.
“Wait,” she whispered, right on cue.
He slid a hand up to cup her breast, startling a swift inhale from her.
“Don’t think,” he whispered in her ear, flicking his thumb over the thin material of her dress. “Just for a few minutes. Please.”
“This is a bad idea.”
“I’m full of them,” he agreed as her legs hit his bed.
Her fingers spayed out against his chest, and she pushed against him just enough to look up into his eyes.
“This won’t end the way you want it to,” she said.
A smile tugged his lips as he leaned his forehead against hers. “Baby steps. Just let me touch you. Only a little. I’ll behave myself.”
He tumbled her backward onto the bed. She bounced twice, righting herself before turning to him.
Hayden wasted no time. Gripping the hem of his shirt, he tugged it over his head. Her expressive eyes immediately dropped to his exposed chest. There was no stopping his grin when her tongue flicked out to lick her lips. If the sight of his body stopped that brilliant brain of hers, he was more than happy to use that knowledge to his advantage every chance he got.
“Put it back on,” she breathed.