One night … it’s just one night. I can do this. We can do this.
Arriving at his sleek high-rise, Cooper nods to the doorman and whisks me past. His hand at the small of my back, he quickly steers me inside a waiting elevator.
I stare up at the numbers slowly lighting as the elevator painstakingly climbs the floors. Cooper stands quietly behind me, close but not touching—although I can still feel him. Panic sets in as the floors move to double-digit numbers. What the hell am I doing? I take a deep breath and speak low. “This isn’t going to work, you know?”
He’s quiet for a moment before he answers. “Why not?” His hand snakes around my hip, gripping it tightly.
“Because you’re not the type of man who gives in easily.”
He grips my hip tighter. “I’m not giving in.”
The elevator slides to an abrupt stop and the doors slide open. An older couple smiles pleasantly and begins to step toward the car. Cooper says brusquely, “We’re going up.”
“That’s okay. We’ll take the ride up.”
“If you don’t mind, could you wait for the next one?” He pushes the button to the top floor, even though it’s already lit.
“That was rude,” I say as the doors slide closed on the confused couple.
Cooper turns me, searching my face. He ignores my comment, still completely focused on our conversation before the elevator dinged. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Giving in?”
In the dim, confined space, the green in his eyes look almost grey. The intensity of his stare scares me a little, but sucks me in at the same time. “You want more than one night, but you agreed to tonight only.”
“That’s not giving in, Kate.”
“It’s not?” I’m almost afraid to ask.
He shakes his head slowly. A sinister smile quirks at his sexy lips. His know-it-all attitude pisses me off, yet turns me on. But it’s the pisses-me-off part that flows from my mouth. “You asked me out. I said no. We agreed to one night. Isn’t that giving in?”
“No.”
I take an exaggerated, frustrated breath and roll my eyes. “Okay then. Enlighten me. What do you call it?”
His eyes darken and his face lowers to align with mine. “This isn’t giving in. This is staking my claim. I’ll send you back to him tomorrow if that’s what you want. But you won’t be able to sit without thinking of me for a week. Every time your sexy ass touches down, you’ll be reminded of what it feels like with me buried deep inside you. Your bones will ache from the relentless pounding I plan to deliver.”
Despite my irritation at how full of himself he is, my mouth drops open and body buzzes at the visual he’s planted in my head. Cocky arrogance or not, the man has a way of setting my body on fire.
“I’d rather not send you back tomorrow. But get one thing straight right now, Kate. I’m not giving in. I’m meeting you halfway. And you can be damn straight agreeing to one night won’t stop me from trying to take the rest of what you don’t give tonight.”
The elevator car glides to a stop, reaching the top floor. The ease of his manners is so starkly different from the seduction of his voice. “Shall we?” The doors slide open and he leisurely extends his arm to the looming double doors marked Penthouse. I get the feeling that I’m about to step through the wardrobe. And the lion is right behind me.
“Would you like a drink?”
“A glass of wine would be good.” Perhaps a bottle to calm my nerves.
He nods and gestures toward the bar stools on the other side of the kitchen island. The floor to ceiling windows in the adjoining living room catch my attention. Perched high on a cliff, the apartment’s view of the sparkling lights of downtown LA almost appear fantasy like. It’s amazing how a little distance between things can sometimes make you see a very different picture than the reality of being up close. “That’s some view.”
Cooper fills two crystal glasses and offers me one. He follows where my attention is fixed. “I don’t think I’ve noticed it in years.”
“Really?” I’m utterly perplexed at his statement. But he’s serious. “Why?”
“I’m not here much.”
“Where are you normally?”
“The office. The gym. A lot of work-related functions.”
“What’s your typical day like?” I sip my wine.
“Up at five. Gym at five thirty. Office by seven. Home by ten.”
“Ten?”
“I work late a lot.”
“Where do you eat?”
“At the office usually. Or at a function. I do a lot of business over meals.”