I wait for her to say it.

Because she always does.

“No hand holding, remember?” she reminds me apologetically.

“Sorry, I forgot,” I lie then push a path to the stairway that leads to the second floor.

I’ve only been to Lyle’s house once so I don’t know my way around. When we make it to the top of the stairway, I knock on the first door we come to. No one responds so I figure the room is vacant and open the door. I end up getting an eyeful of a couple ripping off each other’s clothes. It would be fine—I mean it’s not anything I haven’t seen—except the dude’s sporting an odd leather getup, which includes suspenders.

“Whoops.” I slam the door then move to the next one.

“Be careful,” Clara warns. “I don’t want to see that again.”

I rap my knuckles on the door. “What? Leather doesn’t turn you on?”

“Not when it looks like that.” Her face scrunches in disgust.

I laugh as I crack the door open and strain my ears for voices on the other side. After I’m convinced the room is vacant, I enter the small room and flip on the light.

“It’s an office,” Clara remarks, her gaze roving across the mahogany desk, bookshelves, filing cabinets, and leather chair.

“I can go check the other room.” I turn around to leave, but she captures the hem of my shirt.

“No, this works.” Her cheeks pink as she sucks her bottom lip between her teeth.

My brow arches. “You have an office fantasy or something?”

She reluctantly shrugs then releases my shirt. “Maybe.” She gives me a sidelong glance and desire burns in her eyes.

“Busted.” A grin curls at my lips. “You so do.”

“So what if I do?” She faces me with her shoulders squared. “It’s not that strange of a fantasy.”

“Nope, not at all.” I grin. “Do you want me to go find a suit and tie for you and put it on? I could dress the part of the powerful business man so you can play the naughty secretary.”

“Whatever. You know me well enough that you’d have to play the naughty secretary and I’d play the dominant boss.”

“All right, then.” I span my arms out as I back further into the room. “Come on boss. Come dominate me.” When my ass bumps against the edge of the desk, I hoist onto it with my legs dangling over the edge and wait. I fight back a smirk as she fidgets with the bottom of her dress, like she’s unsure of what the hell to do next. “Oh, my God.” I press my hand to my chest. “Did I actually strike Clara McKiney speechless?”

Her eyes narrow and she elevates her chin. “You know what? You asked for it.” She struts toward me, emphasizing the sway of her hips.

My heart thumps inside my chest, like a goddamn drummer on crack. I grip the desk to stop from reaching out to grab her, wanting to let her do her thing.

“Aw, look at you and your swagger,” I joke, my gaze drinking in the curves of her body.

“Jax?” She wets her lips with her tongue when she reaches me.

My eyes distractedly drop to her mouth. “Yeah…?”

“Shut up.” She slams her lips against mine so forcefully our teeth clank together. I end up biting her lip, and she groans in response, grasping at the front of my shirt and yanking me closer. “Take off your pants,” she breathes against my mouth then nips at my lip.

I willingly lean back, tug my shirt over my head, and discard it on the floor. Then our lips magnetize together, our tongues tangling as her breasts smash against my chest. She flattens her palm across my stomach and groans again, intensifying the kiss, sucking the breath from my lungs. My hands travel along her curves, grip her waist, and fist the fabric of her dress.

“Clara,” I whisper huskily as my fingers travel to the bottom of her dress, “take it off.”

She moves back, grabs the bottom, and lifts it over her head. Her eyes are wide and glossy as she chucks the dress on the floor, and her chest heaves as she stands vulnerably in her lacey bra and panties. I’ve never seen her without so many clothes on before. Usually she won’t undress more than necessary.

Her skin is like silk, the curves of her body flawless, and I want nothing more than to bite her toned ass.

“God, you’re beautiful.” My hand drifts toward her, but her fingers enfold around my wrist.

“Slow.” Her attention darts back and forth between the dress on the floor and me. She looks like she wants to get dressed again, but I kiss her before she can.

Gripping her ass, I pull her up on the desk. She whimpers as she lands on top of me then scrambles to try and climb off. I quickly cup the back of her head, tangle my fingers through her hair, and tug at the roots, guiding her mouth back to mine. I kiss her fiercely, and she relinquishes, straddling my lap.

My fingers sketch a path down her spine, causing a shiver to course through her body. Her back arches, and her hips thrust against mine as my hand reaches the bottom of her back. Even through my jeans, her warmth makes my cock hard. I moan as she lightly traces her teeth across my tongue. My body convulses as if I’m a fucking virgin again.

“Good fucking hell, this feels so good.”

She pushes back, rakes her fingers through her hair, and then she stares down at me, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. “Take off your pants.”

“You’re really getting off on this bossy thing, aren’t you?” I slip my hand underneath her ass to unzip my jeans.