As the sparks ignited again, she refreshed their drinks to help distract her. She handed over Ryan’s glass. She clinked her rim to his and said, “This is probably one of the most bizarre first day of work anyone has ever experienced.”
He grinned in his sexy way. “I concur.”
“You’ve definitely given all-new meaning to the term it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I had help with redefining that greeting. And I appreciate your open-mindedness when it comes to proving theories.
Her stomach flipped. “I can’t quite recall what we were trying to prove. Though apparently, we give substantial credibility to the idea of opposites attract.”
“I’m still quite intrigued by your stance on sexual chemistry.”
“Yes,” she said with a teasing smile. “I like that one as well.”
They sipped in silence for a few moments. Maxi thought that all of the electrifying bolts ricocheting throughout her body should be fully vanquished by now. Those three orgasms had been stellar ones, after all. Totally taking the edge off.
Now was the time to get back to work. To focus on the strategies the team had begun to brainstorm, thanks to Ryan inspiring their creativity. Freeing them from the paralysis of presumed imminent failure.
They could all function a bit better now that there was hope on the horizon. Kudos to Einstein.
Of course, they weren’t out of the clear yet. As with everything about this peculiar day, his conjectures were just that. All based in theory. Sure, he had the stats and data to back up his claims for success, but until they dug deep into the weeds—again employing that practical application Maxi was such a fan of—they still faced an hourglass, with the sand running out before their very eyes.
She stole a glance Ryan’s way and found his jaw set and his gaze fixed on his scotch. He was deeply lost in thought. Most likely contemplating the same things she was. They’d had a crazy bit of escapism exploring their attraction, but there was an entire company at stake. No room for error. No time for losing focus or momentum.
She jiggled the cubes in her glass as she contemplated the current predicament.
Maxi had waited a long, long time to meet a man like Dr. Ryan Donovan. No, he wasn’t the type she’d ever imagined herself getting involved with; maybe that was why she’d not tempered her craving for him, innately believing the reverse of her ideal might be to her advantage.
She’d always dated guys who rode motorcycles and fixed things with their bare hands, not their brains. Guys who had names like Nick, Jake, and Kev, and made ridiculous promises along the lines of tattooing “Maxi” over their heart or on their bulging biceps…or around their ring finger.
She groaned inwardly. Christ, she’d actually fallen for that last one. What a sucker she’d been. And how foolish was she being now, letting her attention slip from work to sex?
She drained her glass and turned to Ryan. “So, we have a lot of problem-solving ahead of us.”
He glanced up from his drink. “I was just thinking that. Staci hired me to help you get things back on track, and I promise to do just that, Maxi.”
Now, that was a smart promise to buy into. But to do so, she had to play her part.
Setting her tumbler aside, she considered her options. Then said, “I have absolutely no qualms about what happened between us today. Tonight. But Staci hired me to do a job too. This mission is important to all of us, and we need to dedicate ourselves to it.”
Her gaze involuntarily swept over his hunky body and her insides sizzled. She gnawed her lower lip a moment as her breathing shifted once more to that shallow cadence she knew belied her intense arousal.
He said, “We both know that whatever’s happening between us has to take a backseat to what we’re tasked with doing.”
She nodded. “Naturally. Completely. I so agree.”
And yet the burning spread from her belly upward to her breasts, tightening her nipples. Downward to her clit, making it tingle. Deeper to her core, causing a dull ache of need.
Her eyelids fluttered closed for a few seconds as she absorbed all the sensations Ryan evoked—without even touching her.
Worse, she knew exactly how it felt to have his mouth on her breasts, to feel him thrusting vigorously, exactly the way she needed it.
Her legs squeezed together as the burst of fire at their apex caught her off guard.
Okay, so, rationally speaking, she’d obviously spent too many years not getting what she needed from other men. So that when she finally came across one who knew what the hell he was doing when it came to pleasuring a woman—not just sexually, but emotionally and, yes, even intellectually—because honestly, he not only stimulated her body but also her brain—she’d instantly become addicted to everything Ryan had to offer.
Not a big surprise, she surmised. Just really, really, really bad timing.
Yet perhaps there was a way to get Einstein out of her system. She shot him a coy look. Moved from her spot on the far end of the sofa and crawled on all fours toward him. He deposited his glass on the end table. His brow crooked.