What Maxi Needs (Leave Your Shoes On 3)

He lowered his tone and asked, “Do you realize you’ve been driving me crazy all day with this red suit you’re wearing? It’s definitely your color.” His gaze dropped to the silver zipper of her jacket. “So tempting. I just have to pull on this shiny little piece and slide the zipper down its track. And I’ll find…what?”

Maxi’s pulse beat erratically. Her heart thumped uncontrollably. Damn, Ryan did the most insane things to her.

“Black lace demi-bra,” she said, in the provocative voice reserved only for him.

“To go with the black stilettos,” he mused. “Nice. And your thong matches the bra?”

“Yes.”

He let out a low groan.

Why are we traveling this path? It’s so dangerous! Beyond containable danger!

“Now that’s an outfit I’d like to see you in,” Ryan murmured seductively. “Lingerie and stilettos.”

Lightning struck. Against her clit. Deep in her core. Her pussy hummed with electricity. Her nipples tightened. Excitement flashed through her.

“Jesus, Ryan,” she said on a mere wisp of air. “You make me want to rip your shirt open and have my way with you.”

“I wouldn’t complain.” His look intensified. “Trust me, Maxi. I would not complain.”

His dark eyes bore into her. She wasn’t even cognizant of her breathing. The only thing that registered was how her body pulsated with a dire need for him.

Yeah, so much for getting him out of her system on Monday night.

Exhilaration trilled down her spine, and all she could think of was grabbing him by the suit jacket again and laying a blazing kiss on him.

But…what was she thinking? For God’s sake! They’d talked about this. Maxi knew better than to cave to lust. Christ, she was in the middle of assembling a presentation—and so was he!

Yet that seemed to be the last thing on Ryan’s mind. His head dipped. His lips brushed over hers as he said, “You are the ultimate fantasy material, Maxi Shayne.”

Why was she so aware of him? So drawn to him? So surrounded by him, permeated by him? The very essence of the man literally seeped into her veins. Oozed through her, turning her blood molten.

Her fingers curled around the flap of his jacket. She had the crazy desire to tug him forward, until their bodies melded and his lips sealed to hers. She had the insane need to let him possess her again—with his assertive moves, his sexy words, his to-die-for kisses.

“So,” she said as her heart now beat in her throat. “We’re not doing a great job of curbing our desire, here. And I’ve tried. I’ve wanted to thank you for the roses, but we’re always in front of other people. I suppose I could have sent a text, but—”

“I need to give you my cell number,” he said. “And you’re welcome.”

Then his mouth covered hers in what she was sure was meant to be a brief kiss, but everything went haywire as usual, and she gave in to the sizzling sensation.

His arms wound around her waist, and he pulled her to him. Maxi’s fingers plowed through his thick, lush, wavy hair—and she was fairly certain letting go of him would prove impossible.

Except that a sharp, obnoxious ringing suddenly echoed throughout the room, nearly piercing her eardrums. She released the strands of Ryan’s hair in her hands and snapped to attention. Blue and green lights bounced off the walls as the alarm wailed.

“What the hell?” she demanded, having no idea where the warning signal came from, since it wasn’t just in her head.

“Oops,” Ryan said as he stepped around her and punched the Stop button on the copy machine, which jerked to a resonating halt.

Maxi’s gaze followed his, and she noted all of the curled and mangled papers on the various collating trays.

“Oh, shit,” she said. “I jammed the whole damn thing.”

“Looks like it.”

“Fuck!” Maxi clenched her fists at her sides. “This is precisely what we don’t need! We have presentations to give, updated documentation to pass out in like”—she glanced at her watch—“ten minutes before our next meeting!”

As she mentally berated herself for veering off course with Ryan when she’d sworn she wouldn’t, and had therefore taken her eye off the ball, he said, “Relax, sweetheart.”