The Millionaire Affair (Love in the Balance 3)

Locking his arms around her waist he kissed her again, tugging her against him. Like before, he eased into her, losing the pressure of the day in her mouth. His knotted shoulders lowered from his ears. But this kiss… this kiss was a promise of more. Tonight if they could swing it.

As much “more” as we can squeeze in after Lyon’s bedtime.

CHAPTER NINE

After she escaped Landon’s interlocking arms, Kimber retreated to her bedroom using the excuse of a shower. She’d been thorough, shaving every part of her body and following up with a sheen of moisturizer.

You can do this. You can do this.

She could. The hard part was over. The part where she’d suggested they use each other up. It was a tinge disconcerting how quickly he’d agreed. Purposefully, she threw her shoulders back. She was not over-thinking this. Fun-night stands, by definition, were supposed to be fun. And she intended to have some freaking fun for once. As she closed her eyes, she took a deep breath. A fun, sexy romp. A roll in the hay. Nothing more.

Don’t make this into anything more.

With that mantra ringing in her ears, she opened a dresser drawer to search for passably sexy underwear. She hesitated over her underthings, laughing darkly when the closest thing she’d found to a set was a pair of black panties and a charcoal gray bra.

Landon’s last girlfriend had been a Victoria’s Secret model, for goodness’ sake, and Kimber couldn’t find a matching set of lingerie. Her undergarments were far more function than form. Sturdy, not clingy or lacey or particularly sexy.

They would have to do. She wouldn’t be wearing them long, anyway.

This is such a bad idea. Like seeing a train’s headlight in the distance but refusing to step off the tracks.

Stop it. No more analyzing.

Glo may be a party girl, but she had her moments of pinpoint insight. And her friend’s call on the situation with Landon was right on. Kimber and Landon wanted one another. Neither of them was in the space where they wanted more than something physical. This was the perfect solution.

Kimber, for one, was wildly attracted to him. She hadn’t worked out yet if she was just convenient to him or if he really liked her, but she’d concluded it didn’t really matter. It isn’t like we’ll be making holiday plans together.

After agonizing over what to wear, she settled on an off-the-shoulder striped T-shirt and short cotton shorts. She left her feet bare and navigated the hallway until she reached the living room. There she found Landon, in his suit pants, arm flung over the back of the couch with Lyon’s head resting on his leg. It was so cute, her heart gave a little tug.

No tugging. This is your fun-night stand. No tugging allowed unless it’s in the bedroom.

“Couldn’t resist the lure of Henry Cavill, I see.” Landon nodded at the screen.

“Who can?”

Lyon shushed them, eyes glued to the screen. Landon’s lips twitched in amusement as he reprimanded him by ruffling his hair and saying, “Don’t be rude. I am allowed to speak.”

She sat on the couch at Lyon’s feet, snuggling into the fabric and calming her nerves with a deep breath. No matter what, she wouldn’t sit here and fret over what might happen tonight. Over the agreement she’d made—the agreement she’d needed to make. An agreement that would allow her to have a clean slate, a do-over.

And the time of your adult life.

That, too. She wondered if Landon had taken her seriously. If he’d really made a list. She had started one. There were three things on it. And they weren’t all that adventurous.

A flash of movement to her right caught her eye and she turned her head. Landon turned his palm up and watched her, head propped on his other arm, one eyebrow raised over the rim of his glasses.

She shifted and laid her arm over the couch before resting her palm in his. Holding her hand, he turned his attention to the screen and they sat that way the rest of the movie. Occasionally, he would rearrange their fingers or rub her thumb with his, but he never let go. Once, he looked over and she met his heated gaze, saw in it the promises of things to come. The heat transferred from his body to hers, causing her palm to grow damp.

The movie credits rolled and he lifted a snoozing Lyon off the couch and murmured he was going to tuck him in. “Meet you in your room,” he’d whispered before vanishing into his nephew’s bedroom, Lyon in his arms.

That left her to walk to her room alone, contemplating her “fun-night stand” along the way. Heated kisses, the slide of sheets against their nude bodies. She shuddered and closed her door. Then stared at it, chewing her lip. She hadn’t taken this gig to get laid. Hadn’t, in her wildest imaginings thought for one deluded second Landon would agree to sleep with her. If she’d known then what she knew now, would she still have said yes?