A Sinful Trap (Three Sinful Wishes 2)

“Nice to meet you, too. Wow.”

“Not how you pictured me?” He flexed his pecs with a wicked grin. “Good. Now you go up first.”

“What? Up? Oh, I need a minute to...” She was still trying to process what he’d said as he guided her to the ladder and took off her hat. “Hey, Many Hats. I was wearing that one.”

“I’m helping.” He tousled her short hair playfully. “It might get caught on something. You’re so much cuter than I expected. Up you go.”

“Thanks, I think, but don’t rush me, D. Even if I do like you, ladders and I are not on good terms right now.”

“I won’t let you fall.”

This was surreal. She had liked D and looked forward to his emails, even when she’d silently ridiculed the detailed preparations for Locke’s arrival. But merging her witty digital pen pal with the stunning man currently nudging her towards the ladder wasn’t easy.

D had always been charming, but with Davide it was a superpower. How else could she explain the fact that she was letting him get away with manhandling her while he made it clear he wasn’t sure about her designs on his—their—boss?

“You write his emails and you’re his bodyguard?” She stepped onto the ladder’s first rung, her nerves oddly soothed by his proximity. “Not to be rude, D, but he’s twice your size and doesn’t look like he needs any help in that department.”

She gasped when the ladder shifted with his added weight as he stepped up behind her. “What do they call that? A size queen? I’m disappointed. Never underestimate agility and skill. Relax, I’m right behind you, Bailey.”

“I only wondered why you had to wear so many hats.” Her heart was racing as she took one step, and then another. This ladder was a little shaky but he was with her, she told herself. She wouldn’t fall.

She could feel his breath between her shoulder blades and it sent a shiver of awareness over her skin.

“I don’t have to do anything. The truth is, I’m whatever he needs me to be whenever he needs it, because that’s what he is for me. And having met him, you’ll agree that it’s no hardship to watch over his body.”

She paused mid step. There was no way to mistake his meaning. “You’re his…he’s your…”

“We are,” he murmured, suddenly right behind her, bare chest hot against her back and arms braced on either side of her. “You smell delicious, Bailey.”

Cam had given her the same line last night. She supposed that answered her next question about how long they’d been a couple. “I don’t think you should do this, D. Locke wouldn’t like it.”

“Cam,” he corrected. “What shouldn’t I do?”

“Flirt with me.”

Davide pressed himself more firmly against her, letting her feel his erection like a long brand against her ass. That couldn’t really be how big he was, could it? “I’m not subtle, remember? If I were flirting, you’d know it. I’d tell you how hard I got watching you garden in your fuck-me shorts. Or that I wasn’t expecting you to feel this right against me. Or maybe I’d admit that I was the tiniest bit jealous about Cam’s reaction to you last night, but now I understand it.”

“We might have different definitions of…flirting…” Her voice wavered as he nuzzled her nape, making her practically vibrate with arousal. “I thought you were warning me off.”

“That was a possibility,” he admitted in a distracted tone, his palm flattening over her stomach to hold her steady against him. “Between this new place and meeting you, he isn’t acting like himself right now. If you weren’t a good fit for him, I would have convinced you to refuse his suit.”

“Refuse his what?” Who said that other than Ms. Littleton? His touch was robbing her of coherent thought. It had to be, because they were on a ladder in the hallway where anyone could see them. Anyone would be able to watch as he ground against her, and nipped at her ear. “You think he’s courting me?”

“He will be. He won’t be able to help himself. Now that I’ve met you, I’m not sure how he left you last night. I don’t think I could have. It’s almost a sin to leave you wanting like this.”

“W-why do you think I wanted anything from him? He was rude, literally left me hanging and almost fired me. Now you show up and tell me he’s already taken? That’s not what I’d call dating material.”

Then why can’t you stop thinking about him?

“I’m good at spotting lies, Bailey. You wanted him last night. You want me now. It’s impossible to hide your arousal from someone like me.”

Someone like him. She turned her head to ask what he meant but he bit her jaw gently, his hand caressing her stomach in ever widening circles until she forgot the question. “Tell me I can touch you.”