The Burlington Manor Affair

Her nipples flamed, the brush of his chest needling her from breasts to thigh and everywhere in between.

“Going to come,” he murmured, kissing her face frantically.

Carmen shuddered. She was close, too. His cock stiffened, jerked hard, and again. Her body clasped it and he stayed with her, urging her to come.

When she did, a sob broke in her throat.

Pleasure rolled through her, wave after wave, and she clung to him. Only when she finally stilled did he slip from her, and when he did, she found herself wrapped in his arms again moments later.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“THIS FEELS FAR too much like camping to me,” Carmen stated.

“You don’t enjoy camping?” Rex grinned at her, glad that they were at ease with each other again.

She stood with one hip up against the breakfast bar in their rented apartment, eating the wrap he’d picked up from a nearby takeout.

It was Friday and Rex had woken with work nudging into his thoughts. Specifically, the meeting the Slipstream team had with Nikhil Rashid that day, but once Carmen moved in his arms his attention was all hers.

She was looking at him differently today. There was still wariness there in her eyes, but she was more like the old Carmen, more open. Curious. Last night had been tough on them both, but Rex felt they’d come to an understanding. All week long she’d kept telling him that she disapproved of this setup and they should go to her place, but he was determined to stick to his guns until he heard back from Jacobson, at the very least. He was taking no risks whatsoever. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to take her to the manor for the weekend, not until Jacobson had cleared his doubts. Jacobson’s men had been there the day before, and he was expecting a report.

He removed the lids from the take-out coffee cups, set one down next to her and then tucked into his own wrap.

“I’m woman enough to admit camping is not for me,” she said, amused. “I like my home comforts.”

“I never would have guessed.” Rex took a sip of his coffee and admired her. She was wearing a business suit for work, and although it was very simple, she still managed to make it look elegant and feminine.

“Are you suggesting that I couldn’t actually cope with camping?” Her eyes twinkled.

That was so good to see. “I daresay you could do anything you put your mind to. I’ll be honest, even though the idea of you crawling around on your hands and knees in a tent appeals to my base nature, I’d rather see you on your knees in Burlington Manor.”

“You’re so bad, making me think about that right now while I’m trying to get ready for the day ahead.” The look in her eyes was mellow and inviting.

“My task is to have you think about it all the time, especially because I can see you like the idea.”

Carmen put down the remains of her breakfast wrap and picked up her coffee, looking at him from under hooded lids as she sipped it.

They’d got past something the night before, and this was the easiest they’d been around each other. She hadn’t exactly agreed to his suggestion of seeing each other as a more permanent arrangement, but she also hadn’t outlawed it completely.

Rex was determined to make it work. He couldn’t have it any other way; he needed this woman. Part of him had always known that, but he hadn’t realized how deeply it ran and that it wouldn’t just evaporate after they’d addressed the attraction between them. No, this felt different.

“Have you got a busy day today?”

“I’m glad you brought that up.” Her expression grew serious. “I have a meeting first thing, but I was wondering if you could maybe finish early today?” She asked the question tentatively.

“If I could I’d cancel the whole day to be with you, but we have an important pitch with a key client later this morning. I expect it to run until after lunchtime, but I’m sure I can finish up by three and be back to collect you from work by four.”

She studied him for a moment, then nodded. She seemed wrapped in her own thoughts.

Rex felt uneasy. It was odd, because this was the closest they’d managed to get. But there still seemed to be obstacles that he couldn’t shift, barriers he couldn’t even discern.

How could he prove his loyalty to her?

Grand gestures, that’s what men did at times like this. Flowers and chocolates and gifts and stuff. Apart from the dress he’d bought her in Milan—which had made her wary about his motives, and she hadn’t been sure about accepting it as a result—perhaps he hadn’t demonstrated his intentions to her in the correct way. Was that the missing element?

There was no denying that the sexual dynamic between them was powerful. He’d told her he wanted to be with her, but it wasn’t enough.

While they made their way into the underground car park, Rex pondered it. He had time to think about it because Carmen was the quietest she’d been all week. He’d got rather used to her berating him for escorting her like a child who needed to be taken to school. Instead, she switched the radio on to the classical station. The music was calming despite the London traffic and freed up his thoughts. Carmen was wise, she was sensible. Left to his own devices he’d have the city radio station on with all the bad news and traffic reports he didn’t need as well as the stuff he did.