He nodded slowly.
“Yeah, they come to me, but they never think about me. It’s like I’m an endless resource. The money tree that keeps on giving. The guy who always pays at the restaurant.”
I stopped for a moment, flummoxed. To be honest, I’ve never thought about what it’d be like from the other side of the table. As an eighteen year-old freshman, I’ve always been the lowest rung on the ladder. Assistant scooper at the local Baskin Robbins? That’s me. Babysitter on-call for last minute Friday night jobs? That’s me. So no, I’d never thought about it from Jake’s point of view. But I was curious because he was an enigma that beckoned and shifted, just out of reach.
So I took a deep breath, steadying myself.
“Mr. Mason,” I said slowly and carefully this time. “If you don’t want to answer my questions today, it’s fine. But I think we should talk at some point for real. Because what you’re doing is a big mistake. You shouldn’t be getting married to Amanda, full stop. No matter what else is going on, that I can say for sure.”
His eyes grew contemplative again, turning from sky blue to a deep, thoughtful azure. But Jake shook his head once more, dismissing whatever doubts had come to mind. Instead, that cocky grin made an appearance.
“Thanks baby,” he drawled. “Appreciate it. But the only thing you need to think about right now is me. This office. This moment.”
And just like that, the atmosphere in the room turned on a dime. It went from serious to sizzling in a New York second. My panties almost melted off, electricity racing up my spine.
And Jake could tell. His lips twisted into a private smile, even as my thighs clenched. That look couldn’t mean anything good.
“I’ve been thinking about you again,” he rumbled, voice going deep and predatory.
“What?” I shouldn’t have been shocked, not after the things that already happened between us, but for some reason I was.
“Yeah.” He pursed his lips and stroked his eyes over me from top to bottom. The knee-length dress, long sleeved and thin enough for the warm fall we were having had seemed perfectly adequate when I left my dorm room. But now, with him looking me over, I felt naked. My thighs clenched again even as my insides went loose.
No, not again.
Please god, no.
But it was happening once more.
“You have a gorgeous ass,” he rumbled, eyes seductive.
The big man didn’t move any closer but the air ratcheted up a thousand degrees, making me sweat.
“I thought about you last night while I was jerking off in my bed,” he continued. “But I’m not sure I remember the exact details.” The alpha tilted his head to one side, blue eyes seductive and hungry at once. “Show me that sweet ass, princess. Remind me what you look like.”
Hell no! This was exactly what was wrong with us. This was all my plans gone by the wayside.
“No,” I said shortly, crossing my arms and legs in a protective manner. Wishful thinking, like that would help. “Absolutely not.”
But my body sang another tune. My legs shook, pussy wet enough for my panties to slide along my swollen clit tantalizingly.
And Jake wasn’t put off at all.
“Come on, princess,” he cajoled, eyes gleaming. “Are you gonna make me beg?”
As if he’d ever begged for anything in his life.
“No,” I snapped, voice short. But there was lust in my words, a needy edge that couldn’t be disguised.
Because just like he’d touched himself thinking about me, I’d touched myself thinking about him. Last night, my fingers had gone wild playing with my pussy for hours, remembering how he’d made me feel in that bathroom stall. I’d come a couple times, replaying the scene again and again in my head.
And Jake could read my mind, that wicked gleam going brighter.
“Show me, baby,” his deep voice growled persuasively. “Show me what I missed.” The alpha shifted against the desk, and my eyes leapt to the bulge in his lap.
God, his dick was a fucking monster.
A cheaper suit would’ve popped its seams from the way that giant ridge twisted down his leg.
I wanted that cock in me. I couldn’t even deny it.
What use was there to fight?
And like in a dream, my hand drifted to the hem of my skirt and slowly lifted. Stop, stop! the voice in my head screamed. Girl, stop this right now! This is exactly what you’re not supposed to do!
But the grin on Jake’s face just grew wider.
“That’s it, baby. Show me your ass,” he rumbled. “Show Daddy everything.”
But he wasn’t going to completely run this game. I had to take a stand somehow. So with lust buzzing through my brain, I stood in front of him and lifted my skirt, letting him see my pussy instead of my ass. His eyes flared with heat, and it didn’t matter that I had on boring, full-coverage cotton panties. His hungry gaze told me that didn’t matter at all; all that mattered was that he wanted me. And that I wanted him.