Hero (Hero 1)

With a cry of satisfaction, Caine shuddered against me as he came.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his back, and felt that his T-shirt was damp from exertion.

He nuzzled my neck, pressing soft kisses there as his breathing returned to normal. When he pulled back, it was only to look at me; he made no move to remove himself. His gaze moved over my face, drinking me in. “Maybe we could stay like this forever.” His words were rumbly and deeply satisfied.

They made my inner muscles squeeze his cock and I saw he felt it in the flutter of his dark lashes and in the softening of his mouth.

“I don’t think we could have much interaction with other people if we stayed like this.” On second thought … “So it’s not actually a bad idea.”

Caine was amused. “I definitely like the sound of that. Although we would need to eat. I don’t feel comfortable asking Effie to bring us food while we’re like this.”

I giggled. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. We could ask my friend Rachel. Nothing fazes her.”

“I’m pretty sure this would faze her.”

“Oh no, it really wouldn’t. Rachel has no boundaries. This is a woman who once called a ten-year-old an asshole. To his face. In front of his mother.”

Caine gave a bark of laughter. “A ten-year-old?”

“To be fair he was acting like an asshole.”

Shaking with amusement, Caine wrapped his arms around me so that when he moved back onto his side he was taking me with him. “Is Rachel looking for a job? I’m always open to hiring no-bullshitters.”

“I know.” I pressed my face into his warm chest. “You hired me.”

His hand slid over my naked bottom and squeezed me gently. “I had other motives for hiring you.”

Surprised, I arched my neck so I could look into his eyes. “Are you saying you hired me because you were attracted to me?”

“I didn’t think so at the time,” he admitted, looking boyishly rueful. “But looking back on it, yeah. When you walked onto the photo shoot—before you told me who you were and all that shit went down—I took one look at you and decided I was going to fuck you.”

I laughed and hit his chest playfully. “How romantic of you. And presumptuous.”

He shrugged, his own grin teasing. “Presumptuous, huh?”

I thought about the fact that he was still inside me and I sighed in defeat. “You are so arrogant.”

“Pot, meet Kettle.”

Shocked that he thought so, I whispered, “I’m not arrogant.”

“Baby, you wouldn’t let just anybody near you, and I’m not just talking guys. I’m talking friends, family, too. You place a high value on your friendship and on your body. And you should.”

“Self-worth is not arrogance.”

He eyed me contemplatively. “Are you good in bed?”

After last night he even had to ask? “Uh … yeah.”

He smiled. “Are you good at your job?”

“Hell yeah.”

“If you wanted a man, do you think he would fuck you?”

I thought about it, about my history with men, and how (with the exception of Caine) I was the one who called the shots. “Probably. Not all.”

“But most.”

I shrugged.

“See? Arrogant.”

“Confident,” I argued, but I could see what he was getting at. “Okay. So you’re confident … with a touch of arrogance.” Bemused, I stared at the ceiling in thought. “I never thought of myself as arrogant before.”

Caine’s fingers brushed along my jaw, bringing my gaze back to his. “Arrogance can be obnoxious when it’s not earned. But if you’re good at something and you know it, then it’s fake and a waste of time to pretend that you’re not.”

I found myself smiling at his logic. “You know, some people are good at something and they don’t realize how good they are at it. It’s called being humble and modest.”

He shook his head, grinning as he pushed me onto my back. “I’m neither of those things. It sounds boring.”

My answering laughter was caught between his hungry lips.

CHAPTER 21

The sight of Henry perched on my desk caused me to hesitate a little as I returned from the copy room. I knew even before noting that curious smile of his that he would want to know what was going on between Caine and me.

But it wasn’t up to me to discuss my boss’s personal life with his friends (even if I happened to be his personal life), and after spending an absolutely amazing day with Caine all day yesterday, I didn’t want to ruin the newfound intimacy between us.

I slowed to a stop in front of Henry and gave him a knowing look. “Mr. Lexington.”

He grinned. “Lexie.” He cocked his head to the side in thought. “You know, if you’d been smart about it and chosen this guy”—he pointed to himself—“your name could eventually have been Lexie Lexington.”

I snorted. “All I’d need were cowboy boots and a broken heart and I’d be a country singer.”

Henry’s eyebrows drew together. “Huh. You’re right.” He chuckled. “And a very beautiful one at that.”

“Henry, stop flirting with me.”

“I’m just waiting to see if Mr. Carraway comes bursting out of the doors to tell me to stay away from you. He’s awfully possessive of his PA.”