He smiled down at her, and Emma couldn't help but smile back at him.
"I was perfectly safe. You're exaggerating as usual." Or at least she had been until he spoke to her, and her befuddled brain made her miss a step on the way down. She'd ended up in his arms, and had endured a lecture on the safety of ladders.
Shane raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head.
"You were trying to kill yourself, and what's more, none of the others were helping you."
"Yes, well…" Emma had to concede that point to him, and he grinned at her. This was an old and frequent argument between them, and one she never won.
"The point is, you surprised me that day and trust me, that doesn’t happen often. When you fell into my arms, as corny as that sounds, the world seemed brighter. Every day since, you've made work a pleasure. Did I realize I was falling in love with you?"
He smiled at her shocked exclamation and kissed her nose again, and rested his forehead against hers.
"I guess the answer to that is a hell, no. But, you, Emma, have a way of getting under my skin, and the more you did, the less able I felt to tell you how I really felt. I know you hate liars and even though I never lied to you, I guess I lied by omission, and I'm sorry."
He pulled away and looked so utterly miserable that Emma simply had to hug him close.
"It's okay. I guess I get why you didn't tell me. It would have changed our friendship, and the less people that know, the less risk of exposure, and you needed to be incognito for this to work, right?"
Shane exhaled against her neck, and she grinned at his hoarse reply. "Right. So, am I forgiven?"
"That depends," she said and he tensed and pulled away to study her.
"On what?" he asked.
Emma couldn't suppress her grin as the long buried imp in her made its re-appearance.
"On what these dirty things are that the CEO intends to do to me. And he's definitely not an old coot, by the way."
Shane's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest as his lips kicked up in a sinful smile that made delicious anticipation unfurl in her lower belly.
"Hmm, yes, I do recall such a conversation in the elevator this morning. So, Miss Mullins, do enlighten me. What are you willing to do for your CEO?"
Chapter Three
"Whatever it takes to get the job done, Mr. Nevin, of course." Emma warmed to this game and batted her eyelashes for good measure, as she pushed her arms together to enhance her cleavage.
Shane's eyes darkened and his gaze zeroed in on her boobs.
"I see," he said. "But that really doesn't tell me much. I'll need a practical demonstration of your skills, Miss Mullins. I will only employ those devoted to their job, and willing to follow orders."
He smiled as he said the words, but his voice had dropped an octave and with all his attention focused on her, Emma found it hard to breathe all of a sudden. Somehow she sensed that this was more than a simple game for Shane, and his next words confirmed her suspicions.
"If I'm going too fast, now is your time to tell me, titch. Otherwise I'll expect obedience from you, while we're in a scene."
"Scene?" she asked, and her whole body tightened in need at the images that immediately battered her brain.
Shane smiled again and cupped her face. He ran his thumb over her mouth until she opened for him and he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. A sigh escaped her at the contact and Shane slipped inside and took charge of the kiss in such a way that left Emma in no doubt as to what he meant. Arcs of electricity darted between them, and she kissed him back, as their tongues dueled and parried. Every time she thought to gain the upper hand, Shane pulled back, only to attack her mouth again, until she clung to him, gasping for breath. He ground his erection into her belly and ran his hands slowly down her sides until he cupped her ass.
Emma whimpered her need into his marauding mouth when he pulled her skirt up with one hand and used the other to cup her mound.
"Mmm, such a naughty girl. I love how wet you are for me, but do tell me Miss Mullins, what happened to your panties?" He murmured the words in between kisses and then pulled back and grinned down at her, while sinking one finger knuckle-deep into her pussy hole.
Her greedy cunt clamped down on that digit and her hips took on a life of their own, as she ground herself against his hand. Oh, that felt way too good, and she was so ramped up that it wouldn't take her long to reach her release.
Shane added another finger and rubbed his thumb across her aching clit. Emma cried out in need and Shane abandoned her mouth and licked a path along her jaw down to her neck, where he sucked hard enough to leave a bruise, and then bit her. The sting sent white-hot arousal surging through her, and Emma raised one leg and wrapped it around his lean hips. His fingers slipped in deeper and the wet sounds of
