Page 19 of Wanted

Deep inside, I hated betraying him like this.

Hated lying.

Hated that I had a life that required such things in order to survive.

Then, he was there, standing right in front of me only inches away, his enigmatic gaze locked on my mouth.

All thoughts of keys flew out the window and all I could think about was how much I wanted—needed—his mouth on mine, his body on mine. God, what would his lips feel like? Just once, I’d like to kiss him, if only to see if he lived up to my fantasies. Something told me he would. No, he’d exceed them, surely.

Then, as if he’d read my thoughts, I felt his hands cupping my face. Gently, he tilted my chin up as he leaned down, angling my mouth closer to his. I felt his breath on my lips and this close, his eyes seem wider, wilder even, but perhaps that was just a trick of the moonlight and shadows.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he closed the distance between us until, at last, our lips met.

Nothing could have prepared me for the way his mouth took mine. Raw power and primal need mixed with a surprising tenderness.

His tongue danced over my lips and into my mouth with an expertise that left me weak-kneed and melting against his hard chest, helpless to the sensations he sent rocketing through my body.

No wonder there was an endless revolving door of women to this place.

If this was his kiss, just what was he like in bed?

Then, when I was sure this moment couldn’t get any better, he crushed me close and sucked my entire lower lip into his mouth, drawing upon it so deeply I tasted my own blood as he drew me in.

God, I didn’t know you could have an orgasm from a kiss alone, but I was so close. I was on the precipice of a cliff, dangling off the edge as I clung desperately to him in.

His arms embraced me, one hand sliding to the dip in my lower back, pressing our hips together, the other hand trailing down my spine.

My legs quivered as I came in his arms, deep pleasure crashing over me like waves.

As if from miles away, I heard the keys fall to the floor.

Then, he pulled away and lifted his head, leaving me feeling bereft. Lost. And the next instant, he was gone, vanishing into the darkness.

I drew a shaky breath wanting to run after him. I actually took a step forward, but then, my foot collided with the keys to send them skittering across the marble floor.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

My heart stood still, numb with horror.

So close. I’d almost lost it all over a kiss—but what a kiss—No, Kass. Kissing your boss won’t end well.

Especially when he could have caught you with his keys.

Panicking, I snatched the keys from the floor and ran through the halls like a madwoman, back to the media room. In three seconds flat, I’d dropped the keys on the bar and then I was back in the hall, running to my own room.

Once inside, I slammed the door shut and leaned against the wood, shaking.

It took me longer than I cared to admit before I felt strong enough to stumble to my bed. I knew I should be working. I had rooms to clean, rugs to vacuum, and laundry to wash, but I couldn’t move, not with the strength of the fear and pleasure running riot in my head.

It must have been nearly an hour later before I recovered my composure to venture outside the door once again.

I set about my nightly tasks, nervous and on edge. Just what would I say to the Count should he appear again?

And had he seen the keys?

Finally, I saw the gray light of dawn that signaled the end of my shift and I stumbled back to room, exhausted.