Page 12 of Hard Deal

You’re a horrible person, Caleb Allbrook. A despicable, no-good, dirty rotten scoundrel.

And fuck yeah did he love it.

“You...” Her lips were so pursed Caleb genuinely feared she’d cut off blood supply. “Smurfing smurf-face!”

Caleb couldn’t hold it in a second longer, a huge belly-deep laugh burst out of his lips. The woman was ridiculous in the best, most appealing way possible. Even now, she wouldn’t swear because people might hear. Not that there was much chance of it, since they were hiding behind the stables, where the garden turned into a lush bushland area, dense with trees and shrubs.

“Oh my God.” He bent forward, one hand braced on his knee as he laughed. “That’s brilliant. Smurfing—oof!”

Caleb jolted as his back hit the ground, the darkening evening sky now in his field of vision. Imogen was on top of him. What the hell? Had his favourite goodie two-shoes tackled a full-grown man to the ground? Colour him impressed.

He’d fantasised about getting her in this position many times. Admittedly, the circumstances had been a little different in his head.

“Give it back,” she demanded, wriggling on top of him as he tried to fend her off. She had him pinned down, one small hand braced on the ground next to his head and the other trying to worm into the inner pocket of his jacket.

Caleb grabbed her wrists and pulled them up by his head, forcing her to lean closer. Behind the elaborate mask, her olive green eyes were wide. Her ragged breathing caused her chest to rise and fall deeply, moving her breasts up and down against him. She straddled him, the full length of her dress bunched around her legs. Every last bit of blood in his body rushed south as she shifted, the sweet heat between her thighs brushing deliciously over his cock.

Truly despicable.

“Give me back my phone this second or I will scream blue murder,” she threatened. “Daniel—”

He yanked her hands higher, bringing her face even closer. They were nose to nose or, in this case, mask to mask. Her breath puffed over his cheek, and the scent of her perfume—something vanilla-like and softly feminine—wound through him like a drug.

He leaned forward, bringing his lips next to her ear. “Stop calling me that.”

“What?”

“My name isn’t Daniel.” With each word, his lips brushed over the shell of her ear. She stilled against him, her arms and legs going as rigid as steel. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“You’re lying.” But her words were tinged with doubt. “Don’t think you can bluff your way out of this.”

“Do I sound like Daniel?” he asked. Would she place his voice or figure out that she’d made a mistake?

Part of him wanted her to know who he was, to see if she’d push him away or if she’d lean in farther. Had she been stewing on the way he’d touched her in the dark? Had she gotten hot and horny thinking about it?

“I...” She bit down on her lip. “I don’t know.”

“So you were spying on me, taking photos of a private meeting between two friends, and now you’ve tackled me to the ground, and yet you don’t know if I sound like the man you’re after?” He let his voice take on a growl and a tiny shudder ran through her. She shifted, her body rubbing against his erection so perfectly Caleb had to stifle a moan.

“But you’re wearing his mask,” she squeaked. “It’s one of a kind.”

“Apparently not. Daniel was pretty pissed about it, too.” He grinned. “Said it was highway robbery what they charged considering the designs weren’t exclusive.”

“Oh no,” she groaned. “That does sound like something he’d say.”

She looked at him dead on, confusion flashing in her eyes. He probably should clear up the mystery, hand her phone over and send her on her way. But she had both spied on him and knocked him over. In the grand scheme of things, his sins were matched by hers.

“She started it.” Really? Great justification, Allbrook. Totally solid.

He ignored the sarcastic voice in his head and met her stare.

“Do I know you?” she asked.

Damn it. He obviously hadn’t been doing a good enough job of disguising his voice. “I don’t know. Do you?” He spoke slowly, trying to use a gravelly tone to throw her off.

She huffed. “You’re impossible. Now let me go and give me back my phone. This is ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? You attacked me.”