Seduction by the Book

“Man, we’re almost done and I haven’t heard you mention Belzer,” Steve whispered.

“I told you, I’ll handle it,” Mark returned.

Steve elbowed him. “Back rub, huh? You sly dog. I thought you said you didn’t sleep with her.”

Anger rose in his chest. “Drop it, Steve.”

His coworker lifted his hands. “Whatever you say.”

By the time they finished playing and picked up the third-place trophy—thanks to Cassie’s great game—Mark was eager to be alone with her. He followed her to the parking lot, as nervous as a teenager, trying to make small talk. Desperate, he fell back on the only subject that came to mind. “How’s the bid for the Belzer project going?”

She gave him a suspicious glance. “Fine. Why?”

He attempted a casual shrug, but guilt stabbed at him. “Just making conversation. Hey, I didn’t realize you were such a good golfer.”

“Maybe you don’t know everything about me,” she returned lightly.

At her subtle reference to a sensual side of her he hadn’t bothered to get to know, his cock twitched.

“Oh, no,” Cassie said, stopping in front of her small SUV. “I left my lights on. I hope my battery isn’t dead.” She opened the door and slid behind the wheel. When she turned the key, a clicking noise sounded. “It’s dead, alright.”

“I’ll give you a jump,” Mark offered quickly.

She glanced up at him, a sexy smile curving her mouth.

Mark felt like an idiot. “I mean…I’ll give your battery a jump…with my car…of course.”

Cassie laughed. “I’d appreciate it.”

Mark carried his golf clubs to his vehicle, and gave himself a mental shake. Women didn’t normally throw him off balance, and certainly not women that he’d—as Steve had so eloquently put it—dumped. But being around Cassie made him think maybe he’d made a mistake ending their relationship. He’d always thought she was a great person and a talented architect. He enjoyed her company. He’d only been disappointed in her apparent disinterest in sex. But apparently he hadn’t been very observant.

Lost in thought, he pulled his vehicle across the lot to her SUV. Cassie had already lifted the hood and was leaning in to connect jumper cables to her dead battery. The navy sport skirt rode high on the backs of her tanned, toned thighs, eliciting thoughts of her bent over, naked, opening herself to receive him.

Mark groaned as a powerful lust surged through his body. He had to have her, to see what he’d missed. But the question was, would Cassie give him another chance?

CASSIE STEPPED BACK FROM her car and nearly bumped into Mark, who had walked up behind her. His nearness sent her pulse rocketing. Desire stabbed her deep in her womb. Her sex was already primed and sensitive from watching him all day…and knowing that he was watching her.

He held up a golf towel. “Thought you might want to wipe your hands.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking it.

She watched as he lifted the hood of his vehicle and connected the other end of the jumper cables to his battery. The muscles in his bronze arms bunched, giving her a little thrill. What would it be like to lie in his strong arms, skin to skin?

“I’ll start my engine,” he said, then they exchanged a look before he climbed into his vehicle.

Suddenly everything they said seemed laden with innuendo. Cassie felt silly and young and flush with the hope that they could explore this burgeoning chemistry between them. A few minutes later, he signaled her to turn over her engine. She did, and thankfully, it engaged.

Mark got out and disconnected the cables, then lowered the car hoods and came around to her window. “Let your engine idle for a few minutes to charge the battery. I’ll follow you home to make sure everything is okay.”

“That’s not necessary,” she protested.

“I want to.” His eyes flashed with the heat of a protector. “Since you showed me up on the golf course, at least let me save face by doing something manly.”

She laughed. “Okay. Thanks.”

Seeing Mark in her rearview mirror all the way home made her feel warm and feminine. She pulled into the garage and parked, then to calm her pounding heart, she pulled up the list she’d made on her phone. Invent reasons to cross paths…make yourself available…be secretive…be naughty…surprise him.

After a few deep breaths, she jumped out and walked back to his SUV. “Everything’s fine. Thanks again.” Surprise him.

“No prob—”

Cassie cut him off with a searing kiss. She opened her mouth and thrust her tongue against his in a slow, sensual match, tasting him and sighing into his mouth. When she pulled back, she was gratified to see the kiss had had the intended effect.

“—lem,” he finished, then his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Wow. I don’t remember…”

She angled her head. “Don’t remember what?”

“Never mind. But I’m curious—why did you tell Steve I gave good back rubs?”

She grinned. “Because I have a good imagination.” She pushed away from the SUV and waved. “I had fun today—thanks for asking me to play.”

Then she bounded toward her house, feeling confident she’d given him something to think about.

That evening her fellow members of the Red Tote Book Club texted her.

How’s it going?

Update please.

Don’t keep us in suspense.

Have you sealed the deal?

She smiled, then texted back Got him on a slow burn….

The only problem, she admitted when she put down the phone, was that she was about ready to combust herself. She bit her lip and asked herself what Connie Chatterley would do and decided that Connie would take matters into her own hands, so to speak. But when it came to seduction, timing was everything….

5

MARK WIPED THE SWEAT off his neck, but cursed at the return of the persistent throb in his shorts. A six-mile run hadn’t been enough to eradicate the thought of Cassie Goodwin from his mind. The wet T-shirt…the sight of her tanned thighs…that slip of a skirt…

He groaned and entered his condo building, then took the stairs two at a time to his unit on the fifth floor. He never tired of its clean lines and modern dеcor, but lately it felt a little…sterile. Lonely, even. He stripped his clothes on the way to the bathroom, eager to get into a shower. After rinsing under the coldest water he could withstand, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. Feeling somewhat better, he padded to his den to pour a drink and boot up his laptop. Predictably, he had an e-mail from Steve.

Have you found out anything about Rugers’ bid on the Belzer project? A sneak peek at their site plan could give us a leg up, considering our excavators are giving us mixed feedback as to the best way to proceed.

Mark pulled his hand down his face. He wanted to ask Cassie out on a real date, but he’d decided to wait a couple of weeks until the bid for the Belzer project had been awarded. Then neither of them could be accused of impropriety.

And considering how much she’d been on his mind the last couple of days, that day couldn’t come soon enough. As he sipped bourbon from his glass, his phone rang. He sighed, assuming it was Steve, but when he glanced at the caller ID and saw Cassie’s name, he immediately connected the call.