Lila

He'd been about to push her away, she was sure. But something happened when he touched her. She'd held his eyes and pleaded with everything in her that he'd let her in.

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That first brush of his lips was so soft she almost wasn't sure it happened. But she wanted it, wanted him.

"Are you sure?" he'd whispered.

She'd never been more sure of anything in her life. "Yes, Dane, I—"

He'd taken her mouth and she'd gasped with the rush of his touch. His fingers in her hair sending fireworks, sparks down her neck and back, she arched like a cat into his chest as he held her. And she clung to the storm of him, sliding her hands over his chest, his shoulders, his neck. She couldn't get enough of him, aching to touch every part of his iron strength.

Then he'd sighed against her mouth and she tipped her head back into his hand. He'd made a humming noise as he kissed along her jaw, to her neck.

And she clung to him, her heart swelling.

He shook, trembled under her hands.

She swung wildly between aching for more of him, and aching to reassure him, to tell him what she saw in him, what she knew he couldn't see about himself.

But his lips were at that spot under her ear, and she shivered deliciously, arching her back more, burying her fingers in his hair to pull him.

"Lila," he whispered against her skin. She wanted to purr in response. "So beautiful. I've wanted this. Wanted you…" He made a noise deep in his throat as his mouth latched on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Lila sucked in a breath, then nipped his earlobe and he groaned.

She was panting, but she didn't care. When he lifted his head to kiss her again, his breath ruffled her hair and made her shiver.

Their kisses became frantic. Dane leaned her back, into his arms, walking her slowly, step by step, until she came up against the great glass window of his office, his hand behind her to brace them both, the other at her waist to keep her close. She laced her fingers behind his neck as he slid a hand down her back, her thigh, to her knee, pulling her leg up to hook over his hip. She gasped and arched against him as he tipped her head and deepened the kiss, groaning into her mouth.

She slid her hands under his sweater, delighted to find he had no shirt underneath it. Running her hands up the ladders of muscle on his sides, he shivered and swore. Lila smiled into his kiss and let her fingers trail over his chest and down, down his rippled abdomen until she reached the belt of his pants.

They both froze.

Dane was buried in her neck, but he lifted his head slowly. His hair was rumpled, falling over his eyes, dark and heavy with desire. But he locked on her, their twin breaths coming fast and harsh. He was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. She'd never wanted a man this way—where it seemed urgent. Desperate. Where she couldn't deny herself—or him. But she could see the question in his eyes and she was desperate to soothe it.

"I—" her throat caught and she had to swallow. Dane's eyes never left hers. "I want you," she said and felt the heat flood her cheeks.

Dane closed his eyes and let go of a deep breath, his forehead resting on hers.

Lila smiled and reached for the buckle of his belt, but one of his lightening fast hands was suddenly there, holding her hands, stopping her.

"What's wrong?" she breathed. "Don't you…don't you want to?" Fear trilled through her. She wasn't very experienced with men. Was it possible she'd misread this?

But Dane chuckled a dark, huffing laugh and ground his hips into hers, leaving no doubt of his desire for her.

"Then what--?" she gasped. But Dane dropped her knee and used both hands to gently pull hers from his belt, twisting their fingers together. He kissed her again, but it was slow, gentle. He still breathed too fast, but she could feel him retreating, bringing himself back under control.

She wanted to stamp her foot, but she was too busy falling into his kiss.

A moment later, with a soft groan, he pulled far enough back to meet her eyes again. His shoulders rose and fell quickly, but his mouth twisted up on one side in a lopsided smile that made her want to kiss the other side of his lips and bring those up too.

He was gorgeous when he smiled.

"Lila, the first time I get you naked isn't going to be in my office," he said. Her heart sank, but his smile softened the words, and his eyes held a promise that she was going to hold him to. She couldn't avoid the stab of rejection though. When she frowned and looked down he took hold of her chin and lifted it so she'd meet his eyes again. "This is the best birthday I've ever had," his voice was so deep... But that shadow passed behind his eyes again. She took his handsome face in her hands and kissed him, clinging again. But he didn't pull away.

*****

Dane

If it had happened a minute earlier, he wouldn't have heard it. But they were quieter now, more aware of their surroundings. So even though he was sighing into her kiss, when the faint ding of the elevator sounded, it was like a starter gun went off.

Dane pushed away from her like she burned. In a blink he was across the floor and back in his desk chair, rolling it under the desk to hide his arousal.

Lila faltered, stumbled a step away from the window he'd just had her pinned against, trying to get her bearings. She blinked, confused.

"Dane, what—"

"Straighten your top!" he hissed and hit a button on his laptop so it sang to life.

He felt like an asshole as, cheeks flushed, she looked down at herself and found her blouse askew. She straightened it quickly and finger-combed her hair. But her fingers trembled. She hadn't heard the elevator. She thought he'd just abandoned her and it made his chest ache.

"Someone's coming," he muttered, eyes on the computer, but his nose was filled with her scent, his mind echoing with memories of the softness of her skin, the sweet taste of her kiss. He groaned—not in the good way this time—and leaned his head into his hands, teeth clenched. He had to get a grip on himself. What had he been thinking rutting against her like a teenager?

His lip twisted in disgust at himself, but he didn't have time to apologize.

She looked at him, then at the door, just as a soft knock sounded on it and she blinked.

"Come in," Dane said, as if it were normal for him to be here, for her to be with him, as if he'd been working.

The idea was laughable. Even now he fought the urge to pull her onto the desk and bury himself in her—

"Dane, we have a problem." It was Chris.

*

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Check out my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She's forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom—and their lives—against the villainous wolf-tribe.