Free Double Down by Katie Porter

Ryan.”
    He seemed to stifle a private smile. “This coat.” He began undoing the buttons. “It’s too hot in here for it. I won’t be able to get comfortable.”
    “I should think not.” She crossed the floor, her knees shaky. “Here, let me help.”
    He dropped his arms to his sides as she undid the remaining buttons. Her breath was coming in fitful gulps, but she forced herself to concentrate.
    Calm down.
    By the looks of how they were playing this hand, they would take their time. She needed to get herself under control or she’d wind up begging for a quickie down on the carpet to cut the tension. What she loved about their game was what would rip her up inside. The waiting. The deliberate buildup.
    She pressed her hands flat against his body, right above his ribs. Slowly, slowly, she smoothed them up the inside of his coat, making love to his chest with her palms and her fingertips. His shoulders were tense. Corded ropes of muscles bunched and relaxed beneath her touch. She eased the dress coat over his shoulders then down his brawny arms.
    Through it all he held his tense stance, chin thrust out. She liked to think she had all of him at attention, but she didn’t dare go for his crotch. Not yet.
    The coat dropped to the floor behind him. Ryan seemed to snap out of his trance. “Thank you,” he said curtly. “You can hang that up now.”
    Cass hid her smile. She angled her backside in such a way that he would get the choicest view as she bent at the waist. She took her time, first retrieving the coat, then strolling to the closet where she found a hanger. Every action felt bathed in molasses, so achingly slow. In that hotel room, time had ceased to have the same properties.
    A pop sound yanked her heart into her throat. She turned to find Ryan pouring champagne. The pale blue dress shirt did even better things for his tan than the dark coat. Muscles pulled and shifted with every movement. Her mouth watered at the prospect of seeing him fully nude. They’d shared so much so quickly, but damn did they have a long way to go.
    “Come,” he said.
    “So soon?”
    His gaze jumped to hers. His expression told her she was naughty to risk ruining their charade. “Cut the impertinence, miss. Come here.”
    She toyed with the lace edge of her skirt as she approached. His eyes jumped and danced, as if trying to take in everything.
    “My apologies again. It’s… I’m new here in les États-Unis . I wasn’t trained in cleaning. Not really.”
    “What did you study?”
    “The history of art.”
    “Paris is a lovely city for that.”
    “It is.”
    Ryan handed her a full champagne flute before downing a big gulp from his. Maybe he wasn’t as controlled as he managed to appear. “Then what are you doing here, working such a menial job?”
    Something about his eyes, the way he regarded her so intensely, transcended their game. They’d met in a restaurant, after all, where she bided her time waiting tables.
    “One must have money,” she said.
    “Then why not earn it doing what you love?”
    Cass glanced down at his uniform, wondering for the first time what he did for a living. “Not all of us can be so exotic, Major, in following our passions.”
    “No? Seems if you want something bad enough, you go for it.” He nodded to her champagne. “Now, drink.”
    “Oh, but I cannot. I’m still on duty. My manager would be very displeased.”
    “Your manager has a nasal whine and beady eyes. I’ve already taken care of him.”
    Cass hid her giggle behind her glass then dove in for a healthy sip. The bubbles went straight to her oxygen-starved brain. Ryan made her half-drunk already. The alcohol didn’t stand a chance when compared to his blatant sex appeal.
    “I want you to do something for me,” he said, his voice tight and low. He wasn’t a man about to ask for a hotel-issued toothbrush.
    “Anything. Anything you need.”
    He finished the last of his champagne then refilled them both. “Go sit on that