Free Show Off by Emma Jay Page A

she thrust back against him as she pulsed and clenched, pulling him deeper, needing him closer as she came and came, barely registering the sensation of him stiffening, then coming inside her.
    She dropped her head back to his shoulder, her hair sticking to his damp skin, the scent of sex and sweat enveloping her.
    He murmured something in Spanish and kissed the side of her neck before pulling out.
    "What?” She rested her hip on the blanket, her thigh muscles more sore than she expected, and she winced.
    He stretched out on his back on the blanket, looped his arm around her shoulders and drew her down to him. “We are very good at this."
    "Mm.” She slid her hand over his chest, toyed with the flat disc of his nipple. “Perhaps one of these days we can try it in a real bed."
    Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. His breath caught and he went stiff beside her, then eased from beneath her. He stood beside the table and started dressing.
    She sat up, her weight braced on her hand. “What? You said I could have what I want. I want you in bed with me. Why is that wrong?"
    "Veronica, we don't even know how tomorrow is going to go. If it doesn't go well, I'll be gone next week. Do you really want to bring me into your bed?"
    She blinked. “As opposed to bringing you into my body? Risking my job, my reputation? You see my bed as more intimate? What, because I'd like to hold you afterwards, wake up beside you? What is your deal?"
    "You've already had your heart broken."
    "I'm a big girl, Vicente. I know how to handle that. Yes, if you leave I'll be sad. I will.” She looked away because she didn't want him to see her true feelings in her eyes. If sleeping with her freaked him out, what would happen if he knew she loved him? “But I think we've already risked so much. Why can't we risk what it might be like to wake up together? That's all I'm asking."
    He tugged on his shirt and leaned against the table to cup her face in his hand. “Let us see what happens tomorrow, all right? But tomorrow's a big day and we both need to be fresh for it. Get dressed and I'll drive you home."
    * * * *
    Of all the days to be running late. Vicente pounded the elevator button, powerless to do more. He paced the marble hallway. He'd run through the list of everything that needed to be done before their clients arrived and there was no way he'd get it done now.
    He'd been up too late, unable to sleep, unable to get Veronica and her request out of his mind. If he brought her home, if he went home with her, allowed another level of intimacy, how much harder would it be for both of them when he left? And even if today's presentation was perfect, he would be leaving at some point. She claimed she was a grown woman and could handle it, but he'd seen her reaction to her ex-lover. He wouldn't be the cause of that pain to a woman ever again.
    The elevator doors slid open and he slipped inside, bouncing on his toes as the elevator ascended. He had to push thoughts of Veronica out of his mind until this morning was over.
    He exited on the floor, pushed into the office to see the rest of his team there. The conference room was set up with coffee, serving ware, platters of fruits and pastries, everything arranged beautifully, including large bouquets of flowers. The folder that held his work was at the end of the table, as well as the remotes for the laptop and the screen. The easels that lined the wall were covered with blue fabric. Everything that had been on his mental list was ticked off. When he turned, Laurie stood at his elbow with a cup of coffee.
    "Did you do this?” he asked, taking the cup and sweeping his hand around the room.
    "When I got here, Veronica was already here with the caterers. She did it all."
    "Veronica?"
    He hadn't seen her, hadn't even thought to look, he'd been so surprised. He sought her, saw her standing at the end of the serving table in a red dress. How the hell had he missed her, because she was all he saw now. She