Free No Romance Required by Cari Quinn

Cory.
    And what might not.
    When Cory didn’t answer her knock, she tried the knob. The door swung open and she
     had to fight the sensation that she was about to enter the lion’s plush den. Gripping
     her hands together, she stepped inside.
    Sconces high on the walls offered the only illumination, and the sounds of Beethoven
     streamed through hidden speakers. Thick bloodred carpeting swallowed her boots as
     she crept into his space. His pine-and-spice cologne lingered, teasing her nose. The
     rest of her was already on high alert.
    Her gaze darted around the opulent surroundings, landing on the various paintings
     and sculptures and expensive, richly toned furniture before reaching the French doors
     on the other side of the living room. Cory was leaning on the rail, wearing just a
     pair of low-slung black pants. His feet were bare, as was his torso.
    Damn, damn, hot damn.
    What a back he had. All ropy muscles and sleek golden skin. Thanks to his half-Italian
     heritage, he never seemed to grow pale. That bronzed body beckoned her forward, hastening
     her toward him like she’d been summoned by the Pied Piper.
    His back looked like a solid wall of muscle, and God, she wanted to trace each individual
     coil with her fingers. With her tongue. While she drove her hands through all that
     dense, dark hair, she’d drag her teeth down his spine, not stopping until he shuddered.
     If he ever did. He had such unshakable control. What would break it?
    He turned and the breath she’d been holding escaped. His corded abdomen and powerful
     shoulders proved exactly how much he worked out—and how much he hid behind exquisitely
     cut designer suits.
    She didn’t mean to look down. Truly, she didn’t. But beneath the waistband of those
     silky pants she glimpsed the outline of the rest of his assets. And her breath stuttered
     all over again.
    She’d suffered jolts of Cory Santangelo-inspired lust before. Now that she’d glimpsed—and
     felt in intimate detail—what he had to work with, she was in serious trouble.
    That was the penis dreams were made of. Hers especially.
    “See something you like?”
    She didn’t realize he’d spoken at first. She was still staring and trying not to pant.
     Failing miserably. Eventually his sexy half smile blazed through the cobwebs of desire
     obscuring her thoughts. “Aren’t you cold?”
    “No, but thanks for the concern.” She knew him so well that she could hear his amusement
     even when he wasn’t speaking. “Are you worried parts of me may freeze? Certain crucial
     parts?”
    She didn’t flush, purely from sheer will. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
    “You flattered me plenty with your expression.” His darkened sensuously. “I’ll be riding that high for weeks.”
    “Show me a little more and we’ll work on months.”
    If he thought she’d be deterred by his sudden veer into sexual no-man’s-land, he was
     mistaken. Shyness was not a word in her vocabulary. She’d be happy to yank down his
     pants and show her appreciation for his fine body in ways he would never forget.
    But what if she was misreading things? Maybe he hadn’t been kidding about his extreme
     sexual requirements, which would’ve been dandy had they not had to work together on
     the magazine. The project mattered to her, and she didn’t want to jeopardize it. Or
     their weird quasi-friendship.
    Before she could squelch her momentary indecision, she saw the notebook on the table
     at his side. And the binoculars.
    What. The. Fuck.
    “Are you spying on people?” she demanded. “Is that why you wanted a penthouse? Well,
     besides the flash and cash aspects.”
    “You think I’m up here watching people?”
    “Not people. Women.” She prowled to the rail. There was a ritzy building just across
     the street. Lots of windows to peep through, if one had a pair of high-powered specs
     and the inclination.
    His laughter struck her chilled skin like a physical blow. “You found me out. See
     this