Free Unbuttoning the CEO by Mia Sosa Page A

across hers like silk, and then he followed his careful ministrations with a gentle tug of her bottom lip. Gracie was startled by the attention Nic paid to her mouth. The kiss was not a means to an end. It was the end itself. And Gracie enjoyed every minute of it.
    Pressed against him, Gracie knew Nic was as affected by the kiss as she was. She reached between them, seeking his hard length. Once again, though, he stopped her. “Bowling,” he said in a rough voice. “We’re going bowling. And we need sustenance. Then you’ll see how cocky I can be.”
    Gracie laughed and pushed him away. He seemed to know exactly what to say to ease her jitters. “If you don’t stop talking yourself up, I’m going to start to think you’re all hype. Let’s go.”
    *  *  *
    After Gracie bowled her second strike of the night, Nic no longer made suggestions about her form. She maintained a straight face, enjoying his confused expressions when she bowled an impressive set. Served him right for assuming she wouldn’t be able to keep up with him.
    In between frames, they discovered they had a lot in common. “So is this what you usually do on the weekends?”
    He made a big show of drying his hands. “I don’t bowl that much anymore. But my dad taught me, and we try to play whenever I visit.”
    They’d both learned to love the sport from their dads. She considered that a plus, and it gave her insight into his childhood. “My dad taught me, too. He played in a league, and when I was old enough, he took me with him.”
    “He taught you well, it seems.” He picked up his bowling ball, approached the foul line, and released it with a significant show of power behind it. The ball bounced into the gutter, and he dropped his head. When he turned toward her, he smiled.
    As he walked toward her, Gracie held her breath and pretended not to be dazzled by the warmth in his gaze. This man had the capacity to devastate her if she wasn’t careful.
    He reached her and helped her stand. “Lest you think I suck at all sports, I should point out I’m an avid runner.”
    “That’s great. I run, too.”
    He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, a playful grin telling her he didn’t take himself too seriously. “Of course you do.”
    She considered suggesting they run together, but she held her tongue and prepared for her next frame. She couldn’t assume that he’d want to, and more to the point, she had no business searching for ways for them to spend more time together. That wasn’t part of their deal.
    Thirty minutes later, Gracie stood outside the bowling alley as Nic tried to hail a taxi. The deal they’d struck weighed heavily in her thoughts. “That was fun,” she told him. She jumped from foot to foot to counteract the cold—and to hide her nervousness.
    “Speak for yourself,” he grumbled.
    “What’s wrong?”
    A taxi arrived at the curb, and Nic opened the door. Gracie rubbed her hands together and climbed in, grateful to get out of the cold. With his gaze fixed on her, Nic gave the driver the restaurant’s address. When the taxi moved into traffic, Nic turned to her. “You played me.”
    Gracie placed a hand on her chest, pretending to be surprised by the accusation. “Played you? How?”
    “You suggested you weren’t very good. Then you whipped my butt.”
    “All I said was that I hadn’t played in a long time. Plus, not being very good is relative. I’m not very good compared to my dad. How was I supposed to you know you’re . . . uh . . . less than proficient . . . at bowling?”
    Nic replaced his frown with a sly grin. “I get it. You only pretended to need my help so you could get close to my body. That’s why you stuck your butt against me as I helped you with your form.”
    Gracie laughed. “Ha. Let’s not be coy, Nic. You chose bowling because you assumed you’d get to rub against me. And you did. It just so happens that I followed all that fondling with a big ol’ can of