Free Hustlers by Claire Chilton

herself.
Come on, it’s the oldest con in the book. Use it or lose it.
    She peered down in submission and twirled a lock of her ebony hair around her fingers. “Why, Mr Hawkins, you’ll make a girl blush with comments like that.”
    “Oh, really?” He covered the space between them in a couple of strides, stopping a few inches away from her. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. “I don’t think I’ve made you blush yet.”
    She gulped, silently berating herself for losing her cool. It was just another con. She’d done hundreds of them since growing up with the greatest grifter of all time. This should be easy, but the close proximity of Jacob made her feel trapped. His presence surrounded her, making the room feel claustrophobic and small.
    “And there is it,” he muttered as his fingers traced her collarbone. “So you do blush after all.”
    He slid his hands over her shoulders and down her body to her waist. She froze. His touch sent her libido into overdrive, causing shivers of pleasure to ripple under her skin. But when his hands reached her hips, a moment of clarity filtered through the lustful haze that seemed to have gathered over her brain.
Son of a bitch! He’s patting me down for the tablet. Don’t play a player, sweetheart.
    The fog lifted. She pressed her body against his and ran her fingers up the back of his neck as she undulated against him. “Let’s see if
I
can make
you
blush,” she breathed in his ear. She felt him gulp as she kissed his neck.
    She pulled away and glanced into his eyes. Her lips were just inches from his, and her heart was racing. She’d never used sex to get out of a fix before, but this didn’t feel like a con.
And that’s a problem! Pull yourself together, Phillips!
Her brain was screaming for her to finish this job and get the hell away from Hawkins Hall, but her body...
    The air was electric with tension, nothing but the sound of their breathing echoing in the room. There was a glow of passion in his eyes and a faint blush on his cheekbones. “And there it is,” she whispered before brushing her lips over his. She fought to shake off her overwhelming attraction to him even as she kissed him.
    She eased back to take a look at him. His brown eyes clouded over, his long dark lashes framing the wanton storm within. He swooped down, claiming her lips while pushing her back onto the bed with a growl.
Oh, shi— Mmm.
    She rode a turbulent wave as he took over her senses again and again with his seductive lips and hard body pressing against her. Every time she came up for air, she plunged back under the surface, captured by temptation. She kissed him back, arching against him. The voice urging her to finish the job and get out was drowned out by the hum of tingling nerves. She was aching for him to do more than just kiss her.
    Reality came crashing back when he began untying the straps of her gown.
Wait a minute. This isn’t some hot guy who wants to get your dress off for the body under it. He’s just found a new way to search you.
She went cold at the thought, narrowing her eyes.
Fine. Now it’s my turn.
    “Mmm,” she moaned. “I love you.”
    His lips froze on hers before he pulled back, staring at her with wide eyes. “What?”
    She smiled up at him and stretched her arms above her head. “I think I’m in love.” She offered him a coy smile. “I mean, I don’t want to rush things, but don’t you think that Jemma Hawkins sounds wonderful?”
    He rolled sideways, removing his hands from her body and putting some space between them. “I, er… What?” He climbed off the bed and backed away from it by a few paces as if it were home to a dragon, rather than an infatuated girl.
    She sat up and flashed an eager smile. “I don’t want to rush things, of course. It’s not as if I’m clingy. But when you know it’s true love, I don’t think you should hide it, do you?” She crawled toward him on all fours, trying not to laugh at the expression of pure