Free Her New Boss: A Rouge Erotic Romance by Michelle M. Pillow Page B

was lust, not love, and there was nothing wrong with it. But Zoe didn’t have casual sex and it was harder for her to separate the two.
    ‘I don’t want to lose my job,’ Zoe said, stumbling over a tree root that rose up over the trail.
    Suddenly, he stopped. Frowning, he studied her. ‘This isn’t a condition of your working for me.’
    ‘It’s not?’ She had no idea why she had said it. Jackson wasn’t forcing her to follow him.
    He sighed heavily. ‘Is this what you normally do for your bosses?’
    ‘What?’ She gasped. ‘No. No, I don’t do this … I haven’t … Why? What did Contiello tell you about me? Did he say I slept with him? Because that’s not what happened. I never touched him. Well, of course, I touched him, but I never …’ Zoe took a calming breath, realizing she was babbling. ‘I don’t normally sleep with my bosses.’
    Jackson quirked an amused brow. ‘You’re adorable when you’re flustered.’
    ‘I’m not flustered,’ she lied.
    ‘Good. Because I like women who know what they want.’ He took her hand and held it firmly against the bulge in the front of his pants. ‘And who can finish what they start.’
    Jackson groaned, tilting his head as he used her fingers to massage his erection. The backyard to the bed and breakfast was no longer in view as the trail had twisted as they walked. All around them were trees and the sound of birds singing. Insects hummed in the background, a gentle yet unfamiliar sound to her city ears. She shivered, glad she wasn’t alone. This wasn’t her first time in the wilderness, but the isolation did make her uneasy.
    ‘Will anyone come this way?’ She glanced around.
    ‘Not likely this time of day. Why? Don’t you like the idea of being caught?’
    Zoe shook her head. ‘No. Not in a town of, like, two hundred people.’
    ‘Three thousand,’ he corrected. ‘Unless we’re hosting a horse competition, then it’s about double that.’
    ‘Compared to eight million, it might as well be two hundred. I’ve heard about gossip in places like this. Everyone knows everyone’s business.’ Still, she didn’t pull her hand away.
    Jackson didn’t seem to hear her words as he again kissed her, sawing his lips against her with insistent passion. Teeth cut the delicate tissue of her lips and she tore her mouth away in pain. ‘Ah! Too rough.’
    A leisurely smile tugged at the side of his mouth and he leant forward, licking her sore lip lightly. The tip of his tongue darted out, teasing her with its warm caress. With each pass, his kiss deepened, but not like before. This time he was gentle, as if she were a delicate flower. The new tactic caused her to moan. What was it about this man that made her forget herself?
    She tugged at his shirt, pulling it up to feel his waist. The hard, hot flesh of his stomach contracted when she touched him. Jackson worked on the black stud buttons along the front of her uniform, expertly unfastening them so the sides fell open. Within seconds, the jacket fell to the ground and a cooling breeze caressed her naked arms. The tank top clung to her skin, but the flimsy white material provided little protection. Jackson pulled it off, and tossed it aside. His shirt followed, landing on top of her discarded one.
    Jackson let go, his chin lowered and his eyes narrowed as he looked at her. Zoe wished she had put on a better bra, but she never planned for things like this to happen. The only time she had sex was when in a serious relationship. The sturdy, padded bra was more for comfort than seduction, but at least it was new. Her light-blue cotton underwear cut up to the thigh. The white of her uniform pants was thick enough to hide the colour.
    Gradually, he stalked around her, like a beast after prey. Zoe didn’t move and every nerve in her body reached for him, followed him. His feet hit the forest floor, crunching softly against the trail. A finger touched the base of her spine and ran up the middle of her back.