Free High Seduction by Vivian Arend Page A

opened the closet. “I hope I hear something from Marcus in the next couple days, but if not, perhaps I’ll see you soon.”
    He helped her on with her coat, his hands restrained. He didn’t touch any more than necessary, not pushing the connection between them, and Erin kicked her own ass for feeling a touch of disappointment.
    She’d asked for this. Asked to be in charge. Was she really going to complain when he gave her what she wanted?
Bullshit.
    He accompanied her down the elevator, making small talk about restaurants she suggested. Polite. Generic. They paused at the front door of the apartment house, Erin wavering in what to do next. She’d had this all figured out that morning, but some time in the past twelve hours the world had changed.
    Tim smiled, a soft expression with a hint of mischief in it.
    â€œThank you for a most interesting day.” He leaned in and kissed her. Lips gentle against hers. Warm body only inches away as his breath caressed her cheek. He pressed a business card into her hand, curling her fingers around it as he pulled back.
    The fleeting connection hadn’t nearly satisfied her craving. Erin struggled to speak, but nothing came out.
    His eyes spoke volumes, as if he were reading her discomfort. “Call me,” he said.
    And that was it. The brief kiss. A gentle touch to her cheek. Tim opened the main door and let her out. Erin returned to her car in a daze, a tingling ache in her gut, and lower.
    Damn the man.
    He’d given her exactly what she’d asked for. Why was she so pissed off at him?
    * * *
    His nerves were stretched taut as if balanced on the edge of a knife. Tim paced to the window, but Erin’s taillights were long gone. The only thing left was the faint scent of her shampoo lingering on the air, haunting him.
    She’d explored the suite thoroughly. He was glad of that, even though he’d had to damn near nail his ass to the couch to stop from crowding after her, especially when she slipped into his bedroom.
    He wandered in there now, full of energy he had no way to release. Or at least not the way he wished. Being around Erin, learning the chance of them coming together again, had driven his need to the breaking point.
    Which was why he’d mastered himself. Stepped back and, as promised, really listened.
    Not just to her words, but her body. To the things that her gaze said as she examined him when she thought he wasn’t looking. Erin had some definite ideas of how she wanted this to go—how they were going to be together.
    He didn’t want to make assumptions, didn’t want to run slipshod over her desires, but there was a sensation of . . . untruth in her words when she said she didn’t want him, that she wanted to limit their desires, or go slowly.
    Not a deliberate lie, but one she wasn’t even aware of telling to him, and to herself. There was something slightly off between her actions and what she’d stated was her goal, and damn if he wasn’t eager to help her realize just how much more she wanted.
    He could wait, be patient, but in the meantime he was hard and aching, and hell if he was going to stay that way. Having the strength to follow Erin’s deliberately slow lead would be impossible if he didn’t take the edge off.
    Tim turned off the hall lights and entered his bedroom, the slightly rumpled edge of the quilt catching his eye. Another jolt of lust hit at the realization that Erin had noticed the bed was more than it appeared.
    Had she paused and remembered? Were the images and memories that flooded him as clear for her? Tim sat on the mattress and leaned back on the heavy post, pressing against his cock with a hand.
    They’d been so young, so eager to try new things. Sexual pleasures of all kinds, tested one by one.
    She’d enjoyed it when their experimentation had turned to ropes.
    Intricate designs woven over her skin, soft white cotton contrasting