Free Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith Page A

combination of anger, adrenaline and arousal pounding through her veins. She’d expected the kiss to be urgent and bruising. But Roderick kissed her with a slow, deep hunger that was just as powerful, just as devastating. Even as her mind rebelled, she felt herself weakening against him, drowning in sensation and need.
    She almost whimpered when he broke the kiss, dragging his mouth along her throat. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he muttered raggedly, his hot breath on her skin sending jolts of pleasure to her groin. “Ever since that night, you’ve been on my mind twenty-four seven. I don’t blame you for thinking I’m crazy. The thought’s crossed my mind several times over the past week. I’ve never wanted another woman as badly as I want you, Lena. I’ll do anything— anything —to have you again.”
    Oh, God. Lena closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, struggling to get her choppy breathing under control. No man had ever talked to her this way before. No man had ever wanted her with this kind of raw, primal intensity that left her reeling with frustration and desire.
    â€œSay yes,” he coaxed huskily. His lips reclaimed hers, parting them so that their breath mingled hotly. “Say yes, Lena.”
    Reaching deep, Lena summoned her last ounce of willpower and wrenched her mouth away from his. “No. No. ”
    He swore under his breath, then reluctantly released her and stepped back. He looked dangerously aroused, and frustrated as hell.
    â€œI’m not for sale, Roderick.” Lena fought to sound resolute when her insides were quaking uncontrollably. “You can’t just acquire me the way you acquired Midwest Arts Foundation.”
    He blew out a ragged breath. “I know that.”
    â€œDo you?” she challenged. “You just tried to bribe me for sex in exchange for a monetary donation. Obviously you do think I’m for sale.”
    He scowled. “I don’t, damn it.”
    â€œNo? Then what do you call it?”
    â€œI call it proposing an arrangement that’d be incredibly beneficial to both of us. Your college gets the funds it desperately needs, and I get—”
    â€œA sexual companion to be at your beck and call,” Lena said caustically.
    He paused, his mouth quirking at the corners. “Maybe I could have phrased it differently.”
    â€œWhy?” she taunted. “A sex slave is essentially what you want, isn’t it? Someone to cater to your every sexualwhim, to give you blow jobs on demand and call you master at the crack of a whip.”
    Roderick smiled lazily. “It doesn’t have to be that one-sided.”
    â€œYeah, right.”
    â€œI’m serious.” His eyes darkened with illicit promise. “Believe me, Lena, I have every intention of giving as much pleasure as I receive.”
    Her nipples tightened and heat swelled between her legs at the memory of just how much “pleasure” he’d given her the night of the party. The thought of being his sex slave was so damned tempting, it was all she could do not to pounce on him and rip his custom-made suit from his sexy body.
    Keeping her voice and expression neutral, she said, “Sorry. I’m not interested.”
    â€œThe hell you aren’t,” Roderick growled. “You sure as hell seemed ‘interested’ when I kissed you a moment ago. If I’d lifted your skirt and spread you out on that table you wouldn’t have uttered a word of protest. Deny it all you want, Lena, but I know damn well you want me as much as I want you. So why are we standing here arguing when all we both want is to fuck each other’s brains out?”
    Lena congratulated herself for not flinching at his deliberate crudeness. “You have a real problem taking no for an answer,” she said coldly.
    His expression darkened. “Damn it, Lena, what are you so afraid of? It’s not as if we