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“You’re going to need to stop using those words,” she replied, her voice low, her meaning clear.
“Come,” I repeated, the word heavy with promise as I guided her toward the door.
“Exactly,” she whispered back, a smirk playing on her lips.
“In due time, Miss Bramwell,” I said, holding the door open for her. “In due time.”
My intent was to resist kissing Erika as we drove to her building. I knew that any contact would only stoke the fire already burning inside me. We sat on opposite sides of the cab, each staring out our respective windows at the debris swirling in the April wind. I hated this month—the way it clung to the remnants of winter, refusing to let go. Even though Michael disappeared on the water, the thought of spending time on the ocean when it warmed still brought me a sense of peace.
“Lincoln?” Erika’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned to find her sliding across the black vinyl seat, closing the distance between us. The second her body pressed against mine, my resolve crumbled. The need to kiss her overwhelmed me, like a dehydrated man desperate for water. Wrapping my arm around her, I crushed my lips against hers. She responded immediately, clinging to my wool coat, gripping the lapels to pull me even closer. We were locked together, lost in the moment, oblivious to everything else.
“Excuse me?”
The voice cut through the haze, and I realized we had stopped in front of Erika’s building. The driver, cap in hand, stared at us through the plastic divider. We broke apart, the sudden distance making me ache for her touch again.
“Uh, sorry,” I muttered, reaching into my jacket for my wallet. Erika, still dazed, didn’t protest as I paid the fare. I got out first, extending a hand to help her up. Neither of us spoke as we walked into her lobby and waited for the elevator. She curled her hand around mine, and I squeezed back, needing the connection.
Upstairs in her apartment, I helped her out of her coat, shrugging off mine as I waited for her to speak.
“I have calls to make. Do you mind occupying yourself for a little while?” she asked, her voice softer now.
“Do I get your attention when you’re done?” I asked, searching her eyes.
“Isn’t that why you’re here?” she replied, a playful smirk on her lips.
“I could go home and come back if you’re busy,” I offered, though the thought of leaving felt like torture.
“Stay. Help yourself to something to drink. I need to change.” She kicked off her black heels, scooping them from the floor as she headed toward her bedroom.
I watched her retreating form, a decision forming in my mind. Without a word, I followed her. Erika was in the middle of removing her dress when I entered her bedroom. The space was just as I imagined—soft pastel shades of peach and yellow that complimented her perfectly. As she freed her head from the fabric, she stood before me in a black lace bra and panty set, her body breathtaking.
“Are you enjoying the show?” she asked, her tone teasing.
“I didn’t come in here for a show. I came in here to make love to you,” I replied, my voice rough with desire.
She raised an eyebrow, her gaze challenging. “After all your teasing, why do you get to make the decision?”
“You don’t want me?” I asked, yanking at my tie, freeing it from the knot and pulling it through my collar.
“I’m busy at the moment,” she said, removing her bra, revealing her perfect, full breasts. The sight sent a surge of need through me, my arousal growing as I quickly unbuttoned my shirt.
Erika turned to rummage through her dresser, pulling out a light pink t-shirt from the middle drawer.
“Don’t get dressed,” I said, tossing my shirt onto the corner of her bed, the tie landing beside it.
“I have work to do,” she replied, her voice clipped as she slipped the t-shirt over her head.
I stepped closer, my hands itching to touch her. “Work can wait.”
She met my gaze, her eyes hardening. “Not in my world, Lincoln.”
Her words hung in the air, a barrier between us. I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she forced herself to focus on anything but me.
“Erika,” I murmured, my voice softer now, “I’m here because I want to be with you, not just for this. But if you need to work, I’ll wait.”
She hesitated, the stubborn set of her jaw softening slightly. “You’re a distraction, you know that?”
