Page 64 of The Jaded Notes

My plans for tonight are shot to hell. And it’s at this exact moment I realize she’s way more in control than I ever was.

Worse yet, I’m one hundred percent looking forward to whatever the fuck she has planned for us. She’s obviously way better at this game than I anticipated.

I laugh to myself. In this scenario, I may as well be the sub and she the dom. Fuck me all to hell. She’s out of my league, and I didn’t even suspect it.

I place my hands on her hips, needing to touch her and keep her with me. “Would you like to skip dinner and join me at my place?”

“Very much.” She throws her arms around my neck and angles her face toward me. “Now kiss me.”

If I thought she had almost slipped out of my grasp tonight because she was manipulating me, I wouldn’t even be tempted to give in to her…but she was truly disturbed by my rules. For that reason, I lean down and bring my mouth to hers.

Her lips are soft, yielding to mine with a gentle pressure that sends shivers down my spine. I can taste the faint hint of wine on her tongue as it tentatively explores my mouth.

I wrap my arms around her waist, pull her closer, and feel the curve of her body against mine. The kiss deepens, our tongues dancing in a rhythm that’s exhilaratingly new.

Every sensation is heightened. The touch of her skin, the sound of her soft moans, and the intoxicating scent of her perfume. I lose myself in the moment, my thoughts consumed by the overwhelming need to be with her and to feel more of her.

Her hands weave in my hair, pulling me into the kiss, as if she’s trying to absorb every ounce of me. Her heartbeat, pounding in sync with mine, is a connection that transcends words.

In this moment, time stands still, and there’s only us. We’relost in the intensity of our kiss, a promise of what’s to come, a dance of passion and desire.

This alone should warn me of the fire I’m playing with, but I’m willing to burn if it means I get to feel this way.

I break away, wanting to get her back to my penthouse. “Shall we go?”

“Absolutely.” Her eyes sparkle into mine. “If I had known how good a kisser you were, I would’ve tried a lot sooner and harder than I did.”

“Timing is everything.”

She shrugs. “So you say.”

I step out of our embrace and text my driver to pick us up. As I slide my phone back into my suit jacket, she takes my other hand in hers.

I want to yank it back because I didn’t give her permission, but I gave up that right. And dammit once again, because my chest expands and heats with her touch.

She leans into my side. “Thank you for understanding and not being an uptight ass.”

“Is that how you see me?”

“No, but I’m changing the way you laid out our arrangement. I know that can’t be easy for a guy like you.” She peeks up at me. “I was just trying to acknowledge you for making me feel comfortable. Thank you.”

A strange lump forms in my throat. I nod because I can’t say anything. There’s a foreign emotion brewing inside me.

Just what is Livianna’s hold on me? I’d better figure it out before I fall into her web. She warned me it would happen, and I’m starting to believe her.

As we relax in the backseat on the way back to my place, she hooks one of her arms with mine and caresses my bicep withthe other. It’s nurturing and not something I expected from her, but I like it.

She stares at me for a moment. “I’ve been wondering. How did you get into my apartment?”

I growl. “Well, that was something I planned on teaching you a lesson about later tonight. But since you asked… I sent my personal assistant over to drop off the items. When she got there, she called and said you weren’t answering the door, but it was slightly ajar.”

Livianna pushes away and gasps. “Trent and I went dancing after I got back from meeting with you. He was the last one out of my place. He must not have shut the door tight. It’s hard to close. Sometimes I have to slam it shut.”

“In that case, I’ll send someone over to fix it.”

“That’s unnecessary. I can call maintenance.”

“Why haven’t you called them before now?”