Page 70 of My Real Love Affair

“You’re smiling,” she breathed.

“You’re feeling me up. I’m allowed to smile.”

“I’m not—” But her hands were still there contradicting her words.

I kissed her again, sliding my hands up her sides and heading straight for her breasts that had been teasing me since I first laid eyes on her. My thumb brushed across on nipple that was hard and straining against her bra. She arched into my touch, making a sound that went straight to my groin.

This was escalating fast. Too fast, probably. But I couldn’t bring myself to care.

My hand cupped one breast. It was me that moaned the loudest. The weight of her breast in my hand nearly had me coming in my pants like a fucking teenage boy getting to cop his first feel.

Her nails scraped over my chest. Her tongue dueled with mine. She was into it. I had to get my hands on her skin. I just knew she would feel like satin. The smell of her, a light citrus with a hint of something woodsy, was intoxicating.

My other hand dropped to her knee and started to slide up. I groaned when my fingertips touched the skin I knew would besoft. It begged to be squeezed and caressed. My hand moved like a heat-seeking missile. My target was inches ahead. I could feel the heat radiating from her core. I could not wait to push my fingers inside that wet heat.

“Fuck, baby girl,” I murmured against her mouth.

Then, abruptly, she gasped and broke the kiss.

“Wait.” She pushed against my chest. “We can’t do this.”

“Why not?” My voice came out raspy. “We’re both adults. We both want this.”

“We’re supposed to save this for the cameras.” She was trying to catch her breath, her hands still on my chest but pushing now instead of pulling. “Remember? Rule number two. No flirting or kissing in private.”

“Fuck rule number two.”

“Austin, we can’t.”

“If it feels good, why deny ourselves?” I leaned in to kiss her again, but she turned her head.

“Because we’re not together.” Her voice was firmer now. “This is a business agreement. A contract. That’s all.”

The words hit like cold water.

“Is that really all this is?” I asked.

“Yes.” But she wouldn’t meet my eyes. “We made a deal. You get your family off your back. I get my reputation restored. That’s it. That’s the arrangement.”

“And this?” I gestured between us. “What do we call this?”

“A mistake.” She slid off the table, putting distance between us. “I have no intention of getting burned when this job is done, Austin. And if this goes any further, I know that will happen. I’m not a plaything.” She shook her head. “We can’t. That’s that. I’m going home.”

“Melody, wait, please.”

“No hard feelings.” She was already moving toward the door, not looking back. “It was a good kiss.”

She paused at the doorway, finally turning to look at me. Her expression was conflicted full of vulnerability.

“A really good kiss,” she admitted quietly. “But that’s not why we’re doing this. If you need a hookup, I’m sure there’s someone you can call.”

The words stung. Made me feel cheap. Reduced to the man my father believed me to be.

“That’s not fair.” I didn’t know if she heard me because she was already gone.

I heard her footsteps rushing down the hall. I followed at a much slower pace. I was trying to decide if I was going to physically stop her from leaving or watch her go. I heard the elevator ding and knew she had left.

And just like that, the connection I thought we had was gone. I stood there, my lips still tingling from her kiss, and felt like I’d been sucker-punched. She was right. Of course she was right. We had an agreement. Rules. Boundaries. This was supposed to be professional.