Page 19 of Playing Mr. Perfect

I cringe inwardly, knowing I’m just one of many women he’s used to satisfy himself. But he said so many nice things, and it felt like he meant them. Nothing is as impressive as my smile? He knew my mouth would wreck him? Those things felt monumental last night. Special. Intimate. Now, with a clearer head, I realize he probably would have said anything to get me to agree to have sex with him.

Ugh. This isn’t helping. I can’t erase what’s happened.

All I can do is minimize the damage.

I’ll sneak out before he wakes up and pretend it never happened. It’s not like I have to see him anymore. He’s probably got plans for today, and I’m leaving tomorrow. That makes me feel a little better. I try to remember where I left my clothes, so I can make a swift and silent escape.

I hear the faint chime of a text message, and the memory of us tearing off each other’s clothes as we came through the door of his suite comes rolling in. Solution in hand, I feel a tad more in control. I open my eyes, but I don’t dare move. Instead, I shift my gaze to Clay’s side of the bed. My attention locks on the tented sheet above his hips. My body ignites as more dirty memories flood in.

“Morning, Pep.”

I whip my head to the side, feeling like I’m watching one of those movies that zoom in too fast, bringing Clay’s bright eyes, panty-melting dimples, and Cheshire cat grin into focus. My nerves flame. “Hey.”

“That was fun last night.” He shifts onto his side, and his erection lands on my leg.

Lands on it. Trying to ignore the heat and heft of that appendage is like trying not to breathe. “Yeah. Loads of fun,” I manage. My phone chimes in rapid succession, making my heart race even faster. Oh God. My sisters! If they find out I spent the night with Clay, I’ll never live this down. I begin weaving an excuse for not answering their texts. “What time is it?”

His arm snakes over my waist. “Time for me to eat breakfast, and for you to come.” He yanks the sheet down, sending cool air over my naked body. My nipples rise to greet his mouth as he lowers it toward my breast.

“I don’t have time.” I push out from under him, but he tugs me back, his eyes playful, which makes me smile, damn it.

“We’ll be quick,” he promises.

My phone is chiming, my pulse is hammering, and my stupid body is already revved up. “No. We can’t be quick. You’ll start with your mouth, and then I’ll want my mouth on you, and we both know where that leads.”

He flashes a wolfish grin. “Yes, we do. Hello, nirvana.”

“Yeah” comes out breathy before I can check it. “No! There will be no nirvana.” I start to get up, but he tightens his hold on me.

“Why so adamant, sweetheart? Last night you were all about pleasure. I believe you said I was the best you’ve ever had.”

I wince as that memory strolls in like a fucking champ. It was right after our third round of sex, when I was too blissed out to think. “I don’t even know who that woman was. She was reckless, and she must have been stuck in some post-orgasmic haze when she said it.”

He squeezes my hip. “Well, then, how about I remind you and we bring Reckless out to play again?”

“That girl doesn’t exist. She was a product of too much giddy girl talk and alcohol.” I peel his hand off my body, and as I climb out of bed, more chimes ring out. “I have to go. I have work to do, and someone needs something.” Someone needs something? I am really losing it.

“That woman is very real, Pepper. You can’t hide that kind of passion forever.” He follows me out of the bedroom, and his arm circles me from behind. He spins me around, and our naked bodies collide, our eyes locking. “That someone who needs something is you, and what you need is to relax and be pampered.” He kisses my lips, and Lord help me, I want so much more. “Worshipped.” He kisses my jaw, holding me tighter, and I feel him getting hard. “Fucked so thoroughly, you can’t think of anything else.”

I know just how well he can fulfill those promises. That knowledge coalesces with the feel of his stiff cock, the seductive look in his eyes, and the heat of his hands on my back, and I nearly combust at the thought of it. “As incredible as that sounds, I can’t.” I sound as regretful as my body feels, but my brain knows better. I push from his arms, making a beeline for the door. “I have to go. This was fun, but it never happened.”

“Yes, it did,” he says, following me.

I turn on him. “Clearly it did. But nobody can know. I’m not a buckle bunny.”

“I’ll alert the cowboys. You do realize I play for the Giants, right?”

Of course you do with that giant python between your legs. “I don’t care who you play for!” I snap. “You know what I mean. I don’t want to be a notch on your belt. I’m a scientist. My name needs to be taken seriously, which won’t happen if it gets slung through a public rumor mill with some kind of sex scandal.”

He laughs. “Sex scandal?”

“I saw what happened to Sable, and I’m too busy to deal with that kind of chaos.” I pick up my clothes as I speak. “And if you talk to Dash, you walked me to my room last night, and that was it. Nothing happened, and you haven’t seen me since. I don’t need my sisters making a big joke out of this. I’ll never live it down.” I reach for the door but feel guilty about being so dismissive. I turn to face him and huff out, “Thank you for a lovely time. I hope you enjoy the rest of your vacation. But really, this never happened.”

“I’ve got memories, Pepper. Phenomenal memories that are etched into my mind. You can’t take those from me.”

“Then I’ll develop something to erase them. I’m a scientist. I can do that.” It’s a ridiculous statement, but I’m not exactly thinking rationally with his nine-inch pleasure wand staring at me. “Until then, you keep those memories stowed away under lock and key.”

“Yes, ma’am.”