she wasn’t going to be afraid to take it.
It was almost noon when Victoria finally made it back to her office. And she’d barely been there fifteen minutes, checking phone messages—there were already three from his mother—when Charles quietly opened the door and slipped inside.
She pretended not to hear him skulking around behind her, but when she felt his hands on her shoulders, his lips teasing the back of her neck, he became really hard to ignore.
“Neither of us is going to get anything done if you keep this up,” she scolded, but she wasn’t doing anything to stop him. Although, she thought, maybe she should. Unlike his office, hers didn’t have a sturdy lock. In fact, she wasn’t sure if it locked at all.
“Just thought I would pop in and say hello,” he said, his breath warm on her skin. She couldn’t deny that another hour or so in his office was tempting.
No, you have work to do.
“Your smother called,” she said. “Several times.”
He stopped kissing her. “My what?”
She turned to look at him. He had a quirky grin on his face. “Your mother,” she repeated.
“That’s not what you said.”
What was he talking about? “Yes I did.”
He shook his head. “No. You said smother. ’My smother called.’”
She slapped a hand over her mouth. Oh my gosh, had she? Had she really said it out loud? “I’m so sorry. That was completely inappropriate.”
Rather than look offended, he laughed. “No. That’s perfect. ‘My smother.’ I’ll have to tell my father that one.”
“No!” What would his father think of Victoria? Insulting his wife like that.
Charles just shrugged. “He knows what she’s like. She drives everyone crazy. He’ll think it’s hilarious.”
She swiveled in her chair to face him. “Please don’t, Charles. It’s going to be awkward enough. I would be mortified.”
He didn’t look like he got it, but he nodded. “All right. I won’t say anything.”
“Thank you.”
He backed away from her. She couldn’t help wondering if she’d offended him somehow, and she realized the idea truly disturbed her. How quickly she’d gone from disliking him to valuing his friendship.
Too fast.
And when he smiled at her, she realized he wasn’t the least bit offended. “Can I take you out to dinner tonight?” he asked.
Two nights in a row? Then again, sitting in bed naked feeding each other sushi couldn’t really be counted as having dinner out. And her first impulse was to say yes, she would love to. But did she want to make a habit of being seen with him in public? To be crowned his latest conquest? Just another fling? Even though that was exactly what she was.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” she said.
“Why?”
“We’re sleeping together, not dating.”
He shrugged. “What’s the difference?”
“There’s a huge difference. Sex is temporary. Superficial.”
“And dating isn’t? According to whom?”
He had a point. “I suppose it can be, but…it’s just different.”
“I don’t date women with the intention of a lasting relationship. So by definition, dating for me is very temporary.” He paused, then his brow tucked with concern. “You’re not looking for a relationship, are you?”
“With you? Of course not!”
He looked relieved, and she knew enough not to take it personally. He was just establishing parameters. It was what men like him did. And it was the truth. He was the last man on earth that she would ever consider for a serious relationship.
“Well, then, what’s the problem?” he asked.
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