“I can’t touch you,” she hissed.
“Why not?”
“Because…” she bit her lip, staring at that wonderful skin, groaning. “Because if I touch you, I won’t want to stop!”
He sighed, pressing his fingers against his forehead. “You are a virgin.”
She laughed, shaking her head, causing her long, wavy curls to dance in the moonlight. “No, I’m not a virgin, Dimitri. Remember? I told you I’ve had sex twice before, but it was nothing like what I feel around you. I’m sorry,” she said and stepped backwards. “I’m just not in the same league as you. I’m not a virgin, but I’m not experienced either. When you touch me, I can’t….think.”
She turned and walked away. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he growled.
Pepper turned. “I’ll take a cab home.”
Dimitri wanted to roar with frustration and knew that he was acting like an ass. But he couldn’t help it. When she’d touched him, he’d felt powerful and her soft skin, her body pressed against his in such an unconsciously erotic way had driven him wild!
And now she wanted to walk away? Oh, hell no!
“I will take you home, Pepper,” he snapped.
She stiffened, her shoulders pulling back and she glared at him. He might have laughed at her outrage if he wasn’t in so much pain.
“I’m fine,” she told him. “I’ll get home on my own.”
He wanted to toss her over his knee so that he could spank her lovely ass! In two strides, he reached her and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him. “You will not take a taxi home, Pepper! I will see you safely to your door!”
She bit her lip, which was another reason he wanted to spank her! She was so unconsciously sexy and it was so appealing!
Pulling back, he released her arm. Not because he thought he was hurting her, but because it was hurting him. Just the feel of her skin made him burn for her. In the back of his mind, he wondered where her sweater had gone, but he was too close to the edge to think rationally. So he grabbed his car keys. “Let’s go.”
A half hour later, he pulled up to the curb alongside her building and turned off the engine. But before he realized what was happening, she was out of the car, bending over to smile stiffly at him. “Thank you again for tonight,” she said, then slammed the door closed. She was already inside the building and sprinting up the stairs before he even opened his car door.
For a long moment, he considered following and explaining to her exactly how things would go between them. First of all, she would never, ever, run away from him again. And secondly, he would always see her to her door. He would kiss her goodnight. And they would part ways calmly.
Unfortunately, he was still too wound up to approach her. So instead of seeing her safely to her door, he stood on the sidewalk and waited until he saw the lights come on in her apartment. He even saw her peer down at him from the window.
Since he was sure that she was safely inside her home, he got back into his car and sped away, taking slow, deep breaths in an effort to calm down his raging lust.
It didn’t work. By the time he got back to his place, Dimitri was still feeling that gnawing ache of need. He thought about taking care of this need himself, but instead, he stepped into a cold shower. Nothing would satisfy his lust other than sinking himself deep into the luscious, amazing body of Pepper. And that irritated him!
Staring up at the ceiling that night, he vowed to avoid all contact with Pepper Abbot. She was gorgeous, sexy, alluring and…damn it, his body was again standing at attention and he rolled over, punching the pillow with his fury.
Pepper Abbot was a tease.
No, that wasn’t right. She wasn’t a tease. She was inexperienced, just as she’d admitted. As much as he appreciated her honesty, Dimitri wasn’t into women who didn’t know what they wanted or how to handle their desires. He preferred women who accepted their sexuality, embraced it. He wanted a woman who was ready for a real relationship with him.
Having made that decision, he rolled over, and tried to fall asleep.
Chapter 5
Dimitri was still aching by the time he left his penthouse the following morning, showered and dressed for work, his muscles aching after the workout he’d put himself through in an effort to ease the desire still surging through him.
Never in his life, even when he’d been a teenager and a soft breeze would arouse his body, had he felt this aching, driving lust for a woman!
So no, he wasn’t going to ignore the lovely Pepper Abbot! He wasn’t going to walk away! Despite the vow he’d made last night, in the clear light of morning, he’d come to a different decision.
Today, he was going to explain to her exactly how their relationship was going to go. He would bring her back to his place tonight for dinner. After dinner, he would take her into his arms and make love to her. He would be slow and methodical as he built up their desire for each other. Then he would bury himself inside of her and give her so many orgasms that she’d understand exactly who was in charge. She wouldn’t be afraid of the desire between them because he’d show her that he could control it for both of them.
Tugging at the cuffs of his dress shirt, he slipped into the back of his waiting limousine. As his driver wove through the traffic towards his office, he looked out the window, but he didn’t see the tall buildings or the pedestrians as they made their way to their destinations. Instead, he saw Pepper, naked and writhing in his bed, her eyes begging him to make love to her.
And he would! Damn it, he would make love to her with such control that she would be sobbing out her release. And she wouldn’t run away from him again!
With that decision made, he focused on work.
Or tried to. Furious and disgusted with himself, he muttered curses whenever he found himself thinking about Pepper and her delectable body.
By the end of the day, he was beside himself with rage over how such a small woman could ruin his concentration so completely!
“What’s wrong with you?” Nancy asked, staring into Pepper’s glazed eyes. Again.
Pepper jerked upright, blinking owlishly at her friend and partner. “Um…?”
“You’ve been walking around here all day like a zombie, running into tables and tripping over bolts of fabric. People ask you questions and you don’t even hear them, do you?”
“Questions?” she parroted, feeling a bit queasy. “And I haven’t tripped over anything.”
Nancy snorted. “Pepper, you’ve walked into three different work tables today and tripped over the rolls of fabric in the corner, knocking all six bolts onto the floor. Then you just walked away as if nothing happened. Louise straightened them up, then came to me. Everyone is worried about you.” Nancy leaned over Pepper’s desk. “What’s going on? Has something happened to Sloane or Rayne?” she asked, referring to Pepper’s sisters.
“No!” she gasped in reply. “At least, I hope not!” She blinked, then grabbed her phone and sent a quick message to their group chat, asking if they were okay and if her nieces and nephews were good.
Nancy waited only long enough for Pepper to finish the text message before continuing. “Okay, so if the family is okay, as far as you know, what gives? Why are you so out of it today?”