Lethal Limits von Mia Downing

Chapter One

Jake Anderson swallowed, hard, and stared at the back of his partner, Kate Wells. No, she was Sanders now, since their boss and his best friend, Chase, had finally married her two months ago. It didn’t matter who she was. All he knew was he loved her, and he should be meeting a firing squad for it. He shouldn’t be alone, in a hotel with her, even if it was for work purposes. He should put on his sneakers and run, through Paris, out to the hills, and just beg someone to shoot him. Now.

At this moment, any sane, normal man would want to run from Kate. She was bent over the toilet, catching her breath in between rounds of being ill. A sick woman was worse than a case of the measles in Jake’s book, but when it was his boss’s wife doing the retching, he had no choice other than to stay, love her or not. So he stood in the doorway, hands balled in fists, wanting to run in the worst way.

“Jake, you’re going to be late,” Kate moaned. And retched again.

Jake leaned into the bathroom to hold her blonde hair from her face for her in trembling hands. Damn it, it sucked, loving his best friend, wanting to love his wife. It should never have happened. He fought love. Interrogated it as if it were the worst captured terrorist on the planet, because how did he, with his track record with women, end up feeling this way? He didn’t do love. He didn’t date—just fucked, and the women seemed fine with that. But he always made damned sure a woman didn’t have access to his heart in any capacity. But yet, Kate had wormed her way in.

And it wasn’t the normal definition of love, either. This love confused him. He’d had true love once, the blinding, fool-struck kind where you’d ride a bull just to get her attention. This love didn’t fall in that category, or any other category. He loved Charlotte Smith, a friend and agent, like a sister. He used to love Kate like a second cousin he’d like to fuck, but that changed to…he didn’t know where to put it. This was a sneaky love, one that made him ache for something…more.

And it was still wrong.

“Jake, just go,” Kate snapped. She must have felt a little better because she sat up to glare at him with those lethal blue eyes as he handed her a towel. “You’re going to miss Charlotte’s drop. I’ll learn the ropes in Budapest.”

Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, not wanting to go downstairs to the bar to do his job. Not when she was on the brink of death. But as a secret agent seeking intelligence for the good ole U.S. of A., he had no choice. There were bad guys to catch somewhere, intelligence to collect in a busy Parisian bar, even though his rookie partner was busy worshiping at the porcelain throne.

“Chase is going to kill me for leaving you when you’re this sick.”

“I’m not going to die on you, Anderson. I’m never eating airplane food again.” And then she moaned and laid her cheek on the cold floor, her face whiter than the sheets on the plush beds.

Fear knifed through him. She was his responsibility. She wasn’t dying on his watch. Chase had told him to show her the ropes for this international courier run—three pickups in a weekend. She’d never done anything international, and though Chase had no problem sending agents in blind, they weren’t his wife.

She retched again, and he left the bathroom, panicking. “That’s it. I’m calling Chase. He can get you into a hospital or something. If I don’t tell him, he’ll have my ass. It’s bad enough we’re in Paris. He fucking hates Paris. But when I tell him you’re this sick, he’s going to kill me.”

“He doesn’t hate Paris. He just likes to say that.”

Jake peeked back in.

Kate lay back on the floor and closed her eyes. “I feel better, I think.”

“You’re a horrible spy. You can’t lie for shit.”

“I lie just fine to the bad guys.” She opened one blue eye and sighed. “You look so handsome in that suit, cowboy. Why don’t you go down, do the pickup and then find some entertainment for the evening? I’m not going to be much fun.”

“You want me to go get laid when all I can think of is how sick you are? I’m cold, Kate, but not that cold.”

“I have food poisoning. Not some rare European disease. I don’t care if you get laid. You can go dance with a beautiful woman, maybe have a drink. Maybe Charlotte doesn’t have anything going on—you haven’t seen her in ages. Go walk the streets and see the sights. If you want to get laid, fine. But just don’t come back here and stare at me like I’m going to shatter.” She sat up and offered a hand. “Help me to the bed.”

He bent and scooped her protesting form in his arms, kissing her forehead as she trembled against his chest. “You smell horrible,” he said, unable to keep from poking fun at her.

He didn’t care what she smelled like or looked like at this point. He just wished she could have loved him, instead of Chase, and suddenly he was very afraid to stay alone in the room with her. Sick or not. He should get whatever from Charlotte and run like hell. Twenty miles should do it.

Jake deposited Kate on the bed then went to her suitcase, which looked like it had exploded all on its own. He grabbed a fresh T-shirt, turned, and chucked it to her. “Why don’t you change?”

“Turn around.” She twirled her finger in the air, the shirt clutched to her chest. Even sick she was stunning, the paleness setting off the blue of her eyes.

“Kate. It’s not like you have anything I haven’t seen before.” That’s what he got for being Chase’s third for sex with Kate. He’d had her twice. It never was an issue before. He’d fucked tons of women with Chase. But this last time…

“Chase isn’t here to supervise. Turn.”

He turned. Her shirt, and then her bra, hit him in the back of the head. “All set?”

“Yes.”

Jake turned back, kicking her clothes to the side. She was snuggled under the covers, eyes closed. He went to the bathroom, grabbed some trial-sized mouthwash and a cup, and took it to her. “Here.”

She sat up, rinsed and spit into the cup he offered, and he set them on the bedside table. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, brushing the hair from her clammy forehead. “How you feeling now?”

“Better, I think. I don’t have anything left to come up, so this will have to do.” She fluffed the pillow and settled down. “Aren’t you late?”

“Maybe a little. Charlotte will wait. I’ll order you some room service, and then go.” Jake bent and kissed her on the lips, softly, so careful not to let his lips linger too long. He often kissed her. She was his work wife. He had to play married to her often in the field, which didn’t help the whole love situation. Lately, it was so painful, he didn’t tempt himself. Today, he couldn’t resist her, even sick.

But Kate stiffened under his lips and when he pulled away, she grabbed his jaw and held his face. He couldn’t hide what he felt for her fast enough. Even sick, Kate was quick on the draw. Too quick for him.

Her eyes widened and she shook her head slowly. “Oh, oh no. Jacob. No. You can’t be feeling that. When did this happen?”

“Last month.” Why deny it? She’d find out sooner or later. “My birthday.”

She let go of his face and made that strangling noise in the back of her throat that made him cringe.

He had celebrated the event at the BDSM club he frequented, spending the evening with Chase and Kate. Chase didn’t mind adding him as a third in their relationship. He and Jake had been through hell and back together, and had shared countless women before Chase met Kate. Jake knew Kate loved him, second cousin style. Which is why she had said yes to a threesome with him in the first place.

Only this last time, Jake felt something change when he held Kate, as he made love to her. The time before she rode Chase while Jake took her ass from behind, but they had changed it up for Jake’s birthday. Kate had ridden him, and it was a gift he’d never forget. He’d always been attracted to her, but as she slid her arms around him as he thrust into her, it was like fireworks for his birthday. It was magical to have her kiss him, hold him, and he’d never come so hard before in his life.

But after she came on Chase’s command, she had slid from Jake and turned to Chase for approval. As she should have, in her perfect submissive way. But it hurt, and he was having a hell of a time moving on. If this kept up, he’d have to ask Chase to give him a new partner. He had no idea how to broach that topic, but maybe, now that Kate knew, she’d ally-up with him.

Kate made that strangling noise again. He flinched as she struggled to sit up, the fire in her eyes returning. “See, that’s why I set the rules the first time. I told you where you could and could not be. No front action, anal only. But no. My generous husband has to go and offer what should be his to you. And then you go and fall in love with me.” She smacked his chest. “Bastard.”

“I don’t think being in the wrong place made a difference,” he said, as if it would help the situation. “I’ve had plenty of women vaginally, and I don’t love any them.”

Shit, no, not the strangling noise. Not again. But she made it and he wished for a chalkboard instead, for her to run her nails down. How did Chase stand her when she was pissed like this?

At the thought of his best friend, he groaned. “Chase is going to kill me.”

“Chase isn’t going to know.” She grabbed the lapels of his suit and pulled him closer, his face inches from eyes that spit blue fire. “You’re not going to tell him, and neither am I. God help me for lying to my husband two months into my marriage, but I’m not going to let you destroy him.”

She pushed him away and slumped back on the pillow, pissed. “He fought being jealous of you the first time around so he could finally admit he loved me. I’m not losing him because you’ve gone and broken the unspoken rule.”

“I’m not going to destroy him.” Chase was his best friend, and Jake loved him more than a brother. He wasn’t out to make Chase’s life a living hell, which was why he wanted to run instead of meet Charlotte, to pound out the miles. Jake just wanted…to be happy.

“Oh, yes. You will,” she said.

It pissed him off that Kate would think he wanted to hurt Chase. “Is that what you think? I’m out to ruin his life? I don’t want to feel this way, damn it. I don’t want to love you a drop more than second cousin status. I don’t want to hurt him, either. Give me some credit.”

Kate shook her head, ignoring him. “He will kill you if he finds out. From a mile away.”

“Crowded room, busy street,” Jake whispered. Chase had been a sniper in the military, and it was a standing joke when Chase was pissed at Jake. He’d never worried about it before, until now.

“Yes, and when he’s done with you, he’ll kill me, too. So you need to get out there and find yourself a woman of your own to love.”

“No!”

“Yes. You want to love someone so bad, we’ll find you someone.” Kate thought for a moment. “What about Elaina?”

“I don’t know.” He shifted. Blonde, maybe one of the secretaries? No…” I don’t think about women once I’ve fucked them.”

A flash of black hair, chocolate brown eyes and long, long legs came into his memory. Tia. He’d met her last fall, and until he had realized he loved Kate, she had been more than enough woman for him to be exclusive. Jake didn’t do excusive, so that was a first.

“Mouth, Jacob.” Kate glared. “It is going to be almost impossible to find anyone in D.C. you haven’t slept with. That’s the problem with being a man whore.”

She shot him a holier-than-thou look as she adjusted the blankets and folded her hands on her lap. She had every right to look that way. She’d been a virgin for Chase, and Jake was her number two. Always second.

She sniffed. “When was the last time you had a woman, besides sharing me?”

“Last? A month ago. Right before my birthday.”

“And after that?”

“I haven’t slept with anyone since my birthday.”

“My God. That’s almost celibacy for you.” Her eyes were wide, and she shook her head, staring like he was a pariah.

Well, it wasn’t celibacy. He’d been longer. Though maybe that’s why he wanted to slip under the covers with her so badly. But he wanted just to hold her, which was odd. Yeah, he’d fuck her if she’d let him. But he wanted his arms around her more.

“You don’t love me, Anderson.” Kate was so pretty, even when she frowned, which wasn’t often. “What you feel for me isn’t love. It’s love for what Chase and I have. What I give Chase.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No. Look, Chase was a basket case workaholic with a control complex before we started in. Now he’s sane, satisfied, and has only minor workaholic tendencies. He’s still got a hell of a control complex, but I’m only human.” She smoothed his jacket with her palm. “What I’m trying to say is that you don’t love me. You love how happy Chase is, and you want that for yourself.”

Could that be true? He didn’t love her? He loved what she gave his buddy? Sounded wrong, but Kate was rarely wrong.

“What if—” Jake didn’t even want to say it. He was an ass for even thinking what if, to wish his best friend out of the picture. He wasn’t sane.

“Don’t go there, Jake. If Chase were to die or not want me any longer, then maybe. Maybe I’d love you, but it wouldn’t be what you’re looking for. And frankly, I like that Chase micromanages every second of my life. Are you going to do that? Because I’m not learning to cook and this room is a pigsty.”

She gestured to the open suit cases, the clothes everywhere, the tray of dirty dishes, the little bottle of booze he’d drunk from the bar stash at dinner and then left on top of the TV. “Chase would have already ordered me room service and would have cleaned up and then would have gone to his courier drop. And I’m not going to tell you what he’d do when he returned, because I don’t want to give you ideas. He’s the boss, he makes the plans, and I love him for that. And you and I have a better chance of dying than he does, so just get over it.”

“Room service.” He groaned and picked up the phone. He dialed out and ordered Kate some toast, ginger ale, and a few other things he thought might settle well. “There.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Back to our mission to find you someone to love.”

“Fine.” Jake would indulge her. She was sick, after all.

“There isn’t a single woman at home you’ve sought out more than once? Twice? Three times?”

Yes, Tia. But Tia hadn’t made any claims on him at all, so when his birthday came up and Chase offered an evening out, he hadn’t felt guilty. Until after. Which made no sense, because if he loved Kate and only Kate, he wouldn’t feel guilty about sleeping with her…would he? “Yes, there’s one.”

Tia Richards was probably the only woman he knew that could touch Kate’s beauty. She was the exact opposite of Kate—dark hair with loose curls, exotic instead of stunning and wholesome. But Tia was intense, sometimes cold, and hard-core when it came to sex. He loved that she was wild and had no problem pushing his boundaries. She made him hot in a whole different way, a way he’d never felt before. Maybe because even though she had submissive tendencies, she also had an air about her, one that said she was beyond possession, beyond being claimed totally. His inner Dom saw that as a challenge.

Jake glanced at Kate. Maybe the opposite of Kate was exactly what he needed if he couldn’t have the real thing. He nodded, more sure this time. “Definitely one woman I can think of.”

Kate was firm in her resolve. “So when you are finally home, you call her, you say you’ve thought of nothing but her for the last month, but the office has been busy.”

“But I’ve thought of nothing but you.” Which he wasn’t so sure about, now, because he’d thought quite a bit about Tia, too. Jake ran a hand through his hair.

“You are a spy.” Kate smacked him with a pillow. “Lie. Lie through your teeth, Anderson. Because if Chase finds out—and you know it’s only a matter of time before he sees you looking at me like that—he’ll kill you. How bad do you want to die?”

“I don’t want to die, but I don’t think she’ll want to speak to me again. I sort of left her in a hurry last time.”

“Why?”

Jake sighed. That weekend had been such a mess. “Charlotte’s assignment was threatening to implode, and Chase needed me on a plane.”

“So?”

“I sorta left things unfinished.” As in, Tia in restraints, begging for him to make her come as he hastily grabbed his clothes to leave for work. He closed his eyes on the memory. Man, she had been beautiful, bound, and begging. He loved it when she begged like that. He just wished he had time to do more than uncuff her and kiss her a hasty goodbye.

“What do you mean, unfinished?”

“We were at the club?” He winced, hoping she’d get the drift without the details.

Her eyes narrowed. “How unfinished? Did you finish?”

Jake looked away, embarrassed. He’d had one hell of an orgasm, and he wasn’t necessarily proud of it, not when Tia hadn’t.

Kate sucked in a breath. “And she didn’t? Jesus, Jake. How could you do that to her?”

He shielded himself with his hands as she smacked him again, this time on the shoulder. “Chase wants us to be on the plane in under an hour when he calls. You know where I was, so you do the math. I was a half hour from the apartment in traffic, a half hour from the plane in traffic, and I didn’t have a shred of gear on me. I had to go home, and that’s fifteen right there.” He spread his arms in front of him, palms up, in a gesture of surrender. “I’m damned good, but I can’t go back in time to make a woman come so I can board a plane on time for your fucking husband when I’m already fifteen minutes late.”

“Oh, Jake.” Kate sighed and grabbed the pillow from his lap and held it to her chest. “I have no idea how to spin that one unless you just say you’re really sorry, you’ve thought nothing of her, and you owe her three orgasms.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“And for goodness sake, do not mention me when you try to seduce her again. There’s nothing worse than a man mentioning the work wife. Don’t mention my name in any way, shape, or form, unless my name is linked with Chase’s, and then use his first. Chase and Kate. Got it?”

Jake held his head. “There are too many rules.”

“If you want to live, then you will do this. If you can’t do it for you, then do it for me.” She shoved him off the bed. “Go forth, make the pickup. When we get home you can find a woman of your own to love.”

****

Tatiana Richards had a problem, and the solution’s name was Jake Anderson. She slid her chair behind a towering potted plant in the Parisian hotel bar, just out of Jake’s view. But she was able to peer between the fronds of the plant, spying on the man she intended to seduce. Damn him, he owed her an orgasm or two, and she would get them, come hell or high water.

Jake called the bartender over, ultra confident, almost smug as he leaned against the polished wood. He ordered something in his perfectly accented French and then perused the room as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He could have been a businessman, a playboy on vacation, but Tia knew him for what he was—a spy and a man whore. And he was good at both.

Jake owned handsome. Broad shouldered, his dark blond hair barely brushing the collar of his dark jacket, the highlighted strands a little longer in the front and tousled, golden from the sun. Underneath the expensive, tailored suit he was deliciously lean and muscular in all the right places. It was oddly erotic to see him dressed, seeing she’d spent more than enough time with him naked in the past few months.

Jake glanced at his watch and then smiled at a hot blonde walking by. He didn’t check out her fine ass in her little black dress though, and Tia frowned. Maybe what she saw earlier was true. Maybe he did love the perfect, wholesome-looking blonde she had seen him with in the hotel lobby. And obviously, Blondie was late.

Tia shifted behind the plant to get a better view of Jake. If he was in love with Blondie, that would prove to be a problem, since she fully intended for him to finish what he started. His leaving her unfulfilled and bound at the club had been humiliating, though she understood the circumstances. Duty had called, and he had too much honor to blow off his responsibility. She got it. She was also a spy, for a more conservative office, though.

But it didn’t damper the confusion at the new sensations, her growing awareness of him. They’d met at the club months ago, and their mutual attraction had led to incredibly hot, erotic play sessions. Usually she didn’t think twice about a man. She didn’t want a commitment. Didn’t deserve one. But memories of Jake sparked new questions. What was he like out of the club? Was he as courteous? A good man? It didn’t matter. But she still wanted to know.

Tia watched Jake finish his drink and order another. Probably whisky and cola, if she knew him well enough. She hadn’t heard from him in a month, but she knew he was busy. His division was swamped, and his boss had actually approached her about crossing over into their office to cover some of the workload.

Tia was definitely interested. Chase’s division was more rogue, able to go deeper, harder, faster after the bad guys. No spy was on the radar, but Chase’s division was able to go where other agents couldn’t, and she wanted to be a part of that. She was just waiting to hear back about when she would start.

So she really wanted to solve her problem, now, before she started work. She didn’t fuck her co-workers. Since she was already doing Jake, she would make a concession this once. She frowned. But there was the problem of Blondie... She refused to be second best, even to get the elusive proper orgasm.

But Blondie was nowhere to be seen, and Jake was looking quite relaxed, like he owned the place and didn’t have a care in the world. A facade for sure, since he didn’t miss a thing. If she jumped him, he’d kill her without batting an eyelash. She loved that in a man.

A woman with long, deep-red hair in a deep blue dress entered the bar. Jake’s eyes lit up as she strolled up to him and whispered in his ear. He laughed, his head back, and then looked into her eyes with that devastating smile of his plastered to his face. Ginger leaned in again, and when the bartender brought Jake another drink, he ordered one for her.

They talked for a while. Ginger leaned in again and this time the length of her body pressed into his. He grinned down at her and kissed her, his lips slow, gentle, the way Tia remembered him kissing her. Damn, could he ever kiss. Those lips of his knew how to coax, tease, and caress.

Jake’s hand slid to Ginger’s ass and squeezed. She shot him a glare and whispered in his ear. Jake laughed and his hand slid back to her waist, tugging her closer.

Ginger slipped her hand into his pants pocket, let it linger, as if she were testing what he had to offer, then she withdrew her hand and placed it on his chest. It was so smooth, if Tia hadn’t known what was happening, she’d have thought Ginger was feeling him up. But Tia knew what was happening from experience. A courier run. Ginger had dropped something into his pocket. That’s all she was to Jake—work.

Tia sighed in relief. Now she just had to solve the mystery of Blondie. Blondie had looked sickly in the lobby, and Jake had been all kinds of concerned, with a look on his face Tia had never seen before. It had to be love. And then Blondie flipped her hand, and Tia had seen a huge engagement ring. One that didn’t just claim but screamed she was taken, along with a very expensive wedding band.

Tia had a hard time believing Jake had settled down in a month, but weirder things had happened. Of course, he could have married her before, and then screwed Tia for fun, on the side. She frowned. Jake didn’t seem the type. Maybe Blondie was another assignment, on the side of a courier run. But Tia doubted it. Jake looked too smitten.

Jake paid the bar tab, kissed Ginger goodbye, and left. Tia followed at a safe distance, taking the second elevator back to his floor. She caught a glimpse of him going into his room. Then a moment later he came back out into the hallway, still looking concerned. She had reserved a room on this floor earlier when she had seen him, hoping to hook up—she didn’t want him in her personal room—and now she faked leaving, jiggling the door handle, and he looked up.

“Hey.” Jake knew better than to call her by name. You never knew when an agent was under an alias. He looked at her with surprise and interest, his hands in his pockets, his gaze drinking in her silver evening gown. Meeting him half way down the hall, Tia knew she looked good, but seeing the appreciation reflected in his hungry blue eyes gave her a shiver of pleasure.

He pulled a hand from his pocket and gestured to her. “What brings you to Paris—business or pleasure?”

“Business, but I’ve completed that.”

“Same here.” His smile was slow, sensual. “Can I buy you a drink, since business isn’t pressing?”

“Maybe.” In four-inch heels she was almost his six feet, and it was nice to be just shy of looking him in the eye. “I’m a little pissed at you. You didn’t leave me very satisfied with our last encounter.”

His smile was sheepish. “I realize that. I apologize. I’ve thought of nothing but you in the last month, but I’ve been travelling a lot, on business. I haven’t had more than a night home here or there.”

Tia knew his office was busy. That’s why Chase was trying to recruit a new agent. But she didn’t know if Jake was playing her or if he really felt bad for leaving. Needing to be on a plane in an hour for an assignment was excusable, especially if your boss was as much of a hard-ass as Chase Sanders. “Apology accepted.”

“I could go back to your room with you. Give you the orgasm you didn’t get before.” He glanced at the door to his room, and an odd expression crossed his face. She wondered if he was growing a conscience about Blondie as he offered to entertain her, and decided then and there to abort her mission.

“I think you owe me more than one orgasm.”Oh, yes, Jake did owe her more than one. Tia inhaled his scent—masculine, clean, intoxicating, but void of the note of leather that usually surrounded him. She frowned, missing that. “But not tonight. Sorry, Tex.”

“Two?” His smile was devilish, and his blue eyes darkened.

“Not tonight, thanks.” He owed her more than two, but she didn’t want to be the other woman. Oh, her body wanted to be the other woman. Her skin tingled with the anticipation of what he offered. But she couldn’t, not when he had looked at Blondie like that. “You don’t have something more pressing to do?”

“Don’t be so eager to leave, darlin’.” Jake put a hand on the small of her back, and the heat of his palm ignited a flame in her belly. “Where’s your room?”

“Back that way.” She pointed down the hall. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Jake turned her slightly, her back to the wall. He drew closer, one arm leaning on the wall over her head, close but not touching her with any part of his lean form except the hot palm on her bare back. His eyes were intense, deep blue, and he gave her another slow smile that promised whatever he did would definitely be a good idea.

She drew in a breath, afraid to exhale. He smelled so good. Would he taste as delicious tonight? No, she couldn’t go there. If he touched her, she’d ignite. If he kissed her…she’d be second best again.

“Just go,” she whispered. “I can’t do this with you. Not anymore.”

“I know I screwed this up. I promise work won’t call this time. Let me love you.”

Let me love you…She opened her mouth to ask about Blondie, and he closed the distance. He kissed her, his lips gentle, persuasive. His tongue touched her lips, and against her better judgment she parted, allowing him in. The fire that had threatened to ignite flared, deep within her belly. Her panties grew damp, the moisture gathering, preparing her for a torrid night of sex she couldn’t accept.

She didn’t want to need him, wanted to resist him. It took every ounce of her control not to slide her hands up his chest, to his broad shoulders, to his nape. She grabbed the material of her evening gown and held it tight, her knuckles hurting.

“Don’t you want to come for me?” he whispered, his mouth against her ear. His right hand pressed to the small of her back until her hips met his, his hard cock brushing her belly. He rocked once against her and her pussy pulsed, echoing his need. He’d never seduced her like this before. There’d never been any reason. But now he pulled out all the stops, and the charm oozed out. She’d never wanted a man more.

“Please?” he whispered against the corner of her mouth. “I need this. I need you.”

“What about the blonde I saw you with earlier?”

He stiffened ever so slightly, but then his lips continued on their path, along her jaw, down to her throat. “That’s the work wife. She wants nothing to do with me, so I’m all yours.”

Oh, Jake. Bad, bad move to fall for your partner. “I’ll warn you right now, you’re going to regret this.”

He pulled away, his hand still on her back as he frowned. “She’s married. She doesn’t care.”

Even worse to fall for a married work wife. Tia touched his cheek, feeling sorry for him. “No, you’re going to regret what I have planned for you.” What the hell. She might as well go through with it. But what she had planned he’d never agree to. He was too much Dom to submit to her.

His smile echoed of something—sadness maybe? “If it makes me forget the evening I’ve had, then bring your most twisted.”

“Is that your consent?”

“Like I said, bring it.”

Desperation mingled with need and banded together, making it impossible to resist him any longer. He wanted her most twisted? He was about to experience it. She just hoped he didn’t hate her too badly when it was over.

She took his hand and squared her shoulders with resolve. They walked the few steps to her room, and she gained access with her key card. The room was the exact clone of hers, two floors up. Except there was nothing personal here. Just a few things she’d brought down to make the evening…special.

He turned to her, hands in his pockets, his eyes still dark with lust. “Do you want me to order anything from room service? Chase’s treat.”

“That would be very nice. What does Chase want to buy us?”

“He’s a lightweight. You’d get bottled water from him.” Jake grinned, the smug set to his lips giving her a chill of desire. “But from me, champagne.”

“Sure.” Tia waited until he turned to the phone, and then she hit him, just so on the back of the neck. He crumpled, all six feet of him slumping onto the bed.

She removed the black bondage tape from her bag and stared at him longingly. “Sorry, Jake. You said to bring my most twisted. It’s game time.”