“Yes,” I answer as my eyes drag over her body in that dress. What I wouldn’t give to peel it off her body right now and celebrate her victory with her, the only way I know how—by worshipping her body.

“Hey.” She waves shyly.

“Hey,” I say as I wet my lips. Lottie looks like a juicy piece of meat, standing there in front of me, waiting to be devoured.

“I just thought I’d stop by before I went to take a bath. I wanted to personally thank you again.”

“No need to thank me, Lottie. You and Kelsey put on one hell of a presentation. It was an easy yes for all of us.”

She shakes her head. “No, I mean, thank you for the sacrifice you made. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” I ask, confused.

Her head tilts to the side. “Huxley, I know you’ve been waiting to talk to Dave about business for a while now, but when the opportunity presented itself, you didn’t back down on your promise to us.”

“I told you, I can be an honest man. Dave could wait.”

“Well, I know what a sacrifice it was and I’m really grateful.”

“You’re welcome,” I say simply. And when she doesn’t leave, I ask, “Did you have fun with your sister? You’re home sooner than I thought.”

“We went for celebratory drinks. Some guys bought us a few drinks.” My jealousies rise, my anger taking root. “Kelsey was vibing with one of them, and the other guy was trying to get my number.”

My jaw tenses, my fingers grip the side of the mattress tightly.

“But I told him I was engaged.” Lottie smirks and holds up her hand, showing off her ring. “When he saw the size of the diamond, he knew there was no competition.”

Damn fucking right.

“He doesn’t need to see the size of the ring to realize there’s no competition. Especially when I’m the man who gave you the ring.”

She folds her arms over her chest. “Am I sensing a hint of jealousy, Huxley?”

“Not jealousy, just protecting what’s mine.”

“I’m yours now?”

“Until we’ve fulfilled our duties spelled out in the contract,” I say, my fingers itching to let go of this mattress and bury themselves in Lottie’s long, dark locks.

“Well, you have nothing to worry about, my loyalty lies with you.” She walks toward me, those mile-high heels of hers clicking across the floor. My eyes fix on her toned legs, and when she stops in front of me, her chest rests just at eye level. And then she squats to her knees, right between my legs.

“What are you doing?” I ask, my body erupting in excitement from her position.

Her hands fall to my thighs. “Thanking you.”

Her hands slide up to my already stiff cock, but I stop her before she can touch anything. “I don’t need your thanks. I told you, you earned everything you got today. It has nothing to do with our situation and everything to do with your ideas and merit.”

Her eyes match up to mine. “Do you not want me to suck you off?”

“Not like this,” I say, offended. “Not with the thought in your mind that you’re thanking me for hiring you. I don’t want your mouth like that.”

I move my hand to her cheek and caress her lips with my thumb. She opens her mouth, capturing my thumb, and she sucks on it, hard. Her cheeks hollow out, and fuck, what I wouldn’t give to have my dick replace my thumb.

But not like this.

Not when there’s the possibility that she thinks she’s repaying me.

No fucking way.

When she releases my thumb, she smooths her hands up my thighs and stands. She pushes at my chest until I’m lying down and then crawls on top of me, her legs spread, her heated warmth connecting right with my aching cock.

I’d love to fuck this woman, to peel her out of this dress and show her the kind of lover I am.

And I don’t want to fuck her just because she’s beautiful, or because her smart mouth turns me on, but because I saw a side of her I haven’t seen before. A professional side, a spark of excitement for her goals, for her achievements. It was really fucking sexy. It’s making me see her in a completely different light, which is so goddamn dangerous, because I’m already sticking my toes over the line here. I’m already crossing into damaging territory.

“Lottie, what are you doing?”

Her hips rub against my cock and she smiles. “You’re hard.”

“What’s your point?”

Her face falls and her hand braces on my chest. “Why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You’re pulling away. I know when you’re shutting down and that’s what you’re doing right now. You’re shutting down. Why, Huxley?”

“You’ve already asked your questions for today.”

She shakes her head. “Not my dinner questions.”

“You didn’t have dinner with me tonight, so you forfeited that right.”

Growing angry, she lifts off me, and I sit up as she rights her dress. “Just when I think you might not be an asshole anymore, you prove me wrong. You’re the most infuriating man I’ve ever met.”

Yeah, I’m pretty fucking annoyed with myself as well. But when I remain silent, she huffs and turns toward the door.

Before exiting my room, she says, “I’m meeting up with Ellie on Tuesday at ten to look at breast pumps. Thought I’d let you know. I’m still keeping up my end.”

“I told you, you don’t have to do that.”

“Apparently it’s the least I can do,” she says with such venom that I grow irritated.

“You owe me nothing, I told you that,” I say as she reaches for the handle of my door.

“Consider it part of the contract.” She goes to leave but then pauses. She looks over her shoulder, her petite frame tense, causing her movements to be jagged. Exhaling deeply, she lowers her head and barely above a whisper, she asks, “Could you at least do me a favor and unzip my dress for me?”

“You can’t reach it?”

She shakes her head. “No, Kelsey helped me earlier.”

I stand from my bed and close the distance between us, my cock hard in my briefs as I approach. When only a few inches separate us, I swipe my hand across her long hair and swoop it over her shoulder, exposing her back. I reach up to the small zipper and slowly pull it down her back, painfully revealing that she’s not wearing a bra. When I reach the end of the zipper, I keep my eyes fixed on her back as she pushes the dress down until it pools at her feet, revealing her bright white lace thong and her round, perky ass.

Fuck.

Me.

Arm clasped over her breasts, she turns toward me and drops to a squat to pick up her dress. As she stands back up, her shoulder grazes my cock and I nearly jump right out of my briefs from the touch. Her eyes meet mine and she blinks those long lashes before she says seductively, “Thank you.”

I wet my lips.

My hands itch to reach out and grab her.

My cock begs for relief.

But I don’t move. I don’t even flinch.

With a disappointed look in her eyes, she heads out of my bedroom but doesn’t shut the door. She crosses into her bedroom and leaves her door open as well as she drops the dress on her bed and sashays to the bathroom.

Fuck. An open door. That’s an invitation.

She’s tempting me, not giving up in her pursuit. For the life of me, I don’t think I can hold back.

Not after seeing her perfect ass.

Not after undressing her.

Not after that kiss we shared earlier.

Not after seeing her on her knees, cheeks hollowed.

Not after knowing she wanted my cock in her mouth.

My will has cracked, my strength is wavering, and all my rules are jumbled in my head, not a single one making sense.

I hear the shower turn on in her bathroom. Hell. My cock grows even harder as I stand still, staring into the other room, pleading with myself to make a move, but to also keep it the fuck together.

But then . . . she walks across the bedroom . . . completely naked.

Tits, the perfect handful.

Hips, just enough to grab on to.

Pussy, waxed and so goddamn tempting. One taste was not enough.