“Did it ever occur to you,” she fumed, “that I felt your eyes on me and felt the need to see who the hell was stalking me?”
“Sure, it did. But I saw the way you looked at me, darlin’.” He lowered his tone even more, his gaze flicking to her throat, where her pulse beat a strong, unsteady cadence. “I saw the question in your eyes. The desire. The same as I see it now.” He lifted a hand to one of the satiny spirals resting on her shoulder and took the end between his fingertips.
She went to slap his hand away but he caught her slender wrist.
“Who do you think you are?” she demanded, her pupils going wide.
He answered without hesitation. “I think I’m the one Dominant man you burn for, Layla. I think I’m the one who makes you wonder what the other side is like. The bottom side.” Her nostrils flared the tiniest bit, but she hadn’t moved. And her pulse beneath his fingertips was running hot and wild. “I think you feel the same undeniable chemistry I do. All you have to do is give in.”
She bit her lip, took in a long breath. He’d have bet good money she wasn’t even aware of what she was doing.
“You’re wrong about me—you and your ego. All you male Doms think no woman can top as well as you can, that we have no place.”
“Not true. I’ve met many a good Domme in my time. I don’t doubt you’re a good Domme. But you feel it. I know you do. But there can be only one Top here, and I sure as hell am never bowing down for anyone.”
A small smile teased at the corners of her gorgeously full lips. “No, I don’t imagine you ever would. But I don’t bottom for anyone. Not since . . .” She trailed off, glancing away for a moment.
“Not since what?”
“Nothing. Never mind. Look, it’s not happening. Not with you. Not with anyone.”
“Would you like to know what I think, Layla? No, what I know. It’ll only be a matter of time. Meanwhile, you’re going to be mulling over this conversation—it’ll be impossible to forget. And just to make sure you don’t forget . . .”
He bent and crushed his mouth to hers, one hand going behind her head and diving into that silky hair. And Christ, but her lips were soft and sweet as she moaned quietly, just the tiniest sigh issuing from her throat. Her mouth began to open under his, but he let her go and stood back, trying not to gloat.
“I’ll see you then, shall I, when that time has come?” he asked.
Her eyes narrowed and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Goddamn it, Duff! What the hell was that?”
“That was what I’ll leave you with, darlin’. Think about me, will you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest once more, accentuating her cleavage. Her face had hardened into tight lines—all but her mouth, her lips looking soft and well kissed. “Fuck you, Duff,” she muttered before turning and stalking from his office.
He leaned against the edge of the desk, a grin on his face and a raging throbber in his jeans. “Let’s hope so,” he said loud enough for her to hear. Her retreating shoulders stiffened.
He watched her cross the street and get into a red convertible Mustang—a late 1960s model if he wasn’t mistaken. The black top was down and he could see the curve of her shoulders, her lovely skin shining in the sun.
“Hey, Duff.”
He glanced over his shoulder at his cousin, who’d just walked into the office through the door connecting SGR Motors and SGR Motorcycles.
“Not now, Jamie. I can’t talk to you while I have a hard-on.”
“Jesus. Sometimes you’re an oversharer—you know that, cousin?” Jamie asked.
“One of my many charms,” Duff muttered, his gaze still on Layla as she sat in the car. Why wasn’t she starting it, driving away in a huff? Made a man think. Made a man think that perhaps she really was more interested than she let on. “Lord, the way the sun hits her skin. I’d pay to have that skin under my hands.”
Jamie chuckled. “I seriously doubt you’ve ever had to pay for it in your life.”
Duff grinned. “You’re right enough there. And I don’t intend to pay for this one, either.”
“Have you forgotten—”
“That she’s a Domme?” Duff interrupted. “Not for a single moment. But that only makes her more of a challenge. I like a good challenge. I like her fire. Her stubbornness. She sort of hinted that she’s been a bottom before, but even if she hadn’t, I feel it in her. Still, she’s damn brave, that one. And courage is fucking sexy. Now I just have to capture that fire. Contain it. Contain her.”
“I’ll sit back and pop some popcorn. You contain away—or try to.”
Duff turned to him. “Do you doubt my abilities, Jamie? And here I thought we were family.”
“We are. But that fire you’re talking about? It’s there, all right—in spades. And someone could get burned.”
“Nah. I’m not the burnable type. And look at her, man. She’s too fucking delectable to resist. Might be worth a little singeing.”
Jamie laughed, shook his head. “Just don’t come running to me for Band-Aids, cousin.”
“I’m not the running type, either, cousin.”
Jamie stepped closer and gave him a good slap on the back. “True enough. Now, are you done ogling the girl so we can get back to work?”
Duff waved him off, turning back to the red convertible that still sat parked across the street. “In a minute. Don’t mind feeding my hard-on for later.”
“Jesus. I did not need to hear that. Come find me when you’ve recovered. I really don’t want to talk business with a man sporting an erection, anyway.”
“Smart boy.”
“Watch it,” Jamie tossed over his retreating shoulder. “I have my toy bag in my truck and I just acquired a new set of canes.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Duff muttered. “Keep the Domly-Dom stuff for your girl.”
“I would anyway. I have no desire to touch your hulking, hairy ass.”
“I’ll have you know my ass is as smooth as a baby’s bot-tom.”
“Again with the TMI.”