Bold move. This time, he didn’t hesitate—he let himself feel the truth. He wanted her to help. He wanted to get this done.
And he wanted to be a success.
All of it was within his reach. Why was he so busy denying it? The most wonderful woman he’d ever met was dragging a chair around to sit beside him.
He’d been telling himself he couldn’t have her.
But why not?
“See? This is part of your problem. How are you still creating every single one of these from scratch?” Penny sipped at her sparkling wine and shook her head, peering over Drew’s shoulder at the computer in his home office. “Where would you be right now if I hadn’t made a template?”
“You’re a genius,” he agreed. “I thought they should all be unique. When my dad started out—” He felt her shifting toward him, leaning in. “We’re three generations in at this point. When my dad started working for his dad, it was all on paper. They created unique presentations for everything.”
“Well, I’m proud of you.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “The template should help. I know this wouldn’t be ideal, but at least you have a plan in place. And a starting point for anything you need to do in the future. Cheers.”
She held up her wine, and he picked up his beer from the desk and clinked it against her single-serving bottle.
What have I done without you?
“You’re a lifesaver.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Drew had held himself back from asking too much about her personal life. It was against the rules he’d set up to prevent another situation like he’d had with Susan. But the presentation was finished, aside from some final numbers, and he was one beer deep into the takeout they’d ordered along with a mixed six pack of beer and wine. “Yeah? What did I save you from?”
Penny looked down into her lap, then back into his eyes. “A pretty crappy apartment.”
He whistled. “It’s not an even exchange, then.”
“How so?”
He thought of her in the hallway, voice soft and gestures softer, the night Logan was sick. Drew had been so used to doing these things alone. When he and Susan had split, he’d thought about hiring a night nanny for a total of thirty seconds, then dismissed the idea.
He’d have never felt this close to a night nanny. He would never have broken down and let her help him with his business. It was a long list of never, never, nevers.
“Since my divorce, I haven’t let many people into my life. Never mind my whole life, which includes my work here. And you…you’ve never once steered me wrong.”
“I don’t know if you ever really let go of the wheel.” Her smile was gently cheeky as she took another sip of her wine, then set the individual-serving bottle down on the desk. Penny slid her hand from his shoulder down to his wrist. When she moved to take it back he caught her fingers in hers and held on.
“The last time I did that, I got burned,” he admitted, feeling that burn even now, the phantom flames flickering over his skin. “It’s different with you. It’s…”
Her eyes entranced him, captivated him.
The office around them was dark and still when Drew leaned in to kiss her.
It was like flipping a switch. One moment, Penny had been mellow and relaxed—but when their mouths collided, she let out a groan that was need and angst and suffering and relief all at once.
“God, I love that,” she whispered against his mouth. “After that night in the hall…”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” he said, planting kisses down the line of her neck. He pulled her into his chair with him, and she straddled his lap. His rules fell to the floor and shattered. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And this is so wrong—”
She took his face in her hands. “What’s wrong about it?” Her face was flushed, eyes dark with desire. “Besides the obvious. Besides the facts that you’re my boss and you like to keep things…separate.”
“I don’t like to be separated from you.” His entire body pulsed with the need to be near her. Closer, even, than simply straddling his lap. He wanted her naked. He wanted her bared to him. “I wasn’t prepared to feel this way.”
She bent her face to his, her dark hair falling like a curtain around them, and kissed him so deeply that he felt like he’d never surface. Too soon, she climbed off him, and stepped back. Grabbing his chair, she slowly turned him, so he faced her. Smiling at him, she kicked off her shoes.
Then she tugged her shirt over her head. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Preston, but I…” Her bra came off next, exposing her breasts, nipples already peaked. “I need more of you.”
Drew was sure his mouth went dry and he reached for his beer but his hand missed it, grabbing at air. He watched her reach for her jeans. Her hand stilled on the button and she raised an eyebrow at him. Waiting. Waiting for what? He couldn’t think as he focused on her hands, waiting for her to—
He looked up when she coughed and he could see the amusement in her eyes. Standing abruptly, the chair rolled back, farther than he expected, and crashed into the credenza. He didn’t bother to look as he reached for the buttons on his shirt. It was taking too long, so he pulled the shirt off over his head, loving the sound of her soft laughter in response.
Then the race was on as the both of them quickly stripped. When her panties hit the floor, he grabbed her hips, lifting her up as she wrapped her legs around him. He stepped back, hitting the desk as they kissed. Her passion was overwhelming and he worried at how quickly he could become addicted. To her kisses, her scent, her taste. To her.
Turning around, he set her on the desk and she leaned over to push his laptop out of the way, then he eased her down, kissing her as she laid back. She was a feast waiting to be devoured and he was going to enjoy this. Working his way slowly down her body, he kissed every delectable part of her, enjoying her soft moans, which only spurred him on. He circled one of her breasts with the pad of his thumb, then the other, then bent his head to swirl his tongue over each nipple. The noises she was making were increasing as she arched her back eager for more.
Smiling at her, Drew continued kissing her and she gasped when he kissed her belly, which made him chuckle and blow out a breath of warm air on her skin, which made her tremble. He grinned when he realized she was ticklish there. But he had other ideas.
Stopping at the juncture between her legs, he bent her knees, giving himself better access. He needed to taste her. Her answering moan was music to his ears and he fully intended to savor every moment as her hips thrust up toward him with each penetrating lick. He could do this forever, she was so responsive but soon enough, her hands were on his head and she tugged lightly on his hair.
“Please,” she breathed out on a moan. “I want you inside me.”
Standing up straight, he opened the side drawer on his desk, hopeful that there were still condoms in there. Grabbing one, he tore it open and quickly sheathed himself. Helping her to sit up, he lifted her up, before setting her on the edge of his desk. Her legs hugged his hips and he said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t come too quickly. His cock met her slickness and Penny arched back, as he penetrated her. Tightening his hands on her hips, he lifted her, supporting her weight as she began to rock her pelvis in time to his thrusts. She gripped his shoulders and kissed him, their tongues dancing and twining together as the intensity built.