“You are paid—”
“Fuck that. This is personal. Maybe I wasn’t clear last night. Whatever this is between you and me? It’s not done. I feel it. I’m falling. And I don’t think I’m the only one.”
Her heart stopped. Was he saying he was in love with her? How could that both thrill and terrify her at once?
“Trees, I—”
“Look at me and tell me you don’t feel something when we’re this close. I know you’re afraid, but the way you’re looking at me…I’d swear you feel it, too. Your eyes say you want me to kiss you.”
Some foolish part of her did. It was wrong. Getting closer to Trees would only complicate everything, but he was so comfortingly warm. She had once feared his size, but she knew how he used every part of himself to give pleasure. And she would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about the night he had kissed her over and over as he took her body.
“Trees…” Her objection came out breathy.
His eyes darkened. He leaned closer. She held her breath as her heart lurched, crashing against her ribs. Without thought, her lids slid shut. Her lips parted. She tried to resist, told herself to pull away. But when his mouth covered hers, the passion only he could make her feel robbed her thoughts and melted her resistance.
Trees grabbed her, folding her against the hot, hard ridges of his body. Laila whimpered into his kiss. Her arms found their way around his neck. Without conscious thought, she opened her lips to him. He surged inside, taking every inch she ceded, then demanded more with another branding kiss.
Her head swam. Tingles spread through her body. Díos, Trees could make her want him…whether she wanted to or not. He still hadn’t proven he wasn’t the enemy, yet it only took him moments to make her a slave to his touch. He had only to kiss her, and she wanted to turn over every part of herself to him—free will and all.
Laila tried to push him away, but his lips trailed down her neck, his beard sensitizing her skin, before he found her shoulder. The way he pressed his mouth to her skin felt like worship. And when his hand found its way under her hem, drifted up her waist, then settled her breast in his cradling palm, she gasped. Her thoughts spun away.
“Little one,” he murmured so close to her ear. “I need you.”
His words were a balm to their strain and strife. When he was touching her and whispering sweet words, she couldn’t remember why she shouldn’t let him. All she knew were his kisses, the build of pleasure, and the ache for the ecstasy her body had craved since the first orgasm he’d given her.
It was wrong. It was weak.
And she still wanted it.
His lips seized hers again. Instantly, she opened to him, like an addict seeking a fix, as he thumbed his way around the nipple straining for his touch. She moaned and pressed herself into his hand.
“Do you want more?” he asked against her lips.
Laila didn’t want to admit that she did. He knew, right? He must. She slanted her mouth over his again in answer, nudging past his lips to the masculine spice inside that made her both hazy with desire yet sharp with need.
Trees edged away. “Answer me. I need the words.”
Of course he was going to make her say it. It wasn’t enough that he had inexplicable power over her body. Over her emotions. No, he wanted her to verbally bend her will to him as a show of trust. She couldn’t do that before he produced proof that he wasn’t the mole. Even then, was it really smart to give him so much dominion over her body? Should she really let him create and stir this need for his touch?
Laila tore away from him, panting hard. “Red.”
Trees froze, then gritted his teeth. But he withdrew his hand, pulled away, and stood, putting distance between them.
Instantly, she felt cold.
“Why did you use your safe word?” he demanded. “How were you physically or mentally in pain?”
The way he asked that, it didn’t sound as if being overwhelmed by her own fears counted.
He scowled. “Are you testing me again?”
“I was scared.”
He sighed, and his voice softened. “I won’t hurt you. I’ll only ever make you feel good.”
She knew that…but at what price, her soul? Every time he kissed her, he threatened to steal it. “Before anything, I must see your proof. Show me you did not endanger my family.”
She should have demanded that all along.
His eyes narrowed. “Is that really why you stopped me?”
No, and he was too smart not to realize it.
Laila looked away. “I need to know.”
“All right. I promised you proof. Come to the kitchen.”
He was angry. No, that wasn’t true. He hadn’t raised his voice, accused, or threatened. He hadn’t behaved as if he was furious. Like before, he was disappointed.
She was, too. She hated to lie. But the truth gave him too much power…
Wordlessly, she followed him to the kitchen to find laptops strewn across the table, along with several phones and pads of paper.
He tapped his finger on the trackpad of one computer. It came to life. “Your mole is our receptionist’s ex-boyfriend. He was breaking into her laptop in the middle of the night and sending off our company secrets, probably for money.”
Trees explained the scheme, backing up his theory with emails and dates that matched perfectly. Laila couldn’t refute what he’d shown her. It was a huge relief to know Trees had not betrayed her. She almost felt guilty for entertaining the possibility, but it was easier to believe he was like the others than to hope the trust they had been forging was real.
“Thank you.”
“You believe me?”
“Yes.” I’m sorry.
He sighed in relief. “Thank fuck. Now I need coffee.”
She felt horrible. Trees had given up sleep to prove his innocence to her, and she had pushed him away. Sure, she had more space and air now…but since he’d given it to her, she hadn’t been able to truly breathe.
The things she felt for him were terrifying. For the first time, a man was far more than an adversary she should hate. She didn’t know how to handle that.
“I’ll get it.” She bustled to the coffeemaker, poured out the old pot, then started a fresh one.
With a sigh, Trees sidled up behind her and leaned in, hands braced on the counter on either side of her, caging her in. She felt his hot breath on her neck, the warmth of his body against hers, which still ached from his touch. She trembled.
How could she be afraid of desire so sweet? But how could she surrender herself to something potent enough to enslave her?
Laila turned and stared into his solemn eyes. Against her, she felt his erection. Her body answered with a pang and a cramping of her womb.
“Talk to me, Laila…”
“I have nothing to say.” Not until she’d worked these feelings out in her head. She wasn’t making any sense.
“That’s bullshit. What happened—”
“Will not happen again.” It shouldn’t, anyway. Trees was so dangerous to her peace of mind and her heart. Where he was concerned, she was weak…
She ducked under his arm to escape, then stopped short when she caught sight of Zy and a beautiful blonde watching them from the edge of the kitchen. Why were they here? When had they arrived?