Bedding the Billionaire (Book 3) (Legacy Collection) (19 page)

“I want to play a game t
his time
,” she said and peered up at him from beneath her lashes
.

“A game?”
His head pulled back. “I don’t do anything that involve
s
restraint or pain.”

She slapped his chest playfully.
“And you think I do?”

He leaned down to
nuzzle her neck
, “I have no idea.”
His hand slid beneath her waistband again, this time also sliding beneath
the back of
her silk panties and closing on her
hind
cheek with a propriet
ori
al squeeze.
“But I want to
know
.
I want to know everything about you.
”

She smiled. “Perfect, then you’ll enjoy this game.”
She stepped back and away from him. “Have you ever played Truth or Dare?”

“No,” he said and his frustration with her i
nsertion of dialogue into what w
as a highly charged sexual moment was clear in both his facial expression and tone.

“W
ell, this is a variation of it.
Truth or Strip.
I’ll ask you a question and if you don’t feel comfortable answering it, you remove an article of clothing.”

He reached for her
again
, but she moved out of his reach.

“An article of
your
clothing,
”
s
he clarified.

“Would
n’t
it be nicer to
simply
let me explore you?
I missed a few places last time and I’d like to rectify that.”

Tempting as that offer was, she moved even further away and shook her head. “
I’ll start with an easy one.
Do you have a middle name?”

“No,” he said and advanced toward her.

She skirted around the couch and
,
with the furniture safely between them
,
instructed, “
Now it’s your turn.
Ask me something.”

“Do you always have to make things more difficult than they have to be?” he said and took a step around the couch.

She
retreated
in the opposite direction. “A
nice
question,
one that would help you
know
me better.”

He advanced again and said in a honey tone, “I
am trying to
know you better.”

This time she stood her ground, refusing to budge.

He
held his distance
although the heat in his eyes suggested that their game was exciting him. Forcing him to play by her rule
s was an incredible aphrodisiac–
for both of them
.
He growled,
“Did you pass your
exam?
”

“I think so
,” she answered happily, loving how close he looked to ending this and taking her right there on the floor. Lil’s thighs quivered at the thought, anticipating wrapping around him and welcoming him into her.

When no
ne of her
clothing was removed,
he said, “Let’s skip the game.”

“It
gets better,” she assured him and knew that it would.
Their first time had been incredible,
and
Lil was already wet and ready for him even though they had barely touched.
C
an you improve on incredible?
She was more than a little willing to find out
.
“I
wanted to give you an example
.
Now we can have a little fun.
How old were you when you first had sex?”

“Seventeen,” he answered, looking slightly more interested in the game. “And you?”

“Twenty-one,” she said.
Seventeen, huh?
She’d
have to
ask for those details at another time.
She di
dn’t want another woma
n in this moment.
“How many partners have you had?”

He shrugged his jacket off.

“How about you?” he asked.

“One,” she said then quickly corrected herself, “Well, two if I count you.”

He didn’t like that comment very much, nor did he like that no clothing had been lost in the exchange.
“Count me,” h
e growled.

Lil smiled.
Ouch, was his ego that sensitive?
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” she asked.

“No,” he answered. “Do you pleasure yourself?”

“Of course,” she
answered easily
. “Do you?”

He removed his tie
and was looking less pleased as the game continued
.
“This game isn’t fair. You’ll say anything.”

Let him stew a bit.
Lil challenged,
“That’s where you’re wrong. To know what I won’t say
,
you’ll have to get to know me better, won’t you?”

An odd expression flitted across his face, as if he’d realized that the game was so much more than a stalling tactic.
Tonight he was going to have to earn
the pleasure
.
She figured a man like him would love a good puzzle and she was right. He considered the situation for a moment and then inspiration curled his lips into a smile.
“
Were you thinking of me when you did it the last time?”

She slipped her shirt up over her head and dropped it on the floor behind her.

His smile widened.

“Are you dating anyone?” she asked.

“No,” he said
simply and she believed him
.
“
Are you?”

“No,” she said.
Now onto something she’d been asking herself for weeks.
“Why did you
go
bowling with me that first night?”

He looked like he was debating sharing or stripping
,
then
he said,
“You were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.”

She
cocked a skeptical eyebrow
. “You know
this is a truth game, right?”

He stepped closer
and caressed her chee
k with one
gentle hand.
“I
have no reason to lie.”
He traced the edge of her cheek with his thumb, softly explored the curve of her lips and asked huskily,
“
Did I really misunderstand your intention on the island?
Were you offering to
yourself to me?”

Lil
slid her shorts down so she could step out of them,
tossing both behind her. He
explore
d
her newly exposed
hips
.
“Where do your parents live?”
she asked.

His hand stilled.
“I don’t discuss my parents.”
His reaction was so strong that it broke the mood for a moment.

Another question best discussed some other time.
Lil decided to lighten the mood.
“Your shirt then.”

His smile returned.
He slowly unbutton
ed it and tossed it behind him.
“What are you most afraid of?”

Lil unsnapped her bra and let it drop to the floor.
She heard the hiss of his quickly indrawn breath and reveled in being able to drive him to the edge.

“Have you ever been in
love?” she asked, taking advantage of their intimacy.

“No,” he said,
settling
his hand on one of her breasts, rubbing his thumb across one of her already erect nipples. “Have you?”

His rhythmic circling made it suddenly difficult for her to focus on what he was asking.
Her other breast tightened and yearned. She fought for control.
“I thought I was once, but I was wrong.”

His hand stilled.
“Colby’s father?”

She smiled sadly.
“It’s my turn to ask a question.”

He leaned down and took her other eager breast into his mouth, circling it with his tongue in much the same way this thumb had teased her other.
She gasped at his gentle nip and threw her head back with pleasure when the circling continued, in union, pausing periodically to rub or lick the tip. His mouth found its way to her collar bone and back up to her ear where he whispered,
“He was
a
fool.”

She
closed her eyes
. “I was the fool.”

He pulled her
full against
him, wrapping
both of his arms around her waist, settling bare chest against bare chest and waited until she dared to peer up at him again before he spoke.
“No, you charge full
ahead and you hold nothing back–
but that doesn’t make you a fool.”

How had tenderness wormed its way into their exchange?
Lil didn’t want this to matter because she didn’t want to care when he walked away.
Still, she couldn’t help but ask,
“Have you ever done that? Just jumped in…e
ven when you knew you shouldn’t…
bec
ause you couldn’t help yourself
?
”

“Yes,”
he said
, his eyes burn
ed
down into hers.
“
W
ith you.”
He kissed her
lips
lightly. “You drive me crazy, but I can’t stay away from you.”

“Take off your pants,” Lil commanded.

“That’s not a question.”