Suddenly Sexy (7 page)

She winked.

He wanted to growl. Give her a taste of the dark sexual need swirling inside him. Instead, he pushed away from the cubicle wall and strode off. “Don’t test your luck with me or you will find out just what kind of man I really am.”

Her husky laugh followed him. “I’m looking forward to it.”

5

S
EVERAL DAYS LATER,
Eric was bracing himself before he left his desk. He shook his head in wonder. Two months ago—hell, two weeks ago—he wouldn’t have considered Gunthrie S&I a hazardous workplace. He had dealt with violent criminals, pathological liars and burned-out colleagues in his D.C. office. None of that prepared him for Julie and her sexy aliases just outside his door.

Each day had been a different look. It was as if she hadn’t gotten enough chances to play dress-up as a child. But there was nothing innocent about these disguises. Each alias was an onslaught to his senses.

Tuesday had been a tough day when she showed up as Glamorous Julie. She had paid attention to detail and the result was breathtaking. Julie had worn her hair up in a tight twist and he had been itching to rip out the pins and let her hair fall. She had worn a pale pink dress with a deep neckline. Her simple diamond necklace had been strategically placed to drag the eye to her cleavage. He hadn’t been able to stop staring at her breasts and remembering how perfect they felt in his hands.

Bad Girl Julie on Wednesday had been worse. She had owned that look, Eric reluctantly admitted. Julie had brimmed with attitude when she wore skintight jeans and a black bra that peeked out from under her white tank top. He had enjoyed how she had strutted in her knee-high black boots. Eric had been tempted too many times to pull at her ponytail, wrap it around his hand and then tame her with one hot kiss.

He barely got through Wednesday and then Thursday happened. Trashy Julie, she had explained to the group of men who had suddenly gravitated to her cubicle. Eric never thought she could have pulled off that alias. But she had, with the heavy makeup and naturally sensuous movements.

Her brown hair had been wild and sexy, but it hadn’t been able to compete with her red cotton top that was more corset than camisole. Yet it had been the Daisy Duke shorts that sent his blood pressure soaring. Her hips had been barely concealed in the faded shorts and she had swayed provocatively when she walked in her red platform heels. When he had caught a glimpse of the henna tramp stamp, he hadn’t trusted the lock on his door or his rapidly declining self-control. He had to leave the office.

Now that he thought about it, the sexiness of the aliases had been escalating. Eric rubbed his hand over his face and took a deep breath. He didn’t know what to expect, especially since it was Casual Friday. Bikini Julie?

He refused to speculate anymore. Julie’s role-playing was getting more brazen at the same rate his restraint was weakening. But he had to see her or he’d imagine all kinds of aliases throughout the day. Once he saw her, he had to keep his distance and not make contact.

He wanted to get this over quickly. Eric wrenched open the door, stepped across the threshold and glanced in Julie’s direction. He froze as his gut squeezed hard.

Almost Bare Julie.
The label wafted through his sluggish brain. That’s what he would call it.

He slowly blinked, unable to tear his gaze away from her. Julie wore a flirty, loose, one-shoulder dress. It kind of reminded him of a toga. A short, navy-blue toga that exposed a lot of bare leg. Her shoes were delicate strappy things. If he chased her, she wouldn’t get far.

Damn. Why did have to think about that? He should have locked himself in the office.

What was it about the dress? His gaze focused sharply on Julie as his body hardened. It didn’t accentuate her figure, but it looked as if it could fall off at any minute. It made him think of rumpled sheets. Like she just got out of bed and gathered a sheet around her. One sharp pull and the dress would fall.

Julie tilted her head back and laughed, her hair cascading down in waves. Eric shifted his attention to the man at her side. His shaven head and muscular build indicated that he was one of the security guards on the payroll.

Eric caught the man’s salacious grin and wanted to knock it off his face. He glared at the man, noticing his macho stance and the puffed-up chest.

He couldn’t tell if Julie noticed it, too. She was chatting away as she handed the man a folded uniform.

The man rested his hand against the wall behind Julie and leaned in. He was about to make a move on her.

Eric made a step to intervene but stopped when he watched Julie laugh and blush. She said something he couldn’t catch but it made the security guard smile. She patted the guy’s muscular arm and smoothly sidestepped his maneuver.

Interesting. Eric watched Julie walk away from the security guard with a friendly wave. He was surprised that she didn’t get flustered. That she handled the guy with aplomb.

But then, Julie could twist
him
into knots without any effort. Eric’s breath lodged in his chest as he stared at her long, bare legs. Julie walked with confidence, as if she knew she had everyone’s attention.

And she was now walking toward him. He flexed his hands as he struggled to remain still. If she knew he couldn’t stop looking at her, that he was powerless to her feminine charms, nothing would stop her.

Eric kept his stony expression as desire licked through his veins. She graced him with a sunny smile and strode past him.

He was at her side before he even realized it.

“Was that guy bothering you?” he asked, looking over his shoulder and glaring at the security guard who was still watching her ass.

“Who, Snake? No, not at all.”

“Snake?” Eric raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “The guy’s name is Snake?”

“It’s a nickname because of his tattoo.”

“Sure it is,” he muttered. “I didn’t see a tattoo.”

“He just offered to show it to me, but I declined.”

Eric placed a proprietary hand on Julie’s back. He knew he shouldn’t feel territorial. Julie was not his, but he didn’t want any other guy where he couldn’t go.

“Anyway, he didn’t recognize me in this alias,” she said with a chuckle. “He asked what happened to the old uniform girl.”

“The outfits you’re wearing are not appropriate.” Great. Now he sounded like an old, conservative man.

“I know,” Julie said with a nod, surprising him. “Perry understands that we are crunched for time and I’m using office hours to try on different aliases. He doesn’t mind.”

I mind.
“I meant it wasn’t appropriate for decoying.”

That made her stop. She looked at Eric as if he’d said something crazy, and glanced down at her dress. “I disagree. It’s perfect.”

The dress was perfect for Julie. As if it had been made especially for her. She exuded an innate sensuality that made heads turn. “Think of it from a security point of view,” he suggested. “How are you going to protect yourself? Your hair can be used against you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You also said that when I had my hair back in a ponytail. I’m not cutting my hair.”

Good. He didn’t want that, either. He liked the feel of her hair in his hands. Enjoyed tangling it between his fingers. “And your legs are completely bare,” he added gruffly.

“That’s the idea.”

“You should wear jeans for protection.” His eyes drifted to her light pink toenails. Her feet looked soft and delicate. “And I forbid you to wear those shoes.”

“Forbid?” She drew the word out, shook her head and started walking.

He was right at her side. “If you have to defend yourself, you can’t use them as a weapon. Kick a guy and you’ll break your toes.”

“Eric,” she said with a long-suffering sigh. “When I put together this alias, I wasn’t thinking about defensive maneuvers. I was thinking about sex.”

His entire body clenched. “So is everyone else,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Like I said, the dress is perfect.”

“I would say reckless.” Which was why it suited Julie so well. “You’re not taking the potential threats seriously.”

“Oh, I think you’re taking it seriously enough for the both of us.”

* * *

E
RIC CIRCLED HIS HAND
around her upper arm and pulled her out of the hallway. He quickly escorted her through a doorway into a dark room.

Julie felt the door close behind her. She inhaled the scent of paper and knew she was in the supply closet before he flipped on the light switch. The light revealed a cramped storage room filled with shelves and boxes.

Julie leaned against the closed door. She wanted to appear nonchalant, but if Eric looked closely, he would see the pulse point at the base of her neck was jumping wildly. She had longed to be alone with him, but Eric had kept a safe distance.

Until now. And she wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

“Is this going to be another self-defense class?” she asked, adding in a small yawn and stretch.

“You need it.” He placed his hands on the door, effectively trapping her.

Did he realize what he was doing? She bit her lip to prevent a smile. Didn’t he know that she had no urge to escape?

“You can’t rely solely on your colleagues,” he said. “I just pulled you aside and no one noticed.”

“Don’t worry about them.” She tilted her head up and her face was close to his, almost touching. “They’ll watch like hawks when I’m a decoy.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” he said quietly.

Julie held his gaze. “And you wouldn’t let anything happen to me,” she said softly.

“Things go wrong,” he insisted, his voice low and gritty. “What if your target figures out he’s being set up? He corners you. What do you do?”

She wasn’t going to wait for him to make the next move. It was time to stop fantasizing and go for it. She curled her arms over Eric’s strong shoulders and linked her hands behind his head. “I cling against him and move him closer.”

She saw the desire. “Julie…”

“Eric…”

He reached for her hands and raised them above her head. The position placed her at a disadvantage, but it also brought Eric closer.

“What if I pin you to the door?” he asked roughly. “You’re powerless.”

“Not quite.” She felt alive. Sensual. Slightly out-of-control. Julie arched her spine and pressed her breasts against his hard chest before rocking her hips against him.

His fingers squeezed against her wrists. The telltale movement excited her. “Defenseless,” he said roughly as he leaned into her.

She lifted her foot out of her sandal and grazed her foot against his leg.

Eric squeezed his eyes shut. She knew he was at the breaking point.

“Julie, I warned you about trying these aliases on me. Stop it now or there will be consequences.”

Julie flicked her tongue along his mouth. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw the hungry gleam in his eyes. Dark excitement curled in the pit of her stomach.

Eric’s mouth came down on hers. It was a clash of lips, teeth and tongues. It was aggression and pure need. This was what she longed for, Julie thought wildly as desire coiled low in her pelvis. She didn’t want Eric to treat her as a princess. She wanted him to treat her like a woman.

Eric let go of her wrists and she took immediate advantage of her release by grabbing his shirt. She yanked it out of his pants, pulling at his buttons with wild abandon as she kissed him hungrily.

She pushed his shirt past his shoulders, her movements hurried and desperate. She needed to see him and feel his muscles clench under her touch. She wanted to taste his hot skin and listen to him moan.

Julie felt his big, masculine hand on her shoulder. She felt him push down her shoulder strap. One fierce tug and her dress slid to her waist, pooling at her hips. Her breasts were naked, her nipples tight with anticipation.

Eric’s forceful kisses bruised her mouth and he claimed her breasts with his hands. His skin was rough against her flesh, the friction heightening her arousal. Julie groaned and pulled him closer. She wanted his hands all over her.

He tore his mouth from her lips, his breath harsh and uneven to her ears. Eric rested his forehead against hers and she felt him trying to hold back and gather the last of his self-control. That was the last thing she wanted. She needed his mouth on her breasts. She wanted him to lick her. Bite. Tease. She pushed at his shoulders.

Eric bent down and captured her nipple with his mouth. She shivered with delight. Julie closed her eyes as he teased her with his tongue and the sharp edge of his teeth. Her skin felt tight and tingly. He drew her nipple in his mouth and she felt the pull all the way to her core.

Eric grabbed her dress from her waist and pulled it past her hips. She only wore a pair of black lace panties. The fragile lace felt heavy and constricting. She had to get them off right now.

Julie hooked her thumbs in the waistband and shucked them off. She stepped out of them and impatiently kicked her clothes to the side. She stood before him only in a pair of shoes as Eric cupped her.

Julie spread her legs wide as he stroked the folds of her sex. She rocked her head from side to side as he dipped one finger, then two, inside her. When he teased her clit with his thumb, her mind slowly shut down.

He pressed down hard and lust blazed through her as the all-consuming pleasure overtook her. Eric covered his mouth with hers before she let out a cry.

The sensations were still rippling through her when Eric grabbed her hips and turned her around. The sudden move was disorienting and Julie automatically flattened her palms on the wood door to maintain her balance.

This wasn’t what she had planned. She wanted to wrap her legs around Eric’s lean waist and hold on tight as he drove deep in her. This way she had no control over him. The loss of power was as startling as it was thrilling.

Her heart pounded against her chest when she heard the rustle of his jeans and the metallic sound of his zipper. Eric seized her hips again. Placing his leg between hers, she spread her feet so she had a wider stance, offering a naughty, sinful invitation.