Mine to Hold (Mine #3)(10)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I damn well do owe you, Claire, but that’s not why I have my interest in you.”

She waited.

“I want you.” Flat. Almost angry. “More than I can remember wanting any other woman.”

“Y-you’ve had dozens of lovers—” Claire began.

“Yes, dozens.” He released her chin. “But for the last three months, when I close my eyes, I only see you.”

Claire swiped her damp palms on her new, black pants. “I can’t compete with them.” The guy dated super models, heiresses, and—

“There’s no damn competition.” He gave a hard, negative shake of his head. “I told you, I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”

“But…why?”

“Because I find you sexy as hell. I look at you, and I ache.”

Her breath came faster.

His gaze was on her mouth. “And I have the feeling that when I do finally taste you, you just might addict me.”

Helplessly, Claire shook her head. “I can’t give you…what you need.”

“We’ll see about that, Claire.” He inclined his head. “You might want to look out the window now. You don’t want to miss what’s coming…”

She turned back to the window, dazed. D.C. rose before her, but in her mind, she saw a pair of glittering, golden eyes. Eyes that shone with desire.

A desire that she’d felt, too. She hadn’t wanted any man, not in so long. She’d been in cold storage but…

He was warming her again. And making her want things that were too dangerous for her to ever have.

***

At eight p.m., Noah walked into Claire’s temporary D.C. office. They’d been in meetings all day. Talking with contractors, working with marketing staff. They’d barely stopped for lunch.

Claire had surprised him. He’d known that she was smart. After all, the woman had graduated at the top of her class, but she was also damn savvy when it came to the inner workings of the hotel business. And the woman sure had a gift for tact.

Noah wasn’t always so tactful. When he’d been ready to tear into the contractors, Claire had carefully interceded. Charmed.

She was sure charming him.

She was also not even aware that he was in the room with her. Claire was crouched over the laptop that he’d given her earlier, her fingers tapping furiously across the keys.

It was rare that a woman could ignore him.

But then, Claire was a very rare woman.

So he just crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. A small furrow was between her brows—a sign of her focus, he was certain. Her cheeks were pale, her lips bare of color. But Claire didn’t need makeup to shine. She was already so close to perfect that he ached just looking at her.

I don’t have lovers… I don’t have one now. I haven’t had one in nine years.

He’d taken that revelation like a punch to the gut. Claire truly was made for pleasure, and by locking herself off from the world, she was just giving that SOB Ethan Harrison more power over her.

Claire deserved pleasure. Noah was going to see that she got it.

Claire glanced up then. She saw him—and jumped.

“Sorry,” Noah murmured as he straightened. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Claire surged to her feet. “Then you shouldn’t skulk in doorways.”

Skulk? He smiled at her. “You looked focused. I was waiting for the right time to interrupt.”

Her eyes narrowed, and he knew she was trying to decide if she believed his story or not.

Since it was a lie, he let his smile stretch a bit more. He hadn’t announced his presence because he’d just enjoyed watching her. “You need to wrap things up for the night.”

She pushed back her hair. “Ah, right…just give me—”

“We’re going out for dinner,” Noah added. Then, so she wouldn’t be so nervous, he said, “I want to check out the competition in town.” He’d just bought one of the historic hotels in D.C.—the hotel they were inside of right then. His crew was updating the hotel’s interior, while still working to keep the ambiance and the character that the clientele would love. He wanted to add a roof-top restaurant to the hotel, though. A new place that would be the talk of the town. He already had a celebrity chef lined up for the new venue.

So while he didn’t technically need to check out the competition, he did want to take Claire to dinner.

Their first date. Even if she didn’t know it.

Claire nodded. “I’ll change and meet you in the lobby.”

Sounded like one fine plan to him. He wondered what the odds were that she’d put on the sleek, black dress that had been purchased for her. One that dipped low in the back and would reveal Claire’s long legs.

She approached him slowly. Cautiously.

Noah realized that he was blocking the door.

If he didn’t move, Claire would have to brush against him as she passed.

I want her to get used to my touch.

He also wanted her to make the next move.

He slid to the side.

But Claire…she still brushed against him as she passed.

That’s it, Claire. Touch me. Do it all you want.

He turned, watching her as she left the little office. Hell, yes. Claire had been made for pleasure.

And soon, he’d give her so much pleasure that she screamed.

***

Noah was in the lobby, talking with the hotel manager, when the elevator doors slid open and Claire walked out.

She was wearing the black dress. It clung to every curve that she had.

And her legs…sweet hell, her legs seemed to go on forever. Her feet were clad in high, black heels. Fuck-me heels.

She’d put on lipstick. Slid color on her cheeks. Pulled her hair back into a little twist.

She also had black ribbon tied around her wrists. Sexy, silky ribbon that made Noah think of Claire…

Tied to his bed.

“Ah, Mr. York?” The manager, Chuck Collins, cleared his throat. “You were, um, you were telling me about the construction upstairs—”

He couldn’t remember a damn thing that he’d been saying to Chuck. “Carry on with your work.” He nodded curtly to the guy.

“But Mr. York—”

Noah stalked toward Claire. The woman looked good enough to eat. How was he supposed to keep his hands off her?

She put her hands in front of her dress. At that angle, it almost looked as if her wrists were bound together with the ribbon.

Noah swallowed. The woman had no clue what she was doing to him.