Page 25 of Wicked Takeover
Her delicate nostrils flared from her harsh breathing. Her hair looked blonder against her reddened cheeks. She parted her lips.
“Go on.”
His mild tone lingered between them.
Lauren hesitated. Then she squared her shoulders.
He doubted she realized how that thrust out her chest. If her nipples got any harder, they’d poke through her stretchy top and might possibly kill him with desire.
“I don’t want a lawsuit.” She threw up her hands. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but your female clients have to stay dressed.”
“While I ink them through their clothes?”
“Of course not.” She made a face. “You uncover the part, and only the part, that you need to ink.”
“What if that’s their entire body? Want me to use a blindfold? On me, not them.”
She grew cool. “You know what I mean. No one’s come in here yet wanting a full-body tat. If a guy does, you can ink him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes with my blessing.”
“Lucky me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I own the place now, so I have to do what’s right for it.”
“And that would be?”
“What I’ve already said.” She crossed her arms and tightened them. “You can’t have naked women in your station. You can’t date them. Ever.”
“Uh-huh.” Call him crazy, but she sounded unbelievably jealous. Encouraged, Dante edged closer.
Lauren froze, then stepped back.
He followed.
Surprise passed over her face and mingled with irrepressible yearning. Her ass and shoulders hit the wall. She glanced at it and back to him.
Dante planted his hand next to her head. He leaned close enough to smell her perfume and the shampoo she’d used, a light peach scent that warmed him better than the sun ever had. “What you’re saying is that you don’t want me screwing any of the customers after hours. Am I right?”
She stared at his mouth. “It’s the new policy.”
“I see.” He inched nearer, driven to kiss her beauty mark and run his tongue over her lips. His pulse pounded with desire. He tensed from need. “Then who exactly would you like me to fuck?”
Lauren’s mouth opened and closed. She glanced to the side, her face pensive, the way a person looks when determining what to say or do.
Dante didn’t move. Hell, he didn’t even breathe.
Lauren regarded him.
He waited.
On a longing sigh, she reached out, ran her fingers through his hair, and brought his mouth down to hers.
