Stealing Scarlett Read online

  His weight sank down into the mattress as he took a seat beside her. Nimble fingers reached for the buttons on her blouse, and he undid them, one by one. Smooth, creamy skin began to reveal itself slowly. As he unhooked the last one, he let the blouse fall open, and his breath caught. Proud, supple breasts begged for his touch, and he groaned inwardly.

  Nothing would make him happier than to oblige, but he restrained himself. Not while she was sleeping. He wanted her awake for that. Wanted to see the need in her eyes when he took them into his mouth for the first time. Nerves of steel pushed to the limit now, he carried on with the task at hand, removing the blouse and tossing it on top of her jacket.

  Moving on to her trousers, he unclasped the hook and gritted his teeth. It was hard enough to pretend those gorgeous breasts weren’t tempting him every step of the way ‑‑ the treasure between her thighs would be a true test of his resolve. He closed his eyes and tugged her slacks off one leg at a time, carefully, so as not to awaken her. The last thing he needed was a screaming hellcat bringing the police to her door at midnight.

  Trousers in hand, he sighed with relief. He’d done it. Opening his eyes slowly, he peered down at her body and groaned. Wincing slightly, he chastised himself for looking. The blood rushed to his cock, and it hardened quickly. She was more lovely than he could possibly have imagined. Long, graceful limbs he longed to feel around his waist as he plunged his shaft into her pussy.

  Chase gritted his teeth and got to his feet.

  It was a good thing he’d decided to leave her bra and panties on. Trying to get his mind off the growing temptation, he crossed the room and opened her closet. Sifting through the row of wooden hangers, he selected a soft cotton T-shirt and walked back to the bed. He didn’t dare put her in anything sexier than this, lest he ravage her on the spot.

  Propping her up with his arm, he pulled the shirt over her head and threaded her arms through the sleeves. Still holding her upright, he turned the comforter down beneath her, raising her hips and sliding it out from under her. She stretched in her sleep and turned onto her side, purring softly as he covered her with the blanket.

  Gathering her long, black mane into one hand, he swept it away from her face and laid it across her pillow. She looked like an angel. One he could have stared at forever, if he didn’t have a seven a.m. conference call with the Board of Directors. He considered staying the night, but decided against it. Knowing her, he might wake up and find himself staring at the barrel of a gun.

  He chuckled at the thought and headed for the bedroom door. Assuring himself of her comfort one last time, he stepped into the hall and closed the door behind him. Heading for the foyer, he set her keys on the table next to the front door. He opened it quietly, twisting the lock from the inside and stepping into the corridor. Once closed, he tested the door briefly, ensuring it had been properly locked. Stifling a yawn as he reached his apartment, he was more than eager to slip into bed.

  Even if it meant staring at the ceiling all night while contemplating the vixen three doors down.

  Chapter Six

  Stretching lazily, Scarlett flexed her body and snuggled up to the comforter, a smile on her face. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt this good. Every inch of her being radiated a warmth which could only be described as pure contentment. Like the afterglow one might expect following a passionate encounter with the sexiest man on the planet.

  Blue eyes flew open suddenly, squinting against the early morning light. Horror flooded her body as the pieces of last night’s sexcapade started coming back. By the time the entire picture formed, her cheeks burned hotly.

  My God, what have I done?

  She sat bolt upright in the bed, drawing the bedspread up to her neck. How could she have let that happen? The man was her boss! She had a moral obligation to fight against this kind of thing! Throwing the covers aside, she climbed out bed. A feeling of dread began to creep through her belly. How could she face him after last night? What if people in the office found out? What if Vince found out? The only thing keeping him away was her insistence that she didn’t date colleagues. If he got wind of this, drama was sure to ensue. And drama wasn’t something she needed right now.

  She walked to the kitchen and paused in the doorway, flushing anew as another scene with Chase flashed through her mind. What the hell was wrong with her? Yes, he was good-looking. Yes, he was sexy. But so were plenty of other men, and she had no difficulty ignoring them.

  Apart from the man on the terrace, you mean.

  Okay, make that two men she wasn’t able to ignore. But at least the other wasn’t wreaking havoc on her mind and body anymore. Heading for the bathroom, she pulled her T-shirt over her head and tossed it into the hamper. She turned the faucet on and let the tub fill with hot water. Unhooking her bra, she removed it and prepared to drop it into the wicker basket. Fingers hovering above the pile of clothing, a nagging feeling nudged its way into her thoughts.

  Something wasn’t right. But what? A frown on her face, she glanced down at the hamper, struggling to pinpoint the problem. Everything looked normal. Just your everyday laundry basket, topped off with a T-shirt she hadn’t worn in ages. Ohhhh! The man had undressed her! How could she have been so much asleep she wouldn’t have awakened during that? Her eyes widened slightly. What else happened while she was sleeping? What if he’d removed everything?

  What if…

  Rage was building at breakneck speed, followed quickly by embarrassment. If that womanizer thought he was going to get away with this, he was mistaken. She wasn’t going to cower and run away from this. She was going to face him head on, lock horns, and knock the bastard down! No job on Earth was worth this kind of humiliation!

  Chapter Seven

  “Rome!” Bianca sighed dreamily.

  “Do the best you can, I realize it’s short notice.” Chase shuffled through the papers on his desk.

  Short notice. That was putting it mildly. Today’s board meeting involved an emergency in the Italian office. It seemed one of the employees was siphoning funds and sending them to an offshore account. Which meant he needed to confront him first thing Monday morning.

  With three weeks remaining until the board would select someone to head the Chicago office, the next-highest-ranking employee would fill in for him while he was away. More specifically, Scarlett. Thankfully, she was more than capable of handling the office for the few days he would be gone.

  “Will the concierge speak English?” Bianca chewed on a pink fingernail. “I don’t speak Roman.”

  Chase froze, a crinkle touching his forehead. He hoped the question might be a joke, but the expression on her face told him it wasn’t. Sighing to himself, he reached for the intercom and buzzed the switchboard operator.

  “Yes, Mr. Turner?” came the reply.

  “Please contact the Rome office and patch the call through to Ms. Simpson’s desk.”

  “Of course, Mr. Turner.”

  He released the call button and glanced up at Bianca. “Ask for Natalia,” he instructed. “She’ll know what to do.”

  “Yes, sir!” The brunette smiled cheerily.

  He shook his head slowly, watching her sashay toward the door. As she reached for the handle, it flew open suddenly, crashing into the wall as Scarlett stormed through it in a fiery rage. Stomping across the room, she flung her coat and purse onto a nearby table and placed her hands on her hips.

  Arching a brow, he leaned back in his chair, giving her a slow once-over. Windswept hair partially concealed a dark gray scarf and tight black sweater. A black gauze gypsy skirt revealed long legs clad in very sexy black boots. He wondered how high they went.

  “Would you excuse us, Ms. Simpson?” He gazed patiently at Scarlett, intrigued by the dramatic entrance.

  Bianca nodded and left the room quickly, closing the door behind her.

  Relatively calm when she’d left her apartment, fifty minutes of traffic had left Scarlett’s nerves in tatters. Sitting on a gridlocked hig
hway provided far too much time to imagine the worst. “Did we have sex last night?” she demanded through gritted teeth, fists clenched.

  Chase pushed his chair back and stood up slowly, an amused glint in his eye. “I think you’d remember.”

  She could feel the blush stain her cheeks.

  “What I remember” ‑‑ she grabbed a paperweight from his desk ‑‑ “is my boss taking advantage of me!” Hurling the blue sphere in his direction, she beamed with pride as it clipped his shoulder.

  “God damn it, woman!” He rounded the desk, a storm brewing in his eyes.

  Her joy was short-lived as panic welled up from within. Fight or flight kicked in, and she bolted for the door. Grasping the knob with both hands, she pulled it toward her and gasped as it met with instant resistance. He was holding it shut with one of those massive arms. What was she supposed to do now?

  With one hand flattened against the door, Chase reached down and snapped the lock closed. Swallowing hard, she began to wonder if throwing the paperweight might have been a bad idea. She took a few steps backward, heels clicking against the ceramic flooring. His gaze followed the sound downward, stopping to linger at the hem of her skirt.

  “Did you wear this for me?” His voice softened.

  Now that he mentioned it…

  “No!”

  “I think maybe you did.” He took a step in her direction, and she backed up again, gasping as her back collided with the wall. Reaching out, he slipped his fingers beneath her scarf, gently toying with the fringe.

  “Get away from me!” she screeched.

  “That would make it difficult to kiss you.”

  He was too close. She couldn’t think when he was this close. The last time he got this close…wait a minute…kiss? Her heart started pounding at the very thought. Mind racing, she racked her brain for a witty response, but could think of none. She was too damned flustered! Instead, she stood there for a moment, trying to will something clever out of her mouth.

  Nothing.

  She was, however, acutely aware of an increase in respirations. Hers. It was difficult to get a breath in, with him standing so near. “Am I making you nervous?” He bent downward, whispering the question against her temple.

  “Impossib ‑‑”

  Scarlett’s breath caught as he took hold of either end of the scarf and yanked her forward, kissing her into a stunned silence. His lips felt soft and gentle, yet somehow conveyed a potent savageness. The butterflies in her stomach were out of control by the time he withdrew from the kiss.

  He smiled and placed his hands on her waist, turning her around until her back was to his desk. Small hands flew to his chest for balance, and he grinned wickedly. She could feel her nipples harden in response, and she groaned inwardly, cursing herself for being so weak.

  Strong fingers grazed her cheek, slipping upward and into her hair. Tugging gently, he smiled as the moan left her lips. She couldn’t believe this was happening again. Any other man and she’d have castrated him by now. Yet her body gave this one an all-access pass and begged him to use it. She took a few steps backward, and he allowed it. She continued until her hips made contact with the desk. A faint cry escaped her lips, and he smiled knowingly.

  “Let me go,” she begged softly.

  “Convince me.”

  The man’s voice was wreaking havoc on her senses, her inner thighs dampening with every word he uttered. It wasn’t fair. No one should have this much power over another living being. “This is kidnapping!” she protested.

  “Shouldn’t turn you on then, should it?” He lowered his mouth to her shoulder, dragging his teeth across its softness.

  “Go to hell!” she rasped as his mouth teased its way toward her neck.

  He chuckled against the hollow of her throat, and she threw her head back, a loud moan filling the room. Large hands slid up her waist, pausing just below the swell of her breasts. His touch was searing, even through the fabric of her sweater. Her eyelids fluttered softly, and she gripped the edge of the desk. Pulling his mouth away slowly, he stared quietly, an indiscernible look in his gaze.

  The lust was apparent. But there was something else. Something she couldn’t quite place her finger on. It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Scarlett turned away as his arm returned to her waist. She could feel his breath in her hair, its warmth sending shivers down her back. Her eyelids grew heavy with desire, and she found herself growing impatient for his kiss.

  “You’re taking advantage of me again.” She groaned softly.

  “Shame on me.” He grinned blithely.

  Slipping his fingers through her hair, he drew her head backward. His lips traced the hollow of her throat, his teeth nipping gently as she moaned. She was losing control. Again. Her panties were more than just damp at this point. In an effort to control the ache between her thighs, she squeezed her legs together tightly. Her clit was already swollen and in dire need of attention. Pressing her thighs together, she moaned as a wave of pleasure threatened to topple her. She was tempted to continue, knowing where it would lead.

  “Would you like some assistance?” His hands clasped her bottom, pulling her against the outline of his hardening shaft.

  Her lips parted slightly, and she began to breathe irregularly. She wanted nothing more than this man’s assistance, but she wasn’t about to let him know that. Scarlett opened her eyes and gave him a withering look.

  “No,” she replied icily.

  “You don’t want me to do this, then…”

  Without warning, his hand slipped behind her neck and pulled her head towards him. His lips closed over hers before she could object, his tongue teasing hers gently. His other hand held her tightly, imprisoning her between himself and the desk. Her hips twisted against his groin, her body making an unconscious effort to seduce him.

  A thick haze engulfed her mind, muddling her thoughts and making it difficult to think. He’d asked her a question, hadn’t he? Damned if she could remember what it was. Her arms reached for him, circling the back of his neck and drawing him closer as they kissed.

  Chase groaned, crushing her against his chest so passionately she almost lost her breath. He bit her lip gently, and she whimpered with pleasure. He deepened the kiss and reached for the hem of her sweater, pulling it up and over her head in one swift movement. Her world was reeling, spinning so quickly she feared she might lose her balance. Clutching his shoulders, she dug her nails into his muscled flesh, and he let out a deep growl.

  Without warning, he hiked her skirt up over her hips and lifted her onto the desk. The move was both fluid and powerful. She gasped loudly; the feel of his hands on her bare thighs was exhilarating. Dizzy with desire, she tried to think of an excuse to stop this before it went any further.

  “You’ll ruin your reports,” she protested meekly, indicating the papers behind her.

  He released one of her hands and reached for the stack of papers. Without hesitation, he swept the entire mass onto the floor. Seizing her wrists, he pressed her downward and pinned her to the desk.

  “Is that better?”

  The double-edged question made her stomach quiver. Before she could reply, he grabbed her thighs and jerked her forward, proving how easily he could manipulate her body. Scarlett shuddered, lifting her hips in an effort to bring him closer. Capable fingers slipped beneath her, unclasping the hooks on her bra. Seconds later, both it and her sweater were torn from her body, leaving her flesh exposed and vulnerable.

  Goose bumps covered her torso as the cool air of the room touched her skin. Taut nipples hardened mercilessly, begging for his mouth to consume them. He released her hands, letting his own slide down either side of her waist. Her mind was starting to race ahead, and she bit her lip in an effort to control herself. Reaching out for him, her fingers wound through his hair and pulled his mouth to her breasts.

  Chase sighed deeply as he took a tiny peak into his mouth. Scarlett moaned his name, her legs tightening around his waist. With e
ach flick of his tongue, her thighs dampened further. Pausing in his efforts, Chase raised his head and watched her carefully. There was something very animal in his expression. It was quite exciting, really, having a man so visibly consumed with the thought of you. It made her knees go weak. Thank God she was already lying down.

  “You’re going to scream my name, Scarlett.”

  She was certain her heart stopped beating, if only for a moment. The sheer authority in his voice was enough to make her crazy with need. Her lips parted slightly, and she wet them unconsciously. The move drew his gaze to her mouth, and she found herself shifting nervously before him. She’d seen that look last night in the elevator.

  Gathering her crumpled skirt into one hand, he pinned it above her waist, while the other yanked the trim of her panties downward. As the thin layer of silk slid across her thighs, his lips followed, scorching her skin with his tongue. Taking a step backward, he dragged the panties down her legs, letting them fall to the floor. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t know whether to scream with fear ‑‑ or delight.

  Dropping to his knees, he pulled her against him, draping her legs across his shoulders. He nipped the area just behind her knee, and she jumped, biting her lip to keep from crying out. His teeth raked along her inner thigh, and she began to tremble with mounting desire. Powerful arms slid beneath her hips, lifting them slightly off the desk.

  Dipping his head between her thighs, his mouth covered her sex, teasing her gently. His tongue skimmed across the tiny button, and she arched her back against the desk. He gripped the flesh of her thigh, and she moaned loudly, the slight hint of pain bringing her exquisite pleasure.