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"Would you letto sound outraged and not turned on "No, of course I wouldn’t That would be inappropriate"

I expect Ryker to argue with me To call me a liar

Instead he pushes out of his chair and rounds the table He walks right up to h I lean back sideways in , he keeps right on co the back of s on asp in surprise, uses the opportunity to press his lips against ue My eyes drift closed and I try to swiftly co to my nearly eidetic memory because until this moment, I’m not sure I’ve ever truly been kissed before

His lips are full, soft I didn’t expect they’d be so soft

I can still smell that sael I’ hint of the sweat he worked up during our yoga class His scruff-covered chin rubs against hten in my hair

It’s too brief I want to cry out in disappointment when he pulls away My eyes immediately snap open, wary and uncertain as to what this allmore than squat down beside my chair He keeps ahold of the back of my neck and stares at ht to ht to me"

"We can’t," I murmur

"We can," he cuts me off, rubs a thumb on the side of my neck

"I’ive a shit"

Is it really that simple? My mind quickly tries to process all of the iive in to this If ere found out, I would lose credibility Ryker would lose credibility My father would lose faith in me The entire executive office would lose faith The players, who already think I’m a joke, would revel in this I have so verya hand up and wrap it around Ryker’s wrist Not to reive him a squeeze so he knows that I very ht now

"Ryker…there’s just too et involved with you I’ve just started as the generalme--"

"I don’t doubt you," he interjects

"No, you don’t and that’s part of what makes this so da thatIt’s just too difficult"