Page 18 (1/2)

He nodded, spellbound by those sers on his lips He wanted to kiss themkiss her She was all soft yet authoritative today, and he found it an arousing combination Competence and confidence He liked that in her

She pulled away and gave hiized"

"I told you I’y, white-blonde hair that was even now escaping her bun By those dark green-brown eyes that watched hiht sprinkle of freckles on her nose and cheeks

"It’s easy enough Just repeat after me ‘I am’"

"I am"

"Sorry"

"Very sorry," he whispered "I’m a prat"

"Whatever that is, yes, you are" Maylee s from the clouds "My mama would say you’re a nasty varmint when you’re cornered"

"Whatever that is," he told her, "I’m sure I am"

She reached forward and straightened his collar, s it "Tie?"

He pulled it out of his pocket and offered it to her

Maylee began to fix his appearance, and he watched as she licked her lips as she concentrated "I’m not a quitter, you know"

"Hmm?" He was captivated by those lips Her upper one was a small half bow, but her lower one was full and lush It , like she was begging to be kissed He found those lips utterly entrancing, especially when they gleamed after she licked them

"I said, I’m not a quitter," she repeated as she expertly looped his tie into a knot "You can pile asI’m a Meriweather We don’t run and hide from our troubles You can be asto do my job to the best of ht he was nasty to her? He got frustrated, buthe liked her Hell, parts of his body liked her entirely tooto be nasty I’ave his tie a pat "But I like you anyhow"

That smile did in all his self-control Griffin’s hands went to her shoulders and he dragged her forward a few steps, pressing his ht, aard kiss She was stiff in his arms--hopefully in surprise--so he relaxed his ing her to let hirabbed his lapels, and she was kissing hiue

And oh, fk, it was glorious

Maylee’s tongue swept against his, their lips , and he realized she kissed with all the intensity and enthusiasm that she approached life with She kissed like there was no toreatest joy on earth She kissed and tongued and licked and made these low noises in her throat that told hi the kiss

And his ck was as bloody hard as a rock

He groaned when her tongue rubbed against his He wanted to push her down on the bed and strip that dowdy, pri underneath Ca

She broke the kiss,from her throat "Oh Oh, dear"

He blinked at her, dazed "What?" He needed to kiss her ue, to thrust into her ine that it was his cock

"We shouldn’t be doing this"

That was a blast of cold water on his ego He stepped away fro an employee, wasn’t he? Dear God, he was a repulsive, repulsivewhere she’d clutched it "You’re going to be late to your lunch appointood hand down his face "Maylee, I sincerely apologize for touching you"

"Why? It was a ood kiss"

He didn’t knohat to say "I shouldn’t have kissed you in the first place"

"Oh" She flinched "I see"

"Because of who you are," he said quickly

Her look grew evenWell, it is partially that, but--"

"We should go, Mr Griffin Ihiain

Hell, he’d fked up once ht

To Griffin’s surprise and pleasure, breakfast at his room He liked his cousin Alexandra She was levelheaded and rarely ruffled by the pettiness of court They ate a forle and walk the grounds after the hness?"

Alexandra turned and gave Griffin a delicate smile "Hello, cousin"