Million Dollar Valentine. Rita Estrada Clay

his brain.

      He gave a small satisfied grunt as she hit the spot that marked his inhibitions. He was most tense there. Good. He could stand loosening up a little. “Does it have to be one way or the other? Isn’t there a happy medium?”

      “There is, but most people don’t recognize it when they see it.” She rubbed his toes again, taking slow care to work each underside pad for his spine. “For instance, I never said a word about your shoes before now. Nor did I mention sex. I kept it to myself and got no credit for doing so, until now.”

      “Thank you,” he said.

      She gave a smile that told him she wasn’t giving up on the discussion. “You mentioned romance and I wanted to know your opinion. Is sex the same as romance to you?”

      Giving a quick glance through her lashes, she found him carefully studying her. If she hadn’t looked, she never would have known that his skin seemed to have tanned and flushed highlights. He was blushing.

      Interesting.

      “Sex is a part of romance.” It sounded more like a strangled confession than a conversation. He obviously didn’t talk about it much. If ever.

      Crystal’s fingers stroked the back of the heel, then worked up to the ankle bone, rubbing and stimulating that part of his foot which, according to reflexology, was connected to his sexual organs. Her fingers massaged softly yet firmly. She knew what she was doing, but he didn’t.

      His flush increased.

      It wasn’t fair. She shouldn’t be stimulating him this way. After all, she wasn’t willing to do anything about the sexual feelings she was creating.

      “Let me have your other foot,” she said, patting the top of his foot to let him know she was through.

      “Hmmm?” he asked absently, observing his foot as if it belonged to someone else.

      She lowered his foot to the floor. “Your other foot?”

      Blake sat up straight. “Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” he said briskly.

      “You’d better take advantage of me now, Blake. I’m here and I’m willing, so give me your other foot and let me complete the job.” Crystal leaned forward to reach for his other foot, but stopped in midreach.

      Blake stared back, his eyes delving into her in a way that washed chill bumps down her spine. Thoughts better left unsaid passed between them. Vivid, heated images flashed through her mind, and all of them had to do with making love with the man in front of her.

      Keeping his eyes locked with hers, very slowly, Blake leaned forward. He came closer and closer to Crystal. Without a doubt, she knew what was going to happen. It was written in his eyes and flooded through her in the form of want. Want to taste. Want to touch. Every warning bell in her went off loudly. This man wasn’t for her. He wasn’t wealthy, he wasn’t free and easy. He wasn’t funny or people-oriented. No. Not at all.

      Yet, while thinking all this so clearly, she leaned even closer, meeting him halfway across the space that divided them. His warm breath flowed across her face like a caress. His sculpted mouth was so close to her own that she could touch him with her lips to sip just a little taste of him. That ought to soothe her appetite.

      Just one taste…

      Blake’s mouth pulled back, just inches from hers. “I’m going to kiss you,” he said, his voice rough and deep, running like a shivering-cold river through her.

      “I wish you would.”

      He was no longer Mr. Nice Guy. “Come here,” he ordered.

      And she did.

      When his mouth touched hers, Crystal’s breath caught in her throat. A wonderful zing slipped down her spine, then pulsated through the rest of her. He brushed her lips, then brushed again before capturing hers, holding her captive with the touch of his mouth alone.

      Mouth clung to mouth, his daring hers to remain passive and to ignore the intense chemistry that pulsed between them. She felt warm and bubbly and smooth and sweet and sexy, melting and melding with him. So many more emotions flowed through her—most she could not even begin to analyze. She couldn’t; her mind wasn’t working properly. It was engaging emotions without thought….

      Blake’s hand touched the side of her face, his fingers burying themselves in her thick strands of hair, holding her even closer. Crystal knew she wanted so much more of him than was possible. Right now.

      Again, she ignored the clanging sound of warning bells. With both hands, she reached up to hold his head close while her tongue darted out to explore his. “More,” she finally whispered. “I want more.”

      The moan that echoed from deep in his chest was her answer.

      Before she could take action, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her into the firm haven of his lap. He settled her within the confines of his legs.

      She went willingly, circling her arms around his neck and holding on as if he were the lifeline in a turbulent sea.

      Blake took command, teaching her quickly that she only thought she had initiated his interest. His lust. His own special brand of sexiness. His tongue led her in a sensuous dance that told her who was boss and why. The alpha male, the lone leader of the pack.

      But she couldn’t let him think that she was giving in. After all, she was female and also in charge. With hands that shook, she ran her fingers inside his jacket, lacing them across his chest, teasing his nipples through his lightly starched shirt as much as he teased her with his tongue and hands that circled and touched everywhere but on her heavy breasts.

      Heaven. Heaven was the image of Blake lying her on the conference table and…

      “Boss?” a female voice called.

      Although Crystal heard the voice, it didn’t register right away.

      Blake pulled his mouth from hers and dragged in a harsh breath. His heart pumped heavily beneath her hand. “I’ll be right there, Marilyn. Give me a minute, will you?”

      “Right,” she said. “You’ve got an appointment in half an hour.”

      It finally registered. Blake’s secretary had almost walked into the room and caught them in a clinch that had far more to do with sex than sweetness.

      She rested her forehead against his shoulder for a moment as she caught her breath. “You miscalculated,” she murmured, afraid to raise her voice for fear it would crack with emotion.

      “How?”

      Crystal gathered her emotions together and tucked them away, to be diagnosed later. Right now she had to get out of here with dignity intact. “You should have kissed me earlier.”

      She stood and smoothed her skirt back down, pretending she was concerned with wrinkles when she couldn’t even see them. Her eyes refused to focus.

      “I should have,” he replied, softly.

      “My curiosity would have been appeased and we’d be back at work right about now.” She dodged his gaze by looking at her watch. It was past her time to be back at the store. “Now we’re both late.”

      “I should have kissed you the moment we walked in here,” he repeated. “Then we could have had more time to play around.” This time his tone was grim. There wasn’t a shred of humor in his voice.

      Her hand arrested his movement as he turned. “Hey, you,” she teased softly. “Lighten up.”

      “I am lightened up.”

      His frown made lines directly over the bridge of his nose. “Good grief, I’d hate to see you in a mean mood.” She turned and began closing the lids to the containers.