Thirteen years ago, Lyric Benson’s boyfriend accused her of sleeping with his older brother then disappeared. She never stopped caring, never stopped hoping. Now, all these years later, Lyric is stunned to discover the new owner of her company is one Grayson St Clair, who never forgot or forgave her transgression.

Grayson wants nothing to do with someone he thinks hurt him so deeply. He can’t let go of the past and he can’t trust Lyric. It doesn’t help matters that while on her watch, the Masonry company she oversaw was hacked into and the company’s top secret client list accessed. Reluctantly, Lyric and Grayson team up to find the culprit, with Grayson denying their blossoming feelings at every turn. But when his brother appears, secrets in tow, Grayson will have to choose: live in the past or move on with Lyric.

 

Secret Cravings | Amazon | All Romance | B&N | Bookstrand

 

“Ahem.”

She opened an eye. Grayson hovered in her office doorway, his eyes on some point above her head, a hesitant look on his face.

“What?” She kept rocking.

“I—ah, I wanted to apologize.” He entered and closed the door behind him before stopping in the middle of the room.

“Oh, yeah?” She leaned forward. “What for?” This promised to be good.

“For jumping to conclusions, for insinuating that, that—” He clasped his hands behind his back.

“That I’m a slut.”

His face turned red. “I was wrong and I apologize.”

“Are you sure?”

His eyes snapped up.

Lyric pushed back her chair and got to her feet. Predictably his eyes zeroed in on her chest. She walked toward him. “Are you sure I’m not a slut?” A frown creased his forehead and she continued. “You think I slept with your brother. That I use my body to get my way.”

Grayson shook his head. “I didn’t mean that. I was just—”

“Frustrated.” Directly in front of him now, she crossed her arms. “Yes, so you said.” She looked into his silver eyes. “And you know what? I believe you.”

Lyric closed the distance between them. She wanted to smell the delicious musk that clung to him. Grayson looked damn uncomfortable, his eyes guarded like he had no idea what to think. They stood chest to chest, but not touching.

She lowered her voice and spoke. “It has to be frustrating to think I had sex with your brother—betrayed you in the worst possible way—yet you still want me.” She followed the hypnotic movement of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed. “You still burn for me.”

Lyric met his stormy eyes. Twin slashes of color appeared on his cheekbones and she pushed further. She leaned into him, put her lips to his left ear and allowed her breath to caress him. His body went taut. Potent heat radiated from him to her, but he didn’t move.

She spoke again. “You dislike me, but most of all, you dislike yourself. For wanting me, needing me. For all the things you want to do to me.”

Dragging his scent into her lungs, she took a step back and looked at him. A sheen of sweat covered his brow and his fists clenched.

He stayed quiet, but his eyes spoke volumes. They blazed with unfulfilled yearnings. Lyric closed hers briefly then opened them. She wanted him to see her desires, her yearnings.

His breath hitched and she shuddered in reaction. Grayson’s gaze never wavered from her face as he stalked toward her on quiet feet. A thrill shot down Lyric’s spine. She remained in place as moisture soaked her panties, and her nipples hardened. Call her a masochist, but this reaction right here? She wanted it.

“You like pushing me, don’t you?” Grayson spoke with his jaws clenched. His ginger-flavored breath teased her nostrils.

“So push back.”

“Fuck.” He yanked her into his arms. Guess that meant he accepted. She grunted at the rough force, but it melted into a moan when his lips covered hers. The hard press of his mouth probably meant to punish, but Lyric reveled in it. She grabbed his shoulders, parted her lips, and invited him in to play.

Grayson thrust his tongue inside her mouth, parrying with hers. A hoarse sound rumbled in his chest and his arms tightened around her. Lyric dragged her right hand away from his neck and smoothed it down the front of his shirt. His strong pulse raced under her touch. He inserted a well-muscled thigh between her legs, and Lyric opened for him, limbs parting as she rode him, skirt riding up over her ass.

“God.” Grayson tore his mouth from hers and trailed tiny bites down her neck while walking them backward to her desk. Eyes closed, Lyric reached down to fondle his erection straining inside his pants. He bucked at her touch, breath leaving his mouth in a gasp. She traced the hard length of his cock with a finger, smiling when the hand gripping her hip tightened painfully. This is what she wanted—Grayson out of control, out of his mind. She cupped him through his pants and squeezed gently.

“Damn!” he growled against her skin. His thigh pressed her moist core harder. Lyric undulated, sweet friction sending sparks shooting up and down her spine.

“God, Grayson.” His name tumbled from her lips as her movements sped up. Her fingers curled tighter around him, caressed him. Grayson dipped his tongue into the pulse point at her throat, laving her skin with moist heat. He pinched her left nipple, twisted.

“Argh!” Lyric’s body arched and convulsed. Bright light sparked behind her closed eyelids as the climax raced through her. She rocked on Grayson’s thigh, fresh moisture flowing from her to him, soaking his pants and scenting the air.

His fingers flexed where they dug into her hip. No doubt he left his mark on her skin. Lyric smiled as the phone behind her rang. She ignored the damn thing, but Grayson bumped her forehead with his. She gazed up into his eyes darkened to almost black. Heavy color dusted his cheekbones.

“Get the phone,” he whispered.

“You’re sure?” she asked, all set to spread her limbs for him right there. Collect on what he owed.

“Yeah, get it.” He dropped a fleeting kiss on her lips then moved aside.

Lyric twisted over the desk with a sigh and picked up the phone. “Yes?” She blew a lock of hair out of her mouth and looked back over her shoulder, staring at the empty space Grayson abandoned.

 

 

 

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