She shook her head, looking like she wanted to protest. But instead her fingers dug into his shoulders.
Thighs brushing a tempting invitation against hers, his hands smoothed down the tiny curve of her waist to the sweet roundness of her hips. Her breath shuddered, just a little. Simon almost groaned aloud. She was so delicious. Was the reality of her as tasty as the promise?
Totally forgetting his plan—hell, his own name—Simon pulled her closer, so their bodies were close. So close, but not quite touching. Her warm scent wrapped around him like its own caress, making his mouth water, his dick harden.
Crazy, he thought, as he leaned down to take her mouth with his.
Their lips brushed, soft and sweet. Just this side of innocent. Safe, he told himself. A Happy Holidays kind of kiss. Totally acceptable.
Then she made this tiny sound. Somewhere between a purr and a growl, deep in her throat.
And he lost it.
His mouth took hers. His tongue slipped between her full lips, taking hers in a dance as old as time. He coaxed, he battled, he challenged. And damned if she didn’t do exactly the same.
Simon’s body screamed in pleasure. Passion, way out of line for such a simple kiss, demanded release. His muscles tensed as he forced himself to not grab her and find a dark corner to explore just how good this could get.
Having to grab control before he went over the edge, he pulled his mouth from hers. Her eyes were closed, thick dark lashes curving over the tops of her cheeks. She took a deep breath and slowly lifted those lashes.
Absolutely crazy. Breathless, Simon stared into her deep, golden eyes and wondered if she was the answer to his prayers. Or the curse that would finally take him down.
Her hands were trembling and there was a sheen of shocked worry in her pretty gold eyes. Like she’d been just as overcome by that as he had. Before, he’d have taken her as a woman used to using her body to get what she wanted. He’d have been wrong.
“This wasn’t what I offered to pay you for,” she protested breathlessly. “I was offering to pay you cash. To help you with your investments. I don’t barter with anything else.”
Simon had no idea why it thrilled him that she’d never pulled a con using the oldest lure in the book. That made their kiss, well, special. And that, he winced, made him a sap. A horny, deceiving sap.
But still, he couldn’t lie to her.
“Look,” he said, risking the case by reaching out to take her hand, “I’m not going to deny I think you’re a gorgeous woman. You’re fun and I’m very attracted to you.”
Her fingers stiffened and she tried to pull away. But Simon didn’t let go.
“But I’m not the kind of guy who takes advantage of women.” At least, not in the way she was worried about. “This deal is for me going home with you for New Years. I provide distraction and run interference with your family and that woman who keeps bugging you. That’s all you’re paying me for.”
Her fingers relaxed and she gave a shaky sigh.
Then, because he couldn’t help it, Simon added, “Anything else that happens? That’s between us. Just you and just me. No deal, no investment, no family stuff. Just attraction.”
He saw her throat move as she swallowed nervously.
“I know it was my idea, but I have to think it through. This is my family we’re facing. I have to be sure it’s not a mistake,” she said. “If you give me your number, I’ll call you in the morning.”
Then, as if she were scared of what else might come out of her mouth, she gave him a quick smile, turned on those sexy heels and hurried back into the ballroom.
Simon watched, mesmerized by the sweet sway of Maya’s hips as she waltzed away. All curves and sweeping dark curls, she was pure female. Pure delight. Pure temptation.
And she was going to be difficult to resist. But if Simon prided himself on anything, it was on his control. Which, he realized with a sigh and shake of his head as she shot him a look over her shoulder before leaving, was going to be sorely tested.
At least, it would be if she took him up on his offer. And he was pretty sure she would. She needed to go home, and was desperate to do so on her terms. The loss of pretty boy put her at a disadvantage.
Simon grinned. Things were working out even better than he’d hoped.
Before he could really dig into the joy of gloating, his cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and frowned.
“Don’t you need probable cause to spy on me?” he answered.
“No clue what you’re talking about,” Hunter shot back, sounding amused. “I’m just checking in, seeing if you’re ready to report to work tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is Sunday.”
“Technically, today is Sunday. Which makes tomorrow the day you are due to report to the Savannah office for your next assignment.”
Hunter must be on the east coast since it was only ten here. Still, Simon glanced around the atrium, narrowing his eyes at the windows and dark corners.
“About that…”
“Yes?”
There was no inflection in Hunter’s voice, but still, Simon had the feeling that the man knew exactly what he was about to say. And wasn’t happy about it.
“I’ve caught an opening on a cold case. I’m going to touch base with Roberts about pursuing it for the next week instead of taking a new assignment,” he said, referring to his director.
“No.”
“No?” Frowning, Simon strode to the back of the atrium, squinting at plants and barrels as he went. Did Hunter have that authority?
“As of now, you’re temporarily assigned to my division. Your permanent move to the task force will depend on your work over the next month.”
Stopping midstride, Simon struggled to decide how he felt about that. He’d worked damned hard for that transfer to Savannah. It was the next step up the ladder and he’d worked his ass off for it. But working with Hunter? That’d make his career.
All he’d have to do was give up his shot at Tobias Black. The shot he’d just cemented.
Maybe he should fill Hunter in. He instantly decided against it, though. He wanted to make this bust himself. He wanted to prove he deserved the promotion he’d just been offered.
Why
had
he just been offered that promotion?
“I didn’t put in for a transfer. What’s the deal?” he asked.
“I have need of your talents.”
Simon was good. Damned good. But he had no illusions. Other than the fact that he had a photographic memory for numbers, there was nothing he could do that dozens of other agents couldn’t. Not as well, but that was beside the point.
“Why do I doubt you?”
“Because you’re an untrusting soul, Barton.”
True. Simon sighed, his mind racing as he stepped out the back door to the hotel’s deck. He glanced around, noted the stairs leading to the exit and headed that way. “I have personal time coming. I need to take it. I’ll report to you in the DC office a week from tomorrow.”
“Are you going to tell me what you’re up to?”
Making his way down the series of stairs to the parking garage, Simon thought of Hunter’s warning to step off the Black case. “Nope.”
Hunter’s sigh was silent. But Simon knew it was there. He grinned, pulling his keys from his pocket.
“I’ll be in touch.”
Simon’s grin dimmed a little. In touch could mean so many things. In Hunter’s case, it’d probably mean Simon would wake up tomorrow morning to the guy staring at him from the foot of his bed. But before he could protest, his new boss hung up.
Well, shit.
Sure, he had the perfect inside track to Tobias Black. A chance to guarantee his permanent position on Hunter’s team and send his career skyrocketing. And now, it seemed like Hunter didn’t trust him.
Crazy.
Except, Simon sighed as he slid into his car, he hadn’t proved very trustworthy tonight. Gaining entrée to a criminal circle was one thing. But locking lips with that entrée was bad form.
Still, he couldn’t regret that kiss.
Maya Black was delicious. Sweet. Freaking out-of-this-world amazing.
No matter how the rest of the case turned out, tonight was going down as a winner in his book.
THIS WAS A CRAZY PLAN. She should cancel. Maya’s fist clenched around the phone she’d taken to carrying around the house in preparation for calling Simon. She should cancel. That was the only smart thing to do.
Cancel their deal. Call Caleb with the excuse that she was sick and couldn’t make it. That’d give her time to figure out what to do next.
But if she waited, Lilah would have time to get a tighter hold on Dad. She’d sucker him into a wedding before Valentine’s. As hurt and disappointed as Maya was in her father, she didn’t think she could live with herself if she didn’t do whatever she could to save him from that.
So she had to go through with it.
She’d bring Simon home. She’d pretend he was her boyfriend.
And she’d keep her fingers, lips and tongue off him.
The memory of her body pressed against his sent a wave of desire pounding through her. Her heart raced, heat surging, damp and needy, between her thighs. Yeah, that last one would be the hardest.
She looked around her lovely little haven of a house and sighed, her heart heavy. Yes, she’d be coming back. But things wouldn’t be the same. No matter what happened in the next few days, she’d return a changed person.
A knock at the door prevented her from sinking too far into a pout strong enough to require chocolate fudge ice cream.
Maya hurried to the front, then, her hand on the doorknob, she stopped and took a deep breath. She wiped her suddenly damp palms down her jeans, tugged at the waist of her white angora sweater and fluffed her hair.
Pathetic, she chided herself with an eye roll. She was primping like a giddy virgin on her first date.
Squaring her shoulders, she grabbed the knob again and opened the door.
“Simon,” she greeted, infusing as much airy confidence as she could scrape together in her voice. “I’m not sure if I’m impressed or worried that you prepared so quickly for this little trip.”
“Hey, you made an investment,” he said, leaning against her door looking so hot and sexy she actually felt the need to fan herself. “All I had to do was throw some clothes in a bag when you did.”
“No job worries?”
“It’s easy to get time off during the holidays.” He gave a dismissive shrug. “Not too many people looking to invest money this time of year. As the last week proved. But hey, this works out to both our advantage. Ya gotta love win-win deals, right?”
“Right.” Maya shivered. There it was again. Something edgy under the amiable demeanor that had her both nervous and excited.
Forcing herself to stick with the plan, she stepped back and welcomed him in. Not that she was stupid enough to hope this wasn’t a mistake. She knew it was. Her father had taught her at a young age to take the big risks but mitigate the damages.
“I’m all packed and ready to go,” she said, waving a hand toward the modest stack of five suitcases, topped by a bright purple cat carrier. “You don’t mind that I drive, right? I know the way and am more comfortable in my car. Besides, it’s cold in the mountains and we’ll likely hit bad weather and I’m betting my Ridgeline will handle it better than whatever sporty trick you drive.”
“You keep a car in the city?” he asked, giving her a speculative look. But he didn’t deny that he drove a sporty trick, she noticed.
“Public transportation is all well and good, but I prefer being in control.”
He quirked a brow, but didn’t comment. Instead he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“Problem?” she asked.
“I’m less about control and more about convenience, so I rented a car for the trip. I’m calling the rental company to pick it up.”
Lips pursed, Maya watched him make his call. That was the first lie she was sure he’d told her. This was not a man who ever chose convenience over control unless he already had all the cards stacked in his favor.
She shrugged into a light denim jacket while he finished his call. Then Simon approached her baggage.