The Offer, Book 2 (EBOOK)

“I guess I’d better go,” she murmured, not moving her hand from Tobias’s.

“I guess you’d better.” His lips grazed over her cheeks before his mouth found hers and he gave her another one of his deep, lingering kisses. Sparks ignited over her skin as the sizzle went straight to her belly. His mouth slid over hers, capturing her bottom lip and sucking gently. Tobias tasted of warmth, and sweetness and mint, and when his lips trailed softly from her mouth to her neck, she had a hard time remembering that she needed to leave.

“You’re…making it …incredibly difficult for me to get out of this car.”

“Ummm-hmmm,” he murmured, his lips sucking her neck gently, making her toes curl. Held captive by his kisses, his words and his touch, she had been unable to leave even though she knew Rosalee would be waiting. She was already late. Dragging herself away from this man was as impossible as not breathing. Her heart surged with a happiness she hadn’t known since Jacob had been born.

He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “You sure I can’t come in?”

“Jacob would be asleep,” she replied, wishing she could let him come upstairs but not ready for Rosalee’s questions.

“Even better,” he muttered, his voice soft, his eyes glistening in the darkness that was partially lit from the fading light of the lampposts. With Rosalee leaving, and Jacob asleep, they would be able to…

“You’re tempting me,” she whispered. Sex with him had been like nothing she had ever known; a level of connecting she had never experienced and it had touched her on more than just a physical level. It was something deeper, something magical.

“I’d settle for a cup of coffee,” he said, stroking her wrists gently and lighting a fire in her body. “While I would happily worship your body, we could just sit and talk.” She hated turning him down, especially as now, she sensed he was lonely, as if he didn’t want to go home. But things were complicated and she wasn’t ready yet.

“Tobias—”

“It’s fine,” he said, moving away. “Another time.”

“I’d have to explain to Rosalee, and Jacob, I hope he’s sleeping but if he isn’t…”

“You don’t have to explain, Savannah. I understand. I know it’s going to be complicated; it’s going to be tricky at work, too, but we’ll get through that. Okay?”

“Okay.” But she was secretly wary of what people would think; never mind what Briony’s reaction might be, she knew she would need nerves of steel to deal with Candace and Matthias. Yet it was hard not to believe him when he stared at her like that, with desire burning in his eyes. He seemed to carry an air of quiet conviction that everything would work itself out.

“I wish you could come away with me this weekend. You and Jacob. It’s not too late if you decide to change your mind.”

It sounded tempting, if alien to her, the idea of flying off for the weekend in his private jet to attend a wedding. How would he explain her to his friends? And what about Jacob? As tempted as she was, Savannah knew she couldn’t even entertain the idea. “Jacob would have a million questions.”

Tobias kissed her hand again. “And?”

“He adores you, Tobias. I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

He sighed loudly enough for her to hear. She could tell from his expression that this wasn’t the answer he wanted. “I understand. It’s not easy for you. Not yet, then.”

Not yet? She stared at him, trying to decipher his intent. She was sleeping with her boss’s boss and she was in murky territory, even though there was nothing illicit about them being together. She hadn’t done this because she was trying to get something from him, and he hadn’t come after her because he was using her. He wasn’t. This was just two people getting together, drawn towards one another, at least that was what it was for her.

Was it the same for him, she wondered?

“What do you mean, ‘not yet’?”

“In time. We can’t hide this forever.”

“It’s not going to be easy, what with me being an administrative person and with you being who you are.” Forget Jacob, and Rosalee and Colt, sleeping with the CEO was going to brand her as a slut. She wasn’t ready to deal with any of that. And Kay.

Damn it.

How was she ever going to explain herself to Kay? Tobias wasn’t even aware that her cousin was his number-one groupie and here she was having sex with him. Her cousin would never forgive her.

“Is that how you see us?” he asked, suddenly serious as he stroked his thumb across her cheek. “You captivated me from the start, Savannah Page. Meeting you has been one of the best things to happen to me.” Startled by his words, she pulled back a little, frowning. He wasn’t prone to revealing much about his feelings, and his admission took her by surprise. “I don’t care what others think.”

“But I do, Tobias.” He lived in a world where he made up his own rules. She had to live by them. “Social media would go crazy. You would break the internet. Can you imagine the women following the most eligible bachelor lists?” Her mouth curved into a smile at the idea of her cousin having a meltdown.

“Those blasted lists,” he said, pressing her hand as it lay in his. They sat in silence for a few moments in the quiet darkness. Fluorescent rays of light danced across the sleeping street.

“Rosalee’s waiting.” Savannah said, giving his hand one final squeeze. In reply he pulled her closer, parting her lips with his tongue and leaving her with a sizzling kiss that left her breathless.

“And now I want you even more,” she whispered. Disappointment spread over her like a second skin.

“Hold that thought.”

“Enjoy the wedding,” she said, then opened the door and stepped out. Rushing towards the apartment main door, she turned and gave him one final wave, feeling like a teenager who had come home way later than she should have. She smiled at the concierge and got into the elevator. Luckily, Arnold wasn’t at the desk tonight.

She stepped into her apartment and bounded into the living room. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she cried, feeling guilty as she saw Rosalee with her eyes closed.

“You’re back,” her babysitter replied, jerking wide awake and getting up slowly from the couch.

“Did you fall asleep?” Savannah glanced at her watch. It was nearly eleven o’clock. Guilt washed over her in buckets. “I’m sorry, Rosalee. I got…carried away.” She felt bad that her own pleasure had put this woman out. Rosalee slipped her arms through her coat and smiled.

“You’re glowing,” she remarked. “You must have had a good evening.”

“It was nice to get out.” Savannah clapped a hand to her face, as if trying to hide the tell-tale signs of her evening. “Wait, Rosalee. You can’t walk home now. I’m going to call you a cab.” She’d never had Rosalee stay so late before and even though her babysitter lived a few blocks away, Savannah didn’t feel right about her walking home alone at this time of night.

“Nonsense.” Rosalee wrapped her scarf around her neck, slipped on her gloves and pulled on a thick woolly hat. “It’s only a few blocks.”

“But it’s late. You can’t walk home by yourself,” Savannah insisted, not yet having taken her own coat off. “I’ll walk you home.” The elderly woman shuffled closer to her and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“Then I’d have to walk you home to make sure you got back safely.” The elderly woman shook her head. “I won’t let you leave Jacob home alone.” Rosalee had a point. With Arnold not being here either, Savannah was loath to leave the building.

“I’m calling you a cab,” she fished her cell phone out of her handbag but Rosalee had already opened the door.

“Go to bed, my dear. I’ll text you when I get home, if it makes you feel any better.”

“I won’t be so late again.”

“A late night every now and then is not a problem.” She kissed Savannah on her cheek and walked out, leaving her alone in the apartment, with happy memories of her evening. She’d forgotten all about her birthday drinks at the bar. Her cheeks burned at the memories of Tobias and the penthouse, and what they had done. She wondered what it would be like to spend all night by his side.

Unable to wipe the huge smile off her face, she walked into Jacob’s room and gazed at her son who was soundly asleep. She sat on the edge of the bed, kissing him on his cheek and stroking his face, happy with the way things were unfolding in her life.

When she turned in for the night, sliding into an empty bed, she wished Tobias was here, lying beside her.