Why does this place even have an intercom if no one is going to use it? Lil swung the door open.

Jake.

Beautiful, perfectly groomed Jake. The man had probably been born in a charcoal suit. Lil’s hand went to the back of her neck instinctively pushing at the curls she knew had already broken free of the loose knot she’d tied them back in.

He looked as irritated as he sounded. “I could be anybody. No security system is going to keep you safe if you open the door for anyone who knocks.”

She was tempted to tell him how his “security” had already failed once that day, but she held her tongue. She didn’t bother to curb her sarcasm. “Hi, Jake. It’s nice to see you, too. I thought you went back to New York.”

He scowled. “I did.”

“Did you forget something here?” she asked sweetly. Was it wrong to hope the man wasn’t perfect?

He shook his head and walked toward her with purpose. The hair on the back of Lil’s neck tingled and she bit her lip. There was something different about him tonight. Something both dangerous and incredibly hot at the same time.

She took a step back.

“Where is Colby?” he asked softly, prowling toward her.

“In bed for the night,” Lil said hoarsely. Exactly where I should be, she thought. Alone, she added for the benefit of her raging libido.

He advanced until they were so close that she could see the desire burning in his eyes. “I have responsibilities in New York. Meetings scheduled. Documents to prepare before the weekend. I don’t have time for this,” he said gruffly.

Lil swallowed nervously, feeling desire whip through her in response. Was he saying that she thought he was saying?

“But I’m here.” He reached out and cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer, tilting her head up to his.

Lil licked her lips.Yes, you are.

“I can’t concentrate in New York. All I can think about is this…” His head swooped down and he claimed her. His tongue slipped inside her lips and drew an instant and overwhelming response from every inch of Lil. He was savoring, devouring her and she couldn’t get enough of it. She welcomed him passionately. Her hands slid beneath his jacket and gripped the rippling muscles of his back. He put a hand on her behind and pulled her against him, positioning her against his excitement. “And this.”

Oh God, me too. Lil sucked in a breath as her body clenched and moistened. Still, she reached for some sanity. “Didn’t we agree that this was a mistake?”

He explored her neck with his lips, teasing just below her ear with the tip of this tongue. His hot breath added to her building excitement as she remembered how it had warmed her thighs and other areas of her body that were already pulsing and begging for his attention.

“You can send me away.” His strong hands negated his words, holding her, seeking out the entry beneath her clothing. “Say the word and I’ll go.”

I should.

Nothing about this made any sense.

He’d made no promises to her, but oddly that was what she found tempting. She wouldn’t have believed declarations of devotion. This was real. This was what men wanted and, at that moment, she couldn’t deny that it was what she wanted, too. She wanted to lose herself in the overwhelming sensations his nearness elicited, drown in the escape that this level of passion offered.

One of his hands slid beneath the back elastic of her shorts. “Look at me,” he commanded.

Lil had a flash of their first time together. Wonderful as it had been, he had given very little of himself, revealed even less. This time she wanted more. She would demand more.

“I have one condition to us doing this,” she said breathlessly and fingered the buttons on his shirt.

“Name it,” he growled.

“I want to play a game this time,” she said and peered up at him from beneath her lashes.

“A game?” His head pulled back. “I don’t do anything that involves restraint or pain.”

She slapped his chest playfully. “And you think I do?”

He leaned down to nuzzle her neck, “I have no idea.” His hand slid beneath her waistband again, this time also sliding beneath the back of her silk panties and closing on her hind cheek with a proprietorial squeeze. “But I want to know. I want to know everything about you.”

She smiled. “Perfect, then you’ll enjoy this game.” She stepped back and away from him. “Have you ever played Truth or Dare?”

“No,” he said and his frustration with her insertion of dialogue into what was a highly charged sexual moment was clear in both his facial expression and tone.

“Well, this is a variation of it. Truth or Strip. I’ll ask you a question and if you don’t feel comfortable answering it, you remove an article of clothing.”

He reached for her again, but she moved out of his reach.

“An article of your clothing,” she clarified.

“Wouldn’t it be nicer to simply let me explore you? I missed a few places last time and I’d like to rectify that.”

Tempting as that offer was, she moved even further away and shook her head. “I’ll start with an easy one. Do you have a middle name?”

“No,” he said and advanced toward her.

She skirted around the couch and, with the furniture safely between them, instructed, “Now it’s your turn. Ask me something.”

“Do you always have to make things more difficult than they have to be?” he said and took a step around the couch.

She retreated in the opposite direction. “A nice question, one that would help you know me better.”

He advanced again and said in a honey tone, “I am trying to know you better.”

This time she stood her ground, refusing to budge.

He held his distance although the heat in his eyes suggested that their game was exciting him. Forcing him to play by her rules was an incredible aphrodisiac–for both of them. He growled, “Did you pass your exam?”

“I think so,” she answered happily, loving how close he looked to ending this and taking her right there on the floor. Lil’s thighs quivered at the thought, anticipating wrapping around him and welcoming him into her.

When none of her clothing was removed, he said, “Let’s skip the game.”

“It gets better,” she assured him and knew that it would. Their first time had been incredible, and Lil was already wet and ready for him even though they had barely touched. Can you improve on incredible? She was more than a little willing to find out. “I wanted to give you an example. Now we can have a little fun. How old were you when you first had sex?”

“Seventeen,” he answered, looking slightly more interested in the game. “And you?”

“Twenty-one,” she said. Seventeen, huh? She’d have to ask for those details at another time. She didn’t want another woman in this moment. “How many partners have you had?”

He shrugged his jacket off.

“How about you?” he asked.

“One,” she said then quickly corrected herself, “Well, two if I count you.”

He didn’t like that comment very much, nor did he like that no clothing had been lost in the exchange. “Count me,” he growled.

Lil smiled. Ouch, was his ego that sensitive? “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” she asked.

“No,” he answered. “Do you pleasure yourself?”

“Of course,” she answered easily. “Do you?”

He removed his tie and was looking less pleased as the game continued. “This game isn’t fair. You’ll say anything.”

Let him stew a bit. Lil challenged, “That’s where you’re wrong. To know what I won’t say, you’ll have to get to know me better, won’t you?”

An odd expression flitted across his face, as if he’d realized that the game was so much more than a stalling tactic. Tonight he was going to have to earn the pleasure. She figured a man like him would love a good puzzle and she was right. He considered the situation for a moment and then inspiration curled his lips into a smile. “Were you thinking of me when you did it the last time?”

She slipped her shirt up over her head and dropped it on the floor behind her.

His smile widened.

“Are you dating anyone?” she asked.

“No,” he said simply and she believed him. “Are you?”

“No,” she said. Now onto something she’d been asking herself for weeks. “Why did you go bowling with me that first night?”

He looked like he was debating sharing or stripping, then he said, “You were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.”

She cocked a skeptical eyebrow. “You know this is a truth game, right?”

He stepped closer and caressed her cheek with one gentle hand. “I have no reason to lie.” He traced the edge of her cheek with his thumb, softly explored the curve of her lips and asked huskily, “Did I really misunderstand your intention on the island? Were you offering to yourself to me?”

Lil slid her shorts down so she could step out of them, tossing both behind her. He explored her newly exposed hips. “Where do your parents live?” she asked.

His hand stilled. “I don’t discuss my parents.” His reaction was so strong that it broke the mood for a moment.

Another question best discussed some other time. Lil decided to lighten the mood. “Your shirt then.”

His smile returned. He slowly unbuttoned it and tossed it behind him. “What are you most afraid of?”

Lil unsnapped her bra and let it drop to the floor. She heard the hiss of his quickly indrawn breath and reveled in being able to drive him to the edge.

“Have you ever been in love?” she asked, taking advantage of their intimacy.

“No,” he said, settling his hand on one of her breasts, rubbing his thumb across one of her already erect nipples. “Have you?”

His rhythmic circling made it suddenly difficult for her to focus on what he was asking. Her other breast tightened and yearned. She fought for control. “I thought I was once, but I was wrong.”

His hand stilled. “Colby’s father?”

She smiled sadly. “It’s my turn to ask a question.”

He leaned down and took her other eager breast into his mouth, circling it with his tongue in much the same way this thumb had teased her other. She gasped at his gentle nip and threw her head back with pleasure when the circling continued, in union, pausing periodically to rub or lick the tip. His mouth found its way to her collar bone and back up to her ear where he whispered, “He was a fool.”

She closed her eyes. “I was the fool.”

He pulled her full against him, wrapping both of his arms around her waist, settling bare chest against bare chest and waited until she dared to peer up at him again before he spoke. “No, you charge full ahead and you hold nothing back–but that doesn’t make you a fool.”

How had tenderness wormed its way into their exchange? Lil didn’t want this to matter because she didn’t want to care when he walked away. Still, she couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever done that? Just jumped in…even when you knew you shouldn’t…because you couldn’t help yourself?”