She rolled her eyes. That wouldn’t do. That wouldn’t do at all.
Derek gripped her chin, forcing her to hold his gaze. “Say it.”
“Say what?”
“’I have never been more beautiful.’”
She recoiled. “You can’t be serious.” He arched an eyebrow at her and waited. “You aren’t— I’m not— This is ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous?” he asked, keeping his voice measured, calm.
“Look at me!”
“I am.”
“You’re looking with your dick,” she muttered, pouting again.
This time he did kiss her, stifling his chuckle with the taste of her lips. When she softened in his arms, he pulled away, turning her face towards the mirror mounted on the wall behind her. “Tell me what you see.”
“I don’t want to.”
He nuzzled his nose into her hair, nipped at her earlobe. “Come on, little menace. Play along. Tell me what you see.”
She sighed, turning her eyes to the mirror, but only for a moment before her gaze skittered away again. “I’m getting a zit on my chin.”
“What else?”
“I have bags under my eyes.”
He slid his hand higher on her leg, his thumb skating along the sensitive skin at the inside of her thigh. “What else?”
“I haven’t had my eyebrows done in a month. And myeyelashes are too short.”
He hummed, sliding his thumb along the edge of her panties. “I don’t see that.”
She huffed. “What doyousee?”
“You, Jo.” Her eyes widened in surprise, and something twisted in his chest. He leaned closer, his lips hovering above hers, the tips of their noses sliding against each other. “I see you.”
She closed the distance between them, kissing him as though she’d never come up for air, arms and legs wrapped around him. Her hips rocked restlessly against him as his cock thickened in anticipation. He had to slow this down. They might not get another night to themselves, and he wanted to take his time, to savor every little movement and sound she made.
Tearing himself away from her, he took a step back putting distance between them, and dragged his hand over his mouth as he caught his breath. “Clothes off,” he said.
“You first.”
Christ, but he loved when she was mouthy.
Usually he’d hold his ground, make her comply with his request first, but there was something intoxicating about her eyes on him. The intriguing mix of vulnerability and confidence that was Joelle Baker, stripped of her makeup, her usual defenses, and still such a brat, daring him to contradict her. But he didn’t want to contradict her. He wanted more of her, more of the pieces of herself she usually hid from everyone else but was inexplicably letting him see. And if letting her callthe shots—for a moment or two at least—was what it took to get that, then fine. He’d go first.
He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, folding it and setting it aside, toeing off his shoes and removing his socks. With his hands on his belt, he paused, waiting for her eyes to flicker up to his, then he smirked and slowly worked open the buckle.
Jo rolled her eyes. “Show off.”
He chuckled, the rumble of it shaking his chest as he stepped out of his pants and boxer briefs, until he stood before her completely naked. Her eyes roved over him and the pink tip of her tongue flicked out to wet her lips. His cock kicked in response. This woman would be the death of him, and he’d go to the gallows a happy man.
“Your turn,” he said.
It took her a minute to tear her eyes away from where he slowly stroked himself. With a wicked grin, she slid her hands beneath her dress and shimmied out of her panties. She tossed them at his chest and he caught them with his free hand. Pressing them to his nose, he inhaled deeply before adding them to the pile with his clothes.