Between a Ridge and a Hard Place Read online

  Never had any man made her feel the way she did at this very second. Like her miniscule panties were going to combust if he didn’t rip them off her and have his wicked way with her body.

  “You were saying?” she finally rasped, perfectly willing to let him drag her off anywhere he wanted to.

  “What I want to do to you doesn’t require saying anything.”

  Chapter Two

  Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Good. He’d taken her by surprise. Not nearly as well as she had him, but he had to start somewhere.

  A shrill catcall came from the construction site across the street. No doubt one of the idiots on the roof thought Ridge had picked himself up a hooker. He ought to head over there and blacken the pissant’s eye. But that would take too long.

  “Come on.” He tugged her again and headed for his Tahoe. At least the tinted windows would provide some privacy. Not enough for the thoughts running straight from his brain to his cock, but some.

  “You still haven’t told me where we’re going. Do you have some last-minute meeting or something?”

  Ridge snorted. If she thought for one second he would take her to a meeting with any of the clients they normally met with dressed this way, she was on crack. The thought had him stopping in his tracks. He lifted his head to feel the sun’s warmth on his cheeks. Surely not… No. Not possible. He’d never seen his PA drink even the smallest dribble of alcohol, let alone smoke a cigarette. No way would she do something decidedly more damaging to the body he’d finally discovered was absolutely fabulous.

  The one he wanted to get his hands on. Now. After he got her out of the clothes everyone out here could see her in.

  “Home,” he growled.

  “Why?”

  He didn’t answer until they’d reached his SUV and he trapped her between the passenger door and his body. He’d had enough with roaming eyes on his woman.

  Ah, Christ. He’d done it again. She wasn’t his woman. But dammit, she would be in a short time if he had anything to say about it.

  Ridge clenched his jaw and hissed out a breath when she struggled to get her hands free from where they were trapped between their bodies. Her knuckles caressed the hard length of his erection, and he nearly begged her to take him out and do a better job.

  “The clothes, woman.”

  Her look down was hampered by his body. “And what exactly is wrong with my clothes?”

  “Hm. Don’t even try to play coy with me. That outfit would stop a bullet train on a dime.”

  Her lips pursed. Knowing the girl inside the revealing top and skirt, Ridge had to wonder again at why she’d gone to such lengths.

  “Who’s it for, sweetheart?” The question ripped from his heart. If she said another man’s name…

  Those emerald eyes sought his, and for a moment his breath caught. He knew what he wanted her answer to be, but what if, just what if it wasn’t all for him?

  “You.” The simple word whispered against his lips. He hadn’t realized he’d moved closer, but he took the advantage and pressed his mouth to hers, swallowing her whimper.

  Her hands found their way around his neck, keeping him immobile, right where he wanted to be. Morgan moaned and opened for him, allowing him access to the warm recesses of her mouth. She tasted of her habitual morning Coke and something else sweet and sugary. Her tentative tongue stroked his, first shyly then with more force. Ridge tilted her head one way and angled his the other to deepen their kiss. It wasn’t good enough.

  A honking horn coupled with a crude shout of, “Get her, buddy!” snapped his attention back into place. Breathing hard, Ridge eased back and stroked Morgan’s cheeks with his thumbs.

  For a few heartbeats, a dazed look took over the features of her face. Her tongue darted out to lick along her swollen, well-kissed lips, making Ridge groan.

  “Wow.” She had to clear her throat, and he didn’t know whether to be offended or proud he’d put her in such a state.

  After a stab of the unlock button on his remote, he reached behind her, opened the door and eased her into the seat. He had her legs swung inside and the seat belt buckled before she knew what hit her. He slammed the door shut, finalizing her entrapment, and took a look back at the architect business he and his best friend Carter had started ten years ago.

  Despite his anxiety over the bidding war, Malone and Casey would have to deal without Ridge and Morgan this afternoon.

  Several minutes passed before Morgan’s wits came back. She felt scrambled. Ridge Casey had just thoroughly demolished her with a kiss in front of the entire town. She barely refrained from pumping her fist in the air and had to keep her focus out the window so her boss wouldn’t see the huge grin on her face.

  It dimmed the more she thought about things. Had he only done this because of the clothes? She sure as shit wasn’t going to make a habit of wearing this type of outfit. The piece of floss was still up her crack. It was the most freaking uncomfortable thing God had ever allowed to be created.

  She squirmed in the soft leather seat, which only caused the strand to work itself deeper.

  “Stop wiggling.” Ridge’s continual growling this morning made her smile. She’d never seen the man so flustered. It wouldn’t make her dress up tomorrow, but still. If he didn’t want the real woman, then he didn’t deserve her anyway. This superficial Morgan had done her job and gotten through his thick skull. Now she had to find a way to keep him interested in the normal her and keep her heart intact.

  “I will as soon as I can get out of this ridiculous piece of underwear.”

  “Excuse me?” Both of his eyebrows shot upward.

  “Did I just say that out loud?” Stupid, stupid woman. Open mouth, insert foot.

  “You did. Now tell me what you meant.”

  “Nothing.” Jesus. She might as well dye her hair blonde for the way she was acting today. The damned outfit was making her act like a complete fool.

  “Not nothing. I want to know. The whole thing sounds very intriguing.”

  Sarcastic bastard.

  “I’m waiting.” The tone of his voice was akin to him tapping his foot while he waited.

  “Then I hope you’re comfortable.”

  His hand landed on her thigh just above her knee. Her breath hitched in her throat at the sight of his tanned hand on her slightly paler thigh. More so when his fingertips squeezed and his thumb swiped back and forth.

  “I will be soon.” The smooth tone of his promise made her shiver. “Now tell me, sweetheart.”

  Damn. When would she learn to keep her big mouth shut? His palm slid further up her leg until his pinky and ring finger disappeared beneath the edge of her skirt. Her tongue felt like cotton and her throat parched. She forced herself to relax. This closeness was what she wanted, right?

  “The longer it takes you to talk, the closer I get to finding out what you meant on my own, Morgan.”

  She yelped and staved off his further advancement with both hands on his. The man had never touched her in all the time she’d worked for him, outside of a hand on her back when ushering her through a door or an incidental passing of fingertips, and suddenly he was inches away from her core and the clit throbbing there.

  “Stupid thong, okay?” she hissed.

  A smile split his lips and his hand retreated to the place above her knee as he turned into an obviously affluent neighborhood.

  “I thought you were taking me home.”

  Ridge turned to her. “I am.”

  “But this isn’t where I…” Of course it wasn’t. He didn’t know where she lived. Which only left one reasonable conclusion.

  “How, exactly, is it you want me to change at your house?” she asked, turning the conversation.

  He snorted and that little place called her womb clenched with a scared thrill. She’d been to bed with a man before, a few even, but none of them could hold a candle to Ridge. There was a certain magnetism about him, a strong connection she felt to him, while he probably only saw her
as another notch on his bedpost.

  Man, her morals had really sunk low.

  Or maybe his sister, or one of his old conquests, had left clothes at his house, and since he lived much closer, he thought they’d just pop on over and grab some.

  Great. She nibbled her lip. Now she wasn’t sure what his motivations were.

  Right. That’s why he had his hand up your skirt a minute ago.

  “Who said anything about changing?” His fingers tightened on her leg. At least one of them seemed sure of what might happen in the very near future.

  Morgan swallowed and pressed her knees together. Surely the seat beneath her was getting wet. She couldn’t remember a man ever making her cream herself by his mere presence alone, yet Ridge did so on a daily basis. She really was a shallow, shallow woman.

  A shallow woman who was finally getting the chance to sleep with her boss.

  Chapter Three

  Ridge pulled into his driveway and cut the engine halfway up. He was out of the Tahoe and around to her door before she could think about what was happening and change her mind. She obviously had his seduction in mind this morning or they wouldn’t be where they were right now.

  His cock practically drummed against his zipper. If he didn’t get her inside, or rather inside her soon, the damn thing was going to bust out.

  But first. “Please tell me you’re thinking along the same lines here, sweetheart.” He leaned close and inhaled her sweet vanilla scent, nuzzling her neck and planting a row of kisses along the smooth column.

  “Uh-huh.”

  Good. She was just as affected.

  “I’ve been trying to stay away from you, Morgan, trying to keep us from this position, but when I saw you dressed like this when I walked in, I nearly lost it. I can’t stay away anymore.”

  Her throat moved when she swallowed and her face turned to his, her lips brushing his. She started the kiss, but he took control, licking along the seam of her mouth until she let him in. They melded together, but not nearly close enough. Ridge reached across her body, unbuckled her seat belt and swung her into his arms, capturing her moan of protest with deeper penetration of his tongue.

  Savoring her weight in his arms and the feel of her body flush against his, he carried her to the front door. To open it he had to prop her along the jamb. The alarm beeped inside. Keeping a hand on Morgan, he pulled her through, punched the code to disarm the system then pressed her back to the wall so he could continue to devour her.

  “What was that you were saying about not staying away?” she rasped, panting.

  “Not going to.” Ridge lifted her into his arms again and climbed the stairs.

  “Good grief, put me down.”

  “No way. Can’t let you get away.”

  She laid her hand on his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly.

  “Damn straight.” Thank God he’d kind of cleaned up this morning, otherwise Morgan would have gotten an eyeful of his tendency towards being the ultimate bachelor—i.e. leaving his clothes heaped on the chair and his towel on the bathroom floor. He hadn’t made the bed, but then they were just about to destroy it anyway. He finally set her feet on the floor and caught her when she swayed.

  “Now I’ve got you where I want you.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Definitely.” He trailed a finger from her chin, down between her breasts, to her bellybutton that peeked out from beneath her ridden-up tank.

  “So…you think you’re capable of making—er, umm…fucking,” she blurted, “while standing up?”

  He smiled at her stumble over the word. “Perfectly, but there won’t be any fucking going on.”

  Morgan’s eyes widened. “But…I thought…that we—”

  He nodded and put a finger of his free hand over her lips to silence her. “Sweetheart, what we’re about to do is more than fucking.” He moved the hand on her belly back up, pulling the hem of her shirt up with it, revealing her skin inch by inch.

  “It is?”

  “Mm-hmm. Lift your arms.”

  After a second’s hesitation and a nibble on her lower lip she did, allowing him to strip the thin material up and off.

  If his cock wasn’t already as hard as possible, it would have gotten that way at the sight greeting him. Perfect firm breasts, just enough to fill his palms.

  “They’re small.” Morgan crossed her arms over her chest.

  Ridge took her wrists and drew them away before covering what she found as an imperfection. “They’re perfect.” Her nipples were drawn taut and she shivered when he rasped his thumbs across them. “They’re mine.” Unable to resist, he lowered his head and wrapped his lips around one of the dusky pink tips.

  She moaned and arched into him. He tweaked the other nipple with his fingers, tugging on it until she gasped. Her body lifted onto her toes.

  “Oh, God.”

  “God’s not here, sweetheart, just me.”

  “’S’nough. Don’t need him. Need you.” Her mouth found his again, and her hands wound around his head to link at the back of his neck.

  “I’m all yours.” He walked her backward to the bed and carefully laid her down. She stretched languorously, a tiny smile on her lips as he perused her body. “These have to go.” He hooked his fingers in the waistband of the skirt and pulled it and the nonexistent panties off in one swipe.

  Morgan’s shyness returned full force. Her right knee started to rise and Ridge knew she was about to cross her legs.

  “Uh-uh. No hiding, remember?” He knelt on the floor between her knees and ran his palms up her thighs. The skin there was so soft and smooth. He kissed the path he’d made with his hands and zeroed in on the flesh at her apex, spreading her outer lips with his thumbs then gently blowing on the heat simmering there.

  Her hands came down to cover herself. He snorted. “As if that will keep me out, Morg.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Hands above your head,” he growled.

  They went. Shakily, but they moved up. When she held her head up so she could see what he was doing, he caught her gaze and found a mixture of uncertainty and anticipation there.

  “Here.” He jumped to his feet and grabbed the pillow from the head of the bed, which he placed under her neck so she didn’t strain herself. He planned on being there for awhile. “Better?”

  Her tongue dashed out and she nodded.

  “Are you gonna…ya know…take yours off?” She regarded his clothes up and down, pausing for a long moment at his groin. There was no mistaking what she saw tenting his pants.

  “Oh yeah.” Ridge attacked the belt, button and zipper of his trousers, toed his shoes off, and yanked both his pants and underwear off, then tossed them over his shoulder. Next came the tie, which he wrenched off, and then the top three buttons of the shirt. To hell with the rest—he stripped it off like a T-shirt over his head—and stood patiently while she took her fill of his nakedness.

  Morgan felt her nostrils flare. The man was art personified. Perfection. Sculptured pecs, ribbed abs, muscular thighs, rigid cock standing at attention. Lord, he was big. For a second she panicked. She’d had sex before, a few times, but Ridge brought new meaning to being filled.

  Her voice had long since left her. Still staring at his penis that now gleamed with a drop of pre-come, she suddenly had the urge to put her mouth to better use. She rose to her elbow, ready to put to action what her brain wanted. His hand stopped her.

  “Not now.” His words were a strangled laugh. “It’ll be over before we start if you do that.”

  Damn. He’d read her intentions. He dropped to his knees again and spread her wide before she could even comment. Then his tongue licked her from back to front and she couldn’t comment. It swirled, it danced, it stabbed. She threw her head back and fisted the comforter.

  A thick finger entered her slowly and pulled back. In and out in a rhythm that wasn’t enough. His tongue teased her clit, but it wasn’t helping, only infuriating her. She reached for h
is head and grabbed hold of his hair.

  “More,” she demanded, seizing him by the ears and stabbing him with what she hoped was a get-your-tongue-in-gear sort of look. Enough playing with her. She was too wound up for games right now.

  He smiled, disengaged her hand and went back to work.

  Morgan groaned in frustration and resorted to begging. “Please, please, please, please.” What she got was his cooler breath across her heated sheath.

  “I’m savoring.”

  “Savor later,” she hissed.

  “Finally, the feisty Morgan I know and love.”

  Love? Had he really just said that? Whatever. She couldn’t think about it now. Finally he went to work in earnest, lapping at her like there was no tomorrow. Two fingers filled her pussy at the same time as his tongue flicked back and forth over her clit, making her gasp. She lifted her hips in time with his penetration. Closer and closer…she exploded. The tingling took over her clit, her thighs clenched around his head, and her breathing labored in and out of her lungs.

  Long seconds later she realized he now stood between her legs, a smug look of satisfaction on his face and a condom on his cock. Where he’d gotten it, she didn’t know, didn’t care.

  “You’re beautiful when you come.”

  His lips were shiny with her juices and she could see him in the broad daylight. She’d never had sex in the light before, had never clearly seen the look on her previous lovers’ faces. Ridge’s was in true predatory form right now. He bent, hooked his arms under her thighs and urged her bottom closer until it just hung off the edge of the bed.

  Never taking his gaze off hers, he wrapped her legs around his waist, settled the head of his cock at her entrance and thrust home.