The Charmer’s Gambit Read online

  “Ice and painkillers ought to do the trick,” he murmured.

  I nodded, eyes closed. Focusing on his spicy scent and sturdy hold kept me from thinking about my ankle. Of course, it awoke a myriad of other, more pleasurable sensations deep down. He felt every bit as hard as I imagined, his muscles flexing as he climbed the hill with the ease of a man who exercised daily. His introduction when we arrived confirmed my suspicions about his work habits. Will was a man who liked using his hands. Unlike most men in his position, he preferred to take on the tasks himself, even the laborious ones. Respect tightened my chest. Sure, his influential family helped him purchase this property debt-free, but he’d built it up with his own sweat and tears. Impressive didn’t begin to cut it.

  “I’ll get that,” Rudy said as he rushed past us. I opened my eyes to see we’d arrived at the main house. It seemed modest for a man of his wealth but was still larger than the average home. Definitely bigger than anything I could afford in Chicago or the nearby suburbs. Will carried me inside through the open two-story foyer, past what appeared to be an oversized living area, to a staircase that went up to a landing overlooking the gathering areas of the home. He walked up with ease and strolled down a hallway with five doors, giving me an idea of what he meant about having extra bedrooms to spare, to the end where Rudy stood waiting.

  “Thanks,” Will murmured as we passed him at the threshold. Bold, masculine colors assaulted my senses as we entered what had to be the master bedroom. Open doors leading to a balcony overlooking the back of the house greeted me on one side, while a massive bed and mahogany furniture greeted me on the other. More windows, including a skylight, told me Will was a fan of the sun. He laid me gently on a quilt meant for cuddling and left me gaping at his backside as he disappeared through a pair of French doors at the far corner of the room. He returned a minute later with a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers.

  “Take three of these; they’re anti-inflammatories. And drink this whole glass of water. I’ll be back with ice.”

  I didn’t argue, just did as he asked before making myself more comfortable on the bed. It wasn’t easy with the throbbing ankle, but I managed to pull myself up to the pillows. When Will returned, he set the ice aside and looked over my legs.

  “Your stockings are ruined,” he murmured. “And I think that skirt might be too.”

  I hadn’t even bothered to look, but a glance down made me grimace. Yeah, I looked like hell. “Good thing we’re shopping for new clothes,” I joked, earning a brief grin from him.

  His fingers danced over my ankle. “We need to remove these so I can look at the cut on your foot and the scrapes on your knees.”

  “Cut?” I repeated. I’d been so consumed by my ankle, I hadn’t noticed the stinging until he mentioned it. A glance down had me starting to roll off the bed, but a hand on my hip kept me in place. “I’m bleeding on your quilt.”

  “Like I care,” he chastised. “No moving unless it’s to help me get these stockings off.”

  “Yes, sir,” I grumbled, sarcastic. “I’ll have to unhook them from the garters.” Yes, I had a fetish for lingerie. Not that anyone ever had the pleasure of enjoying it except me.

  His eyes darkened as I lifted my skirt to fiddle with the stockings. I wasn’t nearly as gentle as I should be, but they were going directly into the trash anyway. When I lifted to undo the back, pain shot up my leg, making me wince.

  “Here,” he pushed my hand away and deftly unfastened the fabric at the back of both thighs. I should have known he’d be skilled at that. He lifted my uninjured leg first and placed my foot against his solid abdomen before dipping his fingers into the lacy top. My breath caught as I met his gaze. The pain had dulled the intimacy of the act, but watching him slowly roll the stocking over my thigh, then my knee, and down my calf sent a jolt of desire right to my core. I fought the urge to clench my thighs, knowing he would feel it if I did.

  When he started on my other leg, the desire to squirm overwhelmed me until the fabric slipped over my knee. I’d apparently gone down on this leg first because my other one was unmarred. I hissed out a breath as he continued exposing my leg and another scrape I hadn’t realized was there. Pain and pleasure seemed to war inside of me, sending mixed signals to my brain. I didn’t know whether to moan or to cry. He took particular care as he rolled the silk over my ankle and injured foot. When he didn’t drop it right away, I risked a glance down and found him surveying the cut.

  “I don’t think you need stitches, but we definitely need to clean it up and put a bandage on it.”

  “Great.” I fought a whimper as he set my foot down.

  A knock at the doorway had Will lifting his head.

  “Maeve is here,” Rudy said. I started to shift, self-conscious at all the skin on display, but Will caught my hip again and flashed me a dark look that froze me in place.

  “No moving,” he reminded me, making me shiver. I knew he was dominant, but this was new. “Tell Maeve we’re going to be a few minutes.”

  “Yes, sir.” Rudy never walked into the room, much to my gratitude, but I still narrowed my gaze at Will.

  “Excuse me for not wanting the world to see me like this.”

  He snorted. “Rudy is hardly the world.”

  “Still, it’s my body, and I’ll move if I want.”

  “Not in my bed, you won’t.”

  My lips parted on a gasp. He had to be joking. But the look in his eyes said he wasn’t. He held me for a second longer—to drive home his point—before heading back to the bathroom.

  I blew out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and shivered. It went against the grain to be turned on right now, but my nipples were as hard as rocks against my lacy bra, and my panties were more than soaked.

  What the heck is wrong with me?

  Powerful men had always fascinated me, hence my involvement with Ryan. He was the epitome of formidable, with all his political connections and domineering attitude, but he took it to unhealthy levels. And his version of control in the bedroom involved him getting off whenever he wanted and leaving me high and dry.

  Something about the way Will looked at me just now said that was not his idea of dominance. And unlike Ryan’s, Will’s alpha tendencies were more subtle—charming, even.

  Except for his comment about moving. Which I did now just to spite him. He caught me in the act of shuffling up the bed and cocked an eyebrow as he walked out of the bathroom.

  I didn’t bother stopping and returned his look with one of my own. What are you going to do about it?

  The smile he flashed at me said, Oh, darlin’, wouldn’t you like to know? But he didn’t comment out loud as he sat on the bed beside me and started doctoring my foot.

  “This is going to sting,” he warned as he started cleaning the cut. I bit my lip to keep from squealing, then let it go with a pop when he bent to blow on my foot. When he did the same thing to the cut on my knee, I shivered. Okay, maybe this doctor thing wasn’t so bad. And the feel of his rough hands on my bare skin? Yeah, I liked that too.

  “All right, you need to elevate this for at least twenty minutes with ice. While you’re doing that, I’ll grab your suitcase from the car so you can change.” His lips quirked up. “Just because you decided to cheat and run through a rock-infested field does not mean you get to skip this afternoon’s meet and greet with my team. Nice try, though, Miss Dawson.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Are you accusing me of slacking off?”

  He reached over me to grab two pillows and paused with his face a few inches from mine. “No, I’m accusing you of cheating. Which, by the way, means I won, and we’ll be sharing this house for the week.” He waggled his brows. “I think we’ve gotten off to a fabulous start, don’t you?”

  Will arranged my foot on the pillows, then draped a towel, which I hadn’t realized was there, over my ankle before pressing the ice pack to the most tender area.

  My resulting wince killed whatever retort I had lined
up on my tongue. I couldn’t even remember what we’d been bickering about. How stupid had I been to run through that damn field? All for what? To win a silly game? Or was it darker than that? I’d enjoyed him chasing me. Deep down, I’d hoped he would catch me. Part of that fantasy came true, since I’d landed in his bed, but not nearly in the way I desired.

  He leaned over to tug at the edges of the quilt from the opposite side of the bed and yanked it closer. “In case you get cold,” he explained as he left the corner beside me. His hand went to my hip. “Now, I mean it, Rachel. No moving.” That dark look was back, sending a shiver across my skin.

  Why is that so sexy?

  Because you’ve lost your marbles.

  “You realize orders don’t work on me.” I couldn’t help throwing that out there. He had to know this about me by now, and if he didn’t, then we had another conversation coming.

  He grinned and dropped his lips to my ear. “Oh, I do, darlin’. But I also know you enjoy them.” His teeth scraped over my neck in such a brief caress that I wondered if I’d imagined it. And then he was gone.

  11

  A Fresh Dynamic

  Will’s doctoring helped with the swelling, but my ankle hurt like hell during the meet and greet in his oversized living room. I forced myself to ignore the pain as I shook hands with all his senior staff members and matched names with faces.

  My feet were bare, something no one seemed to notice since they’d all discarded their shoes at the door, but I felt naked wandering around without my usual stockings. I caught Will looking at my exposed legs more than once. Each time, he flashed me a grin that sent heat rushing to all manner of inappropriate regions. It left me questioning his attraction all over again, especially when he maintained a purely professional demeanor. The way he handled the meeting and deferred to me for the legal updates were with the utmost respect. Never once did he make a suggestive comment or look.

  And then there was that nibble. Every time he smiled, whether seductively or amusedly, it reminded me of his teeth against my neck and elicited a shiver. Like now as he chuckled at something David said. The financial analyst seemed to be the joker of the group. He had a light air about him that kept everyone laughing.

  Will shook his head. “You’re trouble, man.”

  “So my wife tells me,” the redhead replied. “Speaking of which, she’ll kill me if I come home late tonight after pulling all those hours last week.”

  “Can’t have that,” Will replied, still grinning. “I think we’ve all done enough for today. Next week is shaping up to be a success, and it’s thanks to all the hard work in this room and also to Rachel’s team at Baker Brown.”

  There was a round of cheers and excited claps, then each member of Will’s team came up to shake his hand before leaving. Maeve, a slender woman with auburn hair, was the last to leave. Her lips curled into an adoring grin as she placed a kiss on Will’s cheek. The woman’s sharp suit fit her like a glove, leaving little to the imagination with all her curves and long legs.

  “We need to review the Francis presentation,” she murmured.

  “Send it to me and I’ll take a look.”

  She glanced at me with a curious look, then back at him. “Or we can review it now.”

  Will grinned. “Maeve, go home. You’ve worked far too hard already.”

  “You know I don’t mind.”

  “Pretty sure Robbie does, though.”

  She sighed. “Yeah. Doesn’t matter how many times Mia explains our friendship, Robbie still worries.” Her kind brown eyes met mine and crinkled at the edges. “Have you met Mia yet?”

  The name didn’t ring a bell. “I don’t think so.”

  “My cousin,” Will explained. “Evan’s little sister.”

  “Oh, the doctor?” Sarah briefly mentioned her to me. “She’s moving home soon, right?”

  “December,” Maeve replied, her excitement palpable.

  “She’s Mia’s best friend and practically grew up at the Mershano family home.”

  “Hence the reason Will hired me.”

  Will cast her a fond look that was more brotherly than romantic. The competitor inside me relaxed at that expression, while the sane part of me cringed.

  Getting protective over a man who isn’t even remotely yours. Smooth, Rach.

  “We both know that’s not why I hired you, darlin’. Your resume more than qualified you. Now seriously, get out of here before Robbie calls me to complain again.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I can handle him.” She winked at me like I understood the dynamic between them all, then grabbed her bag. “I’ll send you the presentation when I get home.”

  “Thank you, Maeve.”

  “Nice to meet you, Rachel. I look forward to working with you more in the future.”

  “Uh, me too,” I answered slowly, narrowing my eyes at Will. “What have you been telling people?” I asked after Maeve disappeared into the foyer.

  “That you’re an amazing attorney whom I wanted to hire,” he answered with a shrug. “But you already know that.”

  My brow crinkled in confusion. “We’ve been working together for weeks.”

  “Sure, through your firm. That doesn’t dismiss the fact that I still wanted to hire you.” The intensity in his gaze matched the one I’d seen upstairs in his bedroom. My thighs squeezed at the memory, forcing me to take a step back to relieve the ache building there. Pain replaced desire as I stepped too hard on my injured foot. I’d spent most of the afternoon unconsciously balancing on one leg, and my other was quick to remind me why. Will’s hand snagged my hip, keeping me upright when I would have staggered back.

  “I think it’s time for more elevation and ice,” he murmured as he guided me over to the couch. “I did recommend you stay seated for the meeting, and not stand up.”

  I snorted. More like he ordered me to remain in my chair, which was why I ignored him. “I like to be on equal footing with clients,” I muttered as I fell into the plush cushions. They felt like clouds, which was the only reason I didn’t argue as he nudged me onto my back. Those clever fingers drifted down my leg as he snagged a pillow with his opposite hand.

  “Yes, I’ve learned that about you.” He gently lifted my ankle and propped it up on a pile of fluff. “Your assertiveness is sexy, if a little dangerous.”

  “Dangerous?” I repeated, incredulous. “Why, because it intimidates you?”

  “No, darlin’. Because it excites me.” The grin that accompanied those words had me swallowing my tongue.

  Wolfish didn’t even begin to describe that look. It was the kind of expression a woman wanted to see in the bedroom. The type filled with promise and confidence, and screaming, I know what you need. It scattered goose bumps down my arms and caused delicious sensations to coil tightly in my lower abdomen. It usually took a man several minutes of foreplay to entice that sort of reaction, but Will managed it with a wicked curl of his lips.

  He let the moment simmer, heightening my arousal with each brush of his thumb against the hem of my skirt. My fingers twitched with the need to reciprocate, to touch him, to do something other than curl tightly at my sides. But I couldn’t move, captivated by that look, entirely at his mercy. I’d never felt so completely floored in my entire life, but I luxuriated in it. Ryan’s control left me quivering in terror, while Will’s subtle dominance thrilled me. It was utterly fucked up, yet I had no desire to fight it.

  “No more standing,” he murmured as he stepped away.

  I glowered after his perfect ass, irritated that he broke the intimacy between us. “Or what?”

  His response was a low chuckle that stoked the flames higher inside. How did he do that? It was both enthralling and infuriating. I considered standing again just to piss him off, but my ankle protested the idea. He returned a few minutes later with another towel and a bag of ice, as well as a glass of water. “Too soon for another anti-inflammatory, but hydration helps. You finish this and rest while I go figure out dinner.”

&nbs
p; “You’re going to cook?” I hadn’t meant for it to sound so dubious, but from my limited experience, most men did not know their way around the kitchen. Ryan considered it a place for his staff, or the occasional woman, like me.

  “Any vegetables you’re particularly averse to?” he asked, ignoring my question.

  “Brussels sprouts.” I detested them.

  “Noted,” was all he said as he disappeared down the hall. I hadn’t been to the back of the house yet, but I imagined it contained a large kitchen and dining area and maybe another entertainment-style room. This one lacked a television but did contain a few bookshelves and a myriad of seating. It had housed his team of twelve comfortably while we all introduced ourselves and reviewed various documents. Considering everyone’s comfort, it seemed obvious they met here often.

  Savory notes tickled my nose after what felt like a lifetime of staring at the ceiling. I considered asking for my phone, but I didn’t want to see how many missed calls I had from Ryan. He likely wanted an update on my business trip, which was not his concern. Those words were on the tip of my tongue every time we spoke, but I could never force them out. Yet I had the sudden desire to send him a message stating just that. Maybe it was the security of being in Will’s home that left me feeling so bold. Ryan couldn’t touch me here, but he could the minute I left. That latter thought was what kept me from following through on the notion. He’d be waiting for me, and then all hell would break loose.

  The last time I tried to stand up to him had not ended well. My sprained ankle had nothing on that experience. I rubbed my healed ribs as the memory assaulted me. No. Never again. Shoving it away, I pushed off the couch and grabbed the ice pack. The scents wafting in from the hallway were far more appealing than the recesses of my mind. I hobbled toward what I assumed to be the kitchen and found myself staring at a wall of windows overlooking the wooden deck outside. Mountains littered with trees sprawled beyond it, causing me to pause. I was a city girl at heart, but I couldn’t deny the tranquility in this view.