Learning Curves (2 page)

“What’s the matter with you?” Kelli asked quietly.

Lauren dropped onto the plush, upholstered chair and crossed her legs. “What do you mean?”

“Your face is flushed, and your bun has sprung.”

“Like you have to ask,” she muttered, her foot jiggling like it had a nervous twitch.

“Are those new?” Kelli pointed at Lauren’s feet.

Stretching out her leg, Lauren twisted her ankle around, giving Kelli a better look at the black alligator pumps she’d splurged on—a secret indulgence. “They are. You like?”

“Me love. So, what has Linc done this time?”

Lauren shifted in her chair. Never in a million years would she admit, especially to Kelli, that she might, just a little bit, be attracted to Linc. “He exists. Isn’t that enough?”

“I told you, once you get to know him, he’s really nice.”

Lauren gave an unladylike snort. “Which translates to he’s a complete asshole, but you get used to it.” She slanted Kelli a look. She’d heard the stories. He was a ruthless, take-no-prisoners businessman, and she had no doubt he was just as ethical when it came to women. “No. Thank. You.” She lifted her chin and ran her hands over the lapels of her suit jacket. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve no intention of getting to know him. He’s your boss, not mine.”

“I don’t know, Lauren. I’m beginning to think the tension between you two stems from something else.”

“I hardly think so,” she said, a little too quickly.
Dammit, way to give myself away.

Kelli grinned. “She protests too much…me thinks.”

“Well, you’re wrong,
Shakespeare
. I can’t stand guys like him.” Hot, sexy, can-get-any-woman-he-wants types. And it irked the hell out of her that she couldn’t get him out of her head.

“All I know is the chemistry between you two is explosive.” Kelli peeked at her watch. “What took you so long to get down here? The game is almost over.”

She glanced at the scoreboard, thankful for the change in subject. Her team was down by one. She resisted the urge to shout encouragements. Cheering for the Storms while working for the Rays might not be in her best interest. Her boss, Michael Rock, was a bit of a hard-ass when it came to team loyalty and would likely fire her for what he’d consider an act of treason.

She shrugged. “I had to run some numbers. Michael needed them right away.”

Kelli scoffed. “And you think my boss is a hard-ass. At least he gives me time off to catch a game every now and then.”

Linc appeared at the table with a drink in his hand. How long had he been standing there? Had he overheard any of their conversation? Lauren’s entire body stiffened as he dropped onto the chair next to Kelli without so much as saying hello to her. Oh, so she was back to being the invisible girl now, was she? Jerk.

Then again, why would he really pay any attention to her? Obviously he’d been just waiting for her to look his way when she’d seen him stroking the brunette’s arm. She was, after all, as boring as her clothes, and likely blended in with the ugly beige walls hugging the skybox. Nothing exciting to see here. Move along. Just ask her ex. He’d be quick to set the record straight. What was that he’d said? Sex with her was like drinking day-old champagne…no fizz. Then again her ex was about as exciting as a wet crouton—under-seasoned with no bite.

Linc, however…well, that guy had spice
and
bite written all over him. Any girl would want to pop him into her mouth and savor every morsel. The sudden image of being on her knees, looking up his long, lean body as he fed her his cock popped into Lauren’s head, and the shocker was, she didn’t find the thought unpleasant at all.

What would sex be like with him?

Would she be able to orgasm with him? Or would she once again fall short, and turn sex into something awkward and stiff?

Maybe I should just start collecting cats now.

“Well?”

Lauren blinked and focused on Kelli, who gave her an odd look from across the table. “What?”

“I asked what was so urgent that it had to be done today?”

Heat again warmed Lauren’s cheeks. These fantasies had to stop, especially with the object of them sitting at the same table. What had they been talking about? Oh, right, running numbers.

“I could have worked on the statements Monday, but you know I have this thing about unfinished business,” she said, explaining her tardiness. It was the accountant in her. “I can’t walk away until I see that healthy bottom line.”

Kelli stared at her for a moment and then shook her head. “Damn girl. You really need to get laid.”

Lauren’s mouth fell open, and she darted a quick glance around to see if anyone had overheard her. From the corner of her eye, she could see Linc’s head slowly turn her way as she zeroed back in on her friend. The skin at the nape of her neck tingled. Oh, God.

He’s staring at me!
Swallow me Earth. Now. Do it.

Don’t look
.
Don’t look
.

She looked.

When her gaze met that set of piercing blue eyes, it nearly sucked the oxygen from her lungs. He rested his arm on the table and leaned forward, leaving no doubt that his attention was focused on her. The corner of his mouth quirked, and a dimple formed as his gaze moved over her face. That smirk. God, that smirk. Sexy, dirty, that of a natural born bad boy—a shameless player. Her body burned, no tinder needed. Come on. Weren’t her panties damp enough already?

“What was that about a
bottom
line?” he asked, his voice laced with humor.

Her stomach squeezed. Why oh why did everything that came out of his mouth sound so sexual? “Nothing,” she said, looking away to focus in on the game below. Dammit, the Rays were pressing.

Kelli’s glance ping-ponged between Lauren and Linc. “I’m going to grab a hot dog and a drink. Anybody want one?” she asked.

Panic burst inside Lauren. Kelli couldn’t leave. She needed a buffer, otherwise she’d have to make conversation with Miami’s hottest, youngest, sexiest billionaire. One who made her mouth go dry and the needy spot between her legs tingle.

Damn him.

“Yeah, grab me one, Kel.” He dipped his head and looked at Lauren. “Would you like a footlong?”

A strange, strangled noise crawled out of her throat. Both Kelli and Linc sat there looking at her like she had two heads. Wait, what?
Are you kidding me?
How could anyone not think those words were overtly sexual? Ugh. Then again, maybe they weren’t. Maybe her mind was in the gutter because she hadn’t felt a man’s hand on her body, or had a
footlong
in ages. Or ever.

Kelli was right. She needed to get laid.

She coughed in a feeble effort to cover up her embarrassment as the two continued to watch her. “No, I’m good,” she managed to get out past a tongue gone thick.

As Kelli stood and went to get the refreshments, Lauren also got up from the table and walked to the window. She stepped up to the glass and focused on the game, a difficult task when the king of the one-night stands followed her and was standing so close. The Storms interrupted a pass, and took off down the ice. The puck was passed from center ice to the left-winger, who took a shot, and evened the score.

“Yes!” she hissed before she could catch herself.

“Interesting,” Linc said.

She angled her chin and glanced up at him. “What?”

“I’m pretty sure I just heard you cheering for the other team.”

She tore her gaze from his, denial spilling from her lips. “You’re wrong.”

He moved close, too close. His hand brushed against hers, the warmth of his knuckles curling her toes. Her nipples tightened as she imagined the rough rasp of his fingers skimming over her breast. “Pretty sure I’m not.”

She squared her shoulders and opened her mouth to counter, but his scent…damn, why did he have to smell so good? She breathed him in. Mmm. Warm and earthy, like afternoon sex on the beach. Wait, what was it she wanted to say?

Get it together, Lauren.

“You’re from New York, right? Kelli told me you met in college.”

Why would he be talking about me with Kelli?

“I might be from New York, but I wasn’t cheering for the Storms.” She tapped her temple. “I was just running some numbers in my head, and it excites me when things balance.”

His grin widened, bringing those dimples into play. Dammit, she was so busted.

He arched a brow. “So this is you…excited?”

His warm breath fluttered over her face. “Yeah. This is me, excited.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“You’re not even smiling. I mean, most people smile when they’re excited, don’t they?”

“I’m smiling on the inside.”

“Right.” He glanced at the ice and then back at her.

“What?” She stared at him. She had no idea what was going through his head, but she’d grown up with three scheming brothers and knew when a plan was forming. What was he up to?

“How about a bet?”

“I don’t bet.”

His grin was slow, sexy…deliciously filthy. Enough already! “I think you’re going to want to take this one.”

Her body stiffened and she eyed him carefully. “Why?”

“If you don’t, word could get out that a Rays employee was in the skybox rooting for the other team.”

Her heart slammed. Bastard. “You wouldn’t.”

He held his hands out, palms toward her, the image of innocence when he said, “Hey, I’m not saying
I
would tell.”

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “What do you want?”

“Bet me.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, that dirty, promising smile of his teasing her sex. “My team against yours.”

What the… Okay, she was pretty damn certain this exchange was sexual. But it didn’t make sense. She wasn’t even his type, and in all the times they crossed paths, he’d barely spoken to her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, needing clarification.

“If my team scores before overtime, I win, and you’re mine for the weekend.”

His for the weekend?

Her mind raced with hot, sexy images, like him holding her against the wall while he did depraved, corrupt things to her body. She swallowed.
How tempting.

“And if I win?” she asked, sounding far more winded than she would have liked.

“Then I’m
yours
for the weekend. You can use me any way you want.”

“I do have a toilet that needs to be cleaned.”

He leaned into her and flashed her a feral, merciless smile as his gaze settled on her mouth. “Sure, but I’d rather fuck,” he said, his voice a devious hush orchestrated to fluster her.

Mission accomplished. His dirty words, ones that should have offended, spurred a need deep between her legs, and it was all she could do not to hand herself over to him, to let him own every inch of her for the weekend.

He wanted to fuck her? Seriously? She had to be hallucinating. This couldn’t be happening. Could it?

He looked her dead in the eyes. “Deal?”

She bit her lip before she hissed
yes, please
.

The clock was ticking down, and the only way she could lose was if the Rays suddenly scored, and no way in hell was that going to happen this late in the game.

Damn shame.

She nodded. “Fine. You’re on.”

They turned to watch the game, and she held her breath as the Rays made a play. Gaze riveted, she watched the action below, but it was hard to concentrate. With the puck in play, her lashes briefly fluttered shut, an attempt to wipe away the erotic visions still dancing in her mind’s eye.
I’d rather fuck.
When her eyes opened, the Rays’ defense sent the puck down the ice. Cheers erupted in the stadium as it crossed center ice. The Rays’ right wing snagged it and took a shot. It dented the top of the net, and bounced out. The goalie dived, but failed to stop the shot by the winger. He shoots. He scores. Pulling off a last minute win for the Rays—and for Linc.

“Oh my God,” she said, her words tumbling out on a whisper. “I can’t believe it.”

“How does seven sound?”

She turned to find him with an unapologetic and deadly grin on his face. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to smack, or kiss, it off.

“What?” she asked.

“Does seven work for you?”

“Seven?” she asked, her brain working hard to catch up.

“Do you like sushi?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Pack a bag. I’ll pick you up at seven, and we’ll start with sushi.”

Start? Wait. A bag?

“I’ll get your address from Kelli.”

“You’ll get what from me?” Kelli asked as she came back with two hot dogs—one half-eaten. When neither spoke, her gaze bobbed between the two. “Wait, what did I miss?”

Heart racing, Lauren shook her head then slapped away a few tendrils of hair that slipped from her bun.

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “We just…I…”

Linc gestured toward the ice. “We had a friendly bet on the outcome of the game.”

“Really?” Kelli dabbed mustard from her bottom lip and handed Linc his
footlong
. “It’s not like you to gamble.” She eyed Lauren. “So, I take it you lost.”

Oozing confidence, Linc leaned in, and her gaze flashed to his. “I wouldn’t exactly say that.” His voice was powerful and rough, a clue to the kind of sex he liked.

God, it’s crazy how he makes me feel so…needy.

A small, blissful noise escaped Lauren’s throat as she worked to speak, but since she couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence, she shut her mouth.

“I don’t understand. Who won?” When they remained silent, Kelli bit into her hot dog, her brow furrowed. She chewed, swallowed, then asked, “What the hell is going on between you two?”

“We…” Linc began, but then someone from the other side of the room called out to him. Linc shifted his focus and nodded to Michael as the Rays’ owner sauntered their way. He turned back to them. “I need to speak with Michael.” He turned to Lauren, his grin cocky, hot as a Miami summer. Her pulse leaped as he dipped his head, his mouth inches from her ear. “And for the record, Lauren. I’d like to think we both won.”