He suddenly saw stars when Skyler abruptly rocked into him.

“No,” he commanded, grasping her hip to keep her still. “You don’t move until I tell you to. You’re going to sit there like the good girl you are while I play with you.”

Her breathing grew more unstable by the moment. “You’re so evil.”

“You love it, baby.”

“I do,” she moaned. “I really do.”

Chuckling, he continued to work her clit with fingers.

Waited. Watched.

Gage had no clue how much time passed. Several minutes at least. Long enough that his balls drew up in agony, his c**k screaming for release, for friction, for anything.

“I…oh…I’m almost there.” Desperation creased her face. “Oh, Gage. Now.”

Thank God.

His hips shot back like a cannonball, then thrust forward with so much force it knocked the computer keyboard right off the desk. He slammed into her hard, groaning when he felt her pu**y spasm around his cock. Every sense came alive, pleasure prickling over his skin, surging through his blood. Three more thrusts and he came as violently as she was, panting for air as the orgasm sizzled through his body in hot, pulsing waves.

It took a while to crash back to earth. His hands shook as he cupped her face. “You good, baby?”

She nodded wordlessly, eyes hazy with satisfaction.

Christ, he wanted to stay inside her forever, and it was with extreme reluctance that he withdrew from her tight sheath. Skyler straightened her dress while he disposed of the condom, and as he zipped up his pants, he noticed the displeased frown marring her lips.

“I didn’t get to see you naked.” She pouted. “I really wanted to see you naked.”

He laughed hoarsely. “I’m sorry?”

She slid off the desk and marched right into his personal space, leaning up to kiss him before speaking in a firm voice. “We’re going to see each other again, by the way.”

Wariness rose in his throat. “Skyler…”

“I intended for tonight to be a onetime thing, but I’ve changed my mind. This was way too good not to do again.”

He couldn’t argue with her there. Hands down, the best sex of his life.

But it hadn’t changed his mind, either. His life was too screwed up, too damn dark. Skyler, on the other hand…she radiated light and goodness. He refused to drag her down with him.

Besides, even if he didn’t have a shit-ton of headaches on his plate right now, he still wouldn’t be able to give her what she needed. What every woman needed.

He’d figured out a long time ago that he sucked at relationships. Too many of his exes had accused him of being a cold bastard, and who could forget his last serious relationship four years ago, when Lisa had burst into tears and wailed about how she wanted him to need her. She’d insisted that he held a part of himself back, refused to lean on her or accept her support, and he supposed there was some truth to that.

Gage had never been able to rely on a single person in his life, except for his mom, who’d died when he was too damn young. After her death, he’d been truly alone, forced to take care not only of himself, but of his kid brother. At fourteen he’d worked two after-school jobs to pay the rent because his old man spent all their money on alcohol. He’d relied on himself, the only person he trusted to get shit done.

So yeah, he didn’t need anyone, not when he was perfectly capable of going at it alone, but none of the women he’d dated seemed to understand or accept that.

Gage opened his mouth, but Skyler silenced him with another fleeting kiss. “Don’t you dare tell me it won’t happen again. Because it will.”

Indecision flashed through him.

“Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to have sex with me again,” she challenged.

A groan slipped out. “God. Of course I do. But…”

“But nothing. You can’t deprive either one of us of something this good. It would be a grave injustice.”

His lips twitched in a smile, and damn it, but he could feel his resolve crumbling. “If we see each other again—”

“When we see each other again.”

“Before we do,” he corrected, “we need to lay down a few ground rules.”

“What kind of rules?”

“Actually, there’s only one. This thing between us…it’ll just be sex. That’s all I can give you.”

“Fine, great, I’ll take six more orgasms.” She blinked. “Wait, that number is too low. I’ll take…twenty?”

His lips twitched. “I’m being serious. I’m not looking for a relationship—I want to be clear about that right off the bat.”

“Gotcha. Sex only.” She went back to the desk, found a notepad and pen, and quickly scribbled something down. “That’s my number. I’m leaving it right here on your desk.” She found her purse and promptly pulled out her phone. “What’s yours?”

Gage hesitated.

“If you don’t give it to me yourself, I’ll just get it some other way. I’m very resourceful.”

A sigh escaped. “Yeah, I bet you are,” he said, before reciting his digits.

She punched the number in with a broad smile. “There. Was that so hard?” She tucked her cell back in her purse. “Okay, I’m going now. You’re at work, and I don’t want to keep you.”