Progressing

Emily’s fingers trailed down the front of Kevin’s tie, her nails catching lightly on the silk as she tugged him closer—just an inch, but enough that he could feel the heat radiating off her bare knees where they brushed against his thigh. "You’re sweating," she murmured, her breath warm against his jaw. "Is it the AC, or…?" She left the question dangling, her thumb brushing the damp spot above his collar.

Kevin’s grip on the armrests tightened, his knuckles whitening. "Emily—"

"Shh." She pressed a fingertip to his lips, her touch lingering just a heartbeat too long. "Don’t think. Just *feel*." Her other hand slid down his chest, slow and deliberate, stopping just above his belt buckle. She tapped it lightly with the twisted paperclip heart—*click*—then tilted her head, her gaze flicking up to meet his. "Bet I can guess your pulse rate right now."

He swallowed hard. Her knee shifted higher, the hem of her skirt riding up another fraction as she leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of his ear. "One-twenty?" she whispered. "One-thirty?" Her teeth grazed his earlobe, just barely, and Kevin jerked like he’d been shocked.

Emily laughed, low and throaty, pulling back to watch the flush spread across his neck. "Oh, *wow*," she breathed, her eyes darkening. "You’re *so* easy." She twirled the paperclip between her fingers, then slid it into his front pocket, her palm flattening against his thigh as she tucked it away. "Keep that for me. For when you’re… thinking about this later."

Emily’s fingers trailed down Kevin’s tie again, but this time, she didn’t stop at his chest. The silk slipped through her grasp until her knuckles grazed the taut fabric of his slacks, her touch lingering just above the zipper. Kevin’s breath stuttered, his hips jerking involuntarily, and Emily’s lips curved into a wicked smile. "Oops," she murmured, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "Did I distract you again?"

Kevin’s grip on the armrests was white-knuckled now, his jaw clenched so tight she could see the muscle twitching. "You’re playing with fire," he ground out, but the warning lacked any real heat. Emily’s grin widened. She *liked* that—the way his voice went rough when he was trying to resist her, the way his pupils dilated when she leaned in just a little too close.

"Oh, I know," she purred, sliding off the desk to stand between his knees. Her skirt brushed against his thighs as she braced her hands on the arms of his chair, caging him in. The office was silent except for the hum of the computer and the unsteady rhythm of Kevin’s breathing. Emily tilted her head, her blonde hair slipping over one shoulder as she studied him. "You’re *so* tense," she whispered, her lips brushing his earlobe. "Let me help you relax."

Before he could protest, her hands were on his shoulders again, kneading the tight muscles there. But this time, her thumbs dipped lower, tracing the line of his collarbone through his shirt. Kevin’s breath hitched when her nails scraped lightly over his nipples, the fabric doing nothing to dull the sensation. "Emily—" His voice was strangled, torn between protest and something far more primal.

"Mmm?" She hummed, her lips trailing along his jaw. "You were saying?" Her teeth grazed his pulse point, just hard enough to make him groan, and she felt the vibration of it against her mouth. God, he was *so* responsive—every touch, every whisper, sending shivers down his spine. She wondered if his wife ever touched him like this, if she ever made him come apart with just her teeth and her nails and the promise of more.

Emily's fingers traced the seam of Kevin’s slacks, her nail catching on the zipper just enough to make him suck in a sharp breath. "You know," she murmured, her lips brushing the shell of his ear, "back home, we called this *testing the waters*." She flicked the metal tab with her thumb—*click*—and felt his thighs tense beneath her. "But you’re not water, are you, Kevin?" Her tongue darted out to trace the rim of his earlobe. "You’re something a lot hotter."

Kevin’s hands shot up to grip her wrists, but his hold was shaky, his thumbs stroking the delicate bones there almost reflexively. "Emily—" His voice cracked halfway through her name, and she grinned against his neck, tasting salt and the faintest hint of his cologne.

"Mmm, say it again," she whispered, shifting her weight so her knee pressed deliberately between his thighs. The choked noise he made was *delicious*. She’d never done this before—never *wanted* to before—but the way his body reacted to her touch was intoxicating. His pulse jumped under her fingertips, and she pressed her palm flat against his chest, feeling the rapid thud beneath his shirt. "God, you’re *so* easy to read," she breathed, dragging her teeth along his jaw. "Your heart’s going crazy. Is it because of me? Or because you know you *shouldn’t* want this?"

His grip tightened, but he didn’t push her away. Emily took that as permission to continue. She slid her free hand down his tie, following the silk until her fingers brushed the buckle of his belt. The leather was warm under her touch, and she toyed with the prong, tugging it loose with a slow, deliberate pull. Kevin’s breath stuttered, his hips jerking upward involuntarily, and Emily laughed—a low, throaty sound that vibrated against his skin. "Oh, *someone’s* eager," she teased, her fingers tracing the outline of him through the fabric. "Guess I was right about that pulse rate, huh?"

Kevin’s head thumped back against the chair, his eyes squeezing shut as her fingers danced along his zipper. "Fuck," he gritted out, his voice raw.