Aimee Duffy - What a Girl Needs

That was something she hadn’t asked herself until now. ‘I don’t know.’

Could he still be hung up on his ex? Maybe he thought having Georgia at his side would make Clarissa jealous and take him back? And as a way of saying thanks he’d have a go at making the woman who’d never had an orgasm come.

A shudder ran through her and her stomach turned over.

‘You can report him for sexual harassment if this gets out of hand,’ Calvin said.

With the frown he was sporting and his clenched jaw, Georgia guessed he’d like to do a lot more than make a complaint about him.

Shey squeezed his arm. ‘Trust me, Georgia can look after herself. Right?’

The last part was directed at her and she nodded, but wasn’t sure if it was the truth this time. Calvin’s frown deepened, obviously he didn’t agree with his girl.

‘She’s right. Maxton Briggs the Second isn’t any different from other guys who’ve been on the end of a tongue lashing from me.’

But none of those other men had been her boss and Georgia hadn’t wanted them like she wanted Max. No, she wanted to give him a different kind of tongue lashing altogether. Damn she had to stop fantasizing like this. She had to be proactive, had to think of a diplomatic way to deal with this. Thank God Eloisa walked in then, because if anyone knew where she stood in situations like this it was the newly qualified attorney of the house.

Georgia told her friends the full story.

As Georgia made her way to Max’s office the next day, she was resolved to stop him from pushing her before it got out of hand. Last night she’d stayed up late with the girls and Calvin. She now had a plan of attack.

Offense was the best form of defense, after all.

Max’s PA frowned when she entered the hall, but Georgia didn’t stop. She walked right past the desk, making a beeline for his office at the far side of the lobby. Her heels clattered on the polished wooden floor. The place was big enough to host a pitch-and-put tournament, unlike the cramped hole she’d been shoved into, and that just annoyed her more.

‘You can’t go in there!’ the woman trilled.

Georgia heard shuffling, then footsteps but she didn’t spare the woman a glance. Her stomach was bubbling with the thought of opening his door, seeing him, and having her plans crash and burn. Arguing with his PA would only give her more time to chicken out.

She pushed his door wide and stormed right in. Max was on a call, grinning at something the other person had said. Her heart stilled as she took in his black shirt which was rolled up his forearms, silver tie knotted loosely and his wavy hair pushed back from his face.

Oh hell. She could just clear his desk right now, lie down with her legs spread and ask him to give it his best shot. He’d never looked so casual and relaxed, yet so completely fuckable that everything flew from her mind and her body revved up for his.

His PA was beside Georgia in a heartbeat, then urging her back out the door with a hand on her forearm. Georgia snapped out of her daytime fantasy and glared at the woman. She took a step back.

With an apology, Max ended his call.

‘I’m so sorry, Mr. Briggs. I couldn’t stop her.’

Nothing would have stopped her. Except maybe busted kneecaps, but his PA was too meek to dare.

‘It’s okay, Lucy. Leave us and close the door.’

‘But Mr. Briggs, your next appointment is due soon.’ Lucy wasn’t giving up.

His smile was easy, like this happened to him every day. ‘Tell them I won’t be long if they arrive before this meeting’s over.’

The way he looked at her, like he was down with the plan to screw six ways till Sunday on his desk, left no doubt in her mind about how attracted to her he was. Georgia had to swallow hard and lock her shaky knees so she didn’t abandon her plan there and then and jump straight on him.

Lucy frowned at Georgia before she left. Maybe barging into his office wasn’t the best idea she’d had. With little to no sleep the night before and her body vibrating with nerves all morning, she didn’t want to put this off any longer. Only thing was, now she was here the perfectly polite speech she’d practiced dropped out of her head, like she hadn’t spent an hour going over it, in front of a mirror, to practice keeping the bitchy out of her expression.

Instead all she could focus on was his throat and the flash of skin showing where two buttons had been left undone. A hot flush spread up her neck, and also down, until the tingly feeling in the pit of her stomach came back.

‘Something I can help you with?’ he asked, his eyes flicking down her body.

She fought the urge to tug at the hem of her skirt – though whether to hike it up or down a bit, she didn’t know.

‘What you said yesterday—’

‘Take a seat.’

She did, on one of the chairs at the other side of his desk. Not because he’d told her to, but because her legs had started to shake and sitting would be the safer option. ‘Yesterday when you—’

‘Look.’ Max held his hands up.

Her eyes narrowed and again she had to keep her mouth shut before she said something she’d regret. Eventually. Maybe.

‘It came out wrong, okay? I didn’t come to ask if you wanted to start a fling,’ he said, his expression serious.

Great, now all she could think about was that he didn’t really want her and her lungs cramped. She sucked in a few breaths until the jerky movements faded. ‘What did you mean?’

Max raked a hand through his hair. ‘I did want you to come to the late summer ball with me at the end of the week, and it would be a bonus if you agreed to pretend to be my date. But when I saw the email I wanted to choke all the bastards that had treated you like a blow-up doll and I lost my head.’

Georgia frowned. He’d totally blown her out of the water. Especially now that it sounded like… ‘So you thought offering a few pity fucks might sweeten the deal for me?’

She slammed her teeth shut with a clatter and her gaze dropped to his desk. Eyeing the stapler, she wondered if it would clip her tongue to the bottom of her mouth. Maybe that way she’d be forced to think before she spoke.

‘Georgia.’

His voice dripped with command and she couldn’t not meet his eyes again. They were hard, just like his expression. Shit, she’d gone too far. Then his tone changed again.

‘You’re very beautiful. From the first day I came here and saw you get out of that little red car, I wanted you. Then you leaned in and kissed that…’ Max’s jaw tightened. ‘Guy. I was pissed off because I was attracted to you and I had no idea if you were serious with the guy. I tried to keep away as much as I could after that.’

She couldn’t do anything except blink at him. To have him say he wanted her…

Her heart was going too fast, pumping hot blood around her body, including the inappropriate parts. She had to squeeze her knees together, but it didn’t stop the pulsing between her legs. He’d no doubt used that low, seductive tone on purpose, probably knowing it made women melt. Well, she was damned if she’d let him see the effect it had on her; she was nobody’s pity ride.

She’d never been this turned on, or pissed off.

‘Knowing you’re single now makes me want you more. And I know you want me too. It’s pointless trying to deny it.’

She had to stop her jaw from dropping. The arrogant, condescending, pigheaded ass . There was no way he could know what she felt. She didn’t know what she felt.

‘How can you be so sure of yourself?’

Irritation bubbled just under the surface. She knew this conversation was getting dangerous, because her hand itched to slap that self-assured smirk right off his face.