And then a finger slid into her and it was exactly what she needed to come apart in his hands. His mouth.

She was still panting when he kissed his way up her body, lying beside her and stroking fingers over her ribs in soothing motions until she remembered how to think.

Penelope turned her face to look at him. “That was—”

He smiled and winked. “I know.”

She rolled toward him, licking her lip nervously. “Um, about you—”

Cole kissed her softly. “Next time. I’ll come prepared.”

Penelope was slightly relieved. Truth be told, she wasn’t at all sure she had the skills or experience to pleasure a man as clearly skilled at sex as Cole.

And yet she was also…determined.

She shoved her embarrassment aside and leaned into him until he let her roll him onto his back.

Once she was on top of him, Penelope scraped her palm along his jaw and swallowed nervously. “Will you—show me?”

“Penelope—”

“Please.”

His eyes searched her face, and she tried to banish the uncertainty the only way she could think of.

Her hand slid down his body until her palm rested over the bulging erection beneath his jeans.

“Baby.” His eyes closed, and she smiled, knowing she had him.

She moved her hand over him, rubbing against him as she gathered her courage.

And then she pulled back, unsnapping his jeans and pulling down the zipper.

His underwear posed a problem. One he solved quickly by sitting up and stripping without the least bit of shyness.

Cole Sharpe was naked. Naked and gorgeous.

He lay back again. “Do your worst. I guarantee you can’t get it wrong.”

She wasn’t nearly so sure, but she surprised herself by wanting to touch him. Wanting to know every inch of him, and to make him writhe in the kind of ecstasy he’d given her.

Before she could lose her nerve, she wrapped her fingers around his cock, marveling at how small her hand looked against him. She stroked, and Cole bucked.

She smiled in triumph and Cole let out a little laugh. “I don’t think you need me to show you a damn thing, Tiny. I’d say you’ve got this.”

Her hand moved over him again, watching his face to see what he liked, and she realized that he liked it just a little bit rough.

His breathing grew more ragged and Penelope surprised herself by wanting to go further. To do things she’d always found unbearably awkward in the past.

Before she could change her mind, she wiggled down his body until she was leaning over him.

“Pen—”

She kissed the tip of his cock, and he cursed. Her tongue softly fluttered over the tip, learning his salty taste. And then she sucked him all the way into her mouth, her hand covering the lower base of him that her mouth couldn’t reach.

He was swearing in earnest now, and she kept going, relying on instinct. She figured she must be doing something right, because his fingers fisted tightly in her hair and his hips began to rock up toward her mouth.

“Sweetie, you’ve got to— I’m going to—”

Yes.

She nodded and moved faster, the movements of her mouth telling him what she wanted. And then he gave it to her, coming in her mouth as he shouted her name.

It. Was. Glorious.

Cole tugged her upward, and she settled against him, cheek on his shoulder as he softly ran his hand over her hair.

“Now what happens?” she asked after they’d been quiet for several minutes.

“Well, for starters, we’re going to stock up on some condoms.”

She smiled. “You seem to be thinking we’ll do this again.”

He kissed her forehead. “I know we will.”

She tilted her face up so she could meet his eyes. “Cole, I— This was—”

“Don’t you dare try to tell me this was a onetime thing, Tiny. You liked it every bit as much as I did.”

She felt herself blush, and hoped he wouldn’t notice. “I’m not saying I didn’t, it’s just— I meant what I said that first day. I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”

He blinked. “I think that’s a version of what’s supposed to be my line.”

“You know what I mean. It’s just that we already spend so much time together at work, and if we add sex to the mix, I’m worried the lines will blur, and—”

He pushed her onto her back, rolling over her. “I’ve got an idea. We make a pact.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What kind of pact? A sex pact?”

His smile was gentle. “You’re adorable. And sure, I guess it’s a sex pact, in that we’ll be having lots of it. But I was thinking more along the line of a guarantee. Something to ensure neither of us crosses a line we don’t want to cross.”

“Go on…”

He framed her face with his hands. “I will treat you with the respect you deserve at work, and then I will use your sweet body for sex after work, but Penelope Pope, I give you my solemn promise not to fall in love with you.”

Her lips parted and he gave her a quick kiss. “Your turn.”

“Cole—”

“Go on.”

She rolled her eyes. “This is dumb.”

“I’m waiting.”

Penelope huffed out a breath. “Fine. I promise to never fall in love with you, and ditto on the work and sex thing, except there have to be rules. No sex on weekdays.”