Scandal (Tainted #1) by Aimee Duffy

been glued to him in that bar. It was the day he’d flunked out of the Australian Open, and instead of keeping a low profile, he’d been caught up in a threesome scandal that AIG had vehemently denied.
    ‘Looks good to me.’ She found it hard to force enthusiasm into her voice. Her father was right. She’d look like one more notch on a bed that was probably whittled away to a toothpick.
    ‘Look, for what it’s worth, nothing happened.’ Sincerity shone from his dark eyes.
    ‘Excuse me?’
    He worked his jaw, glanced at the screen then blew out a breath. ‘That night in Melbourne with those women. I got too drunk to do more than pass out on the hotel bed. No one came back to my room with me.’
    Her throat dried up and she reached for the wine. That would make sense. He’d pretty much messed up his career, which would be enough incentive to drive anyone to drink to forget for a while. Wine had been her friend time and time again when she didn’t want to deal.
    Worse, she believed him, and she really didn’t want to believe him. It was better when he was the womanising pig she’d thought he was. ‘Why are you telling me this?’
    He shrugged. ‘I get it looks bad for you to be dating me after all that happened, but I wanted you to know that I didn’t just hop out of their bed.’
    A flutter assaulted her chest as cool fear lined her stomach. She didn’t know whether he was flirting or making it clear if she gave into how she felt around him then she wouldn’t be taking the twins’ sloppy seconds. And he had to know she wanted him – the evidence almost had his eyes out earlier.
    Not for the first time, she looked at his mouth. Those ever-smiling lips set at the peak of his squared jaw were relaxed now. Maybe even soft. Rule one flashed into her mind but it wasn’t enough to stop her – especially when the thought of breaking it sent a thrill through her.
    Sebastian leaned closer and picked up a lock of her hair, just above her breast, and she swayed forward, unable to take her gaze off his mouth. Blood rushed through her veins, making her mind fuzzy. Or maybe that was the wine. All she knew was it had been so long since a fire had burned at her core longing to be fulfilled, and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
    His breath brushed against her lips and that’s all it took to snap the last of her resistance. She gripped one side of his open collar, intent on finding out if that delicious scent translated to taste. Sebastian cupped her face, his thumb slowly rubbing along her lower lip and sending little jolts straight between her thighs.
    He went in for the kill. The pressure was soft, barely there, but not enough. Alicia leaned in closer. The sound of the door chapping hardly registered as her lips met his.
    Her body disconnected from her mind and before she could stop it she’d shoved the laptop to the side and straddled his hips. He grabbed her waist, pulled her closer, and then his tongue was in her mouth and the fire burning through her morphed into an inferno. Using his shoulders, she pulled herself closer still until his erection pressed into her centre, sending a stab of need between her legs. She ground her hips, trying to get more friction, and moaned when another teasing rub was all she managed.
    A loud rap made her wonder what she’d knocked over, but it wasn’t enough to pull her away. Sebastian did, holding her shoulders and pushing her back an inch. She gasped for air and stared at the flush beneath his skin, his dilated pupils, and a chest that rose and fell as quickly as hers.
    Alicia couldn’t help it. She went back in for more.
    ‘Wait,’ he said.
    She blinked at him, wondering why on earth he wanted to wait for anything, then a louder rap sounded. Oh God, someone was at the door. She scrambled off his lap, trying to right her dress in the process.
    ‘I think our dinner’s here,’ he said with an ease that made her cheeks burn with shame.
    Sebastian left to get the door. Her