CodenameAutumn Read Online Free PDF Page A

There was no doubt
she wanted him. “Autumn…” Rather than lift her chin, he waited for her to
respond to her name. Slowly, she tilted her head and looked into his eyes.
    Keeping his tone calm and low, he said, “I would love to
spend the night with you, but I don’t pay for sex.”
     
    Heat rolled through Autumn’s body, stirring her senses and
muddling her mind. He wanted to fuck her, but he had no intention of paying
her? What the hell was she supposed to do with that? Belietta would kill her if
she failed so miserably.
    “I’m going to take a shower.” He brushed her cheek with the
backs of his fingers, the touch so light and fleeting she barely had time to
register the caress. “I hope you’ll join me, but I’ll understand if you choose
to leave instead.” He paused as his gaze swept down her body. “Call for an
escort and borrow a pair of pants if you head home.”
    He turned and walked toward the bathroom, pulling off his
shirt as he went. The muscles in his back bunched and flexed, and Autumn
stifled a groan. It had been so long since anyone touched her with anything
resembling tenderness. She’d forgotten how good it felt. Even while he healed
her Ra’jen had been careful, his hands skimming over her body.
    His lips had been warm and patient. Their kiss, though
brief, had been unbelievably arousing. Despite the conflict complicating the
situation, she wanted this night with him. She needed to feel wanted and alive,
if only for one night.
    She knew she couldn’t change his mind about paying for their
pleasure. He’d made his opinion of ambassadors obvious from the start. But
maybe she could convince him to find her another position. Yeah right. Her only
other option was one of the refineries and she’d already rejected that sort of
life. The dangers among the laborers might be different, but they were just as
real.
    So that left Belietta. Could Ra’jen protect her from the
madam’s wrath? Of course he could, but why would he? Autumn was nothing to him.
No, less than nothing. She was an ambassador.
    She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Not
tonight she wasn’t. Tonight she was just a woman attracted to a man. She would
steal these few hours for her own pleasure and deal with the consequences as
they came.
    Even if she returned to the embassy in the morning and told
Belietta she’d slept on his couch, the madam would be a fool to harm her. She
was the only woman in whom Ra’jen had shown any interest and she would exploit
that fact for as long as possible. Eventually Belietta would realize Ra’jen
would never change his mind, but that day was a long way off and Autumn
intended to indulge her passions while she still had a choice.
    The bittersweet thought hovered in the back of her mind as
she followed him into the bathroom. Humidity warmed her skin and made the air
hazy. Like the rest of the apartment, the bathroom was functional and
immaculate. She unbuttoned the shirt and let it slide down her arms as she
watched his shadowy figure move beyond the frosted door.
    “Are you coming in?” His deep voice wrapped around her and
flowed through her.
    “Are you sure there’s room for me in there?”
    The door slid to the side and he held out his hand. “Let’s
find out.”
    Desire flared within her, consuming, demanding, hot.
Clothed, Ra’jen was captivating—all restrained strength and leashed power. But
his naked body blatantly displayed the savage side of his nature. She had never
seen muscles so starkly defined or features so fiercely…beautiful. The two
words shouldn’t have worked together, but he was both fierce and
beautiful.
    His lips curved and his gaze smoldered. “Are you coming in,
or shall I come out?”
    “You’re amazing,” she whispered as she stepped into the
shower.
    With a rumbling chuckle, he closed the door and wrapped his
arms around her. “I’m glad you approve.”
    “Do all your people look like you?” He tensed and she looked
up at him. “I’m