The Deal (Trading Hearts #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Really?”
    “Really. The reason I chased you down is because I don’t want to be without you.”
    Again, Naomi felt her chest tighten. She put her finger to his mouth, silencing him. The relief she felt made her breathe, and it made her smile. “Lucas. You’ve given me freedom to enjoy sex fully, beyond anything I’ve ever known. I didn’t even know I was submissive until you showed me.” Her heart ached as she said it aloud.
    He stared into her eyes then nodded.
    Embarrassed by her confession, she glanced away. “In fact I trust you more in bed than I do out of it.”
    He held her gaze. “Excuse me? Explain yourself.”
    “I’m still finding my way with you as a businessman. Look,“ she prodded him in the chest with one finger, “you’ve got your issues I’ve got mine. I have a lot at stake here. I owe it to my mother’s memory to make a success of my business. Right now, after my meet with Georgio, I wonder if I should have turned your dinner date down that first evening.”
    “You don’t mean that.” His brow furrowed.
    “I’m a businesswoman as much as you are a businessman. I need to guard my corner, and that’s been hard when I’m physically and emotionally involved with you.”
    He nodded. She knew he understood her – he knew that she was falling for him, and that she was resisting it. “That’s in hand. It’s up to you and Georgio now.”
    “Yes, and if he says no, he doesn’t want to represent me, than I'll go to another agent. How will you feel about that?” She held her breath. It'd taken a lot of nerve to say it aloud, but it had to be done. No compromise, not when it came to Drusilla’s.
    He didn’t answer right away, and she could see he was struggling with the need to take charge – to make it fit. “I’d have to live with it. I want you and that has nothing to do with business.” 
    Relief flooded her. She wilted against him, resting against his massive chest, her eyes closing for a moment.
    “I guess it’s my turn now. Cards on the table.”
    “Yes.”
    “My son is important to me,” he said quickly. “He’s always going to be in my life.”
    She lifted her head to look at him. “Of course, I wouldn’t expect that to be any different, no one would, surely?”
    “Well, they might when they realize it means contact with Clara, too.” He paused a moment, letting that sink in.
    “You’re saying any woman you’re with can expect your diva ex-wife to burst into the love nest at any moment.”
    His eyebrows lifted. “No that's never happening, believe me. I’ll get a restraining order on her if I have to.“ He kissed her fingertips. “I just mean for negotiations for time with Toby, decisions and so forth.”
    Naomi nodded. If she’d thought about it, she might have realized Clara would be part of his life for a long while to come, and she supposed some women wouldn’t like that. But she hadn’t been thinking in terms of a relationship – didn’t dare to – and what baggage they both might bring as part of that. It only deepened her respect for him, witnessing him setting his cards out on the table at this point. And it was what she needed, after her encounter with his ex. She still felt hurt and emotional about it, but she didn’t want to make a big deal of it. “I guess I’ll get used to it.”
    "One more thing," he added, and stroked her under her chin with his knuckles. His touch was so gentle yet so sure. "We need a safeword, you indicated that out there.”
    “We haven’t needed one so far, not really.” Her voice faltered, because his attention affected her so intensely.
    “True. But we might, if we go further.”
    There was a promise – and a challenge – in those gorgeous blue eyes of his. She wanted to go further with him, ached for it. Naomi wanted to go all the way to ecstasy and back again with Lucas Eaglestone. “Okay, we'll have to put that on the agenda as a to-do.”
    His smile was wide. “We will.”
    She wanted him to say