breath. “I don’t like this any better than you do—”
“The hell you don’t! You get to have sex on the government’s dime. You get to have a virgin on the government’s dime. How’s that for the notch in your bedpost?” She wanted to chuck something at him, to get more of a reaction, because his mask of non-emotion was driving her crazy. “Can’t Jake do this?”
That got a reaction. Chase’s brows flew up and his nostrils flared just a little, as if she’d poked him in the ego. “You’d rather have Jake than me? Jake, who you have to work with every day and you’ve shot down a million times already? How do you think that will work out?”
“All right, damn you.” The bastard was right. No, she didn’t want Jake. He’d be more than game, though. But she needed him as a friend. Let the egotistical bastard do this.
He leaned forward, the chair creaking, his voice low. “Was my lovemaking that bad?”
“No.” She looked up at him. “But every girl dreams of being ordered to lose her virginity to her boss.” She glared in frustration. “This smacks of sexual harassment.”
“Good luck filing that claim. We don’t exist. You don’t exist. Not really.”
There was no choice that she could see. She was screwed, literally and figuratively. “So…”
Relief erased the wrinkle in his forehead. “I suggest you spend the weekend with me, at my house. It’s our birthday weekend. We’ll get to know each other, and I think you’ll find it’s not such a distasteful task after a few hours with me. I can be very charming when I want to be.”
Of course the devil could be charming. And she didn’t think it would be that distasteful, not one bit. It was the fact that she had no choice at all, no control that made her pissed as hell. “You’re an egotistical bastard.”
“Sexy, egotistical bastard at work, but I’m actually a nice guy at home. Ask Jake.”
“I don’t have a choice?”
“It’s either me, or they find a way.” He made it sound like she didn’t want them to find a way, and he was probably right. “They want you to learn a little about the art of seduction, which could be very fun.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “How much experience do you have?”
“I think you enjoyed the skills I provided—”
“No, with virgins.”
“None. But I know what to do.” Oh that ego again. His smile was smug, knowing. She glanced at his long fingers, remembered how they felt caressing her, and she swallowed. Yes, he knew exactly what to do.
Still, she had to poke his ego again. Just for fun. “Has Jake had a virgin?”
“Jake would rather have the measles.”
It was hopeless. “Then fine. I’ll spend the weekend with you. God help me.”
****
Kate couldn’t believe what she was doing—entering the devil’s lair for a weekend of birthday debauchery—but what did she have to lose besides her virginity? Chase was incredibly hot, and she had absolutely nowhere to be, and nothing to do, and she was so very lonely.
She’d pressed more information out of Jake on the ride back. Chase was divorced, and hadn’t been involved in quite a while. Nothing serious or fun. From what she gleaned, Chase wasn’t as bad a player as Jake, but the two had partied pretty hard and had left a slew of broken hearts across D.C. after his divorce.
Jake hinted at dark, sexual things, wicked things, and her virgin mind didn’t have the capabilities to go there yet. Not that she was innocent. She knew enough. But there was something different about the bond these two shared that told her she didn’t really want to know all at this point.
Now she pulled her car into his driveway, astounded by the home he lived in. Gorgeous, formal, and huge, the house was practically a mansion, with manicured lawns and meticulous gardens in the front. She parked the car and got out, staring at an intricate topiary, afraid to go any farther when the front door swung open.
“Welcome, Kate.” Chase stood in