Shit. Enjoying is the easy part. Keeping quiet? Nearly impossible, especially as the pleasure escalates. I cover my mouth again to prevent sounds from spilling out, but my muffled moans still fill the air as Ethan's tongue moves faster. And when that tongue wields its magic against my nub as his fingers plunge into me, my hand drops. I grip Ethan's hair through my robe as my soft cries escape.

  He pushes his fingers deep inside me and I come undone. My limbs tremble. My head falls back. My eyes squeeze shut. My mouth opens wide, but no scream comes out, just a gasp once the tremors of pleasure have died down.

  I've had orgasms before, but never like what I just had. Those were mere sparks. This was an explosion.

  Ethan finally gets back on his feet. I can barely stay on my own, so I have no protests when he lifts me in his arms. My bedroom slippers fall to the floor.

  He carries me inside the room and sets me down on the bed. I stare at the ceiling as I catch my breath.

  "Are you alright?" Ethan asks.

  I turn my head to look at him and see the concern in his eyes, so I nod even though I'm not sure I am. I'm still light-headed, tired, confused. I can't believe I just had my first kiss, and so much more, and from Ethan no less, my grown woman crush for over two years.

  "Should I stop?" he asks next.

  With what? I wonder only to realize his meaning as he pulls on the sash of his robe. The white garment comes undone and falls to the floor. And my head rises off the bed. My jaw drops as I take in the sight in front of me.

  Ethan is completely naked. For the first time, I lay my eyes on his bare chest, the muscles not bulging or laced with veins like those of a bodybuilder but tightly packed and smoothly sculpted like a bust of ivory. His abdomen, too, looks firm, though I can't fully describe it because I'm distracted by the shaft of flesh pointing upwards from between his legs.

  I've never been good at measuring things by eye, but I can tell that it's well more than six inches long. And thick. I don't think I can wrap my fingers around it, though I suddenly have an urge to try. It certainly seems to be inviting me in all its glory, its swollen mushroom head glistening.

  I swallow.

  "Stella?"

  I look up at Ethan. As if his erect cock wasn't proof enough, lust is written all over his face. And hope.

  I know what he's asking. It's not a question but a request. Ethan is asking for permission to finish what he started, to have sex with me. And I don't have the will to deny him.

  I sit up. "It's okay."

  I'm twenty-six. It's about time I do away with my virginity, and I can think of no better man to lose it to.

  Ethan climbs on top of the bed. I wrap my arms around him. Again, he captures my lips. His tongue makes its way inside my mouth as he pushes me down. I taste something sweet.

  Is this... what I taste like?

  Ethan grabs the sash around my waist. One tug and the robe falls to my sides. He pulls my underwear off. Then he lifts his head and takes a moment to look at my body.

  I turn my head to the side. Even then, I feel his scorching gaze on my skin and my heartbeat staggers. Strange. He's already tasted the most secret part of me and still I feel embarrassed.

  "Beautiful," Ethan whispers.

  I meet his gaze. The admiration in his eyes stops my heart and takes my breath away.

  No one's ever looked at me that way before.

  He kisses me again. I run my fingers through his hair as I kiss him back. I was exhausted earlier, true, but I can feel my strength returning. And my excitement. Ethan's cock brushes against my thigh and a shiver goes down my spine.

  He pulls away and plants his lips on my neck. Then he pushes my robe off so he can kiss my shoulder. Next, his lips press against the valley between my breasts. He takes one inside his mouth and I moan.

  I grip his hair and close my eyes as pleasure swirls inside my chest. His skillful tongue is back to work again, this time circling my stiff nipple and flicking against it. I shudder in delight.

  His hand moves past my stomach and settles between my legs. His fingers find my nub. It's still sensitive from his teasing earlier, and I gasp as I try to push his hand away. He leaves that spot but his hand remains. Two fingers slip inside me and a soft cry escapes from my throat.

  He moves his mouth to my other breast as he stretches me. I tug at the strands of his hair as fresh ripples of desire travel all over my skin. His fingertips brush against the aching spots inside of me, and yet they can't seem to reach deep enough. My hips move on their own, wanting more.

  More.

  Instead, Ethan pulls his fingers out. I almost whimper.

  "You're ready," he says as he reaches for the nightstand.

  I say nothing. I just wait patiently as I enjoy the view of his round ass that looks to be all muscle. I always knew he had a good one beneath his black pants, but damn, this is making me drool.

  I swallow just before Ethan turns back around. Well, the view from the front is incredible, too, and it's hard not to stare when he's putting on that condom. In fact, I find something sexy about it.

  He slips it on halfway and then I suddenly hear the sound of something ripping. I see the tear on the side of the rubber sheath.

  "Fuck," Ethan curses as he takes it off. Then he looks at me. "Sorry. I must have had that for a while."

  The thought that he hasn't slept with anyone in a long time only excites me even more. I grab his wrist to stop him from getting another condom, then wrap my fingers around his cock. At least, I try to. Just as I thought, it's too thick.

  "It's fine," I tell him as I stroke it as best I can. "You can put this inside me just like this."

  His eyebrows furrow like I've just said something crazy. "Sure?"

  "Sure."

  I know he's clean. I trust him. And I've just had my period so I know I can't get pregnant.

  Besides, this may not only be the first time I have sex with Ethan Hawthorne. It may be the last. I want to experience it fully. I want to feel every inch of him.

  Ethan grins. "You really are something else in bed."

  I take that as a compliment and smile.

  He wipes the smile off my lips with a fierce kiss. Passionate. Hungry. It sets my desire ablaze.

  I almost forget about his cock but then I feel the tip pushing against me. I whimper.

  Ethan breaks the kiss. He grips my thighs and I grip the edges of the pillow beneath my head. I hold my breath. As soon as his cock starts entering me, I close my eyes. It fills me up slowly but surely, stretching me.

  "Painful?" Ethan asks.

  I open my eyes to look at him.

  The friction does seem a little rough, but it's nothing I can't handle, nothing compared to the pain I see in his eyes. I can tell he's straining to hold himself back because he doesn't want to hurt me, even though it means he's the one who ends up suffering.

  Well, I don't want him to suffer either.

  I touch his cheek. "I'm fine."

  Then I capture his lips. They remain locked with mine as he continues to push his cock inside me. Then he stops. He pulls his cock out a little and rams it inside me. I pull my mouth away and scream.

  I clutch the sheets and dig my heels into his ass as he rocks my body back and forth with his thrusts. Each one sends me gasping for air as his cock rubs against all those itchy, aching spots inside of me. My head spins.

  Ethan bends me over nearly in half. I see my feet up in the air. Then he pulls out nearly all the way and plunges back in. His cock fills me all the way to the hilt and I let out a cry.

  He cuts it off with a slobbering kiss as he grabs my hands and pins them at the sides of my head. Then he stares at me as he pounds into me. I squeeze my eyes shut and let more cries spill. His thrusts are so forceful I feel I might break, but at the same time, they feel so good.

  I can feel the pleasure taking over me again. Any moment now and it will explode.

  "Stella," Ethan says my name in a hoarse whisper.

  I blink away the tears at the corners of my eyes and open them halfway.

  "Say my name," he tells me as his hips continue their merciless rhythm.

  I smile. "Ethan."

  He moves even faster and my eyelids fall shut. A few more thrusts and I come undone a second time. My hands squeeze his. My body trembles around his cock as my voice unravels into a series of cries.

  He seals my parted lips and buries his quivering cock deep into my core. I feel his whole body grow tense above me. His hands grip mine with bruising force.

  Then he breaks the kiss with a gasp. He lets my hands go and collapses on top of me. I wrap my arms around him as he lies still for a moment, chasing after his breath. Then he rolls off me.

  I feel suddenly, strangely empty, but I say nothing. I don't move either. I'm too tired. I just stare at the ceiling as Ethan drapes the covers over me. After a few seconds, I glance in his direction and realize he's fallen asleep.

  I guess sleep has finally caught up to him.

  I can feel it calling to me, too. The jet lag is gone. I snuggle against Ethan's shoulder and revel in the scent of his sweat as I let myself surrender to slumber.

  ~

  When I open my eyes again, Ethan is still beside me. At first I think I'm dreaming, but then I touch his hair and realize he's real. The corners of my lips turn up into the edges of a smile - only to droop when I realize what I've done.

  What Ethan and I have done.

  A quick glance at the naked bodies beneath the covers confirms it. Ethan and I had sex. As the cobwebs of sleep fade, every detail comes back to me and I clasp my hand over my mouth in horror.

  I just had sex with my boss. The one man I told myself I wouldn't have sex with.

  How could I let it happen? Was there something in that Scotch? Something in this fresh Swiss air? Was it jet lag?

  I shake my head. No. It was all me. I lost control. I gave in to desire. I made the mistake. No excuses.

  No time for regret, either. What's done is done. All I can do now is clean up the mess.

  I get off the bed, carefully so that I don't wake Ethan up. As I stand up, I feel something leak between my legs. I look down and see the sticky substance coating the insides of my thighs.

  I guess I have a lot of messes to clean up.

  I put on my robe. I see my panties lying on the floor and decide not to put them back on. I shove them into my pocket instead, grab my bedroom slippers from the balcony, and tiptoe towards the door. Thanks to the thick carpet, my steps don't make a sound.

  I open the door slowly and glance in both directions. No one in sight. Good. No one should know what just happened here.

  I throw one last look over my shoulder to make sure Ethan is still asleep. He is. Sleeping so peacefully that I can't help but smile. It almost breaks my heart to leave him, but I do anyway. I step out of his room and close the door behind me.

  Then I make my way to mine. As soon as I'm back inside my room, I drop my slippers and let out a sigh of relief because I have no idea that someone actually saw what I did.

  Chapter Eight

  Ethan

  "Wake up, sleepy-head," a familiar voice jolts me to consciousness.

  At the same time, something soft hits my face. After opening my eyes and rubbing the sleep out of them, I realize it's my robe. A moment after, I hear the rustling of curtains being drawn. I lift my arm to cover my eyes as bright sunlight splashes on my face.

  "Or as they say in French, reveille-toi, gros endormi. Time to rise, shine and kick some ass."

  I squint as I sit up. When my vision has adjusted, I lower my arm and glare at Asher, who's stretching his arms above his head as he stands on the threshold between the room and the balcony.

  I wouldn't mind kicking his ass right now.

  "We're in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, not the French-speaking part," I remind him before letting out a yawn.

  Not that I'm still sleepy. In fact, I don't remember the last time I slept so well.

  "Well, the woman I spoke to at the front desk seemed to understand my French perfectly," Asher says.

  I get out of bed and put on my robe. "Let me guess. She was the one who gave you the key to my room."

  His wide grin tells me yes.

  I exhale. "Didn't I tell you to behave yourself here in Switzerland?"

  And yet, what's the first thing he does when he arrives at the hotel? Flirt with the receptionist. I should have known.

  "Well, someone clearly didn't behave himself last night."

  He holds up a pen, on the tip of which is a torn condom, the one I didn't get to use last night. Shit. I must have left it lying around. But Asher didn't have to pick it up. In fact, I can't believe he did. Doesn't my brother have a shred of decency?

  He smirks. "You should have taken the ones I was trying to give you. This brand isn't very reliable."

  I try to take it from him, but he hides it behind his back.

  Jackass.

  "Hope you had an extra. Or is Dad getting his wish?"

  I manage to grab the rubber sheath on my second attempt. I go to the bathroom to toss it into the trash can.

  "Don't you have better things to do?" I ask Asher as I wash my hands. "Like get ready for your presentation?"

  "I'm ready."

  "Or stay in your own room?"

  If I remember correctly, it's two floors up. For a reason. If I wanted him in mine, I would have booked the one across the hall.

  "And do what?" Asher asks. "Order room service and watch TV?"

  There's an idea. And I can think of more.

  "Take a nap. Shower. Hang out with Ryker instead."

  "He's downstairs having breakfast. I'm not hungry. And I've already done all the other things. I've watched TV, slept, showered, changed."

  I step out of the bathroom and take a good look at him. His suit does look like something that hasn't been slept in.

  My eyebrows furrow. "What time did you arrive?"

  "Oh, last night," Asher answers. "We left ahead of schedule. I was going to drop by your room but I thought you might be busy." He grins. "It seems I was right. Want to tell me all about it?"

  "No."

  Asher pouts. "I should have just dropped by."

  I'm glad he didn't. If he had, Stella would have panicked and left in a hurry, in shame.

  I glance at the empty bed. I guess she still did that. A part of me applauds her for being smart, careful. Another part feels let down. I would have preferred to wake up with her by my side than with a robe being thrown at my face, hearing her voice instead of Asher's.

  I wonder if she's alright.

  That train of thought gets interrupted as my gaze falls on the clock on the nightstand. I assumed it was still early, but now I realize I have just a little over an hour left before the meeting.

  Shit. No wonder Asher's all ready to go. I'm not. If he was going to wake me up, couldn't he have done it sooner?

  I go back to the bathroom and step into the shower. I start in a hurry but decide to slow down and take a deep breath. The building where the meeting is taking place is just ten minutes away and I've already made all the preparations. I have time. All I have to do is put on my suit, grab my laptop and maybe a cup of coffee and head over there.

  Oh, and get Stella. I shouldn't forget about her.

  I haven't. Even as the water washes away the traces of last night, I remember every second, every inch of Stella's perfect body, every exquisite sound she made, from that very first high-pitched sound to that final strangled cry. It was even better than I imagined.

  But it's over now.

  Last night, Stella and I both decided to take a break from our roles, to forget about work and just enjoy ourselves as men and women do. I made the decision to invite her over. She made the decision to let me kiss her, to have sex with me. Amazing sex. But now, we have work to do. We have to go back to being boss and employee and pretend as if we were never anything more.

  I think I can do it. The question is: Can Stella?

  I finish my shower and head to the closet to get dressed. When I'm done, I find Asher still in the room.

  "Don't you have to go get your things?" I ask him as I put on my watch.

  "Miller will get them," he answers, referring to his assistant. "Besides, you haven't given me any details about last night yet."

  "And I won't," I tell him.

  "Won't you at least tell me who the lucky woman was? A guest at this hotel? An employee? A prostitute? European? American?"

  A knock on the door interrupts him before he can get to "Asian" or "African." I think it might be Ryker so I open it. Instead, I see Stella in a stunning red dress that hugs her waist. The asymmetrical neckline suggests a tinge of playfulness without taking away from a look that means business. A solid front.

  Then again, maybe that's not the dress but Stella herself. She looks ready not just for work but for battle, her hair combed back into a coil that looks like a crown on the top of her head, her lipstick on, her shoulders straight, her purse hanging from her arm. Perfect.

  And all I want to do is make a mess of her.

  "Good morning, sir," she greets me as she gives me the cup of coffee in her hand.

  It's enough to jolt me back to my senses.

  "Good morning."

  Behind me, I hear a whistle.

  "Stella," Asher greets her with a smile. "What a surprise."

  I give him a puzzled look. "I told you I was bringing her along on this trip."

  "I know," Asher says. "I just almost didn't recognize her."

  He stands beside me and appraises Stella from head to toe.

  "You look ravishing, Stella. Switzerland seems to be good for you."

  "Thank you, sir," Stella answers. "I'm glad you arrived safely."

  "They also arrived early," I point out.

  "So I heard. I hope you were able to get some rest."

  "I was," Asher replies. "But I'm not sure Ethan did."