FallingforSharde_MLU by Marilyn Lee

spend the night together. “I’d love to ride with you, but Dianne will worry if she arrives tomorrow and finds my car still here. I’d better drive it myself.”
    He handed over her fanny pack. “Where do you want to eat?”
    Considering they must both smell like sex, their options were limited. “I could do a few steaks with some stir-fry vegetables if you want to come back to my place.”
    “Got a beer?”
    She arched a brow. “When don’t I keep a six-pack around just for you?”
    “Small wonder I’m nuts about you.” He leaned down and kissed her. “I’ll follow you.”
    * * * * *
    At her condo, she changed into a pink silk pantsuit that hugged all her curves. When she emerged from her bathroom, he leered at her and let loose a wolf whistle. She smiled as he followed her into the kitchen. Seated at the table there, he watched as she prepared their meal. When she set his plate and a beer in front of him, he pulled her down onto his lap, nuzzling her neck. “We can share this,” he whispered.
    She shivered, trying to decide if she wanted to eat him or food.
    He unbuttoned her blouse and unhooked her bra, freeing her breasts. He turned her on his lap and buried his face against her.
    She smiled. “Hmmm.”
    He kissed and sucked each mound. She closed her eyes, loving the feel of his cock hardening against her butt. She pressed down, then pulled away, jerking off his lap.
    He let her go, but locked his gaze on her. “What’s wrong?”
    She refastened her bra and buttoned her blouse. “You said you were hungry.”
    He took a sip of his beer. “When I’m around you my chief hunger is not for food.”
    She fixed her plate, poured herself a glass of her favorite red wine and sat opposite him. “You were right, Jeff. This sleeping with each other is not a good idea. We can’t pretend we’re just colleagues while at work and then go sneaking around after hours.”
    He cut his steak and speared a chunk. He chewed it slowly, a look of enjoyment on his face. He took another sip of his beer and looked at her. “Why not? We’re not married or committed to anyone else. And it’s not sneaking around. We just won’t advertise our relationship in the office.”
    She cut a piece of steak and pushed it around her plate. “I told you that I’m not interested in a strictly sexual relationship. I need to think about my future.”
    He put his knife and fork down, arching a brow. “Sharde, we’ve slept together a few times. Surely you’re not looking for a marriage proposal already.”
    She stared down at her plate, tears stinging her eyes. He had proposed to Vanessa after one weekend. But despite his earlier insistence he’d been in lust instead of love, Sharde was convinced he had been in love with the beautiful blonde. Lust was clearly all Sharde could expect.
    “A marriage proposal from you? No. I know you only fall for beautiful, faithless blondes.” She looked up at him. “That sort of leaves me out on three counts, doesn’t it?”
    He sat back in his seat, staring at her. “Are we back to race, Sharde?”
    “Did we ever really leave race, Jefferson?”
    “I did. It was never an issue with me.”
    “Then tell me why I shouldn’t expect anything but sex when beautiful, blonde, white Vanessa got a marriage proposal after one weekend of shaking her skinny ass at you. Tell me, did she allow you to spank and fuck that skinny ass of hers?”
    He sucked in an angry breath. “I’m telling you for the last damn time that race has nothing to do with this, Sharde! Nothing.”
    “Really? Then what is this all about?”
    “How can you believe I think less of you than I did of her? Even if you were a white blonde, I’m not interested in or ready for another serious relationship. That’s no reflection on the color of your hair or your skin. You should know by now how sexually attracted I am to you.”
    “Then what’s this all about?”
    “Just what I said. I am just not emotionally ready to risk my heart