Perfect Partners

of his wonderful warmth, she instinctively pressed herself closer. His broad chest was as solid as the face of a granite cliff.
    “Can I take this to mean that you are not totally opposed to the idea of going to bed with me?” Joel asked against her mouth.
    “Yes. I mean, no. I’m not totally opposed.” Letty opened her eyes and looked up. Even without her glasses she could see the lambent fire in his gaze. “I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
    “I know. I got the point.” He raked his fingers slowly through her wild, thick hair. “I can’t control you with sex.”
    “That’s right.”
    “Why not?” he asked with a whimsical tilt to his mouth.
    “Why not?” She frowned, feeling she owed him an explanation of some sort. “I suppose it’s because I’m not a particularly sensual person, if you know what I mean.”
    “You don’t like sex?” He ran his palms over her shoulders and down her forearms.
    “I like being kissed and held as much as the next woman.” Letty shivered a little as his warm palms slid back up to her shoulders. She felt his strong fingers flex gently. “I like the feeling of closeness. But I think the rest of the business is overrated. I’m not alone, you know,” she added defensively. “I read an article—several articles, actually—that said a lot of women feel that way.”
    He nodded, looking very serious. “Ah. An article. Let me see if I’ve got this right. You’re not real wild about sex, so I can’t use it to manipulate you. And the thought of being able to control me with it gives you the giggles.”
    She smiled tremulously. “Well, it
is
kind of amusing, in a way. I doubt that anyone could control you with sex or anything else.”
    “You think I’m so damn tough?”
    “I think you’re very tough,” she said honestly.
    “Why don’t you try it?” he invited softly.
    She eyed him uncertainly. “Try what?”
    “Controlling me with sex.” His hands tightened on her shoulders. “You’re the boss around here, right?”
    Letty licked her lips. “Right.”
    “So why don’t you try calling the shots tonight and we’ll see what happens?”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “It’s simple.” Joel brushed his mouth lingeringly across hers and then carefully took her earlobe between his teeth. “You give the orders, Madam President. I’ll follow them, just like a good, respectful, well-trained employee.”
    Letty’s mouth went dry. “I’m supposed to give you orders? For
this
?”
    “Tell me exactly what you want and how you want it done.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “My only goal is to please.”
    A wave of heat washed over Letty. “Joel, this is embarrassing. If this is your idea of teasing me, forget it.”
    “I’ve never been more serious in my life. Tell me what you want me to do, Letty.”
    She stared at his bare chest, refusing to meet his eyes. “How am I supposed to tell you stuff like that?”
    “Don’t you know what you like and what you don’t like?”
    “Not exactly,” she muttered.
    “You must have read a couple of articles on the subject,” Joel said.
    Letty gave a muffled groan and dropped her forehead down onto his rock-hard shoulder. “Well, yes. I have read a couple of articles on the subject. Whole books, in fact.”
    “I figured you probably had. You being a librarian and all.” His hand moved lightly in her hair.
    “Oh, my God, Joel, this is too much.”
    “Was there anything in those articles or books that sounded particularly interesting?”
    She nodded her head against his shoulder, unable to speak. She could not believe this was happening.
    “Give me an example of something that sounded really fascinating.” Joel trailed his forefinger just inside the neckline of her nightgown.
    Letty gripped his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Kiss me.”
    “Where? Here?” He kissed her cheek, just under her eye.
    “No. On the mouth. The way you did a minute ago.” She raised her face.
    “Whatever you say.” Joel brought his lips down on hers. He kissed her slowly, lightly. He used no real force, and he seemed to be asking nothing in return.
    “Harder,” Letty whispered, standing on tiptoe so that she could get closer.
    “Sure, boss.”
    Joel obligingly deepened the kiss. His mouth moved a little more roughly on hers. Letty strained upward on her toes, seeking a better angle. She put her hand on the back of his head and tried to force him even closer.
    “Now what?” Joel whispered