The taste of his skin was intoxicating, salt and warmth and something uniquely masculine that made her head spin with want. She could feel his pulse hammering beneath her tongue as she reached his throat, and without hesitation, she nibbled at his prominent Adam's apple something she'd fantasized about doing for months but never dared.
James was startled by the raw intensity of her actions, by the aggressive way she was claiming him with her mouth and hands. This wasn't the controlled seduction he'd expected from Victoria Sharp, this was something primal and desperate and overwhelming in its intensity.
He tried to stop her, his hands coming up to grasp her shoulders. "Wait, Victoria—"
But his words were cut off as Victoria's mouth found his earlobe, her lips closing around the sensitive flesh with a deliberate suction that sent shockwaves through his entire nervous system.
A groan tore from James's throat before he could stop it, the sound rough and desperate and filled with barely restrained need. His hands clenched at his sides as he fought for control, every muscle in his body going taut with the effort of not giving in to the sensations Victoria was creating.
She was good at this, too good. Every touch was calculated to drive him past the breaking point, every caress designed to dismantle his resistance piece by piece. James could feel his rational mind slipping away, replaced by pure sensation and overwhelming want.
Victoria felt the groan rumble through his chest and knew she was winning. She could sense his control cracking, could feel the way his body was betraying his mental resistance. The knowledge sent a surge of feminine power through her that was intoxicating in its intensity.
This was what she'd wanted to see James lose control, to watch his careful composure crumble under the weight of desire. She'd spent weeks watching him maintain professional distance while her own need for him had grown into something that threatened to consume her entirely.
Now she was the one in control, the one calling the shots, and the reversal was heady and addictive.
She knew her worth, knew exactly what she was doing to him, and she wielded that knowledge like a weapon designed to bring him to his knees. Every lick, every bite, every press of her body against his was deliberate and devastating.
James's mind was reeling from the intensity of Victoria's assault on his senses. He'd never seen her like this so unhinged and desperate and so openly sexual that it took his breath away. The contrast between the controlled professional he knew and this wild, territorial woman was staggering.
Part of him wanted to give in, to let her strip away his resistance and take whatever she was offering. But the part of him that had learned to value himself, that had demanded better treatment, held firm despite the overwhelming temptation.
Victoria finally pulled back enough to look at him, her eyes blazing with an intensity that made his chest tighten with recognition. This was the real Victoria Sharp not the polished executive or the careful diplomat, but the woman beneath all those layers of protection.
"I will do as you say, James," she said, her voice husky with desire and determination. "I will woo you."
The words sent a jolt of satisfaction through James's system, but it was her next statement that made his breath catch.
"However, you should know that I am very territorial."
Victoria's eyes locked with his as she spoke, her gaze steady and meaningful in a way that left no room for misinterpretation. James felt understanding crash over him like a wave. She was staking her claim, making it clear that he belonged to her now whether he'd officially agreed to it or not.
The message was crystal clear: stay away from Katherine, stay away from any other woman who might try to touch what Victoria had decided was hers.
Joy flooded through James's system so suddenly and completely that it left him dizzy. This was what he'd been waiting for not just her admission that she wanted him, but her claim on him. Victoria Sharp, who never let herself be vulnerable, who never showed her hand, was openly declaring her intentions.
The happiness that coursed through him was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It was triumph and relief and bone-deep satisfaction all rolled into one overwhelming emotion that made his chest feel like it might burst.
Victoria could see the effect of her words in his expression, could read the joy and satisfaction that transformed his features. Good. She wanted him to understand exactly what this meant, wanted him to know that she wasn't going to let anyone else have what belonged to her.
"You see, James," she continued, her voice gaining strength with each word, "I don't like sharing."
The possessiveness in her tone was unmistakable, and James felt another wave of satisfaction crash over him. This was the Victoria he'd glimpsed in moments of unguarded honesty, fierce and territorial and absolutely certain of what she wanted.
Victoria stepped back slightly, her composure returning as if it had never cracked. The transformation was remarkable, one moment she'd been unhinged and desperate, the next she was back to being the commanding presence that had built an empire.
But there was something different now, something in her eyes that hadn't been there before. A certainty, a resolve that seemed unshakeable.
"You just sit down, look effortlessly handsome, and prepare to be wooed," she said, her voice carrying all the authority of a woman who was used to getting exactly what she wanted.
James felt his pulse accelerate at the command in her tone, at the promise implicit in her words. This was happening, Victoria Sharp was going to pursue him, openly and deliberately, and the knowledge sent heat racing through his veins.
Victoria moved closer again, close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her body, could smell the subtle perfume that seemed to be permanently etched in his memory.
"Remember, James," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper that somehow managed to carry more authority than any shout ever could.
"You are mine."
The declaration hung between them like a brand, marking him as surely as if she'd physically claimed him. James felt the words settle into his bones, becoming part of him in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.
Victoria's strength had returned completely, as if her moment of vulnerability had never happened. She stood before him now like a queen claiming her territory, and James had never found anything more attractive in his entire life.