“And I’ll be in the public eye. And very busy. And working around the clock.”

“All the more reason you should have someone around who might be a safe space for you to talk to. And you know, have a date with. Share food. Because even kick-ass executive women need to eat.”

“I…do.” Felicity had never felt more conflicted. So if in doubt, retreat. “I think we should go home now. Separately, I mean. To our respective homes. The meal was…lovely.” Even if all Felicity could remember of it was a mouthful of heavenly Sicilian pizza.

“Separately, because it’s not a date,” Cooper said, smiling.

Why did she look so amused? Felicity suddenly realized her fingers had slid to tangle with Cooper’s.

Dear God, when had that transgression occurred? She snatched her wandering hand back, mortified. “Exactly. And we are definitely not taking this anywhere. Okay?”

“Whatever you say.” Cooper merely grinned.

* * *

Their first kiss came three seconds after Cooper closed her apartment’s front door behind them and pressed Felicity against it.

Cooper offered a roguish smile, then her lips crushed Felicity’s.

Felicity opened her mouth with a soft groan, hands scrabbling to grab Cooper’s shirt, tugging her closer. As the probing softness of Cooper’s tongue teased her own, arousal exploded through her like oil in a hot pan. It was frantic and demanding and so, so hot.

“Not a date, huh?” Cooper laughed against her lips. “Not taking this anywhere, huh?”

“Oh, shut up,” Felicity snarked back and reached for her again, kissing her fiercely.

The woman could kiss, she’d give Cooper that. It wasn’t just what her mouth was doing, either. It was the sheer size of her, the press of her weight, the feeling of all Felicity’s senses being overwhelmed.

“I’m definitely not dating you. Or anything else,” she added breathlessly when she struggled to come back up for air. “It’s a distraction. All of this is a distraction.”

“Mm, it sure is,” Cooper drawled. “I’m plenty distracted right now. And I’m wondering what you’d do if I just stepped back and started peeling off all my clothes. Right in front of you. Would you enjoy that, Ms. Simmons?”

Felicity swallowed. “W-what?”

Cooper grinned, took a step back, and began to do exactly what she’d promised, her gaze scorching. She tossed her jacket behind her. “You know, your eyes have been stripping me naked for the past hour.”

Stupid traitorous eyes.

Even as her pulse rate leaped, Felicity struggled to get a grip on herself. Would indulging in this be…unprofessional?

Cooper’s fingers plucked at the remaining unfastened buttons of her shirt, eyes fixed on Felicity. One button, then two. More skin. She paused, making sure she had Felicity’s eye, then continued. Three. Now four.

Cooper drew her shirt off, smirking as she reached for her bra and unhooked it from behind.

Felicity’s lower stomach clenched in delight as Cooper drew the soft white material slowly away from her skin.

Fuck. Cooper’s breasts were magnificent. Pendulous, full, glorious. Felicity’s mouth went dry.

“Like what you see?” Cooper teased.

Was the sky blue? Loki chaotic evil? Elena a legend?

At the reminder of her boss, Felicity forced her brain to focus. Elena had sent her in to investigate a charity, not leap the bones of its head vet. Was this a terrible mistake?

Was it?

Except Cooper wasn’t in charge at Living Ruff. She was sufficiently low enough down the pecking order to have nothing to do with whatever had happened to Elena’s money. And it wasn’t as if Felicity was about to bounce on the sheets with Rosalind or…Harvey. She shuddered at the last thought.

Cooper drew her pants down those long, long legs. When she straightened, kicking her pants and panties away after toeing off socks and shoes, she was entirely nude.

Felicity’s brain whimpered. All those muscles and undulations, curves and flesh she’d been dreaming about for days were now in front of her. Within touching distance. She’d just have to lift her hand and—

“Was this what you wanted?” Cooper’s voice was low and rough.

“No.” Felicity stretched up on tiptoes, grabbed Cooper’s beautiful face, and pulled her in for a kiss. “God, no. But here we are anyway. Distract me.”

“With pleasure.” Cooper smiled. “Very definitely yes.”

* * *

Felicity didn’t have much memory of how she came to be naked and standing in Cooper’s bedroom being kissed with such care, as though she were someone special. All she knew was that her knees were getting weaker by the second and she finally had her trembling hands on the legs and ass of her dreams.

“Christ, I love your thighs,” Felicity whispered reverently, mapping them. “They’re huge. And I mean that in the most sincere, best sense.”

Cooper grinned. “I come by them honestly. Lots of hard work and cycling. Now, I believe you asked to be distracted.” Without warning, she scooped Felicity up into her arms, walked her to the queen-sized bed, and deposited her.

Even though Cooper placed her carefully, Felicity still bounced into a tangle of splayed limbs that couldn’t possibly be dignified. Her cheeks heated. She contemplated diving under the sheets, but Cooper’s words stopped her.

“You are ridiculously beautiful, Felicity. Your flawless skin reminds me of a porcelain doll. Except”—she gave her a small curling smirk—“I happen to know you’re not fragile. You’re fierce and fucking legendary. And I can’t wait to lick every inch of you.”

The blush migrated to Felicity’s chest and neck. It was an unusual experience being both worshipped for how she looked and the woman beneath that. The people she slept with usually admired only her surface, and Felicity went to a great deal of effort to ensure that was so. She didn’t want anyone accidentally noticing who she really was. That was none of their damned business.

The way Cooper looked at her, though—it was as if she could see every part of her and wanted it all. Felicity drew up her knees and folded her arms around them, covering her small breasts, feeling suddenly more exposed than she ever had.

Worry filled Cooper’s eyes. “I’m sorry if I made you self-conscious.”

“I’ve always found it hard being…looked at.” Looked into, she meant. She hated being too seen. It was so much less stressful when her lovers bedded the confident Bartell Corp executive rather than a woman with personality defects who was riddled with doubts, insecurities, and daddy issues.

It was particularly unsettling that Cooper seemed to know all that about her already. Hadn’t she worked it out tonight—much to Felicity’s anger and chagrin? For some mystifying reason, she wanted Felicity anyway.

“You don’t like being looked at?” Cooper repeated slowly.

“Well, we’re not all breathtaking like Wonder Woman.” Felicity waved at her. Misdirection usually worked. Better than saying, I can’t believe you know who I am and find that remotely attractive. I sure as hell don’t.

Actually, a hero was exactly how Cooper looked right now with those supremely powerful legs, broad shoulders, and impressive breasts. She even had her hands on her hips.

“I’m not complaining that you look like some gorgeous superhero, just to be clear,” Felicity added. She drew in a steadying breath and then unfurled herself from the physical knot she’d tied herself into, spreading her legs and lying back on her forearms. “I mean, I’d love you to touch me.”

Cooper’s eyes darkened. Her sharp gaze drifted to the small, barely-there strip of blonde between Felicity’s legs, now soaked by desire.