Holding himself prone, he moved just so he could gaze down into my face. The intensity of his obsidian stare left me feeling swallowed whole, as if the only thing those endless eyes could see or want to see was me.
No one had ever looked at me like this before, as if he could confess the secrets of the universe without even saying a word. As if the greatest secret of all was being allowed into his heart, and the invitation was right there in his eyes.
Three words were right there on the tip of my tongue. They felt so natural it was hard to keep them in. But I was afraid. Afraid of putting them out there. Afraid of getting hurt.
Most of all, I was afraid the second I said I love you, moments like these would come less and less, which would be far more painful than keeping the words inside.
My head left the pillow as I leaned up, initiating another kiss. Everything about Carter quieted, so I glanced up. Lips still touching, our gazes connected. My heart beat wildly beneath my ribs, and a case of the flutters filled my stomach. Confessing wordlessly what I was way too scared to speak, I didn’t even have to wonder if he heard because it all reflected right back in the depths of his eyes.
He began kissing me again, making my body melt back into the bed, surrendering completely.
Abruptly, he rolled away onto his back, flinging an arm over his face.
“Carter?” I asked, completely breathless.
“What the fuck was I thinking?” he muttered. “I never should have taken sex off the table.”
I giggled.
The arm covering his eyes flung away so he could glare. “You think this is funny?”
“Maybe a little…”
“I’ll just fire you.” He reasoned. “I’ll fire you, and then it won’t matter how much sex we have.”
“You wouldn’t!” I gasped, propping up on one elbow to give him an incredulous look.
“You like the special projects team, huh?”
Oh, the way he looked at me. It was something that could never ever be duplicated.
Reaching out, I brushed the hair from his eyes, letting my fingers play in the softness before pulling away. “I do like it.”
“I like it when you touch me,” he whispered, and something about the way he said it made my heart squeeze. Almost as if he treasured it as something he’d always wanted but never really had.
Leaning down, I brushed a kiss against his cheek.
“You’re fired,” he deadpanned.
“I am not!” I argued.
“Fine. But I can’t stay down here with you anymore. I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
“I never asked you to.”
He groaned. “I’m trying to prove a point. This isn’t helping.”
“What point was that again?” I teased.
He glowered up at the ceiling, and I hid my smile. “That I didn’t hire you so I could sleep with you.”
“You’re sleeping with me right now,” I whispered, dragging a finger down the center of his bare chest.
Shuddering, he caught my hand and nearly jumped out of bed.
“Carter,” I whined, patting the empty space beside me.
“Wicked woman,” he chanted and went into the bathroom.
Burying my face into the pillow, I smiled wildly while wondering if my heart would ever return to normal. I’d never felt like this before. Equal parts giddy and electrified.
A few minutes later, Carter’s voice drifted from above. “Are you planning to stay in bed all day?”
“Since I got fired, I have nothing else to do,” I called from beneath the covers.
All my blankets were ripped away, and cool morning air assaulted my bare legs, making me squeal.
“If you’re late, I’m docking your pay.”
“Maybe I’ll just quit!” I threatened.
I didn’t really mean it.
Grabbing hold of my ankle, Carter dragged me halfway out of the bed until my feet were on the floor. Slapping both hands on either side of me, he leaned down, almost touching his nose with mine. “You’re not going to quit.” His words were confident. “Because if you did, you wouldn’t have a reason to see me every day.”
Before I could retort, he kissed the tip of my nose and spun away, leaving me half hanging off the bed and reeling from his closeness.
“I’m going to my apartment to shower and change. I’ll see you at the office later.” Before disappearing completely, he knocked on the bedroom doorframe, making me lift my head. “Knox will be here to escort you, so wait for him.”
Launching up, I threw a pillow at him. I had bad aim, and it hit the door instead.
“You’re a violent woman,” he admonished, then left me and Val to get ready for work.
We managed in record time, already used to sharing a bathroom. I felt bad she was sleeping on the pullout couch, but she insisted it was fine because the apartment was so nice and she had a view of the ocean.
Just as Carter said, Knox was waiting outside the apartment door when we opened it to leave for work.
“Ma’am.” He greeted each of us with a nod.
“Good morning!” I chirped happily even though I was annoyed Carter forced him to take us to work. I liked Knox, and it wasn’t his fault Carter was a giant control freak.
The three of us walked to the coffee shop just down the block from Ansoft, something that had become part of our normal morning routine. We did the same even when Carter was with us.
I’d been at Ansoft for a little over a week now, and ever since being moved to the special team to work on Zero, things had been crazy hectic. The launch date was fast approaching, and everyone was scrambling to make last-minute adjustments and preparations. Along with the rest of the team, I’d been working long hours and a few late nights, trying to get it all done. I mentioned once it would be easier if we had more people, but everyone shook their heads adamantly, saying Carter preferred less people in the know.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the high level of secrecy had to do with Alan and his father. I also wondered if Ansoft planned to market this game before dropping it. For something that had been developed for so long and cost so much, I would think getting a buzz going about it would be essential.
I didn’t mention either of those things to Carter for two reasons:
1.) I was an intern, and it wasn’t my place.
2.) I trusted that Carter knew what he was doing.
When we arrived, Miami Java was busy as usual, but since the line always seemed to move quickly, we headed in without any hesitation.
“Nora!” Seth waved from farther up in the line.
“Hey, Seth!” I waved back.
After he’d gotten his coffee, he came over. “You look pretty today,” he said, gesturing toward my floral baby doll dress and the white tee I was wearing beneath it. It was loose and breezy, something I appreciated in the Miami heat. Plus, it looked cute with the sneakers Carter constantly insisted I wear.
“Thank you,” I said, noting the way Knox moved closer to my side to glower at Seth. I elbowed him lightly in the waist, and he gave me a knowing glance.
“Have you met Valerie?” I asked, then introduced them.
The line moved up. Knox nudged me and practically told Seth to get lost.
When he was gone, I swung around. “Seriously? He was just saying hi. We’re co-workers.”
“That man does not think of you as a co-worker,” Knox remarked.
I glanced at Val for help. She shrugged. “He was giving out interested vibes.”
Thankfully, I was saved from this stupid conversation when the barista called for us to order. Since I ordered extra coffee and bagels to take to the team—and one for Carter—we had to step off to the side to wait.
A prickly, uncomfortable sensation of being watched crawled over the back of my neck. Turning around to glance around the shop, I found the source of my discomfort fairly quick. At a table by the window, Alan sat with a coffee parked in front of him.
I couldn’t eve
n pretend not to notice him because he was already staring.
The sound I made drew Val around. “Are you kidding me?” She groaned.
Alan got up from his seat, leaving his coffee where it sat, and came forward.
The barista yelled that my order was complete, but I didn’t look away from my ex.
Knox stepped in front of me, slowly shaking his head. “Turn around and walk away.”
“Nora, I just want to talk to you,” Alan said as if Knox weren’t there.
“She’s not interested,” Valerie insisted.
The barista called for me again, so I went to grab the bag of bagels and drink carriers. Turning back, I saw Alan was still standing there, facing off with Knox.
“It’s just a conversation,” Alan implored. “We’re in a public place.”
“Did you follow me here?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t have had to if you would answer my calls.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Just listen, then.”
I wavered. I’d dated this man for a year. Yes, he hurt me, but we had some good times, too. All he was asking for was a few minutes.
“Fine.”
“No!” Valerie insisted. “Knox!”
Knox gave me a disapproving glance. “It’s not a good idea.”
“If I don’t hear him out, he’ll just keep coming back.”
“It’s true.” Alan agreed.
“Carter isn’t going to like this.” Knox warned me.
The last time I spoke with Alan, he asked me to get information on Zero. True, Carter wasn’t going to like hearing I’d talked to him, but Carter wasn’t the boss of me. And maybe I could learn what Alan and his father wanted with Zero. That would help Ansoft.
“Here,” I said, handing over a drink carrier to Val. Then I handed the other one to Knox, along with the bag of bagels. “That one is Carter’s,” I said, pointing to one Knox had.
“I’m not leaving,” he intoned.
“Me either,” Val echoed.
“Fine. Then go sit over there like good little shadows.”
Knox turned back to Alan. “I’ll be right over there.”
Alan rolled his eyes.
“There’s a bagel in that bag for you, Knox,” I called as he walked off. “You should eat it.”
Motioning with his head, Alan led me to his table. Sitting down across from him and wrapping my hands around my hot latte, I waited for him to speak.
“Things have gotten pretty messed up between us, huh?” he said. He sounded a lot like the guy he was when I’d first met him. The laidback, charming, boy-next-door kind of guy I’d been so drawn to.
Funny, that didn’t appeal to me at all anymore. In fact, I sat there looking at his blond hair, blue eyes, and dimples, wondering what I’d seen in him at all.
“I guess that’s what happens when you cheat, manhandle, and basically scare the shit out of me.”
Alan leaned over the table, and I sat back, keeping the distance between us. “It wasn’t all bad, though. Was it, Nor?”
“No.” I admitted. “It wasn’t. But the good stuff was a really long time ago.”
“I’m sorry about the other night. I was pissed off and jealous.”
“Jealous of what?”
“Come on, Nora. I’m not stupid, and anyone with eyes can see you and Anders have something going on.”
“My personal life is none of your business.”
“I just wish it was me.” Regret was thick in his tone as he lounged back in the chair. I might have would have fallen for that once.
Not today.
“I have to go to work.”
When I stood, his hand shot out over the table to grab mine.
On the other side of the shop, a chair scraped across the floor, making everyone turn. Knox was up, his heated expression aimed at Alan.
I waved him back down, pulled my arm free, and sat. “What?”
“You won’t give me another chance? A chance to prove it could be like it was?”
I laughed.
“Then can I at least make it up to you?”
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“How about from my father?”
“Your father.” I scoffed.
“He’s offering you a job at Regal Tech. As soon as you graduate, there will be a spot for you at the company. And not just an entry-level position, a good one. One that can grow as you do.”
Regal Tech was arguably the largest technology company in the country. They had their hands in just about everything computer related…
“Is that why he wants Zero?” I asked.
Alan’s interest sharpened. “What do you know about Zero?”
“Nothing.” I lied. “But I know you’re interested.”
Alan took a drink of his coffee and glanced out the window.
Leaning in, I pressed for more. “Is Regal Tech trying to get into the gaming industry? Are they wanting to expand, and they were hoping to do it with…?”
His eyes narrowed. “With?” he probed.
With the hottest, most advanced game to hit the market. I couldn’t say that, though. That would be way too much info. Instead, I replied, “With something Carter has.”
“I know you know more than you’re saying.”
Shaking my head slowly, I clutched my cup. “No. I don’t.”
The muscle in his jaw jumped, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest. Alan made me nervous. As much as I hated to acknowledge it, it was impossible to ignore.
“Is that it, then?” I went on. “You’re here because you want something Carter has.”
“It’s not his!” Alan erupted, his hand slapping the table.
People all around stared.
Without turning around, I lifted a hand, silently telling my friends I was fine. “You’re saying it’s yours?”
With flashing eyes, Alan leaned over the table. “Yes. That game is rightfully ours. It belongs to Regal Tech. Anders has no rights to it at all, and when it launches, he’s going to make a laughing stock of us.”
I wrinkled my nose. “If he doesn’t have any rights to it, then how did he get it?”
“Look, Nora, I know you hate me right now. I was a shitty boyfriend, and I’ve apologized for it. But you know me,” he entreated. “Deep down, you know I’m not a terrible guy. You know how important my future is to me and that I’ll one day take over my dad’s company.”
“What does any of that have to do with me?”
“I need your help. I have no right to ask for it, but it’s true. I still love you, and I think you still love me.”
“No.” I cut in firmly. “No, I don’t.”
The conviction in my voice surprised him. Momentarily, he sat back, cleared his throat, and averted his gaze. After another minute, he spoke quietly. “I need all the information you’ve got on that game.”
“I don’t have any—”
“Then get it,” he growled. “I know you have access. The way that Carter guy looks at you, he’d probably hand it over if you asked.”
“I don’t take advantage of people’s trust,” I spat, disgusted.
I stood, and so did he.
Quickly coming around the table, he grasped my arm and stepped close. “Get me the information. My father is offering you a job most college students would kill for. It has a generous salary, benefits, and room to grow.”
Is this really what he thought of me? After all this time, Alan didn’t know me at all.
“And me… I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for the way I hurt you. You’ll never want for anything.”
“Let go of me,” I said softly, a clear warning in my tone.
“Think about it.”
“I don’t have to. The answer is no.”
His fingers tightened on my arm, and I stiffened. “Let go, or you’ll be wearing this coffee.”
He released me, his face a mask of frustration, and even though it was early morning, I
was suddenly exhausted.
“If you change your mind, call me.”
I left the shop, not even pausing for my friends. A few moments later, they caught up.
“What’d he want?” Val asked, curious.
“Nothing important,” I answered. “We’d better go. Carter said if I’m late, he’ll dock my pay.”
I started off without them, my mind crowded with too many unpleasant thoughts.
Carter
“Boss?” Poking his head inside the office, Knox called for me.
Not glancing up from the game I was playing on the tablet, I called, “Yeah?”
“I got a coffee for you,” he said, coming farther into the room.
“Since when do you bring me coffee?” I asked, still battling it out on the screen.
“It’s from Nora.”
Forgetting the game, I looked up at the large iced coffee he held out for me.
“Nora got me this?”
He nodded.
“Why didn’t she bring it, then?”
Noise from the game reminded me I’d been playing. Turning back, I saw the red flashing in the center of the screen. Game over.
“Aish,” I swore, tossing the tablet on my desk.
“She said she had work to get to,” Knox answered.
“What’s more important than coming to see me?” I muttered but picked up the drink and took a sip. It was good. She knew exactly how I liked my coffee. And I liked that she thought about me enough to bring it.
Knox didn’t say anything, but he shifted uncomfortably.
“What happened?”
“Her ex was waiting at the coffee place.”
Pushing out of my desk chair, I paced to the window to gaze out. “He just can’t stay away from her, can he?” I intoned. Spinning around, I asked, “You got rid of him, right?”
Knox averted his eyes.
“Knox!”
“She said she wanted to talk to him.”
“I told you to keep him away from her.”
“She kept it short, and they stayed where I could see them.”
“She okay?” I asked. It irritated me that she even entertained the douche, but I still worried about her.
“She was a little quiet afterward. Asked me to bring you that.” He gestured to the coffee I was still holding. “But I think she’s fine. That girl is tough.”
Mr. Fantasy: (A standalone romance) Page 19