by Layla Hagen
“Carter, what if someone comes in?” I admonished.
“They’ll look the other way.”
“Isn’t your party waiting for you outside?”
“I don’t really give a fuck.” He spoke in a raw voice. “Blow off the rest of your day.”
“I can’t. You can’t.”
“Try me.” He rained kisses on my cheek, moving to my ear. “I want to prove to you how much you’ve been on my mind. To show you exactly what I want to do to you.”
Oh, God. I was so close to saying yes and forgetting everything on my to-do list. But I somehow managed to gather my wits.
“Nope. You, sir, have distracted me enough today. Go back to work and stop corrupting me.”
“I’ll see you at six, then.”
We hadn’t made any plans beyond catching up, so I tilted my head, deciding to play with him. “I have a meeting starting late in the afternoon, so I need a rain check.”
“Are you fucking with me?” The words came out on a growl, which made me giggle. “You are.”
“Yes, yes, I am. About the rain check. I do have a meeting late in the afternoon.”
He trained that scorching hot gaze on me.
“Don’t let it go overtime too much, or I’m going to barge in and throw you over my shoulder before it’s over.”
Chapter Eighteen
Val
I arrived back in the office and scowled as soon as I peeked at my agenda. My lawyer was coming in again to discuss the litigation.
“I’ve got everything prepared,” he summed up after we went back and forth over the details for an hour.
“Good. Thank you for everything.”
After he left, I took out the pink notebook I used for brainstorming catchphrases for marketing copy, but I couldn’t concentrate. Instead, I found myself drawing a lilac plant—the key ingredient in the skincare line that Beauty SkinEssence wanted me to drop.
I was glad that I had the date with Carter to look forward to because otherwise I’d drive myself crazy with worry again. As the afternoon went by, though, I went into a bit of a frenzy.
I wasn’t dressed for a date. I was wearing a peasant blouse and a maxi skirt. Usually, I would wear something more conservative for a business meeting, but Davis was known for being casual. He’d been wearing a Hawaiian shirt today.
Carter and I had only made plans for tonight after I’d left my house, so I couldn’t change.
That afternoon, I glanced at the clock more often than usual, willing time to pass more quickly, even though I was immersed in my favorite activity: sampling. At five thirty, I went into one of the bathrooms to freshen up, applying deodorant and some more mascara.
Then I whistled for no reason at all.
“Who has a date with a gorgeous man?” I sang. “That’s right. Me.”
I felt a little silly, but I was officially off the clock, so I could let my playful side come out.
“Who is going to have a great time? Me.”
I was about to start shimmying my hips in a dance too, when I heard the water flush in one of the toilets and groaned inwardly.
Samantha, one of my accounting employees, came out. She was trying very hard to fight a smile. I greeted her, maintaining a poker face even though I could feel the tips of my ears heating up. Just my luck. But hey, I did have a gorgeous man coming to pick me up. One couldn’t be lucky in everything.
While I waited for Carter in the lobby, I checked on Jace, who had returned from a game outside LA a few hours ago.
Val: Do you have any food? Did you sustain any injury?
Jace: No to both, but before you ask me to come by for dinner, I’m reminding you we’ve entered the era of home delivery. I’m going to go to bed right away and sleep for twelve hours straight, but I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?
Val: Sure. Take care.
Eh, some habits were not easily shaken off. Of course, I knew that Jace didn’t need all the doting, but I couldn’t help it. I just hoped I wasn’t getting on his nerves.
Will used to be a detective, and I constantly worried about him when he was on the force. I tried not to let it show, but I don’t think I was doing a good job.
My brothers did indulge me, but sometimes I felt like one of those moms who made their grown-up children roll their eyes every time her name appeared on the screen of their phone.
Carter arrived then, and I licked my lips as he crossed the room to reach me. The man was simply a work of art. His hair was neat, and I couldn’t wait to ruffle it up a bit. He raked his gaze over me, and I felt my body respond to him. My skin was burning for his touch.
“Ready to go?”
I nodded. Up close, he was even more alluring, with that top button open and his delicious scent surrounding me. I readjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder, aware that he was still watching me intently, as if he was mentally undressing me.
“You look beautiful.”
“Not dressed for a date, but I didn’t have time to go home and change. I know my style is a bit... different.”
“I like it. I like that you’re different and you’re not afraid to show it.”
“Dad used to say ‘if you can’t hide the crazy, own it.’”
He came closer, placing a hand on my waist. His fingers were pressing in as if he could barely wait to touch me. He brought his mouth to mine, kissing me with so much fervor that I felt myself become slick between my legs. I pressed myself into him, needing more contact still. I was happy we were in a small nook of the lobby, hidden from sight.
Lord, the effect this man had on me should be outlawed. He rested his head in the crook of my neck.
“You drive me insane.” He almost growled the words. “Let’s go before I forget all about tonight’s plans.”
I smiled as we left the building, proud that I had this kind of effect on him.
“Dinner in the dark,” I exclaimed forty minutes later when we arrived at the destination. I read the words on the menu displayed next to the entrance to the restaurant. “This is exciting.”
I’d read about it. The food was served completely in the dark. The lack of light made the other senses sharper.
Once we were inside, a friendly waitress led us to a small separate room that was still bathed in light. I loved that the chairs were on adjacent sides of the table and not opposite each other. The waitress explained that the menu contained five courses, and we had to choose between three options for the main course.
Someone turned the lights off just before we were served the appetizers. It was remarkable how different the experience was, as if I wasn’t simply dining, but having a sensory feast. I made a mental note to perform the sampling process with the lights turned off next time. I sometimes closed my eyes when I focused on a sample but wondered if the experience would be different. I couldn’t wait to try it.
“I’ve always wanted to try something like this,” I said.
“I thought you’d like it.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because it’s an unusual thing to do.”
I squirmed in my seat. “I know I’m a bit odd. The way I dress, and how I pop out Dad’s sayings every now and again.”
I felt his hand cover mine. “Valentina, I meant it as a compliment. And I don’t think it’s odd at all that you use your dad’s sayings so often. You’re a very warm and loving person. It’s your way of keeping his memory alive.”
I’d never thought about it like that, but now that he said it, I knew it was true. I became more and more aware of him as he kept touching my hand. I had trouble concentrating on the main course because the man next to me captured my attention.
“And? Have I earned the right to know your deep, dark secrets?” Carter asked.
“Hmm... I’d say you’re getting closer.”
“You’re taking advantage.” It was obvious from his tone that he was smiling. I liked this dinner-in-the-dark experience. It was fun guessing his reactions.
“You think? But I will
say this: I haven’t had so much fun since we were out on the boat.”
“Well, that just confirms it. I’m the common denominator here.”
I laughed, acutely aware that he was touching my leg under the table. The darkness made everything sexier.
“I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
“It’s fun. And I feel so... free when I’m with you. Like I can just be myself.”
He kissed my hand, and then he intertwined our fingers.
“Don’t ever feel the need to pretend you’re someone else. You’re a remarkable woman, Valentina Connor.”
“Thank you.”
I sighed, wondering how on earth I was supposed to keep my expectations from building when he said things like these that, well... made me wish he’d be around for the long haul so he could keep saying them.
“April loves your style, by the way.”
“What are you talking about? I wore a sundress on the yacht.”
“She’s been stalking your Facebook and Instagram. She’s made this list with everything she wants to buy. We’re hitting stores this weekend. I’m already afraid.”
“I can come with you and help,” I offered.
“Thanks, but don’t you worry about it. We’ll do fine.”
I cringed, closing my eyes, happy he couldn’t see me. Why did I have to poke my nose in things all the time? I knew I could be a little too doting and overbearing. If he didn’t invite me, I wasn’t going to push the issue. Things had to progress naturally. You couldn’t make someone want you in their life, no matter how much you tried. You couldn’t love for two; I’d learned that the hard way over the years.
Carter put a hand on my thigh, moving his thumb in a gentle rubbing motion. I caught my breath.
“I can’t wait to have you all to myself tonight.” His voice was low and seductive. If I thought my senses had been heightened before, it was nothing compared to this. The skin under my skirt had turned to goose bumps, and an ache was settling between my thighs.
“You do have me all to yourself right now,” I teased, knowing full well what he meant.
“I want to take off all your clothes and touch you right here.” He moved his hand further up, close to the apex of my thigh. “Kiss you there too. Nip and lick.”
A tremor coursed through me at the word lick. I felt Carter lean in next and place a kiss on my upper arm, then my shoulder. The moment was interrupted by the arrival of the dessert, breaking the tension. We made conversation while we indulged in macarons with whipped cream. The sparks between us were now on a low simmer, though I had a hunch it was only because Carter was keeping his hands to himself.
“You know, I’m going to try and sniff samples with the lights turned off. I think it’s going to be an interesting experiment.”
“You always look for ways to improve processes?”
“Of course. How else can I stay on top of things? But in this case, I don’t know if it will improve the process. I just think it might provide an alternative perspective. I like trying out new things.”
Once we finished the food, Carter asked, “Do you want to drink anything else?”
He’d put his hand on my lower back, slipping his thumb under my blouse, and my skin sizzled at the contact. And just like that, those sparks turned from simmering to explosive.
“We can go,” I whispered. How could he set me on edge with such an innocent touch? Or maybe it was the cumulative effect of all the times he’d touched me before. I’d barely got the words out when he asked for the bill. Someone was impatient.
***
Carter
I made a concerted effort to keep my hands off Val on the way home. Once inside, she looked over her shoulder and asked, “Do I have you all night?”
“Yes, you do. The girls’ nanny is spending the night with them.”
“She’s been their nanny for a while?”
“Two years. But she’s starting her master’s next fall, so I’m going to have to look for someone else. She’s Zachary’s cousin.”
“He’s the partner in Sloane & Partners?”
“One of them, yes. Anthony is the other. I went to law school with them.”
“Were they brainiacs like you?”
“Someone looked me up.”
She gave me a cute smile as we moved through the semidark living room. We weren’t making much progress because I was keeping her flush against me, kissing her neck and shoulders, occasionally her lips too.
“I did it after you looked me up. You finished college earlier than anyone else. While working odd jobs, right?”
“What can I say? I never needed more sleep than five hours a night.”
“I’m grouchy if I don’t get eight.”
“Noted.”
“Also, I’m grouchy if you make noise in the morning.”
“Also noted. I drove my roommates at Harvard insane with my sleep schedule.”
She chuckled. “I can imagine. You went there for law school, right?”
“Yes. Got my undergraduate degree from UCLA and went to Harvard for law school.”
“You know, we could have met at Harvard. Landon and I had scholarships, but we gave them up when we had to come back to LA to look after the little ones.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It all worked out, but we had to be... flexible, you know?”
“Yeah, I do. It’s why I decided to open up my own law firm. I wanted to call the shots.”
“You’re hot when you call the shots. What made you come back to LA after you finished law school?”
“Got the best job offer here, and I like the city.”
I felt her smile against my cheek just as we reached the staircase, and I kissed her against the banister. I was so starved for this woman that I knew we wouldn’t make it to the bedroom. Val parted her lips instantly for me, driving me crazy. My hands were on her waist, and she pressed her elbows lightly over my fingers, as if telling me not to let go. As if. I was beginning to think I wouldn’t ever be able to let go.
I’d gone for so long without affection aside from my family that I honestly had gotten good at ignoring that bone-deep loneliness. But now that Val was in my life, I felt that absence like a physical emptiness that ached. And I knew that only Val could fill it.
But she had a rough few years behind her. She deserved an uncomplicated relationship, one where the other person didn’t have as much baggage and responsibilities as I did.
She gasped when I bit lightly at her shoulder.
“I’ve been dreaming about touching you like this for days,” I murmured. I found the zipper of her skirt and lowered it. Then I pushed the fabric down, and the skirt pooled at her feet. She was wearing a thong that only covered the essential parts, and I sucked in a breath.
“Fuck, you’re too beautiful.”
I palmed each ass cheek, kneading it, and then I lowered myself, pushing down her panties slowly, then drawing my tongue even slower over the parts it had covered. Pleasure shot through me. She gasped, doubling over.
“Sit on the staircase,” I said. “We won’t make it upstairs. I want to taste you now.”
She moved backward as if she felt the intensity of my desire like a physical force. Her legs wobbled. She sat on a stair, leaning with her elbows on the one above. I spread her thighs wide and kissed her right inner thigh, then swiped my hands under her ass, lifting her up slightly. I wanted easier access. She must have realized it because a tremor shook her. I was so turned on, it was almost painful. My thumbs reached up to her entrance, and I parted her wide.
“Carter.” Her breath came out in a rush when I brought my mouth down on her. I planned to overwhelm her with pleasure, working her up, sucking and stroking where she needed it most.
Her climax was so swift and powerful that she cried out, closing her thighs, almost trapping me between them. My breath was ragged as I lowered her ass again and kissed the tops of her thighs.
She licked her lips as I helped her up
. Turning around, she led me up the stairs.
“Hey! No more of that until we reach the bedroom.” She pushed my hand away when I touched her ass.
“Why, you afraid we’ll only make it to the top of the staircase?”
“You know it.”
Chapter Nineteen
Val
Smelling samples was one of the finest pleasures in life, as far as I was concerned. Currently, I’d smeared three fragrances on my left forearm and three on the right one.
My fellow chemists were up in arms about this, first because the skin’s chemistry altered the smell, and second because after sniffing three fragrances, the nose became too overwhelmed to tell the finer differences.
That was the theory. In practice, I knew that most people headed to a store and tried as many fragrances as possible, even on their skin. No one had time to try only three, then go back another time for more.
In any case, I’d identified most of our iconic fragrances by breaking the rules, so I planned to keep doing it.
I was alone in the small room because I asked not to be disturbed when I was sampling. I needed to concentrate—pick up on the finer notes, try to imagine what sort of emotion or reaction they could bring out in a customer. Sometimes I even wrote marketing briefings while I was at it. The conversation with Davis two weeks ago was at the back of my mind. I was semiconsciously wondering what kind of fragrances we could make for the potential exclusive line. Shaking my head, I resolved to concentrate on the task at hand before I went back to my office to compose an email to our sales associates. It was the end of November, and the Christmas rush was almost upon us.
Midway through the process, I heard commotion in the corridor, even though the door was shut.
I listened carefully, frowning when two of my newest employees ooh-ed and aah-ed. Then another familiar voice spoke.
“Of course we can take pictures, ladies.”
Jace was visiting. That was weird. I grew downright concerned when I heard Hailey’s voice as well. Had something happened? Whenever we met during the week, we met elsewhere, because my office was far away from everything.