by Kat T. Masen
“So, maybe this will help ease the situation.” She presses play on her cell, and my eyes are glued to the screen. Her hands are sliding down her thigh, across her black panties. Her back arches, and without any delay, she slides them inside her panties, rubbing her clit.
I have officially died and gone to heaven.
My pen has teeth marks where I’ve unknowingly bitten down, controlling my thirst to have her right here on my desk. She pulls the pen away from my mouth, leaning back against the chair and placing it in hers, biting down exactly where my mouth was.
“How hard is it for you to get out of that meeting this afternoon?” I say roughly. “I could pretty much fuck you all afternoon and night.”
“Apparently, you can multitask,” she reminds me with a sly grin. “I have to go.”
I stand quickly. “You can’t go,” I complain like a spoiled child. “It’s fierce to leave a man this hard, not to mention unprofessional.”
“Oh,” she drags out with a pout. “Poor baby. I’m sure we can sort something out later.”
“I’m serious, Morgan. You can’t keep doing this to me. It’s unfair.”
Her expression changes, sympathizing with my predicament, and just when she’s about to talk, my office phone rings. “Excuse me for just one minute,” I ask, pressing the speaker.
“Noah Mason,” I answer.
“Oh my God! You’re alive!” Kate barrels down the phone. “You didn’t text me back last night, and it was even worse this morning. Hello, I need you!”
I pick up the receiver. “Yes, I’m alive, but kind of busy right now.”
“Workaholic,” Kate says, annoyed. “So, listen, I’m flying to LA for work in a couple of days. There’s a work event, and you’re going to be my plus one. I can’t be a loner. How else will I pick up?”
“Sure, just text me the details. Listen, I have to go. I’ll see you then.”
“Oh, you’re a boring old sod,” she complains, then hangs up the phone.
Morgan is standing, watching me. “Who was that?”
“Just a friend.”
“A friend? It sounded like a woman.”
Her tone catches me off guard. “What’s wrong with having a woman for a friend?”
“Because Noah Mason doesn’t come across as a guy who has women friends. Not unless, of course, there’s a hidden agenda.”
“You don’t know me. How could you assume that Kate is anything but a friend?”
“You’re right. I don’t know you, Noah. I guess I’m the ass for assuming. Or, I could be the intelligent one for figuring it out before I make a mistake.” She turns around and opens the door.
“Morgan,” I call her name.
Her heels tap against the wooden floor, avoiding my plea for her to stop. She repeatedly taps on the elevator button, and with a slight delay, it allows me to catch up to her.
I enter the elevator along with her. “What the hell was that?”
She avoids me, staring at the doors. Pretending I don’t exist.
“Morgan.” I pull her arm toward me. “I don’t get you.”
“Like I said, you don’t need to get me.”
I’m fucking frustrated that we’re back to square one, despite me thinking we were moving forward. “Are we back here again? You acting like a goddamn bitch on some power trip?”
Quick, and with a vengeful stare, she tightens her lips as her cheeks flush with anger. “I need to go,” is all she says.
“You always need to go. You always need to be somewhere else. Why won’t you make time for me? The man standing here, right in front of you.”
Something changes. Her eyes are pleading with me to understand. But understand what? I don’t know how to fucking read her. She places her hands on my chest—the electricity between us is undeniable.
I pull back, surprising myself. “No, Morgan. I’m not going to touch you anymore. I fucking want you. In my bed. Now,” I tell her with complete and brutal honesty. “No more games. I’m laying my cards on the table. You can see them. Until you show me yours, I’m not going to touch you.”
She releases a disturbing laugh, increasing my anger. “That’s not possible.”
“Sounds like you’re the one panicking?”
The doors to the elevator open, and inside the lobby, a few of the staff are casually standing around having a conversation. They notice us, say hello, then continue to converse amongst themselves.
“You know what, Noah? I can’t do this, whatever it is.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re a player. Women want you. In the restaurants, at the workplace, calling you on your desk phone,” she says in a frustrated tone, then continues quickly, “I want you. But I don’t have the time for this. Goodbye.” And with her harsh words, she exits the building, leaving me alone.
This is not goodbye.
I’ll make damn sure it isn’t.
NOAH
Three days have passed, and I haven’t heard a word from her.
Presley mentioned, in passing, that they had met for lunch. But that was all. She could tell I was fishing for more information, but I can’t let my pride interfere with work.
Both of us need time to cool off after our heated argument. I just can’t understand how a woman—so frustratingly beautiful and stubborn—can affect me so much. I struggle to sleep, and my appetite is minimal, even adopting Kate’s terrible habit of checking my cell a thousand times a day.
I’ve kept Kate out of this problem, not wanting to highlight Morgan’s dislike for our friendship. Charlie’s been busy with a critical court case, so I barely see her at home. It’s only Lex around. He’s taken a couple of days off to work from home.
“What’s she done now?” he questions, watching me on the couch, absently channel surfing.
I find myself stuck on some show about renovating a house in England. Sending Kate text after text, I question the weird things they keep saying. Her visit to LA has been canceled due to some last-minute business she needs to take care of in Chicago. It soured my mood even more, missing her overbearing ways.
I let out a grunt. It’s barely a response.
“Let me guess? She won’t fuck you. Doing that annoying thing that women do… the cat and mouse chase.”
I laugh. He’s on point. “Yep.”
“Let her go. C’mon, you’re in LA, there are plenty of women out here.”
“You’re right. It’s not like we’re in a relationship.”
But I can’t let it go.
It eats away at me how she can so quickly walk away.
The next day, I take matters into my own hands, turning up at her office. The receptionist informs me she’s out and won’t tell me where. I slip her a twenty, and she stares at me with an insulting frown.
“C’mon, please,” I beg for a solid ten minutes.
“I’ll tell you, but I can lose my job. So, don’t you dare tell her I told you.”
I drive over to the address she gives me. Leaning my head forward, I look at the surroundings. It’s a park. My eyes graze over the piece of paper again—this is definitely the right address.
Parking the car in a tight spot, I step out and walk through the gates. It’s not too busy, a few kids playing at a playground and some ladies walking their dogs. None of these people are her, though. I’m wondering if the receptionist has sent me on a wild goose chase.
Toward the back of the park, there’s a basketball court, and I can see someone shooting hoops. I move closer until I’m at the fence.
It’s her.
She’s wearing tight shorts, Nike sneakers, and a black tank as she nails a three-pointer.
I clap loudly, watching her turn to face me.
“Noah, what are you doing here?” she says out of breath.
“It’s been three days,” I merely say. “I didn’t know you played ball.”
She smiles. “This is what I do for fun.”
“I don’t know whether to be happy or disappointed.”
/>
“Why would you be disappointed?”
“Because I was hoping your idea of fun was whips and chains. You know, some light bondage.”
This time she laughs, throwing me the ball. “Mind out of the gutter, Mason. I actually coach a kids’ team.”
“Really?” I pass her the ball. “Then show me what you got, Bentley.”
Unpinning my cuffs, I roll up my sleeves and move in closer. She backs up into me, and when I reach to steal the ball, she beats me with a spin move and nails the layup.
“Damn, girl, you got skill.”
Standing only a few steps away from me, she catches her breath. In a severe and apologetic tone, she says, “I’m sorry.”
I pull her arm toward me. Placing my hands on her face, I kiss her lips. I fucking missed her. And it feels like forever. I don’t want to be apart.
“What other hidden talents do you have?” I question her playfully, my hands wrapped around her waist.
“I can drink a gallon of milk in less than a minute.” Her eyes light up proudly.
“You cannot.” I smile.
She nods her head. “Sadly, true.”
I laugh, kissing her again. “So, tell me, Morgan, where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know, Noah,” she speaks quietly. “I have a meeting I need to get to, but I promise to call you afterward. I’d try to reschedule, but these businessmen have flown in from France, offering Scarlett a big endorsement. I need to be at the Four Seasons in less than an hour.”
Why am I not surprised she has to be somewhere else? I can feel the anger and frustration slowly building inside of me, my fists clenching to control the unnecessary outburst. Factoring in someone else’s behavior, especially someone I’m growing fond of, is new territory for me.
God, why the fuck is she making this so damn hard? Patience is a fucking virtue.
“You live close to here?” I ask to distract myself. I look around. There are many houses but nothing like Scarlett’s home. Smaller town homes are all bundled together with communal yards.
“Uh… not far from here.”
“Do you need a ride home?” I raise my eyebrows, hopeful.
She’s quick to shoot down the idea. Disappointing me instantly. “My roommate’s home.”
“You have a roommate?”
“Uh… yeah, I do,” she answers, uneasily.
“So, I’m sure she won’t mind?”
She bounces the ball then looks at the time on her watch. “He doesn’t like visitors, so I’m not home much.”
Her roommate is a guy!
The excitement of being here with her is overshadowed with the jealousy which rears its ugly head. I don’t like this one bit. Why would she choose to live with a guy? Indeed, given the car she drives, she has money to be able to live alone. Or better yet, move in with Scarlett. She isn’t strapped for cash.
“You never said it was a he?” I ask bitterly.
“Noah, don’t look at me that way,” she pleads.
I’m unable to control my tone. “You give me the third degree about Kate, and yet you live with a male?”
“It’s different,” she’s quick to defend herself. “I really need to go. Call me tonight. We’ll talk more then, I promise, okay?”
“Morgan,” I call out, frustrated at her abandoning this conversation.
She continues walking to her car, ignoring that I’m standing here, in the middle of a basketball court, having a mental breakdown.
I head straight home, making a mental note to call her tonight. There’s no way that I’ll allow her to avoid my questions.
Charlie’s back and cooking something so delicious, I’m practically drooling on the floor. The second she sees me, she knows something’s wrong.
“What’s up? You have that look on your face, the same one you had when I accidentally flushed your toy car down the toilet.”
“That wasn’t an accident. You did that because I cut all your Barbie’s hair off.”
She throws her hands in the air. “It was a Barbie-and-the-Rockers doll. Without the crimped do, she wasn’t a rocker!”
“She needed a haircut.” I snicker, grabbing a chocolate chip cookie from the jar that sits on the countertop.
“You’re so annoying,” she complains. “So, what’s up your annoying ass today? Wait, let me guess, someone rejected you.”
“Uncle Noah,” Amelia says, walking into the room with wide eyes. “Are you in love with Morgan?”
My head turns fast. “How do you know Morgan?”
“It’s on your phone.”
“Amelia,” Charlie and I say at the same time. “I’ve told you not to read my phone.”
“I’m sorry, Uncle Noah.” She almost cries. “I needed to use your phone for the torch.”
“What did you need the torch for?” Charlie asks skeptically.
“I accidentally dropped Uncle Noah’s toothbrush in the toilet, and I couldn’t reach the light, so I tried to use his phone when he was outside with Daddy.”
I bury my head in my hands. “My toothbrush?”
I begin to dry-retch while Charlie lectures Amelia again on personal property. Amelia leans her head on my arm. “Sorry, Uncle Noah. I didn’t mean to do it.”
What a way to end the night. Despite being grossed out about my toothbrush, I ruffle the top of her head, kissing her before she pulls away and walks down the hallway.
Amelia halts at her door. “Uncle Noah, I think you love Morgan. That’s why you’re sad. Daddy says when a man loves a woman, they’re sad if they aren’t together.”
Can a five-year-old have the answer to my problem? No. I can’t be in love. The thought alone is ludicrous.
“Morgan?” Charlie questions. “So, what about Scarlett?”
“Charlie—”
“Okay, I won’t butt in,” she says. “But I’m here if you need me, okay?”
“I know…” I trail off. “What would you do if you were me? If you weren’t getting the answers you so desperately need.”
“Me?” Charlie asks. “I’d sit back and allow life to lead the way.”
“And you?” I turn to Lex who has been sitting quietly at the table.
“I’d go find her now, demand she gives you answers, and not leave until she does,” he states firmly.
“She’s busy, some meeting at the Four Seasons.”
Lex pulls his cell out and dials a number. “Karl, it’s Lex Edwards. I need a room.”
There’s silence followed by Lex saying, “Thank you,” and hanging up the phone.
“It’s all yours.” Lex smiles.
Charlie watches my reaction, surprisingly keeping quiet. I sit on it for moments, then realize that life’s too short.
I grab my keys, making the decision before nerves have me backing out.
“I’m going after her.”
NOAH
Lex has gone all out.
The Four Seasons has a grand entrance, marble floors with a gold table sitting in the center of the lobby. The expansive flower display on the table is an eyesore adding to the scattered plants decorating the entrance.
There are a few guests waiting in the reception area, luggage beside them as they check in to the hotel. I stay behind them, then make my way to the guy checking me in. It’s a quick and straightforward process, and with adrenaline running through my veins, I find the restaurant in the lobby level—an Italian place called Culina.
There’s no one manning the entrance, and upon scanning the crowded room, I spot her sitting near the window with a group of men. They’re younger than I expected. Possibly in their late twenties if not early thirties. The three of them are gazing at Morgan with lust in their eyes, unprofessional and downright rude. Are you fucking kidding me? No one looks at my woman that way.
The taller one with the dark brown hair tied back into a girly ponytail, puts his arm around her chair. A gesture that she seems to notice and brushes off. The wave of jealousy almost knocks me over, and without any sense
of reason, I walk toward her, avoiding the maître d’ chasing me down.
“So, you’ll see that Scarlett has—” She stops mid-sentence, her eyes widening while she observes me standing beside her at the table.
“Noah, what are you doing here?” she questions, shocked yet trying to compose herself.
The men seated at the table stare me up and down with their arrogant smirks. The one in the ponytail not retracting his arm that so carelessly rests behind Morgan. My hands are prepped, ready to strangle him at this very moment. As much as I hate him for his foolish behavior, I straighten my posture and act confidently trying to irk him.
“I apologize, but we have some unfinished business that needs sorting out.” I turn toward the men with a fierce look. “I need to borrow Ms. Bentley for… say…” I look at my watch, “… ten minutes.”
“Noah, can this possibly wait?” she asks, annoyed, plastering a fake smile for her guests.
“Not anymore.”
She excuses herself and follows me closely out of the restaurant. When we’re out of sight, I grab her hand and lead her toward the elevator.
“Noah, are you out of your mind? That was an important deal, and they’re only here for the night,” she sputters, momentarily beyond words.
The elevator is on level five, and impatiently, I grab her hand and open the door to the stairwell.
“What are you doing? I’m in heels, and you want me to climb… how many steps?”
This woman needs to shut up.
I grab her waist, lifting her and throwing her over my shoulder. She kicks and screams, begging me to put her down. When we hit the second floor, the room is right beside the elevator. I swipe the card and enter, finally putting her down.
She stumbles for just a moment, her eyes wild and fueled with anger. “This is insane, and I don’t think you understand—”
I press her up against the door, fast and hard, smashing my lips against hers. Her tits are soft and round, pushing hard against my chest. I want to bury myself in them. Get lost for hours upon hours, if not a lifetime. Wait, what did you just think?
“Noah,” she pants, gripping onto the lapels of my suit jacket.
I place my index finger on her lips, motioning for her to be quiet. “I’m not waiting anymore, Morgan,” I say just above a whisper. “I’ve waited long enough. I don’t care what happens tomorrow. Right now, I need you.”