But she hadn’t been wearing a ring when they met, so what prompted her to take it off? The need for freedom like she had expressed? And if so, what prompted her to put it back on? Guilt at what she’d done, or was she not completely over her dead husband?
Dark eyes that seemed bottomless in depth met his, and he wondered if there were other secrets, besides being married, that she’d kept from him.
“We’re going to expand these buildings and leave the exterior of the main building mostly as is, with only a few minor changes. Victor has very specific ideas in mind for the interior design,” Naphressa said.
With a laser pointer, she drew an invisible circle around areas for improvement on a big screen that showed the altered renovation plans. Her curly black hair was pulled into a tight bun, but he knew what it felt like to have the thick tendrils brush across his palm, and to tighten his fingers in their soft depths as he plunged his body deeply into hers.
The forest-green skirt she wore stretched over her hips, and the matching jacket enveloped her curves like a tight but comfortable squeeze. Enough to show off her gorgeous figure, but not too much as to seem inappropriate for work. Meanwhile, tan heels transformed her ankles and calves into the sexiest arch he’d ever seen on a woman.
Axel shifted his weight from one foot to the other, restless and anxious to talk to her privately. The opportunity finally came thirty minutes later when the meeting adjourned.
Everyone started packing up their note pads and pens while Naphressa slipped from the room.
“You going back to the office?” Anton asked Axel.
He shook his head. “No, I’m going to stop at Naphressa’s office for a few minutes. I need to talk to her about something. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“A’ight. Later.”
Naphressa tossed her jacket on the visitor chair and fell into the brown leather chair behind her desk. She rotated her shoulders and rolled her neck. She hadn’t expected to see Axel today, and having him in the room had made her extremely tense.
The phone on her desk rang.
“Hello?”
Loretta’s southern twang came through. “Axel Becker would like a moment with you. Should I send him in?”
Her first instinct was to say she was unavailable because she didn’t want to be alone, in private with him.
Instead, she said, “Yes, send him in.” Might as well get this over with.
The door opened and he strolled in. Well over six feet, he had a great walk and owned any room he entered. That’s how he’d entered the assembly room at the site in Belize, planted his feet wide, and assessed the area as if he were the one in charge of the whole operation and not simply a volunteer like everyone else.
Naphressa watched that same captivating walk now, which made her stomach muscles tremble in time to each step. His presence in her office put her on edge, heightening the already nervous energy that had been present since his unexpected appearance earlier at the building site.
She stood and kept the desk between them as a barrier. “Hi. Can I help you?”
“I came to see your paintings. Thought I could check them out before I left.”
“They’re on the wall.” She strolled over to the collage of six by nine watercolors. Ten of them, each one of a building or landscape. “These are all building renovations I’ve worked on since I’ve been in this position, and the landscapes are various spots around the city that caught my eye,” she explained.
“Are these all your paintings?” Axel asked.
“I have others at home and bigger canvases. They’re mostly landscapes—beach scenes, meadows, that kind of thing.”
She knew the moment he came to stand directly behind her. The air shifted. “Nice,” he said in a quiet tone.
Her sex pulsed in respond to the sound of his voice, and she turned slowly, meeting his gaze head on. “You didn’t come in here to see my paintings.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“I’m afraid so.”
His eyes narrowed to slits. “You forgot to mention an important piece of information about your marriage to Byron Hayes. You didn’t mention you were married to him when you and I were in Belize.”
Uh-oh. Naphressa swallowed hard. “You went digging, I see.”
“Wasn’t hard to find out when the information about his death is all over the internet.”
“What do you want to ask me?”
“Why?” he asked testily, though his expression remained mostly neutral.
She could imagine him negotiating across a table with opposing counsel, just the right amount of steel in his voice to convey the message that they needed to take it or leave it.
“Why did you sleep with me when you were married to another man? I don’t go around screwing other men’s wives.”
She clasped her hands tightly together. “I should have told you.”
“No shit.”
Naphressa put distance between them, resting her bottom and both hands on the lip of her credenza against the wall. Time to come clean.
“Before he died, Byron and I hit a very rough patch. We were having problems, and no, having sex with you did not help our problems, and I didn’t do it expecting to improve our relationship. He and I hadn’t seen eye to eye for a long time, and frankly, the turning point came when I found out he was cheating on me.”
“He was cheating on you?” Axel asked incredulously.
She smiled faintly. “I’ll take your surprise as a compliment. Yes, me. I’m not proud of what happened between you and me, but as far as I was concerned, our marriage was over, and I told him so, but…” She sighed, smoothing a hand over her hairline. “He became angry and told me he wasn’t ready for me to leave, and if I did leave, not only would I lose my job at Hayes Realty, he would make sure I never worked in Atlanta real estate again. As I’m sure you know, the Hayes family name carries a lot of clout in this city. I was…trapped, I guess you could say.”
That wasn’t all he’d said that day. He’d lashed out, making it clear that the only reason she held the position as project manager was because of her marriage to him. Her rapid climb up the company ladder hadn’t been earned. He was an only child and his parents had had him late in life. They adored him. According to him, they’d granted her those promotions because he asked.
Axel looked at her in a different way now. The anger was gone, and something akin to concern filled his eyes. “He wanted to hold on to you though he was doing his dirt.”
“Exactly. He knew I loved my job and chances were, I wasn’t going anywhere. That gave him carte blanche to continue sleeping around. He held on to me but never touched me again and didn’t bother hiding his affairs anymore. Lipstick on his collar, the scent of perfume in his jacket, openly sexting with other women. The whole bit.” She swallowed back the resurgence of the pain and humiliation she’d endured for that year. “We portrayed a happily married couple to his family, friends, and business associates. Meanwhile, he was coming in all hours of the morning after staying out all night. The trip to Belize was a gift to myself—something to make me feel better.” She shrugged. “Just an escape for a little while. But then…then I met you, and the trip turned into a little more.”
“Much more, wouldn’t you say?”
“Axel, please…” she breathed.
The muscle in his right jaw flexed. “Hearing you say my name like that brings back so many memories. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I wanted to see you again. I thought that’s what you wanted, too.”
“I did, I do, to some degree, but the situation I’m in is tough. Byron’s family still sees me as married to him.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Do you see yourself as still married?”
“No,” Naphressa answered with a vigorous head shake. “That married feeling died a long time ago when I found out about Byron’s infidelities, and certainly when he didn’t stop sleeping around. He didn’t
want to fix our marriage, and maybe that was the worst blow of all. He more or less told me he married me to keep his parents from nagging him about getting married. I was the fool who believed our marriage was built on love and companionship.” She shook her head in disgust, the twist of pain making her upper lip twitch.
During that difficult period, she’d also learned that he’d put her off on having children for the same reason—he didn’t really want to be married in the first place. He used her as a convenient excuse to get his parents off his back and prove he was a responsible person, while he continued to live a bachelor lifestyle.
“He wasn’t all bad, of course. That was the crazy thing about Byron. He had his moments. He was always full of compliments and had adoring eyes that made me feel as if he didn’t have eyes for anyone else. He also had a big heart. He just didn’t want a wife.”
“You deserved better. That should have never happened to you,” Axel bit out.
“Life goes on. It’s not the end of the world, and despite all that happened, I had my job that I loved,” Naphressa said, putting on a brave front though her heart ached for a better type of relationship. A healthy one, consisting of mutual love and respect.
“It’s not the end the world, but what if you could have something better? Our time at that resort was like paradise to me, and I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I saw you at the firm. Hell, who am I kidding? I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you left me in Belize.”
“I’m not looking for another husband. The first time didn’t work out too well for me,” Naphressa said evenly.
“Did you enjoy your time with me?”
They’d laughed and made love like a couple who’d been together for years. Working with him at the school for those two days—lugging bricks and pounding nails—had been enjoyable because he’d been there.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to relive paradise?”
More than anything. “Yes.”
“And you admit the sex was amazing?” A corner of his mouth quirked upward.
Her nipples perked up and tightened, and she couldn’t help but respond with a small smile of her own. “There’s no denying that.”
“Then let’s have sex.”
“Excuse me?’
“You heard me. Name your stipulations, because I know you have some since you don’t want your former in-laws to find out you’re seeing a new man. I’ll agree to anything you ask if it means I get to fuck you again.”
Oh my. Her mouth fell open. “That’s…blunt.”
“I don’t like to beat around the bush.”
The heat pulsing at her core matched the raging inferno in his eyes.
“You’re serious?”
“Never been more serious in my life.”
The tension in the room crackled. “Just sex?”
There was a moment of hesitation, as if he didn’t want to agree with her and planned to talk her out of the idea. “If that’s all you’ll give me,” he finally said.
Naphressa’s fingers tightened on the edge of the credenza as she tossed around his crazy idea. “Once a week.” She didn’t think she could handle more time than that with him. She’d become too attached.
“What else?”
“That’s it.”
“What day?” He came closer, eyes never leaving hers.
She couldn’t move, imprisoned without a single one of his fingers touching her.
“Fridays.” She whispered the first day that popped into her head.
Axel’s head tilted to the side, and a slow smile came over his face. “Today is Friday.”
6
Naphressa knew where he was going before he said the words. That arrogant, knowing smile and the way the heat in his eyes torched her skin hinted at the words that would issue from his mouth.
That’s why she stepped into him, lips already parted in offer. No words, only actions and the sounds of their heated breaths blowing out in anticipation. She wanted this as much as he did, and he’d given her the perfect excuse to forego propriety and give in to her basic instincts—lust, desire, the need to be held and caressed like a woman of value instead of someone who didn’t deserve to be treated with respect and care.
His lips ground into hers and his rough, passionate kiss made the rest of the world disappear. Her knees quivered at the way he grabbed her bun and tilted back her head to take control of her mouth and seize what she willingly gave. With her pulse roaring in her wrists, Naphressa flattened her body against his, digging her fingers into the firm flesh of his back and grinding her hips into the hardening length at his pelvis.
With an abrupt twist of his hands, Axel forced her to face the credenza. Her fingers fastened on one of the built-in shelves above her head while she grabbed his hand and covered her right breast through her silk top. He squeezed, and the nipple immediately hardened. She let loose a low moan as she shuddered.
Impatiently, Axel yanked open her silk blouse and two buttons popped off to the floor. He cupped her breasts with possessive hands as his mouth fastened on the side of her neck. His warm breath feathered over her as his teeth scraped almost angrily against her skin. His hands were deliciously rough and his hips moved against her bottom in a lewd, erotic grind that had her arching backward and rubbing against him in return.
Naphressa never thought she’d be the kind of woman to have sex in her office, yet here she was, risking her livelihood, everything she’d worked for, for a quick screw in this very office.
The door wasn’t locked, and Loretta could do a quick double knock and come in any minute, but she dared not stop Axel. Not now, with his hand under her skirt and between her thighs, shoved low in her panties, fingers stroking her wet clit. His other hand wreaked havoc with her swollen breasts—the firm massage creating a swell of pleasure that threatened to push a cry from her throat.
This was madness, insanity. But she couldn’t stop. She needed him as much as she needed her next breath. Biting hard on her lower lip, she fought the urge to release a scream and settled for a low, needy moan instead.
As he hiked her skirt higher, she rested trembling hands atop the smooth wood surface of the credenza. She listened to the ominous sound of him undoing his belt bucket and shimmied out of her panties, tossing them aside. Then there was the sound of his zipper, and a mere second later his hands were on her naked hips. One foot slid between hers and shoved her legs wider. She whimpered, her wet core throbbing and ready for his possession.
With a low grunt, Axel was inside her. Wide. Deep. Nothing but complete satisfaction as he filled her. Her head fell forward, and she pushed back against him, curling her spine.
Fingers spread out on the credenza top, her breathing became labored. “Yes, yes,” she panted as he plowed into her, each thrust taking her closer to bliss. “Yes!”
The loud shout filled the office, and Axel’s big hand swiftly covered her mouth.
“I’ve dreamed of this,” he rasped in her ear, never breaking stride.
Naphressa had dreamed of this, too, and fantasized about running into him again. Reality was so much better than her dreams.
Dizzying pleasure tore through her body as the orgasm burst free. Tears filled her eyes and she squeezed them shut, half-moaning, half-screaming behind the giant palm that covered her mouth and kept co-workers from rushing into the room out of concern.
“You ruined my blouse.”
“My bad.” Several feet away, Axel zipped his pants, keeping an eye on her. A self-satisfied smile curled his lips at the corners.
“Yeah, you look real sorry,” Naphressa said, picking up the two pearl buttons from the floor.
She set them on the desk and pulled the edges of her blouse together. It wasn’t really ruined. She just needed to sew back on the buttons.
She moved to walk past Axel, but he took her by the upper arm and pulled her into his chest. His mouth lowered to hers and she sighed against his lips. Their first kiss had been out-of-control fireworks
that demanded capitulation. This one was calmer and more of a seduction. She melted against him, nipples pebbling again when they came into contact with his hard chest.
Axel’s hands smoothed over her lower back and came to rest on her bottom. He gently kissed the corners of her mouth before lifting his head to gaze down into her eyes.
“Even better than I remembered,” he whispered.
“Me, too,” Naphressa admitted.
His mouth lowered to hers again, and they engaged in a leisurely kiss before she eased away and picked up her jacket to cover her top. Lucky for her, since a double knock sounded at the door and Loretta walked in.
She and Axel froze, Naphressa only managing to close the last button on her jacket seconds before, and Axel shifted his gaze, which had been filled with longing as if he’d wanted to reopen the jacket and have another go at her breasts.
“Excuse me for interrupting, darlin’, but I knew you wanted the plans for the building on Cape Street.” Loretta handed Naphressa a pile of papers as Axel watched in silence.
“I did. Thanks.”
With a quick smile at them both, Loretta exited and left them alone again.
Naphressa let out a loud breath of relief but remained concerned. Did Loretta notice the faint musky scent that remained in the air? Did she recognize it as Naphressa having had her back blown out by the guest in her office?
“Shit.” She dropped the papers onto the credenza.
“She doesn’t know, and even if she thinks she knows, she has no proof.”
“When has anyone ever needed proof for gossip? That was careless and foolish. My job—”
“Is secure.”
“No, it’s not,” Naphressa snapped.
“You’re really worried about this?” he asked.
“Yes! You finally get the memo.” She rubbed her temple. She couldn’t lose everything she’d worked so hard for simply because she was horny. “We can’t do that again.”
Love Me (Irresistible Husband) Page 4