Sexy in the City

by Alexia Adams, Galen Rose, Samantha Anne, Carolann Camillo, Nicole Flockton, Iris Leach, Olivia Logan, Nancy Loyan, Stephanie Cage (epub)

  • • •

  Rachel awoke what felt like a second later to the car door opening on her side. Joe was gathering her in his arms.

  “Do you have your keys,” he murmured as he scooped her up and closed the door behind him.

  “In my pocket,” she answered sleepily, resting her head against his powerful shoulder.

  She dozed again as they rode in the elevator, forgetting that she was snoozing in Joe’s arms. Rachel came around once more to the sound of his chuckle.

  “We’re here, babe. I’m going to put you down, okay?”

  Rachel yawned and nodded, holding on to his shoulders as he placed her on her feet. She held on to him for a moment, forcing herself to wake up enough to stand on her own. Looking up, she smiled shyly. Joe was already looking down at her, a wide smile on his face.

  “Thank you for tonight,” she whispered, leaning into him for a hug.

  He leaned down and hugged her tightly, and she nearly disappeared into his embrace.

  Rachel inhaled deeply again, determined to remember his scent for the rest of the night. When they let each other go, she backed into her door and looked at him, her eyes wide and smoldering.

  “Hmm,” he grinned, his voice turning smoky as his eyes darkened, “I can’t wait to see you again.”

  He placed his arms on either side of the door as he leaned forward. She looked up and smiled playfully, her tummy doing flip-flops at the nearness of Joe.

  “When will that be,” she asked, her voice making him melt.

  “I’ve got meetings for the rest of the week. A couple of literary agents want to see me, and of course there’s Lucy and your best friend Michelle.”

  Rachel rolled her eyes in disgust, making Joe laugh. “Did you have to mention her name?”

  “I’m sorry,” he chucked in amusement. “Maybe we can watch a couple of movies at my place next week? I’ll cook this time.”

  “You cook?”

  “Of course,” he grinned, looking her face over like he was searching for the perfect place to plant a kiss. “I was my grandmother’s boy, after all.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes?”

  Rachel leaned in and brushed her lips against his. “Yes. To next week — I know I’ll see you at the office this week, but I can’t wait to have you all to myself again.” And there goes the sex kitten again — thanks for the support, Kirby!

  Leaning in and nibbling on her ear, he breathed, “It’s going to be hard not to kiss you like this when I see you at the office. You’re so tasty, and my mouth won’t let me forget that.”

  He ran the tip of his tongue from her ear down to the hollow above her shoulder blade, closing his mouth over an especially sensitive patch of skin and sucking gently. Rachel felt that delicious pull in her pelvic region, and she sighed as she dropped her head to one side, encouraging him to continue as he held her against her front door.

  Joe’s hand left the door and flattened on the small of her back as he pulled her into him, leaving her back against the door. He bit her neck, forcing a moan from her mouth. He stifled it quickly by closing his mouth over hers. That same experienced hand then cupped her bottom, holding her tightly to him as they kissed passionately.

  Needing to feel more, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Rachel moved her mouth from his and nuzzled his neck, grazing his skin with her teeth. He moaned her name gently and lifted her off of her feet, his mouth finding hers again. She sighed without restraint against his lips as he stole her breath, tangling her fingers in his hair as she matched the urgency of his kiss.

  Abruptly, Joe placed her on the ground and released her. Rachel felt oddly empty, looking up at him in confusion. What the hell? She struggled to catch her breath as she smoothed her hair back in place. His eyes were darkened as he watched her pull herself together.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he growled, “but goodnight, Rach.”

  She felt scandalized, and made no move to hide her reaction. “Don’t you want to come inside?”

  He caressed the side of her face gently, looking pained as he answered. “I do, but not tonight.”

  “Not tonight?” She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed at her inability to hide the fact that she wanted to wake up next to him. Or maybe not sleep at all, she thought as her lower region throbbed at the prospect.

  “Soon, I promise,” he replied cryptically, grabbing her hand and gently kissing the back of it. “Goodnight, babe.”

  He leaned forward and planted a soft lingering kiss on her mouth. She kissed him back, begrudgingly. Joe then turned on his heel and took off down the hallway, and she could have sworn she heard a disappointed sigh come from somewhere near the elevator.

  Completely unglued, a couple of tears stung at her eyes while she struggled to quickly open her door. Rachel didn’t quite understand why she felt so rejected, but she wiped away the tears impatiently as she locked the front door and made a beeline for her bedroom. Realizing that she was still out of breath from Joe’s intoxicating scent and skillful seduction, Rachel stopped what she was doing and sat to gather her thoughts.

  “What is he doing to me,” she sighed aloud, pulling her sweater off and reaching for her nightshirt.

  This brick wall of a guy had somehow pushed his way into her life and turned her world upside down. She recounted the events of the last few weeks with a frown, wondering how she could let him in so easily. And she wondered how she was going to be able to go on. The secret she held from him was too big; she realized that her feelings were too. It was time for Rachel to consider the idea that maybe, after just a few weeks, she was falling for Hottie McCoffeehouse.

  • • •

  The next seven days consisted of stolen kisses and heated glances in the break room, restrooms, and supply closets of Equinox Publishing. Rachel had to stop wearing lipstick to work, because if Joe were there meeting with the senior editorial staff, she could bank on a door opening at random and Joe yanking her inside. She spent a lot of time giggling that week, and about as much time retouching her make up.

  Amy stopped her one afternoon as she left for the day, and she looked like the cat that ate the canary.

  “Hey Rach,” she said, her voice overly playful. “Calling it an early day?”

  Rachel stopped and smiled at Amy, leaning on the reception desk’s counter. “Yeah, I’ve got a lot of reading to do, and I just think I’d get it done faster at home.”

  “Lord knows you’ve been busy enough here,” she giggled.

  Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  Pressing her lips together, Amy could clearly hold it no longer. She looked to the left and right, before abruptly standing and leaning closer to Rachel. “What’s going on with you and AJ Pavon?”

  Rachel feigned shock. “What are you talking about?”

  Amy scoffed. “Rachel, please — I see everything! And Joe’s been here more than other authors before him. It looks to me like he’s been working on something other than his new book this past week.”

  Rachel held back a smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m on the editorial team for that particular book, and I’m often the go-between when it comes to him communicating with Michelle.”

  Amy wasn’t convinced. She just gave Rachel an appraising look. “All right, Rach. If you don’t want to say anything, fine. But your secret is safe with me. And whenever you want to talk — ”

  “Jeez, you’re persistent,” Rachel chuckled, moving toward the elevator, “There’s nothing going on, Amy.”

  Amy giggled. “Okay, Rachel. You win, I’ll leave it alone.”

  The elevator door opened, and Rachel stepped inside. When she turned to face the doors, Amy was still standing, smiling. She shot Rachel a wink as the door closed.

 
Rachel fell into a fit of giggles that lasted the entire elevator ride. She wasn’t concerned about Amy — she’d already proven to be a trustworthy friend. But she had to keep up appearances, because if Michelle caught wind, she’d turn it into a scandal and wouldn’t stop until Rachel was out on her ear.

  When she reached the lobby, she found Michelle heading straight for the elevator. She tried to step briskly out of the way, but Miss Junior Ed stopped her.

  “Hi, Rachel,” she smirked, looking extra smug.

  “Hi, Michelle. How was that long lunch?”

  “Great, thanks,” she smirked, “I just got off the phone with the new guy, Joe. He and I have a late meeting set up at Sardi’s tonight. By eight o’ clock, we’ll be discussing his … big release.”

  Is that right? Rachel bit back a stab of jealousy. “Finally got him to break his ethical code, then? You must be proud.”

  Michelle tilted her head with a proud smile. “Are you jealous? Did you actually think that he’d give you any attention? He knows what side of the bread the butter is on. He’s going to go where the best opportunities lie.”

  Rachel smiled. “I’m sure you’re absolutely right. Well, I guess the best woman won. I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”

  She walked away from Michelle, allowing her the false victory. Rachel knew that Joe wouldn’t have given her the time of day, not with the way he’d been all over her lately. Or was his attentiveness a ruse to keep suspicions at bay? The green-eyed monster threatened to surface as she stepped swiftly out of the building and hailed a cab.

  Suddenly, a six-hour shift at Orchid seemed like hell.

  • • •

  Rachel arrived at the call center early enough to drive herself mad with “what ifs” and “how could hes” before grabbing a cup of coffee and logging into her phone. The first two hours of her shift went by painfully slow; she wasn’t in the mood to chat with the regulars who never seemed to remember her name, and she wasn’t in the mood to break in a new submissive over the phone. It was relatively quiet, and the minutes ticked by until she realized that it was eight o’clock. He’s probably with Michelle right now.

  But maybe he’s isn’t.

  But maybe he is!

  As she fought with her subconscious about how she already knew that he would never meet with her outside of Equinox, one of the phone girls looked over the desk.

  “Kirby,” she said quietly, a tired smile on her face, “you’ve got a call.”

  Confusion washed over Rachel’s face. “I have a call?”

  The girl whose real name she didn’t remember let out a giggle. “It’s a fun feeling, isn’t it? Pick up line thirteen.”

  I have a call? The thought was a little exciting, and she picked up the call eagerly without thinking about who it might be. Kirby took over as she cleared her throat before turning her headset on.

  “Hi, this is Kirby.”

  “Are you available for a brief therapy session?”

  Joe!

  Chapter Eight

  “Well, well — if it isn’t my only non-sexual caller!”

  Joe chuckled softly, his voice playfully sarcastic. “What? You mean I’m the only one who only calls for advice and not sex?”

  Rachel giggled. “As if you didn’t know. But I’ve gotta say, I like when you call. It’s nice to get a break from all the fetishists and the deviants.”

  “I’m sure,” he replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

  “So, tell me, Joe — how’s everything?”

  Rachel knew exactly how simple it was to get him started because, pleasantries aside, he only wanted to talk about one thing: Rachel. While she was certainly happy that he wasn’t with Michelle, she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that he’d chosen to call her again instead of just talking to the girl he wanted advice about.

  She had been hoping that she was being open and affectionate enough for him to feel that Rachel was no longer being distant. Not that she was complaining — she had no business being angry about openness when she kept the biggest secret of all in her back pocket. But she was certainly trying to use her powers for good. Taking Kirby’s knowledge and using it to be a better girlfriend to Joe. That’s not so bad, is it?

  “So what do you think?”

  Rachel was snapped back to reality. “I’m sorry, you broke up. Repeat that last part.”

  Joe laughed. “Are you okay?”

  “I guess I am a little distracted.”

  “Maybe I should listen to you once in a while.”

  Rachel couldn’t help but smile. “You’re a sweetheart, but I’m all set. Besides, it would ruin the illusion.”

  “I can’t argue with you there. In my mind, you’re kind of the ultimate heroine.”

  She let out a laugh, almost sounding more like herself and less like Kirby. “The ultimate heroine, that’s hysterical! How do you work that out?”

  “Well, think about it — you sit on this phone who knows how many nights out of the week, and you give people what they want when they need to get away. And you do it without compromising yourself. Unless of course, you’re actually a stripper and I feel like an idiot.”

  “No, I’m not a stripper. And I never actually thought of it that way. But let’s not be too quick to glamorize what I do.”

  “Fair enough. But let’s not pretend that you aren’t everything to someone, exactly when they need it. It’s funny, I know — but it’s pretty cool.”

  Would you say the same thing if you knew who I was? “I bet you’re this charming with all the other girls.”

  “Now that’s funny!”

  Rachel giggled. “Now why is that funny?”

  “Some folks seem to think that I’m some sort of playboy because I know how to talk to people, but I’m a one girl kind of guy.”

  “And who’s your one girl?”

  Joe paused. Rachel imagined him blushing, cheeks reddening beneath his stubble.

  “You know who.”

  “Just say it. It’s fun for me when you swoon.”

  Joe chuckled. “It’s Rachel, of course.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Rachel leaned back with a satisfied grin. “And if she’s your number one girl, then why are you calling me? I haven’t heard from you in a couple of weeks, I figured you were cured.”

  “She’s amazing, but that wasn’t why I was calling,” he answered. “I just like having a woman’s point of view with this one. My buddies are useless in matters of love.”

  Love? “Hmm, is it getting serious?”

  “It’s moving really quickly, and it’s kind of scary,” he said. “I’m nuts about her. We have so much in common, we laugh about the same things, and she’s just not your average girl.”

  “Sounds like you two have been having fun.”

  “We have,” he said, the smile obvious in his voice. “And Kirby … she drives me crazy. I want her, like, all the time.”

  Vapors! “Goodness, all the time?”

  “All the time,” he repeated, his voice husky. “She can look up at me once with those big round eyes, and I’m ready to go.”

  “So then, what’s the problem? Why do you need my advice?”

  He let out a frustrated sigh. “Because I don’t want her and I to just be about sex. I’m falling in love with her.”

  Rachel’s heart pounded against her rib cage, and for a moment she broke character, turning into an overly smitten Rachel. “Joe! Really?”

  She clapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. Thankfully, Joe seemed to miss the change in her voice. “Hopeless romantic, huh?”

  Immediately going back into character, she replied, “Oh, for sure. I think it’s amazing that you’re finding love. Not everyone is as lucky as you.”

  “You must hav
e someone special, Kirb.”

  “I do. He’s pretty awesome.”

  “What does he think about your occupation?”

  “Well,” her voice trailed, “he doesn’t actually know. I’m thinking he might leave if he finds out.”

  “You should tell him. You shouldn’t have secrets in a relationship.”

  “What about yours? Does Rachel know that you call a phone sex line?”

  Joe chuckled. “Touché. But don’t you think our situations are a little bit different?”

  She knew she was treading dangerous waters. “Maybe they are. We haven’t actually done anything either, but what do you think Rachel would say?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t planning on telling her. I always just sort of assumed that this was harmless.”

  Hmm, so did I. “I guess I can understand that.”

  “And it’s not like you and I are dating, so I’m not cheating on her.”

  She cringed, closing her eyes. “That’s true.”

  There was a long moment of silence as Rachel processed everything she just heard. He was falling for her. He believed that there shouldn’t be secrets in a relationship, but he was technically keeping a big one from the woman he was falling for. But who was she to talk?

  Joe cleared his throat. “So what should I do? Should I just tell Rachel what I’m feeling?”

  “Tell her, Joe. Don’t assume that you know what she’s thinking, or how she’s going to react. Unless she’s absolutely insane, I’m pretty sure she’s falling for you too.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  She swallowed hard, in an attempt to push her thudding heart back down. “I do. And listen, I know it’s easier to confide in someone who won’t tease the hell out of you, but talk to her, Joe. Just let her know how you feel, and don’t worry about getting hurt.”

  “But what if she — ”

  “Don’t overthink. All you can do is put yourself out there and be honest. And if she runs, then it wasn’t meant to be. But if you want my opinion, she’s not going to run.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The lump in her throat made her nauseous. How dare she advise him to do one thing when she was doing the complete opposite … to him? “I’m sure, Joe. She’d be an idiot to ruin things with you.”