I began to develop an odd feeling in my gut about being out with Marcus. If I didn't know Noah, I would be enthralled by this man. He wasn't just handsome, but also, he was generous and smart. And while I wasn't out looking for a rich husband, the fact that he had money, and was happy to spend it to make me happy, was a nice feeling. I could see where some women would make a goal in life to catch a man like Marcus. But for all his charm and wealth, he was also quite vanilla. Compared to Noah, he just didn't seem to have much spark.
I chastise myself for thinking about men and relationships in general. I was a professional woman. I didn't need a man. I didn't need to wonder if there was a man out there who could excite me physically, as well as mentally like Noah did, but it had the interest in me as Marcus did.
17
Noah
By the time I made it back to the hotel, it was clear I wasn't going to be able to get Andi out of my head. It was fucking annoying. My irritation was made even worse by the knowledge that she was out with Marcus Chen. What did that douchebag have that I didn’t? It was a rhetorical question that I knew the answer to; he showed an interest, and I called her a mistake. I was a dick.
When I entered the hotel, I avoided the elevators and instead went to the front desk. I still didn’t know Andi’s room, so I asked the clerk to call her to make sure that she was back. If she was telling me the truth about her outing with Chen, maybe she'd have some information that we could use to figure out who was sabotaging Strong Incorporated.
The woman at the desk called up to Andi's room. It was clear the phone was ringing but no one was answering.
Finally, she hung up. "She doesn't seem to be in. I can leave her a message if you like."
She was still out with Marcus? It didn't seem possible that I could be more irritated, but right now I seething with it. She’d been out with him nearly the entire day.
I shook my head. "No thank you." Instead, I went over to the bar where I would be able to have a line of sight to the front door. It might've stalkerish me, but I wanted to know when she arrived back.
I took a seat in order to drink and started my waiting vigil. I knew I had absolutely no right to dictate who she saw. I realized that over the years that I’d known her, I wasn’t aware of her dating or having a boyfriend. It certainly wasn't the kind of gossip my grandmother would tell me about, and Andi's and my relationship didn't involve talking about our personal lives. Marcus was the first and only person I knew about her going on a date with. And I hated it.
All of the reasons I had given about being with her personally would be a bad idea seemed to fade. She knew the type of man I was and still had sex with me on the table, so perhaps I didn't need to worry about entanglements with her. In fact, the way she'd quickly gone from me to Marcus suggested she didn't want to settle down any more than I did. And she must not be worried about my grandmother’s opinion of things. Maybe she was like me and just wanting to have a little fun.
Still, the idea of a fling didn't sit well with me. And there was still the fact that she worked for my grandmother, and that could create some tension with her at work or with me and my grandmother.
But as Andi and Marcus walked in through the front doors, the only thing I could think about was how much I wanted her. And how much I wanted her to want me too.
I watched them as they made their way across the lobby. I had this sinking feeling she was about to invite him up to her room. That was my breaking point. It might've been a caveman thing to think, but she was mine, dammit.
She stopped in the middle of the lobby and turned to him. I couldn't see what they were saying, but eventually he leaned in towards her as if to kiss her. Inside I seethed and was already out of my chair having tossed a couple of bills on the bar to pay for my drink. She turned her head, so his lips caught her cheek. Still, he had deigned to put his lips on her, and I could not tolerate that.
Marcus gave her a short nod and then exited the hotel. I rushed to catch up with Andi at the elevators. The doors opened and she stepped in. I nearly sprinted the last few feet to slide in before the doors closed.
Her eyes widened as I dashed into the elevator. "Noah?"
"I trust you had a nice date with Marcus," I said, unable to keep my anger and frustration out of my tone.
She frowned at me. "It's not your business."
I glared at her. "So, you weren't out trying to figure out what he might know about the hack? You were just out having a good time while the rest of us were working to protect the company." I hated that I sounded so harsh because what I really wanted was to take her into my arms and kiss the ever-loving breath out of her
She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. "As it so happens, I did try to find out what he knew, and he doesn't seem to know anything. So there."
"And it took you all day to figure that out?"
"What is your problem, Noah?"
My problem? My problem was that I wanted her, and she had been out with another man. I reached over and pressed the stop button. A bell rang for a few seconds and then stopped.
"What are you doing?" She straightened and looked at me like she thought I'd gone crazy. I think maybe I had, because everything rational in my mind was gone. Right now, there was only her and me. I had to convince her that Chen was not the man for her. I was.
"You know what it did to me to know that you spent the day with him after what happened between us?" I said. I moved closer to her, but not so close that she felt threatened by me. Not that she would ever feel threatened by me.
In fact, she took a step closer to me lifting that defiant chin of hers. "I can't imagine that it did anything to you knowing that since you told me what happened between us was wrong and a mistake."
I stepped a little closer to her. Close enough that I could look into those dark eyes. I could drown in their dark depths. "Well, I lied."
She continued to stare defiantly at me. "So, you're saying it wasn't wrong or a mistake?"
I shook my head not sure what I was trying to say.
"No, I'm pretty sure it's still a mistake. But I don't give a shit anymore. I'm crazy with want for you, Andi." I took a risk reaching my hand out, drawing my finger down the side of her cheek and her neck, enjoying the way her breath hitched, and the pulse in her neck began to quicken.
"Noah," she said in a breathless voice.
"Do you want him? Is Marcus the man that you're thinking about? Dreaming about? Fantasizing about when you touch yourself until you come?"
She shook her head. And it made me so fucking happy.
"What about me? Do you think about me?"
Her gaze dropped down for a moment. "Noah." In her tone. I heard her resistance. It was hard to blame her, considering the way I'd been behaving. I decided to try another tactic.
"Did you like it when I touched you the other night?" I pressed in closer. Close enough that our bodies were touching. Even though there was doubt in her eyes, she didn't push me away. She didn't try to move away.
"You know I did."
"I liked it too, Andi. Even now, I like the way I can see the quickening beat of your pulse in your neck." I leaned forward, pressing a small kiss right on the spot where I could feel her heartbeat on her neck. My hand traveled down to her jeans, undoing the button.
"What are you doing?" She said breathless.
"I especially loved how wet you were for me. Are you wet now?" I slid my hand inside her jeans and under the waistband of her panties. My fingers found her nest of curls and I delighted in the fact that they were wet.
"Noah, you can't do this here."
"I especially liked watching you come. Do you know how beautiful and sexy you are when you come?" My fingers worked her clit as I watched her face while she succumbed to pleasure. Soon her hips were rocking, and I sunk my fingers inside her and she began to fuck them.
"God, Noah,"
"This is all I thought about all damn day, Andi. Touching you. Watching you. Making you come."
Her fingers gripped my shirt, and I could tell close to her release.
I leaned in closer to her, my mouth a whisper away from her ear. “I've dreamt about this before too. You’ve starred in many of my wet dreams, Andi."
She let out a sharp gasp. I sucked on her earlobe and her hips began to gyrate faster as my fingers plunged in and out of her and my thumb rubbed over that hard clit.
I lifted my head to look at her face. "Come for me, Andi. Come for me now."
I continue to work her. Watching her face and loving the way she gave herself over to me. Surely this was a good sign. After this she wouldn't know Chen. After this, I’d take her to her room and I'd show her just exactly how good it could be between us.
I still knew that this was the wrong thing for me to be doing. That this could cause all sorts of problems for Andi and me and maybe my grandmother. But heaven help me, I couldn't stop. As long as she was letting me touch her, as long as she was handing her pleasure over to me, I was hers.
18
Andi
Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, I knew what was happening here was wrong. It wasn't just that we were in a public elevator and there were likely cameras in the elevator as Noah was fingering me to orgasm. It was also wrong because even as he started to touch me, he admitted that it was still a mistake. If that was the case, why was he doing this to me?
Unfortunately for me, I was helpless against him. He had a way of hypnotizing or mesmerizing me, and all I wanted was him. I was glad to hear that he didn't like me seeing Chen. I liked that he was jealous, but it didn't change anything. He as much as said so.
But as his thumb rubbed over my clit and his fingers pressed inside me curling towards that one exquisite spot that would send me to the heavens, there was nothing I could do but hand over my pleasure to him.
“Come on my fingers, Andi. I want to see you come." He seemed to be on only one topic now; making me come. There was no doubt that that was going to happen as the pleasure coiled tighter and tighter. My hips rocked back and forth faster and faster as I careened toward pleasure. And then I was there. His fingers thrust up inside me hitting the one spot, and I was flying. Everything inside me went taut. My head slammed back against the wall as pleasure flooded my body.
"You're so fucking beautiful when you come," Noah's raspy voice said. He stayed with me, his fingers continuing to work me, drawing out the pleasure until slowly he brought me down again.
Finally, I sagged against the wall, my breath coming in harsh breaths, as the ramifications of what just happened fully enveloped me.
"How can that be wrong?" he asked as he pulled his hands out from under my clothes.
But it was wrong.
I pushed him away and turned away from him as I redid my pants feeling horrified by what just happened.
"Don't turn away from me, Andi," he said with a soft voice, his hands gently coming to my shoulders.
I stepped away again, leaning against the opposite wall and holding my hand out to prevent him from moving towards me again. "You can't keep doing this to me."
"Touching you?"
"Yes. You say you want me and then tell me it's wrong. It's giving me whiplash.” I let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know why you're doing this to me."
A loud buzzer went off in the car and I quickly reached over to push the start button. The elevator resumed its upward ride to my floor.
Noah stepped back leaning against the opposite wall facing me.
"I'm all tied up inside, Andi. It's no secret that I want you. But you and I both know that nothing can come of it."
I don't know why that hurt, but it did. "Then you need to stop."
He shrugged. "I've tried. You are like a fucking drug." He looked down as if defeated.
I turned to look towards the elevator doors, hoping that my floor was arriving at any moment.
"I don't want to hurt you. Really, I don't. I'm not trying to be a horn dog with you. I’m not trying to take advantage of you."
I kept my face forward toward the door. "Then you need to stop this."
The car stopped and the doors opened, and I hurried out hoping that Noah would let me go. But while he didn't say anything at first, he did follow me out and to my hotel door. When I reached it, I didn't open it.
I kept my back to him, as I said, "I'm not letting you in Noah."
"I know.”
For a moment we both just stood there. Finally, I gained the courage to turn and look at him. I saw sincerity in his expression that he felt bad about the predicament he put me in.
"I told you that Marcus didn't say anything that gave me any ideas about the hack,” I said.
He nodded, stepping back slightly, as if recognizing we were moving into the professional part of our relationship.
"But I did find it interesting that he doesn't seem very concerned about the hack."
Noah's expression morphed into curiosity. "What do you mean?"
I leaned against the door. "Well, he’s got a lot riding on his partnership with us. So, if this hack is going to devalue the company or make it so that competitors can come in and take our spot, you’d think he'd be concerned about that, wouldn’t you? I mean, part of his success in this venture is that we are successful, right?"
He thought about that and I was pleased when Noah seemed to be taking on his business persona. Maybe tonight, he would think about that, instead of me.
"The question is why would Marcus want to sabotage us? Just as you said, his success is tied closely to ours. What's in it for him?" Noah asked.
I shook my head. "I don't know. When I asked him why someone might do this to us, the two reasons he gave were greed and revenge."
Noah frowned. "Revenge?"
I shrugged. “He said he was giving me examples. It sounded like he was talking in hypotheticals."
I could see that Noah's brain was already turning with possibility. He looked at me again, and I saw his regret return.
I waved my hand to keep him from saying anything more. "Have a good evening, Noah." I didn't wait for him to respond as I turned and used my key card to let me into the room. He was still standing there when I shut the door.
Once my door latched in the place, I leaned against it and blew out a breath wondering what the heck I was thinking letting him touch me like that in the elevator. As a matter of fact, what was he thinking? Why did I give in to him? Especially after he said it was a mistake again.
I stepped inside the room and collapsed on the bed wondering how in the heck I got into this position. It was only then I noticed all the bags sitting on the table in my room. The bags that Marcus had arranged to be sent back after our shopping trip.
All of a sudden, I felt uncomfortable with myself. How was it possible I had spent all afternoon with one man, and then another man had fingered me to orgasm in the elevator? Granted, I had stopped Marcus's advance when he tried to kiss me. The truth was as much as I enjoyed my afternoon, I just didn't feel a connection with Marcus. And in fact, there was a part of me that was suspicious of him for the reasons I’d mentioned to Noah. For someone whose business was closely tied with us, he didn't seem at all concerned about what was happening.
I suppose it could be because Margaret had convinced him all was well, and I was sure that she had the ability to do that. But still, with Noah and me here, I’d think he might be more concerned.
I got up and went into the shower, a little bit regretful that I wasn't in the suite with the large tub. This room had a little tub. So small it was hardly worth the effort. So, I stepped into the shower and washed away my day. I had hoped to wash away Noah as well, but as I got into my pajamas and then climbed into bed, I knew that was going to be easier said than done. Noah had talked about his inability to resist me and I think I understood that, because I was in the same situation. After all, whenever he showed an interest in me, I let him touch me. I was helpless to make him stop.
At the same time, he was right that despite
this crazy lust between us, it was a fruitless endeavor to indulge it. I don't think technically I'd be breaking any company rules if I did, since Noah wasn't officially a part of the Strong Incorporated staff. But I felt pretty sure that Margaret wouldn’t approve of my sleeping with her grandson. And knowing Noah's history, I was pretty sure Margaret would disapprove of his sleeping with me. It would just make everything complicated. And then once this trip was over, he was leaving anyway, so what was the point?
I turned over in bed, pulling the covers over me and willing sleep to come. But even in sleep, I couldn't fully escape Noah.
When I woke the next morning bleary-eyed from a sleepless night, I suspected that there would be no escaping Noah until he finally made his break from the family.
19
Noah
Things didn’t go quite as planned. I felt rotten about it because even when I tried to be honest, I ended up hurting Andi. I hated leaving her in her room last night, but I knew I was the source of her pain and therefore I couldn’t stick around.
When I got back to my room, I worked more on the hacking issue. The sooner we finished this, the sooner I’d be able to get away from Andi and start my own life. My stomach clenched at that idea. Why? All I’d been working for over the last few years was the ability to be on my own. To be seen as someone who wasn’t a spoiled rich kid given everything but instead, someone who had earned respect. The irony was that I wasn’t behaving in a way to earn respect, at least not from Andi.
Hate to Love You Strong Brothers #4) Page 10