by Alexia Praks
Chan was still deep in thought when, suddenly, she felt a warm, strong arm wrap around her back and another beneath her knees. Just as she looked up, she found herself airborne. She gasped out in fright, and in response, her arms flew to wrap around the muscular neck belonging to Lilly’s dad.
She was shell-shocked for a moment, wondering if she was currently dreaming about such a situation.
Sam glanced at her and gave her a handsome smile. “Stop looking at me like that,” he said teasingly. “I’m not likely to leave a damsel in distress to fend for herself, now am I?”
Chan licked her lips, her heart racing. “What are you doing? And where are you taking me?”
“Taking care of that ankle of yours,” he said, heading toward the lift. “Or would you rather not let me help you at all? From the look of things, you can’t even walk without crying out in pain.”
Chan couldn’t protest his logical argument as she chewed on her lower lip. “Thanks. But I don’t even know you.”
He chuckled. “You know Lilly. That’s enough.”
She swallowed. “Lilly? You mean your daughter.”
He nodded as they got into the elevator. “The Thursday Market a few months back.”
Chan was impressed. She couldn’t believe he still remembered that day. She couldn’t believe he still remembered her. The thought delighted her in the most unimaginable way.
Sam moved closer to the side of the lift as the door closed. Chan tightened her arms around his shoulders as he somehow managed to balance her while pulling out a card from his pants pocket. Then he swiped it through the security system.
“Can you push the button for the fortieth for me?” he asked.
Chan nodded. “Sure,” she said and pushed the button at the very top that was marked a different color from the rest. Then she wondered if there was a nurse station or something on the fortieth floor that’d help treat her sprained ankle.
When Sam stood back, the elevator started ascending, and Chan suddenly wondered why he wouldn’t put her down. After all, she could stand. Not to mention she wasn’t very comfortable being in his arms in this flimsy cocktail dress.
She was about to suggest he put her down when he interrupted her. “I’m Sam by the way.”
Chan licked her lips, blushing profusely at the fact he was looking at her intensely. Couldn’t he at least look at something else? Even though they were in such a confined space, surely there was at least something else more interesting than her face.
She bit on her lower lip in worry when he smiled at her. The silence was killing her, for God’s sake. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she said, “I’m Chandra Chandler.”
“Chandra,” he said softly.
The way he uttered her name made her body squirm deliciously. Why he had so much effect on her, she hadn’t a clue. God, why was she so attracted to him?
Then she remembered the kiss they’d just shared—the one she’d forced upon him. That was when she realized she’d acted like a slut. God, she hoped he wouldn’t surmise she had such a character because that wasn’t really her. She hoped he didn’t think her a loose woman, going round and doing that sort of thing… Throwing herself at every guy she came across and kissing them.
The elevator finally stopped on the fortieth floor, and the door dinged open. Sam walked out into the corridor, and Chan noticed the place was classically elegant and tastefully decorated. It must be very expensive to get a room up here, she thought in awe. Even Jayden and Alex only managed the presidential suite on the thirty-ninth floor below. What could be up here? she wondered.
They came to a door, and Sam finally put her down. Chan leaned on the wall for support as Sam swiped his keycard to get the door open. Once done, he returned his attention to Chan, who suddenly took a step back.
“I can walk,” she said adamantly. “Honestly.”
He chuckled. “Like I’m going to listen to that lie.”
Even with much protestation, she still ended up in his arms. Sam then took her in through the door, and as they came into the space, the light flickered on by itself.
Chan scanned her surroundings with interest. She noted the comfy, expensive sofas and chairs in one corner. A long mahogany table with at least eight chairs filled another section of the space. Then there was a grand mahogany desk near the end with a comfy leather chair situated behind it. The view of the glittering city to the side of that chair was breathtaking.
It was an office, Chan realized, not a hotel bedroom. And it was definitely not a nurse’s station.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, confused.
Sam put her down on the sofa gently. Chan unwrapped her arms from his shoulders and made herself comfortable.
“Treating your sprained ankle, I believe,” he said, turning on his heel.
She watched him as he disappeared around the corner. She wondered what he was up to. A moment later, he returned with an icepack and first-aid kit.
Chan was indeed very surprised. The man was well prepared for whatever eventuality.
Sam came to sit on the coffee table before her and gently grabbed for her leg. Chan jumped in response. When he put her ankle on his lap, she bit her lip and said, “I can manage.”
He ignored her attempt at retrieving her leg and gently placed the icepack on her ankle.
“Eeeee…” She gasped out at the sudden contact. It was ice cold.
Sam smiled. Then he wondered if she’d make sexual cries in bed similar to that and had the sudden urge to find out. But not now. Hell! Definitely not now.
After that passionate, awesome kiss—yes, he’d succumbed to the Chandler sisters’ magic word, awesome—and seeing how affected she’d been, he was concerned. He certainly didn’t want to frighten her any more than she’d already been. Even though she’d been the one to initiate that kiss. And damn! It was the most awesome kiss he’d ever had. He couldn’t wait to sample more.
Chan, on the other hand, was a little more than uncomfortable as she sat there, her leg resting intimately on Sam’s lap while he watched her intensely. It didn’t help matters that the hem of her skirt kept riding up her thighs. She hoped the odd position didn’t reveal her panties. She’d surely die of mortification.
Consciously, she moved her hand and clamped her skirt down between her thighs. That involuntarily drew Sam’s attention. His gaze drifted from her face down to her hand there, clutching the flimsy skirt between two lovely, white legs.
Sam stared, and… Shit! He was turned on. Long, slender limbs spread out before him in an almost inviting position. He gazed long and hard at the V-shape between her legs, his own body responding to the visual effect. Then his gaze drifted up the small waist to the bust area, and he nearly stopped breathing. The flimsy material did nothing to hide the shape of her breasts, which were round and beautiful. And shit! The nipples! The shape looked perfectly ripe for the plucking. He could just imagine popping those delicious little buds into his mouth, licking, kissing, and sucking at them, rolling them with his tongue until they were glistening wet.
Chan’s whole body tensed as Sam continued to stare at her body. She noted the lust in his eyes and simply wanted to die in mortification. The atmosphere was hot and heavy, and it was making it hard for her to breathe. When Sam started to subconsciously caress her leg where the icepack resided, she surrendered to the inevitable.
Her body relaxed as Sam slowly moved his hand up her legs. Suddenly, she wanted him to go farther. Suddenly, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and let him kiss her passionately just like he had only ten minutes before in the club. Suddenly, she wanted him to make love to her… Really make love to her…
Her whole body shook in shock at that revelation—that she wanted him that bad. The man who was already taken.
The phone rang, and Chan jumped back to reality.
The sound did the same to Sam, and he shook his head. He couldn’t believe he’d wanted to seduce the innocent beauty here and now.
Dammit!
But he did promise himself he wouldn’t do anything to her tonight. Now? What was he thinking? But the sight of her body… it just made him lose his mind.
He returned his attention to the first-aid kit as Chan picked up her phone.
“Hello?” she said, her eyes on Sam, who now was wrapping a bandage around her ankle. He was firm and made sure the material was on tight.
“Chan! Where the heck are you?” This came from Soriya. “We’re so worried you’ve been gone so long. We’re like a search party here, looking everywhere.”
Chan felt guilty for not telling her sisters and friends where she was. “Ah, so sorry. I sprained my ankle.”
“What?” Soriya shouted.
Chan grimaced at the loud voice in the phone, causing Sam to chuckle.
“Sister?”
She nodded. Then she wondered how he was able to guess. More importantly, how would he even know she had a sister at all?
Into the phone, she said, “It’s okay. I’m okay. Sam’s just treating me right now.”
“Who the hell is Sam?” her sister demanded. “Oh my God! You’re not being kidnapped, are you?”
Chan frowned. “Don’t be stupid. I said I sprained my ankle, and Sam is treating me.”
“Oh, right, just as long as you’re okay. And where the heck are you? We’re coming to get you.”
Chan looked around her. “I’m in an office. It’s on the fortieth floor.”
“Fortieth floor?” Soriya repeated.
In the background, Dara said, “Fortieth floor? You can’t get access up there. It’s for hotel personnel only.”
Chan blinked. “Huh? I don’t know. I’m just here with Sam on the fortieth floor.”
Sam hid a smile as he watched the confused look on Chan’s face. God, she was beautiful. He had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms and onto his lap.
“Then how are we going to come get you?” Soriya asked.
Good question, Chan thought and looked to Sam for help.
He smiled and motioned for her to give him the phone. “Hello?” he said. “It’s Sam Harrington here.”
Sam heard a loud gasp and then, “Holy shit! It’s Mr. Harrington.”
Sam chuckled. “You can ask either Jayden or Alec to bring you up. They have access.”
“Oh my God! Oh my God! My sister is with you. Oh my God!” She squealed in delight.
“Chan is waiting. She’s doing fine,” he said, eyeing Chandra, who was watching him with large eyes.
Sam Harrington? The Harrington? Chan thought in shocked surprise. The billionaire elite her sisters were talking about only that morning?
“That will be all now,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he watched Chan licking her lips.
“We’ll be there in a jiffy. Please, Mr. Harrington, look after my sister,” Soriya said. “Oh, and please tell her to hold on tight.”
Sam laughed. “Sure.”
Hold on tight indeed, he thought in amusement. He’d definitely tell her to hold on tight when he made love to her in the near future.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Your sister said they’d be here soon.” He handed the phone back to her.
“Thanks,” she said, blushing. “So you’re Sam Harrington?”
“Is that a problem?” he teased.
Chan shook her head. “No, just that… Jeremy works for you?”
The moment she mentioned Jeremy’s name, he felt a lump in his throat. He glanced away and paid attention to her sprained ankle instead of answering her question.
“You won’t be able to do heavy work for a couple days. I think it’s better to get it checked in case you have a bone broken.”
The words bone broken got Chan’s attention. “You’re right,” she said. “I’ll get it checked Monday.”
He nodded and then moved her leg off his lap, rotating her toward the sofa instead. Chan had to rearrange herself, following him. Once in that position, her legs along the full length of the couch and her back resting comfortably, Sam stood. Then he leaned over her and fussed about her as he made her comfortable.
Chan couldn’t help but felt like she was someone dear to him under his care. His actions tugged something wonderful and warm in her heart, and she felt this buzz of deliciousness continuously caressing her throughout her body.
“Comfortable?” he asked, placing a cushion behind her back, his face so close to her Chan could feel his warm breath fanning her skin.
She licked her lips again as she nodded.
Her lips and tongue were surely inviting, and damn, it was hard to hold himself back. He was about to lean in farther and do the unthinkable—kiss her senseless—when furious knocks at the door drew his attention.
He sighed and stood up straight. “Must be your sisters and friends.”
Chan nodded.
Sam chuckled as he headed over to the door. Upon opening it, he was greeted by a group of concerned females. The two in the lead were the most anxious.
“Where’s Chan?” Dara demanded immediately.
Sam took a step back, allowing them to enter. “Inside.”
Dara, Soriya, and the rest of Alex’s friend filed in. Behind them were both Jayden and Alec.
“What a night, eh?” Jayden said, chuckling.
“Yeah,” Sam responded.
It was some half hour later when Chan found herself in Sam’s arms once again in the elevator. With them were Dara and Soriya, while her friends had all gone back to their hotel rooms and retired for the night. They promised to come by her apartment and check up on her tomorrow afternoon.
Why the billionaire Mr. Sam Harrington had to carry her all the way to her car, she wasn’t sure. Of course, he had insisted on taking responsibility. It didn’t help matters either that both her sisters encouraged the very idea.
The elevator door dinged open at the ground floor, and Sam walked out with her in his arms. Dara and Soriya, both with their bags on their shoulders, walked a few paces behind them.
Chan turned her attention to Sam and said, “Honestly, I can walk, you know. I don’t think it’s that serious. I mean, it’s not that swollen anymore. My ankle, I mean.”
He flicked his gaze to her and said, “I know it’s getting better, but I’m a cautious man, Chan.” His expression demanded no argument from her, and Chan shut her mouth.
“He’s right, you know,” Dara said.
Soriya nodded her head furiously in agreement.
Chan turned her head and glared at her sisters. The two hid giggles and made thumbs-up at her. Chan groaned in vexation.
Sam heard and chuckled. “Are you in pain?” He was teasing, of course. He knew she was frustrated her sisters were going along with his idea gleefully.
They reached the car, and Dara rushed forward and unlocked it. Soriya opened the back door for them, to which Sam said, “Thanks.”
Then he proceeded to gently lower Chan into the car and onto the seat within. As he was doing that, their faces were merely an inch apart, and Chan felt her heart pounding within her chest.
“Thanks,” she said softly.
Sam gave her a smile and nodded. “Take care.”
Chan nodded as Sam took a few steps back.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Harrington,” Soriya said.
“Sam, call me Sam.”
Soriya giggled. “Sure thing.”
Dara chimed in. ‘Thanks for saving my sister, Sam. You’re totally awesome.” She even flashed him a lovely smile.
Sam nodded and said, “Drive safely.”
With that, the sisters jumped into the car and started driving away.
Sam stood there watching until the vehicle disappeared from sight.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 24