Chosen Heart (The Hart Series)

by Stewart, Ann

  “That was some wake up call,” he says smoothly. Stroking my back, he holds me against him. “As much as I want to lie in bed with you all day, we need to get up and shower.” A shower with Alex might just be what I need. After the past four days, I don’t want to let him out of my sight. Cradling me in his arms, Alex rises from the bed carrying me to the adjoined bathroom.

  ~~~~~

  Wrapped in a fluffy towel, I glance in the mirror and can’t hide my enthusiasm. Weeks ago, Alex was nothing but a hope and erotic dream; now he is my reality. I ogle my man, grinning from ear to ear, as he stands gloriously naked, drying himself off with a light blue towel. Lucky towel! His biceps flex as he rubs the cloth over every inch of his body, teasing me. Screw the towel, I’m one lucky girl.

  It’s almost too good to be true. After last night and then this morning, I don’t want any of it to end. Problem is in a few hours we will be back in reality at the fundraiser; a reality where Alex is the V.P. and I am just another subordinate. With no emotions, no affection, no connection. After claiming one another, can we go on pretending to mean nothing? Before I was just disappointed that we couldn’t arrive together, but now…now that he belongs to me, it pains me to know that my claim only exists in the confines of our own hearts. My insecurities are starting to surface and I’m trying to not be that type of girl.

  “We’ll have to go and get my car.” I mutter as I finish drying off. I can tell he wasn’t expecting my odd comment and my sudden bleak mood.

  With a look of confusion, Alex asks, “Why?” His hair is still damp and small droplets fall on his muscular shoulders. It’s hard for me to concentrate, and answer his question, while he’s naked and wet standing in front of me; regardless of the no nonsense look on his face.

  “The fundraiser, remember? We can’t arrive together.” I sulk as I wrap my towel tighter around me. Will it always be this way? Will we always have to be a secret? Or, will one of us have to make sacrifices to be together? Would he ever ask me to give up my career at SHI, or for that matter, could I give up my career for him? Unfortunately, there’s always a lingering feeling of dread that our relationship really isn’t a relationship, if no one else knows.

  My mind automatically fixates on the conference room and Autumn’s dirty little paws all over him. Jealously builds and I fight back the tears of frustration at the thought of Autumn trying to continue pursuing him; never knowing that he’s already spoken for. Frowning, my attention is brought back to my reflection in the mirror and I don’t like what I see. First the insecurities and now the jealousy? Snap out of it!

  Alex comes behind me and starts to towel dry my hair. “Why are you upset?” I close my eyes, relishing the feeling of his fingers as they massage my scalp through the cotton material.

  I didn’t realize that he was so perceptive. “Just thinking,” I whisper, trying to hide my internal conflicts, while faking a slight smile.

  “About?” he questions as the strokes of the towel come to a halt. Opening my eyes, I detect the fluster in his reflection.

  “About us. I’m just trying to figure out how all of this is supposed to work. There’s always going to be other women, Alex…they’re never going to know…” I nervously start toying with the counter top; tracing the lines of the marble with my index finger as I avoid his gaze. Alex releases the towel, letting it fall to the bathroom floor.

  “Hey, quit it!” Turning me around he places his finger under my chin to tilt my face up. Looking directly in my now watering eyes, he says tenderly, “We will figure this out okay? I don’t want you worrying about these things. We are together. We know that, right?” I nod. “What everyone else knows or thinks doesn’t matter.” If it doesn’t matter then why does it bother me so much?

  Fussing with his towel, I can’t help but pout. “You’re not the one that has to sit back and watch women constantly throw themselves at you.”

  “Women, huh? And who are these so-called women?” he says, deadpan.

  “Autumn, for example; she’s after you, Alex. She practically rapes you with her eyes every chance she gets and then sneaks in moments to touch you. Then I get to hear a play-by-play of what she wants you to do to her.” I can’t help it; in this moment I truly am a green eyed monster. “You have no idea how infuriating it is to listen to her constants chatter about what would happen if she got you alone.” Just the thought makes me sick with rage.

  “Elyssa…in my heart I am taken. I’m not seeing anyone else and I don’t intend to. As for Autumn, she’s dull and slutty and even without you walking into my life, she never had a chance.” The corners of my mouth turn up slightly, as I tilt my head and look into his eyes. “You have nothing to be jealous of. Besides, I’m the one that had to listen to your ex yell to the world about how you were the best he ever had.” I blush at the memory of last night’s avoided confrontation between Alex and Cole. “About that…you sure there is nothing I need to know?”

  “I’ve told you before; there is no relationship with him. We haven’t been together for years.” Crap, I need him to trust me, about as much as I need him to stop prying. It’s like he knows I’m keeping something from him. You are keeping a secret from him, Ely. You will have to tell him, someday. Today is not the day, damn it!

  “I still can’t get what he said last night out of my head.” Still in front of me, it’s his turn to show his insecurities. To me, worrying about Cole is so farfetched; he holds nothing in comparison to Alex. But, for Alex it’s just too close.

  “Alex…in my heart…I am taken. When I tell you nothing is going on, I expect you to believe me. I’ve fallen for you. There are reasons why I choose to keep Cole in my life; we’ve been through a lot. But, what I felt for Cole is nothing in comparison to what I feel for you. That should be enough reassurance for you.”

  Lust returns to Alex’s gaze; his eyes traveling from my face to my breasts where my towel is securely tucked. “Who’s better ?”

  “Better?” I’m confused. Where’s he going with this?

  “Yes.” His fingers travel up my thighs, gently raising the edge of the towel, as his fingers reach the apex of my thighs. I gasp. “Is he better than me here?” His index finger and middle finger gradually enter me. Grasping his shoulder, I try steadying myself, as my knees begin to tremble.

  “No,” I mumble, breath shallow.

  “No, what?” His fingers continue to go in and out, as his thumb begins to massage my clit.

  “No, Alex, he’s not better than you…there,” I choke out the words, barely able to speak. Suddenly, his fingers retreat and I’m being lifted so my butt rests on the edge of the bathroom counter.

  “Is he better than me here?” The same two fingers graze over my lips as I pucker and kiss them, which flames the apex of my thighs.

  “No,” my lips quirk up. He’s such a tease.

  “No, what?”

  I moan. “No, Alex, he isn’t…”

  As I sit on the counter with Alex between my legs, he reaches down with his mouth removing the corner of towel tucked into the cleavage of my breasts. His hungry eyes travel down my naked body. “Fuck. You. Are. Perfect.” The wetness growing between my legs seeps out as Alex continues his relentless assault on my aching core.

  “Oops,” I bring my hand up to my mouth and smirk, as I playfully reach down, removing the towel tucked at Alex’s waist. My fingers wrap around his shaft, tugging gently, bringing his hips closer to mine. Looking into his crystal blue eyes, I have to have him. “I want you inside me.”

  “You and your…need…mmm….” He positions himself and pushes into me. My head falls back, resting against the mirror behind me. Alex continues hard, pounding thrusts, filling me. Once again my climax builds quickly, my head dancing in the clouds. I can’t get over this feeling, nor would I want to get rid of it in a hundred years.

  I love this too much. “Harder please!” I beg.

  Gripping my waist, Alex pushes harder, going deeper inside. “Oh my God!” I yell as I climax. Alex
continues to move with such velocity that I fear he might break me in half. Unexpectedly, Alex lifts me off the counter, but I never touch the ground.

  “Reach behind and grab the counter, I’m going to flip you around.” I do as I’m told and place my hands on the edge of the counter in the same moment that Alex moves my hips so that he’s behind me. Still inside, he continues thrusting harder and harder against my behind. He reaches around to hold my belly with his left hand, keeping me even closer. The reflection of Alex taking me from behind is sexy as hell. His eyes fasten on mine as he continues his relentless movement. I close my eyes as I feel myself reaching a climax again. I’m about to shatter.

  “Open your eyes, Elyssa. I want you to watch us.”

  Listening to anything Alex demands, my eyes shoot open. I grasp the counter as his movements accelerate. I watch the reflection in the mirror, as he aggressively attacks me from behind. “Do you like this, Elyssa?” he breathes.

  “Yes! Please…don’t stop!” I moan, almost closing my eyes. Remembering his earlier demands, I open them wide as tremors take over my body, climaxing again. “Alex!!!” I scream, letting out the most gut wrenching sound.

  He groans as his movements subdue and I feel him rest his forehead on the nape of my neck, placing one soft kiss. My legs feel like jelly as Alex pulls out of me, leaving me resting against the counter. Reaching down for his towel, he comes up looking sexier than ever. After wrapping the towel around his waist, he turns me around and kisses me tenderly on the lips, making every inch of my skin tingle. I don’t think I can move.

  “Get dressed. I want to take you to breakfast,” he can hardly contain his joy; his grin matching mine.

  In less than five hours we will have to deal with reality, closing off our emotions to the rest of the world. I can’t imagine a better way to start our morning then with the comfort of food and the serenity I feel when I’m with him.

  CHAPTER 12

  “Elyssa!” Janice shouts, bounding towards me the moment my feet touch the SHI grounds. Looking at her, I can tell she's frazzled with all the excitement, but yet still extremely buoyant. For her, this is the life; her happiness. And because I’ve had an unbelievable morning, I can’t help but share in her joy. Her excitement has more to do with the pride of her accomplishments, and not the hours of sexual indulgence I’ve just been privy to. But regardless, we’re both happy.

  Janice brushes her forehead with the back of her hand, feigning exhaustion. “Thank goodness you’re here.”

  Finally able to look past her goofy grin, I'm speechless when I get the chance to look around. The SHI grounds look ethereal with the main entrance lined with large bouquets of white balloons shaped into an angelic archway. Starting up the walkway, which normally encircles a large patch of grass, I'm entranced by the dozen or so white gossamer tents lining the outer walkway, covering a makeshift dance floor.

  “Janice, this place looks wonderful! You guys really did an amazing job putting all this together.”

  A billow of hickory smoke can be seen in the distance and the air is filled with heavenly scents; a mixture of curry, garlic, and grilled chicken lingers as I link my arm through hers, as we make our way up the inclined path. "You look like you need to talk. What’s up?”

  “Oh, you know; the usual…Autumn. If I have to hear her complain one more time…I’m going to scream.”

  I sigh. “What is she complaining about now?” I know she doesn’t like to cause any trouble, so for Janice to want to air her frustrations, instead of keeping them bottled up, I’m all for it. I could care less about Autumn.

  “What is she not complaining about? First, it was that Mr. James wasn’t here yet. Then when he did arrive, she used all of her coercion tactics to sway him to her booth.” What! She was trying to get Alex to buy a kiss from her? Over my dead body! “Of course it didn’t work; I honestly don’t know why she even tries.” Semi-crisis averted.

  “Ever since she stepped foot in the kissing booth, there’s been complaint after complaint about the guys coming up to her. Seriously, what did she think…that every guy would be some Abercrombie and Fitch model?” I giggle. Always being so sweet and timid, when Janice kicks it up a notch with her sarcasm, it’s downright funny.

  Even through the bitchfest, I’m thankful Janice found me the moment I arrived. Forgetting the map of the grounds at home, it would have taken me a while to navigate the maze of vendors and games without her. I fully intended on grabbing it after Alex dropped me off at my apartment, but our kiss goodbye left me partially dizzy and unable to think clearly. At least that’s the excuse I’m going with.

  “Alright, alright, you can stop laughing at me. I promise, no more complaining. So, you don’t have to report to the kissing booth for another thirty minutes, what do you want to do?”

  The upbeat music in the background pulls my attention in the direction of the makeshift dance floor underneath the large white canopy. My eyes light up and with a devilish grin, I pull Janice towards the music. “Oh no, Elyssa. I can’t dance.” With her feet firmly planted, Janice shakes her head continuously. I refuse to listen to her, dragging her until we’re standing directly in the middle of the hustle and bustle. It feels good under the canopy, barely able to tell it’s the beginning of fall. The mister system paired with fans and the overcast sky makes the event less unbearable.

  “Come on Janice, live a little.” Grabbing her hands, I shake her torso to and fro. A large smile spreads across her lips as we both move in unison. An elderly couple brushes against us, dancing with their hands intertwined, swaying. The music is more modern, but that doesn’t stop the happy couple from enjoying their time together. Watching them, I feel a little jealous that their relationship doesn’t have to be so private. I want nothing more than to go and grab Alex, and enjoy the simple pleasures in life; like simply dancing at a fundraiser…his fundraiser.

  The thrill of the crowd must be catching up with Janice. It’s nice to see her let loose, jumping around, hands in the air, eyes closed. Raising my own arms, I roll my hips, and bounce along side of her to the beat. As Alex finally comes into view, my attention is diverted from the pounding beat, stilling my excited body. Staring in our direction, I’m too far away to see his facial expression, but hopefully he can still appreciate the movement of my body.

  Grabbing my arm, Janice pulls me towards the event center; towards Alex. “Come on. I need to go check on things.”

  Alex is standing next to a large plastic booth partially filled with water, silently waiting his turn for torture. A small seat sits just above the water level where he’ll be perched for my viewing pleasure. But, as we approach, I realize I’m still trying to reign in the jealousy that’s been building all morning. It’s understandable that women find him attractive, but in his half naked form, they’ll do a lot more than just admire his beautiful face and svelte body. No, they’ll have the building blocks of their own sexual fantasy, starring my boyfriend. I cringe at the thought. I’ve never known what it felt like to be jealous, or even possessive. Of course, that was until I let Alex into my heart.

  “Oh my, is that Arianna?” Janice pauses, standing with her head tilted. Taking my eyes in yet another direction, I catch Arianna and Alex talking quite animatedly, and notice there is something off about her. Out of character, she’s wearing a simple eggshell colored sundress scattered with tiny pink and beige flowers, paired with cream colored wedge sandals. The dress is cute, but because it only reaches her mid-thigh, I can’t help but notice it’s much younger and lighthearted than her normal business attire. Shrugging her shoulders, Janice continues to pull me towards the dunk booth just as Arianna walks off towards the event center, fanning herself.

  “Hello, Mr. James,” I greet Alex, as Janice rushes to grab her clip board behind the small structure with extra large red lips made out of cardboard. I guess I didn’t need that map after all to find my station. It’s not hard to miss and it’s directly across from Alex. Even better.

  “Hello, Ms
. Hart,” his dimples prominent as his lips curls into a smile. His blue eyes are mesmerizing as they sparkle in the afternoon sun. The wonderment in his eyes as they travel over my body, noticing my change in wardrobe, gives me goose bumps. That's right. Take it all in, Mr. James. My simple white fitted halter dress accentuates my curves and shows just the right amount of skin without being too risqué. The milky cotton material contrasts quite nicely with my summer tan.

  “Did you just arrive?” An odd question, but I’ll go along with it. Janice returns just as Alex finishes his question, skimming his teeth over his barely parted lips. HOT!

  “I haven’t been here long. I had a very enjoyable morning with my boyfriend. He took me out to breakfast, so I got here a little later than I originally planned.”

  “Really?” Alex’s brows raise, “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. In the meeting yesterday you mentioned that you were single when you signed up for the kissing booth. I’m sure your boyfriend wasn’t too happy about that.”

  Glancing at Janice, she seems to be none the wiser about our friendly conversation; just a simple discussion between two co-workers, learning small details about each other’s lives. “It’s a new relationship. He wasn’t too excited when he found out, but he knows how I feel about him. In my heart, I’m taken, so I guess that’s all that matters.” My face flushes and Alex and I stand, staring at one another, taking in the moment.

  “Elyssa, don’t forget you’re due at your booth in fifteen minutes. I’ll check on you both later, I have to go inside the event center. Someone said they’re running out of pamphlets. Thanks for the dance, El, it was fun.” She waves, running towards the double doors.

  Abandoned, my attention returns to Alex. His eyes thoroughly examining my body, head to toe. “God, you really shouldn’t be allowed to where that in public, you’re boyfriend may be extremely jealous and not like all of the attention you’re getting. Especially with hundreds of men lined up to kiss you.”