Skin of the Night: Book One of The Night series

by Claire D. Bennett

  While I liked her rather a lot, I was aware she was prone to gossiping, and I wasn’t interested in being a subject of it. So, as soon as William arrived, we’d need to discuss how to proceed with our affair. I would ask him to request Violet and Andy’s silence, and I would also ask him not to tell anyone else till I’d finished work in September.

  As chance would have it, Elisabeth called, “Morning, Cara,” just as I was about to enter the lift.

  “Morning, Ellie,” I called back and pressed the button to hold the doors open for her till she arrived by my side.

  “What happened to you on Friday?” she asked while the doors slid shut, head turning to regard me. “I got worried. Sent you a text, but you never replied.”

  “Shit, Ellie,” I grimaced, “I’m so sorry. I had such a rough night, and plenty of plans the day after, so it honestly just slipped my mind to reply.” I hoped my sincerity showed in my voice, because I truly felt sorry for making her worry. Knowing her, it wasn’t something she only said to be polite.

  “Rough night? What happened?”

  “I got far too drunk. Will found me and had to bring me home. It was awful. I’m still absolutely mortified. After I lost you, I ordered a few shots of tequila, and – you know – things just got a wee bit out of hand,” I explained, embarrassed.

  Elisabeth blinked, and then she pursed her lips to stifle a smile. “Your boss had to bring you home? Good thing he’s your flatmate’s brother, eh? Christ, Cara.”

  “Please don’t tell anyone. I’m still so embarrassed.”

  “Of course I won’t. Has Will given you a hard time for it?” she asked. “I know he tends to look down on people who don’t drink responsibly. Either way, it was after hours. Might be unprofessional, but you had every right.”

  I cocked my head from side to side. “He wasn’t exactly impressed.” To change the subject, I continued, “On another note, one of Brian’s friends tried to force me to kiss him.”

  Elisabeth gasped, and a look of horror crossed her face. “What? Which one?”

  “I don’t remember his name, but he had somewhat long hair, brown, side parting, neatly groomed stubble. Brown eyes, too.”

  Her nostrils flared. “Fucking Guillaume. He’s such a cunt! I don’t know why Brian hangs out with him. Then again, he’s more Jake’s friend than Brian’s. I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Cara. Trust me to have a serious word with him.” She was seething. I’d never seen her like this. It was maternal protectiveness unleashed, like that of a lioness.

  “He could do with a correction,” I replied with a nod. “And I suppose every squad has their uncontrollable idiot,” I added, to defend Brian.

  “Did Will see it?” she queried worriedly.

  “He came to my rescue, actually, like a knight in shining armour. But I didn’t tell him that the bloke was Brian’s friend.”

  “Thank god. Will would have given me a thorough earful had he known, and it wouldn’t have been necessary. He has no patience with that sort of thing. But trust me to deal with Guillaume.”

  I shrugged. “Sure. Thanks.”

  The doors slid apart on our floor, and after five steps, the second lift opened as well. Turning, my eyes were immediately captured by William’s, and instantly, my heart leapt to my throat.

  “Ellie, good to see you,” his sensual voice murmured for a greeting. “How are you? We lost you on Friday.”

  Halting, she turned to acknowledge him. “Hi, Will. Yes, I heard about your adventure. Sorry about that. I did text you where we were located, but I suppose we moved before you had a chance to find us.”

  He frowned, eyes flickering in my direction. “Adventure?”

  “I heard you had to take Cara back to hers.”

  His eyebrows arched. “Oh. Yes. That was quite the scene. She puked her guts out.”

  I wrinkled my nose and regretted the fact that he’d been forced to see me like that. I didn’t want to imagine how dreadful I must have looked.

  Ellie giggled beside me, probably at the mental image. “Poor thing.”

  William gave me a smile. “Yes, she was rather helpless.”

  “You’re a gentleman for helping her home, Will, but you always take care of the weaker ones.”

  “Do I?” There was a smirk in his tone.

  “You do. I’ve seen it.”

  “I’m not weak,” I muttered.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “She surely isn’t,” William asserted. “Anyway, we need to get to work, Cara,” he said and walked past us to lead the way to his office. “We’ve got plenty of things on the agenda.”

  “I’ll see you for lunch, Ellie,” I told her fondly and proceeded after him.

  Since his hands held two cups of coffee, he opened the door with his elbow before he cocked his head to indicate I should enter first. Passing him, I gave him a shy smile and glimpsed the coffees in his hand.

  “This one’s for you,” he said to stall me. Wrapping my hand around it, I turned it to study the writing on the side.

  Behind every strong man is a stronger woman, it read, and it made me grin. “Aw, how sweet,” I said as he closed the door after us. The instant it drew shut, he lowered his head in search of my lips, but I hesitated due to our situation. However, knowing no one could see us, I decided to make an exception and stretched up on my toes to offer him a peck.

  “That was a reluctant kiss,” he remarked as I pulled away.

  I chuckled. “I’ve meant to bring this up with you.”

  He groaned. “I already know what you mean to say.”

  “Don’t you agree, though?” I walked towards his desk.

  “For clarity’s sake, tell me anyway.”

  “That we should remain strictly professional while at work?”

  “No, I agree, but a kiss now and then can’t hurt, can it?”

  I smiled. “Alright, how about this? At work, you get two kisses a day. One for hello, and one for goodbye, but it’s a requirement that they are shared in secret.”

  Smiling, he nodded to himself and walked round his desk. “I can work with that.”

  “Another thing,” I murmured.

  Dropping his bag on the floor, he met my eyes. “Yes?”

  “Violet and Andy know about us, don’t they?”

  He looked slightly ashamed. “They do.”

  “I’m alright with that,” I said, “but can you please ask them not to tell anyone?”

  “That’s not even necessary, but since you want me to, I’ll do it anyway.”

  I released a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I just don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.”

  “Understandable.”

  “As for Elisabeth, I think she’s starting to suspect.”

  “Me too.”

  “Still, can we agree not to confirm anything to her?”

  “I never tell Ellie anything at all regarding my private affairs,” he assured me. “She’s a darling, but her tongue is a tad too loose.”

  “My thoughts exactly. Glad we’re on the same page.”

  Descending into his chair, he smiled up at me. “Was that all?”

  I paused for a moment, thinking. “Yes, I think so.”

  “Right. Let’s get started on work then, shall we?”

  “Yes.”

  § § §

  At quarter past five, I had finished everything William had asked me to do today.

  “I’ve done everything you asked me to. Am I free to leave, or do you need me to stay longer?” I asked while the cursor lingered over the cross to exit the windows on my computer.

  Glancing in my direction, he smiled. “You’re free to leave. Though, before you do…”

  “Yes?”

  “Practical question,” he said while he continued to study the scre
en of his desktop Mac.

  My brows furrowed. “What’s that?”

  He cocked his head from side to side, and I despised how handsome he looked even while doing normal human things like that. What was wrong with me? The sight of him cocking his head from side to side shouldn’t send my heart racing like this. This was becoming ridiculous.

  “Well,” he murmured and tucked his chin into his hand so that his index finger repeatedly tapped on the cupid’s bow of his lip. All the while, he was wearing a devastatingly sexy frown on his face. I wanted to slap it off him, just to spare my ovaries the grief.

  “Yes?” I prompted.

  With a sigh, he reclined in his seat, large hands gripping the ends of the arms of his chair. When he finally blessed me with his attention, I saw his jaw flex while his fingers tensed around the material of his chair.

  While blatantly ogling me, he asked, “Do you have to look so appealing, Cara? Couldn’t you wear burlaps or something of the sort, just to spare me the pain? I mean, honestly, wearing a dress like that, you’re an occupational hazard.”

  Confused, I blinked back at him before I dropped my gaze to study my attire. I was wearing a grey dress, and while it did cling to my curves, it was a sophisticated dress, like that of a secretary during the sixties, and it showed no cleavage at all. It was square at the top, hiding the golden necklace Mum had gifted me for my eighteenth birthday.

  “Is that seriously your question?” I asked disbelievingly, and I was slightly offended by his request. “If you can’t control your erection, that’s not my problem.”

  He chuckled and spun his chair around. “It’s going to become your problem, I assure you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I will not change how I dress.”

  He continued to spin his chair while he gazed up at the ceiling, much to my amusement. Carefree William Night was a sight to behold.

  “It wasn’t really a request. It was a cheeky, indirect compliment – nothing else. As for my question – practicalities. We could be traditional for our date on Friday, meaning I’ll take you to some expensive restaurant, or we could settle for something more… casual. Which do you prefer? And while I know you’re a feminist – as am I, by the way – I won’t let you pay for a single thing. I’m not budging on that. Call me old-fashioned if you want, but I fancy the traditions of a gentleman.”

  “You’re hardly a gentleman,” I twitted.

  His feet charged down to the floor to halt his spin. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he watched me with a wry smile on his tempting mouth. God, that mouth, and all the things it could do. “Well, pardon my manners, but something about you turns me into a caveman.”

  I had to fight back my urge to giggle. Flattered, I looked away from him with a poorly suppressed smile on my face.

  “So, then. Which is it? Stiff or casual?” he queried and rested his handsome head on his fist.

  “I like you stiff,” I teased, “but for a date, casual first, then stiff once we get home.”

  Visibly aroused by my reply, he chewed on his lower lip. “Sounds perfect.” With a chuckle, he spun his chair around again. Once he’d gone full circle, he stopped the motion by resting his long legs on his desk and then proceeded to cross them. Next, he entwined his fingers across his torso and watched me for a few breaths.

  “I’ve got time for a snog,” he teased. “I’m spending the entire evening here. Consider it my goodbye-kiss.”

  I laughed. “You idiot,” I said, but I ascended from my chair to oblige anyway. “Is the door locked?”

  “Yes. We should make a habit of that.”

  “Agreed.”

  Striding round his desk, I gripped his grey tie, straddled his lap and brought his perfect mouth onto mine. While I still wasn’t well-versed in the unique motion of his kiss, I smiled at the fact that it was slowly becoming increasingly familiar. One day, I hoped kissing him would feel as familiar to me as my own skin.

  I’d only intended to give him a quick kiss, but before I knew it, I had lost myself in the taste of him. I struggled to restrain myself – his expert tongue was seducing me. It moved so skilfully, casting a spell that confined me to him, trapped me in this moment with him. His hands roamed across my body, worshipping every curve while he pressed me tightly against him, his mouth despatching passion that made me feel lightheaded. I yearned for more of his flesh. I wanted to feel him within me again. Between my legs I could feel him grow harder, his erection straining against the material of his trousers and poking my entrance. My vaginal walls were throbbing for him, begging for his intrusion, begging for his clothes to be gone so he could slide right in and complete me again.

  Aroused, I inhaled sharply, taking his seductive scent deep into my lungs. Drugged by it, I felt my fluids trickle out of me, generously saturating my underwear. A groan escaped my mouth when he trailed his hand from my hip to my thigh, slowly, and then inwards, sliding further towards my beckoning wetness. His touch was electric, charging through my skin and into my bloodstream. Then, his talented fingers skimmed my soaked thong, brushing up and straight across the area of me where he knew I was the most sensitive. The acute sensation led me to break our kiss with a gasp, and as soon as I looked at him, I was reminded of our situation.

  “Oh my God!” Mortified, I stared at his smug expression. He looked so pleased with himself that smacking him was tempting.

  “God, what a mess I’ve made,” he said with a smile and pressed the pad of his thumb precisely against that awfully susceptible spot. The sensation bolted up my spine, making me stiffen. Intense heat slapped my face as another gasp leapt out of my mouth. “Allow me to clean that up for you.”

  Panicking, I clasped his wrist. “Will,” I pleaded, out of breath. “Don’t.”

  He grinned, his hand remaining in place. “I could.” Sudden pressure on my clit made me catch my breath. Digging my nails into his skin, I watched him beseechingly. “So easily,” he purred.

  “Don’t.”

  Laughing, he withdrew his hand to run his palms across my bum instead. “Meet me at Leicester Square on Friday, at seven.”

  After puffing out a breath of relief, the excitement for our date left a joyful smile on my mouth. “Sounds good. Will I see you out of your suit?”

  His brow curved while a crooked smile dominated his mouth. “Why, Cara, you’ve already seen me out of my suit.”

  Rendered momentarily speechless, I felt another wave of heat hit my face. “I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?”

  “You did,” he confirmed, amused. “But, rest assured, you’re welcome to help me out of my suit at any time.”

  “You’re incurable,” I moaned and retreated from his lap.

  “And you’re my disease.”

  § § §

  I had promised myself I wouldn’t be a nuisance to Aaron, but since William and I were going to start seeing each other, and since I hadn’t heard a word from him despite my text, I would have to break that promise. So, on Tuesday, I found myself outside Aaron’s building, arriving straight from work. We needed to talk, and I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

  After pressing his name on the doorbell, I waited impatiently for either Tyler or Aaron to answer, though neither of them had picked up when I’d tried to call them earlier. It was perfectly possible that they weren’t home, but I had decided to take my chances.

  “Yeah?” I heard Tyler’s voice greet me.

  “Tyler, it’s Cara. Is Aaron in?”

  He hesitated for a beat. “No, he isn’t, but have you tried calling him?”

  “Yes, and he’s not answering. Nor were you,” I grumbled.

  “Well, sorry, love, but last I checked, Aaron was angry with you, and that’s putting it mildly. I didn’t want to get in the middle of things.”

  The confirmation that he was still angry led me to inhale sharply. “Well, you ar
e now. Will you let me in? I’ll just wait for him to come home.”

  He hesitated again.

  “Tyler, I’ll either wait here outside, or you can let me in. It’s up to you. I’m not leaving until I’ve talked to him.”

  I heard him groan before the door buzzed.

  I dragged it open. “Thank you.”

  Tyler and I had decided to order pizza while we waited for Aaron to come home. We hadn’t discussed William at all, which I was grateful for. Tyler had always been shy of conflict, so I hadn’t really expected him to probe me either.

  I raised my slice high above my head, and with my tongue I rescued a chunk of melted cheese that had threatened to fall just as Aaron entered through the front door. Our eyes met and, taken aback, I blinked for a second. With haste, I closed my mouth and swallowed my mouthful. Meanwhile, my heart raced. Thankfully, I’d had two beers by now to calm my nerves.

  His warm eyes rolled as he took in my presence. “Look what the cat dragged in,” he muttered, annoyed, and dropped his bag in the hall.

  Tyler snatched three slices onto his plate before he scurried out of the room like a rat afraid of the cat. “Good luck!” he exclaimed as he charged out.

  “So much for moral support,” I muttered to myself and had another bite. “There’s pizza for you,” I mumbled behind my hand and cocked my head towards the box.

  Aaron sighed as he sauntered into the room and then slumped down in the chair Tyler had vacated opposite me. Trying to gauge his thoughts, I studied him intensely. He still seemed angry, and it wasn’t like him. Aaron was never angry, and definitely not for extended periods of time as far as I was aware.

  “How was work?” I asked after swallowing another bite.

  Without looking at me, he raised a brow and grabbed a slice. “Fine. Why are you here, Cara?”

  I frowned. “Why do you think? You’ve been dead silent for three days straight, and you left me on read after I texted you on Sunday. It’s not like you. I know I fucked up, no pun intended, but you know I didn’t mean for that to happen. I didn’t know he was going to be there, and—”

  “Yes, I know that,” he interrupted and finally met my gaze. His eyes were blistering, and they paralysed me for a moment. I’d never seen him like this.