Magic at Work: a Love or Magic novel

by Sotia Lazu

  The door opened, and she snuck in. A sliver of light entered the room with her, allowing him to see her. She chewed on her lower lip, her eyes hooded with lust even as she scrunched that adorable nose of hers with obvious doubt over what they were about to do.

  He shouldn’t have left. He gave her too much time to think. He remedied that the only way he could think of. He grabbed both of Lexi’s arms, trapped her between his body and the door, and covered her mouth with his. He wondered at the part of his mind that was calm enough to think about locking the door, so it wouldn’t open under their combined weight and spill them out in the corridor.

  Lexi parted her lips with a sigh, giving his tongue free pass. Ric surprised himself when, instead of plundering her with hungry kisses, he traced her lower lip with his tongue and then pulled on it gently with his teeth. After their messaging, he knew she didn’t expect tenderness. She might not even want it. This wasn’t how Rex and Xandra would kiss when they were still enemies.

  He didn’t care. This was how he wanted to be kissing her. If she didn’t like it, she could always tell him to stop.

  She didn’t. She drew her fingers down the front of his body, and Ric gasped. She hesitated for a moment when she reached the jacket that was still around his hips, and then she pulled on it and threw it to the floor. He moaned when she cupped and squeezed his erection over his jeans.

  Lexi had already undone his belt, and was fumbling with his buttons, when Ric realized he stood there like an idiot, breathing inside her mouth, just holding onto her while she tried to free his erection. He snapped back into action, unbuttoning her shirt. He took his time caressing her breasts through the thin lace, and loved the way her nipples rose to his touch. He wished he could see her, but it was dark, so touch had to replace sight.

  At least that was the plan.

  “We don’t have much time…” Lexi wrapped one delicate hand around his length and shoved his pants down with the other.

  Ric growled at the feel of her hand on his aching cock. He kissed her again, hard this time, popped the fly of her jeans and sneaked a hand inside. His fingers met her bare, wet flesh, and he groaned. “Thought you said you wore French lace panties.”

  “I also said I was wearing a skirt. Are you going to complain about my lying?”

  “No, but I might punish you...” He felt more moisture against his fingers, and Lexi thrust her hips forward.

  “Not now…” She pushed him back a bit, removing his hand.

  He felt her try to turn her back to him, and he stilled her motions. “No. This time you’ll be looking at me. Knowing who’s fucking you.”

  “It’s pitch black, so I can’t see you anyway, and I’m wearing pants. Hard to do it face to face, Ric.” Hope fluttered in his heart, but she corrected herself. “Sorry—Rex.”

  “Either’s good, kitten”—he wedged one hand back between her thighs and pushed two fingers inside her—“and where there’s a will, there’s a way.” With his free hand, he lowered the waistband of her pants until they cleared her ass and bunched around her knees. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and raised her. Awkwardly, he managed to twist their bodies and perch her ass on the shelf at the back of the closet. Then he took a step back, withdrew his fingers, and bent her trapped legs between them, so he could raise them to his shoulders. Her pants stretched taut against his chest, not allowing her any movement.

  *

  Lexi tried to balance and hoped to God Ric’s grasp on her thigh was enough to keep her from tumbling down. She barely had time to reach and grab onto the shelf behind her, when he thrust into her. The angle drove him straight to her G-spot and bowed her back with pleasure.

  Her head thudded against the shelf, but she didn’t mind.

  Her moan echoed in the small space, reaching her own ears as the epitome of need, but she didn’t mind.

  Her body was folded in half, held in place by his hips and her precarious grip. Ric’s dug one of his hands into the flesh of her buttock, covering her mouth with the other and stifling more moans as he plunged inside her, but she didn’t mind.

  All she cared about was his cock, stretching her, rubbing against the bundle of nerves inside her. She tried to meet his moves, pushing her ankles down on his shoulders as she rose her hips to his every thrust. He fucked her with such force, she couldn’t breathe between thrusts, as she came closer to what she felt would be an earth-shuttering orgasm. Ric brushed one of his fingers against her second hole, and she tensed for a moment before pushing into it, accepting the new sensation.

  *

  He’d have to remember this for next time. Next time. There was no doubt in his mind there would be more of this. More of him making her writhe. More of her body enclosing him. Burning him. Making him whole.

  Just as he contemplated delving a bit further into this unexplored area of her body, she thrashed, squeezing him with her inner muscles. She lost purchase on the shelf and flailed her arm. The movement managed to bring down a couple of bottles from the shelf above, which by the sound they made, barely missed her on their way to the floor. Still, Ric didn’t stop moving, pumping his hips even faster. Harder. She clenched around him, and he had to stave off his climax through sheer strength of will.

  He wanted to tell her how much he wanted her, how good it felt being buried inside her. How desperately he wanted to be able to look in her eyes while he made her body quiver with pleasure. She wouldn’t allow it, though. It wasn’t what they were about. Not yet, anyway. So he did all he could do—he kept fucking her with all he had.

  He didn’t even stop when he heard Melody at the other side of the door, asking someone if the place had rats, because she heard something in the closet. Lexi shook her head frantically under his palm, and it wasn’t in the throes of passion. He slid his hand to her cheek and then the back of her neck, and slowed his plunges. “What, love?”

  “People,” she breathed out. “What if they come in?” She didn’t stop meeting his thrusts, despite the worry in her voice.

  He pressed her legs closer to her body, thanking whoever listened for how flexible she was. “Guess we’ll have to act like brooms if they do,” he whispered and kissed her.

  She giggled into the kiss, the laughter doing wonderful things to where his body was joined with hers. He loved her giggle. Loved being the cause of it.

  He renewed the fervor of his thrusts and his kiss, and it didn’t take long for her to climax. She kicked her feet in the air, as her body tensed and convulsed, almost driving him out of her pussy.

  Ric swallowed the scream building in the back of her throat before it alerted the entire floor to what they were doing. Holding onto her for dear life, he impaled her on his cock a few more times.

  He spasmed and spilled inside her, all the time devouring her mouth. He pulled back to breathe after what felt like an eternity and yet a fraction of a second at the same time. “Fuck. I love making you come.” He nuzzled her cheek, wishing they were in his bed and not in a bloody closet, so he could just cuddle with her instead of going back to work and pretending this never happened.

  “Fuck…” She sounded as breathless as he felt.

  Ric turned for another kiss, but she planted both palms on his chest and pushed. “Fuck, Ric. You didn’t wear a condom.” She bucked, driving his softening cock out of her.

  Ric took a step back and tried to lower her legs gently but dropped them when she kicked and thrashed in his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”

  He heard her jump in place and then the sound of a zipper closing. “Seriously?” She poked him on the chest. Considering the darkness, her mark was good. “You didn’t think to wear a condom? That should be on auto-pilot. You wanna stick your dick in someone? You wrap it up first.” She tried to push past him.

  Ric didn’t move an inch, blocking her exit. “I wasn’t the only one too horny to think. Was I? You were as eager to take it as I was to give it.” He should be worried, but he was furious at her for belittling his intention
s. Of course, for all she knew, he was just after a quick shag.

  “Fine. My fault. I’m a slut,” she hissed. “Couldn’t wait to get fucked. Is that what you want to hear?”

  There was a sob in her voice, and he couldn’t resist reaching out to touch her. He got her hair, and she flipped it in annoyance.

  “Hey. Hey, that’s not what I meant.” This time he managed to cup her cheek, but felt her jaw clench under his fingertips. She was waiting to hear what he had to say. He found it encouraging, until he realized her arms were crossed over her chest. Her posture was closed. He shouldn’t have said what he did. Not after she’d thought he’d rejected her.

  She didn’t budge when he tried to pull her in for a hug. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m a prick.” She nodded against his palm. “I panicked, Lexi. I’m sorry. I felt like a right arse for not thinking about protection, and went on the defensive. You’re not a slut. You and I want each other, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If anything comes up, we’ll handle it.” He ran circles on her cheek with his thumb and leaned toward her, hoping to assuage her fears with a kiss.

  She shoved him away violently. “There’s nothing to handle, Ric. I’m on the pill. You can un-panic now. I’m just worried about where your dick has been before me.”

  He wanted to hit her, but he’d never laid a hand on a woman in his life—unless maybe during sex, if they asked him to—and he wouldn’t start with someone he… someone he’d just had amazing sex with. It would be wrong.

  Plus, he was maybe kinda falling in love with her.

  He moved out of her way and opened the door just a fraction. The coast was clear, so he threw the door open wide and gestured for her to exit. “My dick’s been nowhere but my palm for the last two years. I’ll make sure to keep it that way now on, too.”

  *

  Lexi didn’t know why his words struck her as a threat, but she felt like crying. She had to brush past him on her way out and was careful not to look at him as light from the corridor windows showered over them both.

  Of course he’d panicked. Thinking of how to cover his ass.

  If something came up, they’d handle it… Gallant. He could have just apologized. Been different than the men she never stayed with till morning. Could have said he’d still be there, if things got screwy.

  Still, he’d reacted better than most men would. He tried to calm her down and didn’t take the easy out of blaming her.

  She couldn’t say why his words bothered her so much. It wasn’t like starting a family, with Ric of all people, was anywhere on her agenda. But his reaction had hit her as another rejection. It stung too much, after what they just sha—

  No. They shared nothing. It was a fuck in the dark. No sharing. Just fucking.

  She rubbed the spot between her eyebrows, where a tension headache gathered momentum. Why was she giving him so much thought, damn it?

  Chapter Fifteen

  “We’ve been here for half an hour, and you’ve barely said two words.” Angie’s face was pinched with worry. “The bounciness you had the past few days is gone. Have you been sleeping well? Or maybe it’s the lack of sleep?” She winked, but her effort at a joke earned her a half-hearted smile from Lexi. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Everything is just peachy.”

  “Now I know something’s wrong. You never say peachy. Wanna tell me about it?”

  Lexi shook her head.

  “Let me rephrase. Tell me about it.” Angie’s understanding look was replaced by a resolved expression that brooked no argument.

  Lexi sighed. “It’s Ric.” Her shoulders slumped.

  “What did he do? Is he acting like the other evening didn’t happen?”

  “The other evening happened, all right. It even re-happened yesterday.” Lexi felt the heat of a blush spread up her cheeks.

  Angie gave her an incredulous look. “More X-rated fun after work? Wow. Go you.”

  “Um… not after. During.”

  “Huh?”

  “During work.” Lexi dropped her voice to an embarrassed whisper. “Broom closet.”

  “You had sex in the broom closet, during work?” Angie’s voice was nowhere near whisper-level.

  Lexi ducked her head. Could the earth open and swallow her whole?

  “Don’t be coy now. What went wrong? Wasn’t it as good this time?”

  “It was even better.” At least until they’d finished.

  “Why do I sense a big but there?”

  “’Cause there is a big butt. A huge ass, to be more precise, and his name is Ric.”

  “Uh-oh. What did he do this time?”

  “He didn’t use a condom.”

  “Oh God. Is there— Are you…” Angie took a deep breath. “Should we be worried?”

  “Nah-uh. Not for a pregnancy, at least. But like I told him, I don’t know where his—well—where he has been.” She narrowed her eyes at Angie. “Well? Aren’t you gonna offer to turn him into a worm or something?”

  “You told him that? Like in a chit-chatty what-was-your-relationship-status-before-me way? Please say it was in a chit-chatty what-was-your-relationship-status-before-me way.”

  “Nope. More like in a bitchy no-idea-what-you’ve-been-fucking kind of way.” Lexi scowled at the shocked and disappointed look on Angie’s face. “What? He deserved it. And why do you care?”

  “Because you and he are meant to be—”

  Lexi’s cell phone rang, and she raised a finger for Angie to hold that thought. An old friend was on the other end of the line, and Lexi’s spirits were lifted by the time she hung up. Step by step, she was getting back the life she’d lost when she dropped everything for Andrew. “Remember Caitlin Taylor?” she asked Angie.

  “From high school?”

  Lexi nodded. “Ran into her the other day, and we exchanged phone numbers. She’s married and has a kid on the way. Her husband is out of town, and she wants to go for dinner tonight. But you were saying Ric and I were meant to be doing something?”

  Angie shook her head. “I just think you were kind of rough on him. Do you know if he’s been with people from work in the past?”

  Lexi wanted to laugh at how Angie never used the more vulgar words for sex—sex included—unless she had to, but now wasn’t the time. “I don’t think so. He doesn’t seem too friendly with anyone else. Or too snarky.” She fidgeted a little with the straw in her milkshake and lowered her gaze to the table. “Um, and he said he’d only been with himself for two years now, but I think he just said that out of spite.”

  “Hello? Earth to Lexi? Why would a man tell you he’d been with only you after two years of celibacy, to spite you?” Angie was talking fast, hardly breathing, the way she always did when she found something exciting or unbelievable.

  “Maybe ’cause he said he’d go back to it?”

  “To”—Angie gulped—“playing with himself?”

  “Yeah. He said he’d been with no one but his own hand for two years and would make sure to keep doing so. Guess I can’t even compare to a guy’s fist, as far as sexual prowess goes.” She tried to make light of it, but the words sliced her throat.

  Without getting up from her chair, Angie wrapped an arm around Lexi’s shoulders, and pulled her in for an awkward hug. “Aw, honey, that’s not what he meant.”

  “What else could it be, Angie?” A tear ran down her cheek, and Lexi wiped at it furiously. When she raised her gaze, she felt her eyes blazing. “What else could it be?”

  “It could be his way of saying he meant to keep away from anyone but you. And himself, of course. ’Cause you know, guys and themselves? Can’t be apart that long.” Angie shook her head. “He wouldn’t risk having sex in the office, unless he wanted you, and he’d know if he wanted you or not after the first time. See? There’d be no need for a repeat performance.”

  “Oh.” That was all Lexi could come up with. She didn’t think she could handle this possibility either. Ric having sex with her and her alone? That w
as too close to… going steady. Going steady? Was she still in high school?

  Relationship wasn’t a concept she wanted to entertain. And with Ric? No way.

  Only, he hadn’t said he wanted a relationship anyway. How could he have? He’d been too busy being an ass.

  Then again, she’d been an ass first.

  The wheels turning in her head weren’t enough to keep her from noticing a triumphant smirk on Angie’s face. Lexi sighed. “You can stop hearing wedding bells in your head. Even if we keep screwing—”

  Angie shook her head.

  “Yes, Angie, it’s screwing. No more than that. Even if we keep doing it, it doesn’t change the fact that we don’t like each other. He wants me out of there, for crying out loud.”

  “You’re wrong. You don’t get it. And Sarah won’t let me—” She huffed.

  “Sarah? What does she have to do with this?”

  “She made me promise to stop interfering. Said I’ve done enough already, but it’s not enough, because if you don’t know, you can’t believe. And if you can’t believe, how can you be happy?” She spoke in a hushed tone, more to herself than to Lexi, which was fortunate, because Lexi had no clue what Angie was talking about.

  “Know what? Believe what?”

  “Never mind that.” Angie waved her fingers in the air, and Lexi thought she saw thin strips of light extending from the fingertips toward her. It was the coffee high again, making her see things brighter.

  Yeah, she wouldn’t mind. If Angie said it wasn’t important, it wasn’t.

  Angie went on. “The thing is, two weeks ago you seemed so down. Remember? You kept wishing something about your life would change. And sometimes wishes come true. Sure, you’re not all happy now, but this is temporary. Before you discovered that novel, you were in a rut. Bored of everything. It was like you’d just given up. You weren’t satisfied with your job, and you were lonely. So lonely.”

  Lexi opened her mouth to disagree, but Angie held up her palm. “You were. Even if you’d never admit to it. Now you don’t have to be lonely any more, and I hate that your stubbornness keeps you from seeing that.”