by Kayt Miller
“Holy hell. You wear those to work?” he says looking down at the tops of my legs. I’d be self-conscious at the size of my thighs as they’re splayed out on his table if it weren’t for the fact the front of his pants are tented. A lot. I mean, it’s not one of those Pup tents. No, I’d say his sleeps six.
“Most of the time, yes.”
He wraps his arms around me and pulls my backside forward until his front is pressed against my center. “Oh.” I squeak.
“See what you do to me, Lexie?”
I scoot myself forward another inch to get closer. “I do.”
Gabriel leans down and kisses me hard and fast. He’s so passionate I’m breathless from his desire for me. His palm moves to my shirt cupping my breast. I slide my fingers into his hair and press my hard nipple into his hand. As he pinches me there, he starts to grind into me. Wow. I want to scream his name because it’s been so, so long. Before we can get any further, I see a bright light hit Gabriel’s face.
He jerks his head up and looks toward the door. “Jesus, Katya. Don’t you ever fucking knock?”
“Oh, uh, I’m sorry, Gabriel.”
Gabriel’s still palming my right breast as he stares at his assistant. I finally turn my head to look at her too. She’s not moving. She’s just staring. “Can you please go?” His voice isn’t as angry as it was a second ago but he’s still not happy. We watch her turn to leave, but she leaves the door open when she goes. “Jesus,” Gabriel mutters as he pulls away from me. “I’m sorry, Lex.”
I slide off his table and adjust my skirt and blouse. “It’s fine. We shouldn’t have been doing that at work. I’m sure it’ll get around and…”
“No. It won’t. I’ll tell her to keep it to herself.”
When I approach his door, I see Katya typing on her computer. “Too late,” I say under my breath. She’s already emailing people. She looks up at me with eyes that are now angry slits. Great. Katya didn’t like me before. Now she looks like she hates me. I think I need to be more careful. When this whole faux relationship is over, things are going to be uncomfortable. I need to be more careful.
I step out of his office and walk steadily to my desk. People are looking up from the computers, staring at me as I do the walk of shame. Yep, she already told everyone.
I speed my steps until I get to the front of the office. Cammy is fielding a phone call when I scurry over to her. “Don’t say a word. I got the email.”
“She sent an email?” I knew it.
“Katya is a bitch, but the thing is, this is good.
“How can this be good? I was practically screwing the boss on his desk.”
“Oh, really? Tell me more,” she says leaning forward.
“Ha, ha. What did Katya’s message say?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
Sighing, she brings up her email, turning the monitor to face me.
I bend in half to get close to the screen. I read it five times, each time my brain notices something new about the email. Upright again, I turn to Cammy. “First of all, we weren’t screwing. We were making out. Second of all, what is this ‘holidaypartygroup’? Is that how she got everyone’s sweater sizes?”
“I believe so.” Cammy clicked around and brought up a dozen emails addressed to that group.
“I never got any of those. I must not be included in that group.”
“Probably not.”
“I bet Gabriel’s not included either.”
“I doubt it.”
“Why does she hate me so much?”
“Well,” Cammy sighs. “Probably because she’s the princess of darkness and you’re sunshine and light.”
I snort in disbelief, “Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious. Everyone loves you here.”
Shaking my head, I lean down to read it one more time. “At least she didn’t name names.”
“I’m sure she did it as self-preservation. Gabriel can’t fire her for that.” Cammy points to the email. “He can’t prove she was referring to your little office tryst.”
“Office tryst? Oh, geesh. That’s a bit much, isn’t it?”
Cammy giggles as she stands to leave. “Get back to work, slacker. I’ll be back up at noon to go to lunch.”
“Fine,” I grumble. This day can’t end soon enough for me.
Chapter 27
Gabriel
I stand in front of Lexie’s door at precisely five fifteen. I hesitate to knock because, honestly, I don’t know what I’m going to get when she answers the door. Am I going to get the Lexie in a silly dress from the mid-century, the Lexie in reindeer slippers, or a Lexie I haven’t met yet? I suck in a breath and knock. Courage.
I pause before knocking again, listening. When I hear the click-clack of little high-heeled feet, I step back and wait. “Who is it?”
“Gabriel.”
I hear her locks disengage. When she pulls it open, I’m relieved she’s not wearing animal footwear. But, I’m not sure I’m very happy about what she is wearing. I look at her feet first. Nude stilettos with a hole at the toe. Good. Those are good. I follow the line of her shapely leg until it meets the hem of a sort of pink dress that hits her right above her knee. The fabric of the dress looks heavy, with a raised brocade pattern that look like they’re sown with a silver thread swirling all over.
As my perusal continues, I note that the dress has a pleat in the center front. I can’t help wondering if she’s wearing those garters again. Moving up, I see the dress is fitted just under her breasts and cinched with a belt made with matching fabric and a buckled bejeweled with large stones. It has a deep scooped neckline that, I’m not going to lie, makes her breasts look stellar. The dress may be a little snug because it seems to be pressing her ample bosom up and out slightly. I blink a few times as I stare, remembering earlier today, I had my hand on one of those.
When I finally look at her face, her smile is now a grimace. Her lips now in a straight line and one of her brows is arched. She looks pretty even irritated. Her hair is up in a ponytail, but it’s been curled into soft waves. The part where you’d normally see a hair tie she’s wrapped in strawberry blonde hair it to hide the tie ala ‘I Dream of Genie’.
She turns and walks into her apartment. “Is this acceptable?” she deadpans.
“You look… nice.”
Whirling around, she shoves her hands on her hips, “Gabriel, I think I know why you’re single.”
Because I choose to be, but I’ll play along, “Why is that?”
“You have no idea how to treat a girlfriend. How to speak to her.”
“I do too. Besides, you’re not really my girlfriend.”
“Ouch. Well, then I feel the need to help you out with this. Here’s your tip of the day… When a woman makes an effort and spends an hour getting ready to go on a date with you, you don’t show up and scrutinize her outfit like you disapprove, and you definitely don’t tell her she looks ‘fine'.”
“I said ‘nice’.”
“Same difference. The adage applies here. If you can’t say anything nice…”
“So, I’m supposed to tell you that you look beautiful even if I don’t mean it?”
She gasps. I watch her long lashes blink furiously. She drops her hands down to her sides and slowly turns toward her tiny living room. “You know what? I’m not feeling very well again.”
“No, now I didn’t mean that.”
“I think you did.” Her voice is soft. “I’m sorry I’m not beautiful.”
“Oh, shit. Lexie. That’s not what I meant. You’re twisting my words. I do think you’re beautiful. I think you’re one of the most stunning women I’ve ever met. I just don’t get your clothes sometimes.”
She turns back to me, “I don’t get yours either. You wear the most boring ties on the planet.”
I look down at myself. Slate gray suit by Armani, white shirt, matching slate gray tie. “What’s wrong with my tie?”
“
It’s the same color as your suit.”
“So? It’s monochromatic.”
“Monochromatic? Does that mean boring?”
“It’s stylish. I like it.”
She harrumphs. “Whatever, let’s go because there’s no need to keep going on about this subject. Let me say this, though, Gabriel. I’m not going to start dressing like those women you usually date. If you want that, let’s end this thing right now. I’m sure you have time to call one of them.”
“No. I don’t want that.” I walk toward her slowly. If I can just get close enough to her to touch her, I know I’ll be able to smooth things over. She’s watching me approach her with a wary eye on me. She slowly begins to back up. Jesus, I feel like I’m trying to catch a runaway cat. “Lexie.” I say softly.’
“Uh, what?” she replies as she backs up further.
“We got off on the wrong foot tonight.” I finally catch up to the little minx, probably because I’ve got her backed up against the side of the world’s tiniest sofa. Looking down at her, I take notice of how little makeup she’s wearing. There’s a dusting of pink powder on her cheeks and a light shimmer on her eyelids. “You’re beautiful, Lex.”
With a dramatic eye roll, she scoffs. “You’re just saying that because I guilted you into it.”
“No, you didn’t.” I slide my right hand around her waist and my left onto the back of her neck. I lean down slowly, so she knows I’m going to kiss her. I don't want to spook her. When my lips meet hers, I feel a tingle that runs down my spine right to my balls. This woman turns me on so damn much.
I use my tongue to wedge her mouth open and get right to business––close to where we left off today in my office. She kisses me back then, and I feel myself harden. Not wanting to get carried away, I pull away grasping her ponytail in my hand. I tug it gently forcing her eyes upward. “Look at me, Lex.” When she looks up, I see desire in those lovely blue eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Okay.” Lexie’s voice is barely a whisper.
“Do you want to go to this awards thing with me tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” I release her ponytail and step back. “Let’s grab that hideous coat of yours and go.”
Lexie giggles at that statement. “Not tonight. I’ve got a matching capelet that goes with this dress.”
A coat that matches that hideous patterned dress? “Awesome.”
She giggles again picking up a cape-like jacket in the exact fabric of her dress. It falls to the bottom edge of her dress. After she’s got it on and it’s buttoned up, I smile. I’ve got to admit it to her. “That’s nice.”
With her brow arched, I try again. “It looks great with the dress. How’s that?”
“Better. Let’s go.” She stops on her way to the door and turns to me. “Are you getting an award tonight?”
I shrug. “Maybe.” I am. A big one but I’ll let her be surprised.
“Oh, wow. That’s nice.”
“Nice?”
She throws her head back and laughs. “See? ‘Nice’ sort of sucks.”
“I see that.”
Once we’re loaded in the car, champagne in hand, I call up to Eric. “Can you please stop at Neiman Marcus on the way to the venue, Eric?”
“Sure thing, boss.”
When he pulls up to the front of the store, I turn to my date. “I’ll just be a moment.” Sipping her champagne, she nods.
I work quickly and find exactly what I’m looking for, a pink, silk, patterned Ermenegildo Zenga tie. Taking the purchased item in my hand, I jog out to the waiting car. Inside, I pull out the tie from the bag and hold it in front of Lexie. “How’s this one?”
Her eyes double in size and a beaming smile slides across her full lips. “It’s gorgeous. And pink.”
“To match your dress.”
I watch her face blush as I pull off the wretched gray abomination I’ve got around my neck.
Setting her glass in one of the cup holders, she slides toward me. “Would you like me to tie that for you? I used to tie my dad’s ties for him whenever he had to wear one, which wasn’t often.” I’m listening to her, but really, my eyes are on her dress that is currently sliding up her thigh. I’m liking that dress more and more. As it moves up it slowly reveals a garter.
Those fucking garters. Growling, I slide my palm up her thigh until I’m touching the exposed undergarment. “These things make me insane, Lex.”
Taking the tie out of my left hand, she unfolds it. “I’ve gathered.”
As my palm rests on her leg, I watch her as she moves closer to wrap the new tie around my neck. She lifts my collar up so she can slide the pink tie into place. My breath is becoming more labored, my heart beating faster as I watch. It’s intimate, getting your tie done by someone else.
As she slowly wraps the tie around itself and flipping it here and there, I continue to run my palm over her exposed thigh while taking a look down at her breasts that are now heaving. I know it’s affecting her. I can see it in her eyes. They’re glazed over now. I can hear her labored breath. When I look at that artery in her neck, I swear I see it beating faster.
Goddamn, this is fucking hot. I move my palm up and over her thigh to a spot between her legs. Her little gasp is the tipping point for me. I lean down and take her mouth. And by take, I mean I plunder her mouth, nipping then sucking on her bottom lip. I use my tongue to show her what she does to me. My hand finds it’s way to her center. I feel her spread her legs wider for me. I practically come in my pants. She wants me.
“Sir?”
I’m pulled from my euphoria by a man’s voice. “Sir? We’re here.”
Leaning my head down, so our foreheads are touching. “Miss Cartwright?”
“Yeah.” She’s still breathing heavily.
“You’re dangerous.”
“So are you, Mr. Parker. So are you.”
Chapter 28
Lexie
By the time we’ve made it to the venue and had our coats checked, my body has calmed down. Ugh, why did I let him get all sexy in the car? I swear I was about to combust. I need to get a dang grip. This isn’t real, Lexie. This is for show. The fact that we’ve got sizzling, hot chemistry is just that, chemistry. This isn’t going anywhere. He said so himself, I’m not ‘really his girlfriend’.
It’s just… I like his attention and his apparent desire for me. The good girl in me knows I’m doing things that are very uncharacteristic of my usual behavior and even my rational thought processes but damn it, ladies, the struggle is real. Gabriel Parker is the hottest, sexiest, most interesting man I’ve ever met and the fact that my garters on my rather thick thighs turn him on is exciting. Ugh. There’s no hope for me. I’m a goner. I know it’s fake, but I can’t help wondering if it could be more.
I continue to give myself a mental head-slap as Gabriel guides me, his hand on my lower back, into the awards event. We follow a series of signs that lead us to the event. They each tell us the way to the AIA Chicago Design Excellence Awards Banquet.
When we step into a huge ballroom on the top floor of the Chicago Cultural Center, and I gasp. “This place is amazing.”
“It is. They've completely restored the glass dome above us and all of the intricate tile work, chandeliers, and the gold leaf that you see around the decorative pediment.”
Okay, I only understood a few things in that last sentence but I don’t want to look completely daft, so I just nod. “It’s beautiful.”
“Like you,” he says leaning down to kiss my forehead.
“You can cut it with the beautiful stuff. You’re forgiven.”
He gives me a sexy smirk. Leaning down to my ear he whispers, “I mean it. Your sexy as hell, babe.”
I turn to face him. Looking up into his intense green eyes I say, “I know.” Then I giggle. I’m not one of those people that believes they are anything other than ordinary. It’s just fun to tease him. “Okay, I see about a million tables around here. Where do we sit?”
&nb
sp; “Right this way.” He takes my hand in his and leads me through the throng of people. Everyone is dressed to the nines in mostly black. The difference between the black dresses tonight and the ones at the gallery opening is that many of these black dresses sparkle. That’s something. The fact is, however, that I’m the only one not wearing a dark colored dress. I stick out like a sore thumb.
As we walk, Gabriel nods, waves, and says hello to almost everyone he passes. I smile but say nothing. Pulling up to a table, I look around the room. “We’re at the head table?” I squeak. We’re at the table that faces all the other tables. Up front. Facing everyone else. Did I mention I’ll be looking out at the sea of people and they’ll be looking at me? Well, that makes me sound pretty full of myself but the fact is, I’ll be eating dinner and they’ll all be able to watch me do it. My stomach drops and flips as nervousness overtakes me.
“Drink?” Gabriel asks pulling me out of my mini-freak out.
“Whiskey. Neat.”
“Oh, no. Not tonight. No whiskey for you.”
“Party-pooper.” I have no idea what to drink since I can’t have whiskey. “Just surprise me.”
“You sit tight. I’ll be right back.”
I stand near the front table and fidget as I pretend to be searching for something in my tiny clutch. It’s about big enough to hold a credit card and a tube of lipstick. Heck, it’s not even large enough to fit my phone. I left that at home.
“My dear. What are you wearing?”
I look up quickly at those words and see Pamela, the nice woman I met at the gallery. “Pamela?” I give her my biggest smile. “It’s so nice to see you again.” And I mean that.
She wraps her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I feel the same. I’m so glad Gabriel has gotten some sense.”