‘I’ll see you in the morning then,’ I mutter, feeling like there are masses of things unsaid between us, making me tense and restless.
‘Yes. Good night, Charley. ’ He reaches a hand towards me but thinks better of it, dropping it to his side.
‘Night, Alex.’
Our feet must be stuck to the floor because neither of us moves.
‘Are you two going to stare at each other all night or are you going to go and have your meeting?’ Greg calls across the room.
Alex rolls his eyes, ‘Neither,’ he responds. ‘Come on.’ His fingers glance off my arm as he motions me to follow, their heat burning through my top.
‘We’ve put our meeting off until morning,’ he tells Greg as he reclaims his seat.
‘In that case, would you like to join us for a drink?’ Greg asks me, pulling out the stool next to him.
Alex freezes while reaching for his beer. Obviously he wants to talk to Greg alone.
‘Better not,’ I reply, ‘I’ve got some reading to do. But thanks for the offer.’ Alex picks his drink up at that, shoulders relaxing. ‘Have a good evening.’
‘Charley,’ Alex says.
I spin round, hoping he’ll ask me to stay. ‘Yeah?’
He raises his beer, ‘hair of the dog,’ and smiles.
‘Right.’ I smile back and leave them to it.
Their heads are together deep in conversation before I’m at the door. I sense a bit of bromance in the air.
Good for him, I think. He needs to talk to someone.
So why, as I mulch across reception to the lift, do I feel decidedly deflated that this time it isn’t me?
An hour later I’m working on a large glass of white wine whilst sprawled on one of the leather sofas in the suite. Chocolate wrappers decorate an end table and I’m surfing the net for shoe porn on the TV. I’m relaxed, but for the small quiver of nerves in the pit of my stomach in anticipation of the morning’s conversation with Alex. Another crappy night ahead, then.
There’s a shuffling sound, the door bursts open and Alex rolls in. ‘Get a good night’s sleep and remember what I said,’ Greg calls from the corridor.
‘Yes, all right. Night,’ Alex replies and clicks the door shut. Chuckling, he wanders in and throws his jacket and tie down across a sofa.
‘Sorry,’ I bolt up, scrambling to clear away my mess. ‘I didn’t realise you were coming back so soon.’
‘It’s fine,’ he waves a hand, ‘stay. In fact, as long as we promise not to talk about work, let’s have a drink.’
‘I thought you didn’t want to talk tonight?’ I say, surprised. Wow, Greg must be the world’s best listener.
‘I didn’t. I don’t,’ he reiterates. ‘I’m trying something different. Let’s just … relax.’
‘Right.’ Except I have never felt less relaxed in my life, not when I’m in the vicinity of Mr Hot CEO and there’s a secret burning on the back of my tongue.
Flicking switches to turn the main lights off, Alex switches a couple of table lamps on, casting pools of light around the room. ‘Much better,’ he exclaims. Strolling over to the bar, he undoes a button on his shirt. Pop. ‘Top up?’
‘Please.’
He comes over with the wine bottle, pouring generously. ‘Here. You deserve a break as much as I do with all your hard work over the last two days.’ He hits his forehead with his palm as he walks back to the bar, ‘Idiot, that was work-related. Sorry, I can’t seem to help it.’
I pick up my glass. ‘Thanks. Well, I’m sure it’s a hard habit to break.’
‘You’re very generous, given what a workaholic I am.’ He opens the fridge and pulls out a beer, unscrewing the top.
‘I wouldn’t say you’re a worka—’ At his raised eyebrows, I change my intended sentence, ‘Okay, you are in actual fact, a workaholic.’ I curl my legs around to make room as he comes over and sits down on the end of the sofa.
He throws his head back and laughs, long and loud.
You make me feel…normal. His admission echoes in my head. He can be intense and driven and a little arrogant, but this is the real man; a witty, caring, passionate guy who finds the constraints of duty stifling and who forces himself to act in a way he thinks the world expects. He can be quick-tempered, but wouldn’t anyone be if they were working so hard to keep it up? It must be exhausting. Like Peter Parker and Spiderman. With great power comes great responsibility. But not always that much fun.
‘What were you doing?’ He gestures at the TV.
‘Surfing for shoe porn,’ I say promptly, then cover my mouth. ‘Oops, I mean—’
‘Drooling over shoes or people doing questionable things to them?’ he asks, straight–faced.
‘What? You can’t be serious – oh, very funny,’ I drawl when I catch him chuckling, laughing with him.
Then we go quiet.
Chugging down some beer, he rests his head on the back of the couch, undoing another shirt button. Pop. My eyes stray to the length of his sprawled muscular legs. I go warm and prickly as I remember the sounds and scents of last night’s crazy encounter against the wall. My body immediately aches and I squeeze my thighs together in response.
Looking up, I find him watching me watching him. Oh boy. He undoes another button. Pop. How many more?
He takes another long gulp of beer, eyes fixed on me challengingly as he does it. It’s strangely sexy, the knowledge in his eyes. The hint of cockiness. He’s so smoking hot.
He sets his bottle down. ‘Charley.’
‘Yes?’ I inhale sharply.
‘I shouldn’t say this.’ His gaze flips from my cleavage to my mouth. ‘But I really like you.’
‘You do? ’
‘Yes.’
He swivels to face me, crossing his legs so our knees touch. I fight the urge to slip my hand inside his unbuttoned shirt, rediscover the firmness of his broad chest.
‘Right.’ His statement doesn’t change anything. We don’t belong together, him and I. And in some ways, him saying this now makes it worse because I’ll be throwing it back in his face in the morning when I admit the truth.
But … God. I feel like a teenager with an intense crush. Like in school when you worship the cool, good-looking, popular boy from afar and one day he comes over to talk to you. He knows I exist, you think, feeling as though you’re going to float away into the clouds you’re so giddy. That’s childhood, though. Castles and daydreams. I have no room for those. There are no happy ever-afters.
Alex slides closer at my silence. ‘I was talking to Greg and it dawned on me. Until now, he and my brother were the only people who make me check reality, ask myself the hard questions. But now there’s you, too.’
Oh, help. Please stop. I’m already in like with you. I go breathless when his hand lifts, when his confident fingers start stroking my jaw. My heart is racing in an outright gallop. It might beat right out of my chest. ‘Are you and Greg close?’ I quiz. Ground yourself. Feet flat on the floor, no floating away.
‘Yes, we met at uni.’
‘That’s nice,’ I gulp, lost in deep-blue eyes getting darker by the second.
‘Hmm.’ His thumb moves to trace my bottom lip, stops in the middle, presses it in as if fascinated. ‘Charley, I’ve got a problem.’
‘What’s that?’
‘I stopped being able to think the moment I sat down next to you.’
Huge turn-on. ‘You did?’ I won’t touch him. I can’t, not after the way he ditched me last night. My fingers curl in defiance.
‘Yes. It happens a lot.’
‘Oh.’
A big hot hand curves around the back of my neck to pull me in and bring us face to face, mouth to mouth, so that we share the same air. He buries his face in my collarbone, brushing it with a gentle kiss before tracking his nose up my throat, like a wolf searching for the scent of blood. He inhales, licks my skin delicately and I shudder. It’s basic and possessive and I love it. ‘The way you smell, the way you feel … I love it,’ he m
umbles, teeth grazing the skin beneath my ear. ‘I know I messed up last night, and we’ll probably regret this.’
‘What?’ I gasp, eyes closing, neck arching further to give him easier access. I can’t resist. His other hand slides up my thigh, index finger tracing the inside seam of my tight jeans.
‘I heard the way you spoke to Ferrier, how you didn’t want him. It tells me you don’t make a habit of getting involved with people at work. So perhaps I’m the exception.’
I squirm, both at the movement of his hand and his words. This is turning into the biggest mess imaginable. ‘Where is Tony?’ I ask, praying my high-pitched voice isn’t a giveaway.
‘I sent him home, back to the UK.’ He bites my earlobe. ‘He was done here anyway.’
‘D–did you talk to him, ask him anything?’
‘No. I just got his plane ticket swapped and off he went. I didn’t like the man, to be honest. Taking all the credit for those fantastic results when they’re down to the staff and the manager before him.’
Safe, I think. I’m safe. It’s over, for now. But I have to tell Alex the truth, before we go any further. My words are stolen as he tips me back on the sofa and plants a deep, mouth-watering kiss on me. Ooohhh … Lifting trembling hands to his back, I tug his shirt from his trousers, my legs falling open to let him settle against me.
He moves away a mere millimetre, whispers into my mouth, ‘I’ll finish it this time.’
I stop being able to think. The only thing I can utter is, ‘You’d better.’ His skin is blistering satin, a texture I need more of, to be complete. Another kiss and he drops down to scrape his stubble along my neck. The contents of my underwear zing and my hips roll in response.
Yanking up my top, he pulls my bra down and puts his mouth on me, sucking a nipple, tweaking the other with shaking urgent fingers. I writhe, I pant, I lose all self-control. I don’t care. He changes to a licking motion so he can talk. I’m glad someone in the room can. God. If he doesn’t take our clothes off soon I’ll kill him.
‘I just need to forget,’ he mutters. ‘Help me forget.’ Rearing up, he kneels over me, thighs taut, grabbing my top and wrenching it over my head. Jerking open the zip of my skinnies to reveal my lacy underwear, he frowns, ‘Are you on the pill? I have condoms—’
‘We’ll use protection.’ I twist under him and his warmth wraps around me and his clever fingers delve inside my knickers. ‘Hurry,’ I moan.
He stands and scoops me up, walking us both into my bedroom, kissing me along the way. As I slide down his body to stand, I wrench open the rest of his shirt buttons, yank it down his arms and throw it across the room. Alex lays me down on the wide bed and I reach around to sweep a book, clothing and jewellery to the floor. My mouth goes desert dry as he stands, peeling off his trousers, staring down at me with undeniable hunger. His skin is bronze, pectorals ridged and coated with a light dusting of dark hair continuing down into a sexy line between defined abs I will definitely count later.
He is universe-tiltingly gorgeous, shoulders wide, biceps hard, waist lean above his clingy jockey shorts. The only sound in this private place, a bubble where no one and nothing else exists apart from us, is the panting of our breaths, the rustle of clothing.
Alex’s eyes burn into mine as he slides his shorts off. I gulp and suck in a breath on a little squeak. Wow. He is gifted in all the right areas. I just hope he knows how to use those gifts.
Grabbing a condom from his wallet, he climbs onto the bed and helps me undress. I expect it to be hot, dirty and quick. But he shocks me by brushing my hair from my face, running his fingers over my cheekbones.
‘Beautiful, vibrant,’ he smiles gently, ‘perfect.’ Then he slides down my body, fixes my hips to the bed with heavy hands, trails blazing heat down the inside of my thigh with his tongue, looks up at me knowingly and gets to work with his pillow lips. They feel as heavenly as they look.
I’m soon gasping and writhing around, clutching his hair, ‘Please just get inside me,’ I beg and scramble out from beneath him when he doesn’t play fair, pinning his big, broad body to the bed. I grab the condom, open it and roll it on, licking a flat male nipple and dragging my nails down the front of his muscular thighs, kissing each mega-sexy ab in turn, laughing as his hands clench in my long red hair.
‘Thialo,’ he groans, ‘yes.’
‘Yes?’ I narrow my eyes at him, and take hold of his rigid, glorious length, moving my hand back and forth, ‘Are you sure you’re ready?’
‘Yes!’ His hips jerk and he lunges up and pushes me back on the mattress, and we tangle our limbs together as he plunges into me, my wet heat welcoming him in. He moans as I raise my hips and dig my heels into his delectable bum. ‘Yesss…’ I echo. He’s big and hard and deep, thrusting in and out, scooting me up the bed until my head hits the headboard. I feel like I’ve waited for him forever, even though I’ve only known him for two days. Back arching, I wrap my arms around him, clinging on to his shoulders. ‘Harder,’ I urge, breathless, desperate. ‘Now.’
‘Now?’ His bulging biceps are either side of my head and his sexy, hairy chest grazes my nipples, causing delicious friction. He obeys my order, nudging my G-spot with every flex of his hips.
‘Don’t stop,’ I say huskily.
‘I won’t,’ he promises, thrusting in and out, on and on.
And I honestly couldn’t tell you how long it lasts because I’m in oblivion, caught up in an alternate universe. All I know is I see stars, I fly to the Moon, I orbit the Earth and I’m sure on my journey I discover the glorious moment of the Big Bang.
Afterwards, once the foggy cloud of jaw-dropping sex has lifted, I tense. I shouldn’t have done that. I really shouldn’t have done it. I should tell him to leave now, before any more damage is done. I expect he’ll bolt anyway, giving me that speech about discretion again. So when he rolls onto his back with a satisfied groan, arranges me so I’m splayed across his muscular, naked chest, and tangles our legs together, I’m astonished. And I can’t summon the energy or motivation to make him go.
He strokes a finger along my clammy thigh and the simple action reignites sparks along my skin. I gasp and squirm.
‘You like that?’ he grins.
‘Don’t get cocky,’ I smile up into his face. ‘Two can play at that.’ I wriggle against his hip and he groans.
‘You win,’ his arms tighten around me.
Lust pings my nipples back into hard peaks. Talk about incredible chemistry. I can’t resist any longer, walking my fingers over his abs and counting them. ‘Eight?’ I say. ‘That is just ridiculous. Are you He-Man or something?’
He laughs huskily. ‘I start most mornings with a couple of hundred crunches. And don’t forget I work out at the gym.’
I raise an eyebrow. ‘Next you’ll be telling me you’re like that guy out of Crazy, Stupid, Love and can do that Dirty Dancing lift.’
‘Crazy, stupid what? Are you trying to tell me something?’ he asks playfully. ‘No,’ I retort immediately. ‘I told you, don’t be cocky.’
He kisses my hand and lowers it to rest over his heart and I can feel it beating underneath my palm. Tenderness washes over me. I wish we could stay like this forever.
What? Uh-oh. No.
He didn’t leave or give me the talk, he’s doing worse. He’s being unbelievably sweet and sexy, and I’m a sucker for both. I shouldn’t read anything into it. He could be like this with every woman he sleeps with. I clamp down on the twist of pain and jealousy robbing me of oxygen. We’ve made no promises to each other, and he doesn’t know what I’ve done yet, what I came looking for. He’ll think I was trying to use him, have tricked and betrayed him. The morning’s going to come too soon. It’s not fair to him, but I’m not ready for this night to end yet. I just want to stay in his arms, be with him a little bit longer, know him better. Surely a few more hours can’t hurt. I snuggle in, squeezing his waist.
‘Alex,’ I blurt, ‘what happened?’
He chuckles. ‘I must
have done something really wrong if you don’t know. Do you want me to show you again?’
‘No, yes, maybe later, I mean – what happened with Louise?’ I rush out. I’ve picked about the worst moment I could, but I suddenly need to know.
‘You want to talk about this now?’
I push away from him, pull a face, ‘Kind of.’
Dragging me down to his chest, ‘It’s my least favourite topic of conversation given she’s the most deceitful, dishonest woman I’ve ever met, but,’ he pauses, ‘all right.’ A massive sigh lifts me up and down with his chest. ‘We met at work. She was my PA.’
Chapter Twenty
‘Oh.’ Shit. I shiver, dismay shooting right down to my toes as everything becomes clear. His cynicism, his trust issues, his ‘no workplace relationship’ policy. I literally could not be in a worse position.
I’m his PA now.
I’m lying to him.
He’ll think history is repeating itself.
I can’t move, I’m so horrified. So I stay melded to his glorious body.
‘Yes,’ he repeats and adds quietly, ‘I didn’t think it was a good idea for us to get involved. But she was beautiful and has her own particular brand of charm when she feels like it. It only took a few weeks and we were dating, a few months before we were pretty serious.’ His deep voice rumbles in his chest, the vibration reverberating through his naked skin to mine. ‘I proposed. We were happy. It wasn’t until I got her to sign a gagging order and pre-nup things went wrong. My family’s company, the money and our reputation was too much to risk, though. I know that she always resented me for it. But it was necessary. I’m glad of it now, after everything that happened.’
‘But maybe the lack of trust caused the marriage to fail?’ I say, unthinking, and his face goes tight, jaw flexing. Wincing, ‘Sorry. That was too honest, and not necessarily the case.’ I kiss the side of his luscious mouth. ‘Sorry,’ I breathe.
His expression softens. ‘Although it didn’t help, I don’t think that’s the reason it didn’t work out.’
The Little Shop of Afternoon Delights Page 42