I looped my arm into my jacket, my heart racing while he waited for my answer.
“Absolutely! The more, the merrier.” I smiled wide, praying I’d suddenly have a heart attack or something. There was no way I could live in the same house as Alex!
“Great.” He smiled in return. “He’ll keep you company when I’m gone next weekend.”
“Wonderful,” I said, praying for anything to prevent that from happening.
I was ready to die. C’mon, God. An aneurysm? A stroke? Anything, really. I’m not picky.
“Make sure you make him feel at home. It’s been a few years since he’s lived there and coming back after all that time might be strange,” he whispered, trying to be discreet, but Alex heard every word.
“I’m sure she’ll make me feel right at home, Dad. No worries.” He smirked, patting his dad on the shoulder. William smiled in approval, having no idea of Alex’s twisted words.
William wrapped his arm around me, guiding us to the front. I turned slightly and scowled back at Alex, warning him to cool it. He only laughed and mouthed, “Not gonna happen, sweetheart.”
I STOOD IN the bathroom in just a lace nighty, staring at myself in the mirror as the memory of how I met Alex the first time resurface in my mind. My body tingled and my heart began to race as flashes of that night started to come back to me…
As I danced to the upbeat rhythm vibrating through the speakers, I felt strong hands behind me. They crept to my hips, moving and grinding behind me. I kept swaying, inviting the stranger to dance with me.
“I couldn’t help myself. You just looked so gorgeous dancing all by yourself over here.” His voice was husky, low. His breath was hot against my neck, sending a shiver down to my toes.
I smiled to myself since he couldn’t see me. I responded with inching my body closer to his, feeling his chest to my back. He was built from what I could tell. His chest hard and his arms toned. They engulfed me, pressing against my body in a securing gesture.
We danced to the music, one hand moved to my arm, rubbing up and down in an affectionate manner. It was oddly comforting; his movements were sweet but secure.
“What’s your name?” He dipped his head down, pressing his lips against the flesh of my ear. My body tingled with how close his mouth was. His entire body was cemented to mine, and I had yet to see his face.
“Mac,” I answered, turning my head slightly so he could hear me. “What’s yours?”
He spun me around, his hands securely gripping my upper arms. My eyes opened wide to see him, but the lights were dim and the dancing of colored lights moved in a quick rhythm. I could partially see him—his jawline and his mouth. His eyes were hooded, not giving me a good view of them. His hair was short on the sides and longer on top, but I couldn’t see what color. Everything was dark.
“Alex,” he finally responded. His lips turned up into a handsome grin, giving me a full view of his perfectly straight teeth. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at him, letting the alcohol swim in my veins. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mac.”
One hand continued to grip my arm while the other strolled down to my hip. He squeezed gently, waking me up from my trance.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Alex.” I smiled, feeling like we were the only two people in the entire club. The music silenced, the other dancers faded, and soon, my vision only zoomed in on this enticing stranger.
“Can I buy you a drink?” He leaned in again, close to my ear. It was so deep, soothing almost, as the silk of his voice vibrated against the warmth of my skin. Butterflies consumed my stomach at the way my body was responding to him. It was innocent really, but the way his lips lingered was a sure sign it wouldn’t stay that way.
“Sure,” I answered anyway. My body felt hypnotized. I was stunned by the effect this stranger was stirring in me.
His hand ran down my arm until it reached mine and he linked our fingers together as he guided us to the bar. I nervously looked around for my friends, wondering if they were still at the same table we had been at earlier.
“What’s your poison?” he asked playfully, leaning one arm on top of the bar. I stood in front of him, getting a much better visual of his face. His jawline was firm and strong, but it didn’t match the rest of him. He had one of those soft baby faces, the ones that look like they never age. His eyes were brown from what I could now see and his hair was a dark shade of brown. He was every girl’s wet fantasy, but he couldn’t be mine.
“I’ll take a Cranberry Vodka.”
“A girl who can drink her liquor…” His lips curved up in one of the sexiest smirks I’d ever seen. His lips were thin but delicious looking. “I like that.”
“I’m sure you do.” I smirked, enjoying the attention he was giving me. He could easily have a dozen other girls in this club, so I didn’t know why he was wasting time talking to me.
“Actually…” He inched his head down lower, almost whispering. “I don’t really go out much. I just flew back to New York. I was actually supposed to meet a friend and apparently, they blew me off.”
That surprised me. He looked like a guy who went out every weekend, at least.
“Is that what you tell all the girls?” I mocked.
He laughed, lightly brushing his hand through his hair. He grabbed the drinks from the bartender and threw a twenty on the bar. “No, it’s the truth.” He smiled. “I saw you earlier standing at the table with your friends. You were laughing and smiling…you looked so carefree and full of life. I find that to be a very attractive quality in a woman.”
“All right.” I lingered, circling my straw in my glass as his words circled around in my mind. “Well, I haven’t been out in months. It’s my friend’s bachelorette party, actually.”
“Really?” His eyes roamed over my body, admiring the way my dress squeezed my curves. “You seem like a girl who likes to have fun…often.”
“Well, you know what they say about allegations…” I grinned, gripping the straw between my lips. I leaned in, whispering inches away from his mouth. “Unfortunate disappointments.”
“I’d be willing to bet my right testicle that you would be anything but a disappointment, sweetheart.” His voice stayed deep, firm. His eyes embedded into mine, letting me know exactly what he was after.
“Well, get ready to lose that bet.” I smiled confidently. “I need to get back to my friend before she thinks I ditched her.”
“Ahh…the nice blow off…” His eyes held mine, daring me to leave.
“I’m not blowing you off,” I insisted. “It’s just…it’s a girl’s night,” I explained.
“Oh, girl’s night…” He let the words out easily in understanding. “Well, if you get lonely and decide to make it a fun evening, you’ll know where to find me.” He winked, gripping my elbow in his palm. He pulled me forward and pressed his lips to my cheek. “Enjoy your evening, Mac.” Tingles riveted throughout my entire body—a sensation I hadn’t felt in months. It was uncanny for someone I had just met.
“Thanks…you, too,” I finally managed to say. I spotted Staci finally and took off with my Vodka Cranberry in my hand.
Alexander Lancaster.
The son of multi-millionaire, William Lancaster. Manhattan’s most influential businessman and voted to win the Tenley Leadership Award ten years in a row. He didn’t use his power for bad, over-the-top things; rather William was different. He was good. He wanted to be a role model and continue teaching his employees under him. It’s one of the things I loved most about him. He’s entirely selfless.
I finished rubbing the moisturizer all over my body, wondering where that flashback had come from. I blew him off…so how in the world did I wake up in his bed the next morning?
I guess the only way to know was to ask Alex.
But would he even tell me the truth? Did I want to know the truth?
I washed my hands off and grabbed my phone to call Staci.
“What’s up, girlfriend?” she answered cheerfu
lly, but I knew she’d be freaking out in about two seconds.
“I hate my life,” I said flatly. “I’m being punished. Or something. Karma, perhaps.”
“Mac…slow down. What’s going on?”
“Alex!” I scream-whispered. “Alex-fucking-Lancaster!”
“Wait, who’s Alex Lancaster?”
I breathed out, needing to slow my mind down so I could make some sense. “William’s son…who just so happens to be…”
“Oh my god!” she screamed as it finally clicked in her head. “One-night stand Alex is Alexander Lancaster?”
I sighed. “Yes…one in the same. And I had to come face-to-face with him tonight at dinner.”
“Holy shit,” she breathed out. “What did you do?”
“What could I do? I mentally freaked out! I pretended I didn’t know him and sat across from him. To make matters worse, he totally knew he was making me uncomfortable. I left for the bathroom and he followed me!”
“Jesus…”
“Stace, what am I going to do? He’s moving in! Apparently, William wants him to move back in until he finds a job and is more stable. Do you know how awkward this is going to be?”
“He has to have his own money to move into his own apartment, right?” she asked the same question I’d been thinking the entire ride home.
“Well, you’d think, but I also believe it’s William’s way of re-connecting with him or whatever. I don’t know. William is barely home enough for us to spend time together, so I’m really not sure what he’s thinking.”
“Well, that could be it,” she agreed. “I mean, you’ve been with him for almost two years, and you’re just now meeting his son? I guess they had some kind of rough patch or something. Before he left for school, he was always in the papers for getting into trouble. I bet you William sent him overseas on purpose. And now he’s trying to see if he can trust him.”
“Damn, I hadn’t thought of that. William rarely talks about it. Anytime I bring it up, he manages to brush it off or be completely vague.”
“Well, now would be a great time to ask!”
“I know, I know!” I started pacing the bathroom, thinking over everything she’d just said. It made a lot of sense now that we were talking it out. “That isn’t the only problem,” I added.
“Okay, what?”
“I keep having these flashbacks and short glimpses of him…of us…it’s…” I paused, trying to collect my thoughts.
“Confusing?” she filled it for me.
I sighed, exhaling deeply before answering, “Yes. Very. I feel these things inside and I just don’t understand how, or why, and what I’m supposed to do with them. I never intended for anything like that to happen, yet when I get these flashbacks, it’s like I didn’t feel guilty at all. Like…it was right.”
“Mac, listen to me. I’ve known you a while now, okay? I know you like everything in its perfect little place and your schedule all nicely written out. I even know you organize your underwear drawer by color,” she said with a laugh. “I also know your lack of experience with men. So now, you just have to decide…what are you going to do about it? You can tell William and see if he gives you a second chance, or you can pretend it didn’t happen and ignore everything you feel about that night.”
“But how can it be that simple? I don’t think Alex is going to make it that simple. You should’ve seen the way he looked at me all night.”
“I bet it was hot.” She laughed lightly and I scowled. “But in all seriousness, and even though this will sound cliché, do what you feel is right in your heart. If William is your future, then focus on that.”
“That’s kind of hard to do when your one-night stand comes to live with you, Stace!” I whispered sternly. “I’m just going to have to avoid him as much as I can…it’s the only way. Maybe I’ll join a book club or do yoga on the weekends.”
“You don’t know how to do yoga,” she said flatly.
“Well, I’ll learn,” I spat back. “Or just stay at work really, really late.”
“Well, good luck with that,” she cracked with amusement in her tone. “Call me tomorrow,” she said just before we said our goodbyes and hung up.
Staci was my best friend, but we had entirely different lifestyles. We met when Laura hired her for a temporary design job at the magazine, and we ended up having lunch together almost every day. Once she was done, we continued hanging outside of work and she became my first real friend in years. After awhile, I began to trust and confided in my past. She’d been the only person who knew before I met William—who still only knew some parts.
New York was a fresh start for me, but I quickly learned about cliques and what popularity can do to you. She wasn’t from an upper class upbringing, which was the thing I loved most about her. Most of the women I met through William were polished, snooty-bitches, and they were as fake as their nose jobs. Being friends with Staci allowed me to be me, not the woman engaged to business-extraordinaire, William Lancaster. I didn’t have to plaster on fake smiles during a girl’s charity luncheon or pretend to care about their stupid ‘problems’ that were barely problems at all. I was thankful she was a constant in my life—something I never had before.
But this…this was something I was going to have to figure out on my own somehow. I was going to have to do everything in my power to avoid Alex. I couldn’t let him get me alone…
Chapter Seven
A few days after officially meeting Alexander Lancaster—Alex—I consumed myself with work, so much so, I was able to almost forget about him moving in…almost.
By Thursday, boxes of his things started to arrive. He was moving back into his old bedroom, which was across the apartment. Thank god. There was enough space in between to feel like I could easily avoid him—which I’d planned to do. I’d leave for work early in the morning before he was even awake probably and then return at night after dinner. I’d then hide away in my bedroom until I passed out.
Yes, that was my plan.
However, the weekend was coming and William was leaving town the next day.
“That’s everything, ma’am,” one of the mover’s said to me, directing my attention away from my thoughts. William wasn’t home from work yet, so he asked me to pay them before they left.
I grabbed the checkbook from my purse and wrote out the amount plus a generous tip. As I ripped it out, I said, “Here you are. Thanks so much for everything.” I was pleasant. It surely wasn’t his fault my fiancé thought this was a grand idea.
He glanced down at the check and smiled wide, shock playing on his lips. “Oh, thank you, ma’am.” He tipped his head at me. “Y’all have a great night now.” I could hear the southern accent in his voice, making me smile at the thought of a southern gentleman living all the way up in New York City.
“Thanks. You as well.” I led them out of the apartment and cringed. Now it was just Alex and me. William wasn’t home yet and I was supposed to ‘make him feel at home again.’
That was not going to happen.
I walked to the kitchen, needing to get dinner ready. William had called and asked me to make a special dinner for the three of us since he’d be flying out early the next morning. I agreed, needing to do anything to distract myself until he arrived home anyway.
I placed the pan of lemon chicken into the oven just as I heard footsteps coming this way. I tried to act unaffected, bored even, but once Alex rounded the door, all my brain cells bailed.
“It smells delicious in here,” he said as soon as he leaned up against the breakfast bar.
“Thanks,” I said softly, keeping my back to him as I cut the potatoes. “I’m making chicken. I hope you like—”
“I wasn’t talking about the damn chicken,” he said roughly, his voice firm and close. He moved toward me, the hair on the back of my neck sticking up as I realized he was coming closer to me. “However, chicken sounds great,” he continued with amusement, clearly enjoying the situation in which we’ve been put in.
“Good. It’ll be done in forty-five minutes if you want to go unpack until then.” I felt his body pressed up against mine, his hands gripping the edge of the counter next to me. He fully closed me in, my ass firm against his groin. “What are you doing?” I blurted, dropping the knife on the cutting board.
“Just getting a better view…” I felt him nuzzle his nose into my hair and inhale the scent of my shampoo.
“You need to stop, Alex. Back up,” I demanded, trying to sound stern, but I felt him smile against my neck. He was clearly entertained by making me uncomfortable now. “I still don’t remember you,” I reminded him, although part of that was a lie. I had remembered some…
My body shivered in response.
“Your body does,” he responded smugly. “And I remember you, Mac. I remember everything. The way you moaned as I sunk deep inside you, the way you gripped my hair when I sucked your clit in between my lips, the way you screamed my name when I—”
“Stop!” I shouted. I pushed against his chest, but instead of forcing him back, it pushed our bodies closer together.
“Your mouth is saying one thing, sweetheart. But your body is saying another.”
I was pissed. How dare he use that against me when I’m clearly trying to avoid him?
I turned around, breaking the trap his arms had barricaded me in. “You can remember all you want. But I don’t. It was a mistake. Do you hear me? A mistake!”
He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk playing on his lips. “You can say it all you want, princess. But it still won’t be true.” He leaned in, placing his finger under my chin and tilting my head up to look at him. “You can pretend it didn’t happen all you want, but it still happened. I fucked you so hard, your body could barely move the next morning. When’s the last time you woke up like that? Does my father eat your pussy so good you scream until you lose your voice? You could barely talk or walk when I was done with you.”
Dangerous Temptations Page 6