Her Leading Hero

by Maggie Dallen

  “No,” she said, a soft sigh escaping with that word. “I wouldn’t say I’m intimidated by them.”

  She heard the smile in his voice. “Were a fight to break out right this minute, do you think you could take them on?”

  She burst out with a laugh that was too loud, and some of the women in question turned to stare. “Yes,” she said through muffled laughter. “I could probably take them in a fight.”

  Only then did Gregory pull back, and a damp chill replaced his comforting heat. He turned so he was facing her and took both of her hands in his. “You do realize that these women are exactly the sort who will be at my parents’ party on Friday, don’t you?”

  She nodded, pressing her lips together to stifle another laugh.

  “The only difference being, you may or may not remember some of the partygoers, just like you very well could have run into someone you knew once upon a time while watching the ballet tonight.”

  She nodded again. He had a point, and she knew it. She glanced over at the older women and had to admit that they hardly seemed intimidating at this moment.

  “So,” Gregory said. “What do you say? Will you come to the party on Friday?”

  She looked into those warm brown eyes and she knew—there was no way she could refuse this man. Not now, maybe not ever.

  “Yes,” she said with a long exhale. “I’ll go to the party.”

  His grin was triumphant and more than a little smug. He took her by the hand and led her past the group of women and into the cold night air. “Let’s get a cab, I’ll have him drop you at home before I head to the theater. I want to look over a few more files before I call it a night.”

  She couldn’t help herself—the entire cab ride she found herself babbling away, reliving her favorite parts of the classic ballet. At his prompting, she told him all the parts she’d played in The Nutcracker.

  “I bet you were an adorable Clara,” he said.

  She laughed. “I was a better Sugar Plum Fairy.” It had been so long since she’d allowed herself to think about that time in her life, let alone talk about it. She found herself absurdly disappointed when the cab pulled up in front of her apartment building.

  This night couldn’t be over—not yet. Acting on impulse, she told the driver to keep going to the theater. At Gregory’s questioning look, she shrugged. “You kept me company through a ballet, which I know is not your favorite thing in the world. Least I can do is help you finish up at the theater.”

  He didn’t protest, and the laughter in his eyes was its own reward. He was happy she was joining him. She settled back against the seat of the cab with a sigh of pleasure. At the theater, they fell right back into a comfortable working relationship. It was so easy to be with him that sometimes she forgot how intimidating she used to find him. He was so down-to-earth, not at all what she’d expect of a notorious playboy billionaire.

  After a while she looked at her phone and realized midnight was rapidly approaching. This day had gone on longer than anticipated—not that she was complaining. She stood up from where she’d been kneeling on the floor. “I should probably get going.”

  He picked up the coat she’d thrown over the back of a chair and held it out for her. “You shouldn’t have stayed this late. What kind of terrible employer keeps his employee at work until midnight?”

  She laughed as she slid her arms into her jacket. “A cruel slave driver. That’s you to a T.” When he wrapped the jacket around her, she was suddenly aware of how close he was. And the fact that they were alone in this small office.

  That easy comfort vanished in a heartbeat. There was nothing comfortable about this silence. He didn’t move as she turned in his arms. Memories of his kiss were all she could think of as she stared up at him. Those lips were so close. All she would have to do was stand on her tiptoes and—

  “Can I walk you home?” Was it her imagination or did his voice sound hoarse? The atmosphere between them had shifted. Gone was the easy camaraderie, and in its place was an electric tension that was exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. It demanded a release in some form or another.

  She nodded, suddenly too shy to speak. No, not shy. She tried to figure out what exactly it was she was feeling around him. Nervous, for sure, but not like she had been at the costume party. Her secrets—well, most of them—were out with this man. And there was a relief that came with that. True, she still had to face her harshest critics at the holiday party. And yes, there were still her parents to deal with. But in this moment, as he walked beside her the half mile to her Lower East Side apartment… A weight she’d been carrying for years was gone. A few simple reassurances that he didn’t care about gossip and poof! He singlehandedly eviscerated the ghosts that had been plaguing her.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked. It was only then that she realized she was smiling to herself.

  Habit made her want to clam up, but everything was different with Gregory. Maybe it hadn’t been the champagne or the costume the other night. Maybe it had been his presence, reminding her of the optimistic girl she’d once been, or maybe it was his way of putting her at ease even as he made her nervous. It was an incongruous mix of excited anticipation and comfort at being with someone who knew her. Someone who didn’t judge and who looked at her like she was still Tammy—not crazy Tammy and not the reinvented Tamara. But the Tammy she’d once been.

  She struggled to put all she was feeling into words and failed. She said the best thing she could come up with. “Thank you.”

  He turned to her with his eyes wide with surprise. “For what?”

  She shook her head with a soft laugh. How could she explain? “For believing in me. For not pushing me for information. For giving me a chance at the theater. For not letting me quit without a fight….” She trailed off with a sigh and threw her hands up for a lack of words. “For everything, I guess.”

  They had reached her apartment building, and when she turned to face him, she found that he was smiling softly. Almost tenderly. Her heart clenched in her chest. She’d watched this man from afar for as long as she could remember, but she’d never seen this smile before. This was special. It held genuine emotions that resonated within her. They struck a chord of…something. Not love, surely, but tenderness and caring and warmth—emotions she’d said goodbye to ages ago.

  Fear reared up in her, instant and irrational, but there it was. She gasped softly, but when he gave her a questioning look she shook her head and forced a smile, shaking off the panicky feeling that had choked her with its intensity.

  Now was not the time to delve into her emotional baggage—and that was what it was. Remnants of pain from the last time she’d fallen for someone.

  Oh wow. Was she falling for Gregory?

  She looked up at him, and the lights from the streetlamps sharpened his features, making him unbearably handsome. Her breath caught in her chest. Oh yeah, she was falling. Hard.

  The question now was… Was he?

  As if in answer to her question, he leaned toward her, his eyes riveted to her lips.

  Yes, please. Her eyes started to drift closed automatically, instinctively. Her lips tingled in anticipation. She hadn’t been able to shake the memory of his last kiss and all that it had stirred, physically and emotionally. She needed to feel that again. That kiss—his kiss—was the key to her courage. Not just her courage, but her former self.

  He was so close, his breath warm on her lips when he cursed softly. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she saw him hovering over her, his eyes squeezed tight and his lips pressed together as if he was in pain.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  He shook his head but then, in the next instant, he reached out and clutched her arms, his head dropping so his forehead rested against hers. “God, I want to kiss you so badly.”

  For a second she thought she’d heard him wrong, he sounded so pain
ed. But once the words sank in, she laughed as a giddy joy spread through her chest. He wanted it too. He felt it too! “Why don’t you?”

  He groaned, and the agony in that sound made her giddier than ever. He wanted her…bad. The realization was heady. It was a drug she hadn’t tasted in years. The man she wanted was hers for the taking.

  “I can’t,” he bit out. “Technically you’re my employee, Tamara. I can’t take advantage of that.”

  She remained quiet as she processed his words. For a moment, neither of them moved. They stayed locked in an awkward non-embrace for several heartbeats, their breath mingling in the frigid air. That surge of power gave her a rush even as excited anticipation left her shaky. Here, now, with this man—she was herself again. Confident, strong, and for the first time in a long time she wasn’t confused or scared—she knew what she wanted.

  She wanted this man.

  “What if I take advantage of you?” she whispered. Closing the distance between them, she pressed her lips to his, and the length of her body molded against his strong frame. The heat was electric and instant, coursing through her limbs and stealing all reason and doubt.

  For a moment it seemed he might not respond. Or worse, that he might back away. But he let out a low groan and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her so tight it was hard to breathe. “God, Tammy, you’re undeniable.”

  When his lips moved to her neck, she allowed herself a smug smile. Undeniable. She liked that. That was exactly how she felt.

  That was the last thought she had before his lips came back to hers and she lost herself in a kiss that melted her bones, leaving her putty in his hands. And his hands were everywhere—skimming over her back and her neck and up her sides. The bulky coat was a frustrating barrier between them, but then he moved his hands down and cupped her bottom, pulling her up against him until she felt his hard length pressed against her belly.

  She moaned at the contact and he pulled back, his breath coming in short bursts. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  The break in contact made her shiver, and for the first time she realized they were still outside and in plain view of the rest of the world. Grasping his arm, she tugged him toward the front door of her apartment. “I’ve never been more sure.”

  The short walk up to her apartment was delayed by multiple stops to make out like a couple of teenagers in the stairwell. When she finally threw open the door, she had just enough time to say a prayer of thanks that Marc had gone out with Alex for the night before Gregory was behind her, pulling her back into his arms and nuzzling her neck as he stripped her of her winter jacket.

  Spinning around, she helped him with his outer layers as they slowly stumbled their way through the apartment to her bedroom. Once there, they paused as if by unspoken agreement.

  They were working together. She’d had a crush on him for as long as she could remember. She hadn’t been with anyone since her ex. He didn’t know the whole story of her past. There were a number of reasons why this was a bad idea, but none of them seemed to matter. Not to her, at least.

  She waited to see if he would put an end to it, but after a few seconds of staring at her, his eyes dark with hunger, Gregory pulled her close. “I have never wanted anything more.”

  His growl rippled through her before he claimed her lips once more, his tongue thrusting into her mouth with a possessive urgency that made her ache for more. All thoughts about what this would mean in the morning were washed away by the sensation of his hands on her body. He seemed to be everywhere at once.

  His hands were at her waist, unbuttoning her jeans before slipping up below her sweater, his touch scorching her skin from her stomach to her breasts. Through her bra he teased and pinched her nipples, his touch rough and urgent.

  She let her head drop back as a desire she’d thought she’d lost forever took hold and washed away the past and the future. God, how had she lived without this for so long?

  When he lowered her to the bed, she reached for him, grabbing his shirt and tearing it over his head as desperation had her arching against him. She needed to feel all of him against her. Inside her.

  He pulled off her sweater, and his clever hands unsnapped her bra and tugged that off too as she ran her hands over his chest and back, absorbing his heat and his strength. When he lowered himself to her, her bare breasts pressed against his hard chest, she moaned at the unbearable sweetness of it. The perfect joining of hard and soft, of masculine and feminine…of old and new.

  He was a symbol of her past and a beacon for the future. He’d given her hope and a new confidence. It somehow seemed so right that he be the one to open her heart again and remind her of her sexual nature. Something she’d thought she’d forgotten or discarded. Something she’d written off as a remnant of her former life.

  She clung to his shoulders as he kissed his way along her neck, over her collarbone, and down to her nipples. When he pulled one into his mouth and sucked, she couldn’t hold back the gasp of pleasure. Her hands moved to his hair, gripping him tightly against her as he sucked and licked, driving her wild.

  “I can’t wait,” she whimpered as she arched her hips off the bed, pressing herself against him as she tried to slake the needy ache between her thighs. She felt his erection even through their jeans, and the need to have it inside her was almost too much to bear. God, it had been so long. Too long. She was empty and aching and so very needy.

  In a heartbeat he had her jeans off, grabbed a condom from his wallet, and was tugging his own off to join hers on the floor. “I need you, Tammy. I can’t—” He didn’t finish, but he didn’t have to. He couldn’t wait either.

  “Hurry,” she moaned. He tore her panties and the rest of his clothes off and came back to her. Their joining was rough and urgent, as if he too had been celibate for years. In one thrust he filled her completely, and she cried out at the feel of him inside her.

  For the first time in a long time she felt full—complete. Whole.

  He dropped his head so his forehead was resting against hers, their breath joining in frantic pants as they moved together in a rhythm that was so natural they could have been lovers for ages.

  His thrusts turned fast, insistent, and she cried out until her voice was hoarse. When the tension coiled so tight she couldn’t take it anymore, she gripped his back and buried her face in his neck as the world spiraled out of control.

  She was dimly aware of his climax seconds later but was too drained to do any more than lie there in his arms as he shifted so he was beside her. If he spoke, she missed it. Blissful sleep claimed her just as he nestled her against his side.

  * * * *

  When Gregory woke later that night, it took him a moment to realize where he was. As his memory came back to him, he found that he was grinning to himself like an idiot before he even opened his eyes.

  That had been epic. Spectacular, actually. Like nothing he’d ever experienced. And no one would say he was lacking in experience.

  Not that his performance proved anything. It had been a long time since he’d been so overcome with desire that he couldn’t wait. Normally he took his time, ensuring that his partner was fully ready. But with Tamara—he’d lost himself in her like a goddamn teenager.

  And it had been amazing.

  When he was fully awake, he rolled over in bed to find the source of that once-in-a-lifetime experience. But there was one problem. She was gone.

  Sitting up straight, he scanned the dark room, but there was no one there and her side of the bed was cold to the touch. Maybe she’d run to the bathroom. He waited a few minutes, and when there was still no sign of her, he threw off the covers and put on his jeans. Fear had him fumbling with the button.

  Crap, he’d moved too fast. She’d seemed stronger since that night at the movie theater—without her secret weighing on her she’d been more open and talkative. More like the mystery w
oman he’d met that first night than the timid creature Oliver had introduced him to. He’d been starting to think that she trusted him, and last night had seemed to prove that she did. But maybe she wasn’t there yet. And now he’d gone and ruined things with her by moving too quickly.

  He made his way down the dark, narrow hallway and blinked rapidly as he stumbled into the brightly lit kitchen. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a disheveled and adorable Tamara staring up at him with wide eyes.

  She looked…guilty. That was when he noticed the pint of ice cream in front of her and the spoon sticking out of her mouth. Relief rushed through him, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “I was hungry,” she said around the spoon in her mouth.

  His head fell back as he laughed harder.

  She took the spoon out of her mouth, and he heard her mumble, “It’s not that funny.”

  And it wasn’t that funny, but he was overwhelmed with relief that she hadn’t run away from him. And the fact that he was so relieved—well, that was the comical part. His exes always accused him of keeping his distance, of not letting them in. He’d just assumed that was part of his makeup. He didn’t like peas and he didn’t do intimacy.

  Yet here he was, scrambling around in terror in the middle of the night because his woman wasn’t cuddled up by his side. His woman. He liked the sound of that. She was still staring up at him, her long, blond locks in disarray and her freshly scrubbed face sweet and innocent.

  She was his woman. It was as simple as that. After decades of dating and struggling and not being able to commit, this petite woman dressed up as Veronica Lake and slipped right into his heart. It was ridiculous. It sure as hell didn’t make any sense. But at that moment, he couldn’t care less. He merely wanted to enjoy this new feeling.

  Besides, she looked so adorable with her knees pulled up beneath her oversized T-shirt, he couldn’t help himself. She let out a little squeal of surprise when he leaned over and scooped her into his arms and headed out of the kitchen.

  “Where are we going?”