“How did you get a cab so quickly?”
“I called one the moment I saw you two walk in here.”
Her mouth fell open. “You planned this! You got him drunk intentionally to what…humiliate him?”
Hayden took her arm. “I did it to get him away from you.”
“What are you doing?” She tried to jerk away, but Hayden kept a firm grip on her arm as he pulled her toward the door.
“It’s time to go,” he growled.
When they were finally outside on the street, he released her arm. There were still some people milling about, but the bustling activity she had always seen on the downtown streets during the day was gone. The sun was setting and red streaks colored the evening sky. Glancing over at Hayden as he adjusted his suit jacket, she wasn’t sure if she should hit him or thank him for rescuing her from Adam.
“You didn’t need to get me away from Adam. I told you before, he’s harmless.”
“Harmless? Did you see the way he looked at you?” Hayden’s eyes bore into her. “I’m a man. I know that look.”
“What look?”
“He has plans for you, and I’m not about to stand by and let that little weasel….” He wiped his hand over his face. “Forget it. Just don’t spend any more time with him.” He motioned ahead to their office building. “I’ll take you home.”
Pissed off, she started down the sidewalk, determined to ignore him. “I’ll drive home.”
He came up behind her and grasped her arm. “You’ve been drinking and I cannot let you drive.”
She yanked her arm away. “You’ve had more than me.”
“I know. That’s why I texted my driver after I saw your boyfriend into a cab.”
“Adam is not my boyfriend.”
“I’m glad we’ve established that fact.” He moved closer and let his lips hover right in front of hers. “Now I’m going to take you home, so I suggest you cooperate with me, otherwise I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you to the car.”
The image of him manhandling her made her mouth go dry. She slowly nodded her head.
He grinned and took her hand. “Besides, you don’t have a good track record with men in bars.”
***
In the back of a black Town Car, Madison settled against her leather seat as their driver maneuvered the crowded expressway north toward her home. Watching Hayden’s profile as he frowned at the thick jam of cars ahead, she considered all she knew about the man.
What he’d done with Adam at the bar was out of character for the Hayden Parr she had come to know over the past few days. She had not considered him the jealous type, especially after what she had learned from his secretary, Emma. Madison also realized that his possessive actions meant he was just as bothered by her as she had been by him. Or at least she hoped as much.
“Why did you pull that stunt back there with Adam?” she posed after a long silence.
“I told you. I didn’t like what he was thinking. You need to keep away from him.”
“I share an office with him, Hayden. It’s going to be rather hard to keep my distance.”
His scowl made the lines on his brow appear deeper. “I’ll arrange for you to get an office of your own tomorrow.”
“And what do you think everyone will say? They will think you’re giving me special treatment.”
“You wouldn’t be the only one.” He slowly released a long breath between his gritted teeth. “There is something you need to know about Adam. He’s my ex-wife’s cousin. Ellen asked me to help him out last year when he was finishing up in college. I agreed to grant him an interview, and then his father, Ellen’s uncle, got involved, calling me and pushing me to hire his son. He’s some big attorney from New Orleans. Ellen is from there, and when our marriage went south, her family rallied around her. Then, her uncle threatened to cause problems for Parr and Associates. So I had no choice but to hire the little shit.” His hands clasped tightly together. “I had hoped Adam would prove himself, so that when it was revealed he was Ellen’s cousin, it wouldn’t have mattered. Unfortunately, with his behavior lately…I don’t know how much longer I can keep him.”
“His behavior? Are you talking about at the party?”
“You really don’t know, do you?” He shook his head. “Adam has been going around to the men in the office bragging about getting you into bed. First, it started with Emma, but when she confronted him, he turned his attention to you. That’s why I followed you two to the bar. I knew what he had in mind.”
“That doesn’t mean I was going to sleep with him, Hayden.” She folded her arms and sunk deeper into her seat. “I can take care of myself. I don’t need you coming to my rescue.”
“That’s exactly what you do need, Madison.” The car pulled behind an eighteen-wheeler that had slowed to exit the expressway. “You’re still that innocent little virgin I picked up in that bar. You have no idea what men are like.”
“I’m not that girl anymore.” She raised her voice. “I stopped being that girl after that night with you.”
“Let’s talk about that night, shall we?” His voice rose to match hers. “Why were you out picking up a stranger in the bar in the first place?”
“Why do you think I was there? To get laid, Hayden.”
“And you chose a stranger in a bar to lose your virginity to.”
“Apparently not a stranger anymore,” she quipped.
“Do you know what could have happened to you? For the entire night I sat at the end of the bar and watched those men coming on to you. I swore if you got up to leave with any of them, I was going to stop you.”
“For a man who was so worried about me, you were sure anxious to get me into bed.”
“I was not,” he fumed. “I was….” His voice trailed off as he glimpsed their driver in the front seat. Leaning in closer, he demanded, “Just tell me, why did you go to bed with me that night?”
She sighed, releasing the tension their conversation had created. “I was nineteen and every girl in my dorm had done it. They kept asking me what I liked, how I did it, about my first time and…I guess I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about.”
“Peer pressure. You lost your virginity to a man you had no feelings for because of peer pressure?”
She turned away from him and stared out the passenger window, feeling lower than dirt. “Yeah, I know what that makes me, Hayden.”
The silence that surrounded her was more painful than his words. Madison’s eyes began to fill with tears, but she willed them back, not wanting him to see how much he had hurt her.
“I’m sorry, Madison. I shouldn’t be judging you. Why you did it is your business and not mine. Far be it from me to understand a woman’s reasoning.”
She sniffled and glanced back at him. “Why did you take me home that night?”
The question seemed to send a ripple of discomfort through him. His arms stiffened, his back became straight as a board, and his face shadowed with aggravation. Madison instantly regretted her question, but something inside of her needed to know the answer.
“You seemed like a nice girl, and I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
There was something in the way he spoke that made her doubt his answer. She sensed there was more to it than he was willing to admit.
“If you thought I was such a nice girl, then why did you sleep with me?”
His body relaxed as the car came to a halt at a red light. “Because a part of me also hoped you weren’t such a nice girl.”
“I’m sorry I disappointed you.”
He chuckled lightly, making Madison sigh. His laugh was getting to her. “You didn’t disappoint me, Madison.” The light changed to green and the car moved forward on to Lovers Lane. “I hope I was the one who didn’t disappoint you. Your first time should be special, and I just wish I would have known, that’s all.”
The driver turned off, heading toward her street. “I appreciate that, Hayden, but I have no regrets.”
His eyes pivoted to his passenger window. “Well, I certainly do have regrets…quite a few, actually.”
When the Town Car parked in front of her blue apartment building, Madison suddenly didn’t want their conversation to end. She had never been very good at seducing men, but now she struggled to find some way to get him to come up to her place.
“Would you like to come up and have some coffee?” She tried not to wince, thinking the invitation too obvious.
He gave her one of his delicious smiles. “I would love that.”
After Madison had exited the car, Hayden leaned over and said something that she could not hear to his driver. As Hayden came up to her side, the black Town Car pulled away from the curb.
“Why is he leaving?” she questioned, pointing to the car.
Hayden escorted her to the glass doors of her building. “He’s going to get a cup of coffee and will come back for me later.”
Heading up in the elevator to the fifth floor, Madison was a complete wreck. Was it a good sign he sent the driver away, or a bad sign that he was expecting the driver to return? Or did he send the driver home and tell him not to come back until morning? Her head was fuzzy with questions. She was even thinking ahead to the kind of coffee she had in her pantry and if he would like it.
“Will your roommate be joining us?” he inquired as they stepped out of the elevator.
“Ah, I doubt it.” She pulled her door keys from her purse. “Charlie has almost moved out, except for her bed and some clothes. She still comes here to pick up mail and stuff, but with the wedding so close she spends all of her time at her fiancé’s place.”
“What does Charlie do?”
“She’s a law student and a paralegal at the law firm where her fiancé works. He’s a civil rights attorney.” They stopped before her door. “Nelson’s a great guy.”
“Obviously why your roommate is marrying him.” Hayden took the keys from her hand and placed them in the lock on her door.
“I don’t know, she could have married an asshole, but then I wouldn’t have agreed to be a bridesmaid. But I guess I would have to be her bridesmaid even if he was a jerk. I’m just glad she—”
“Madison,” he interrupted. “Why are you so nervous?” He turned the lock and pushed her door open.
“I’m not nervous,” she argued, walking in her doorway.
“Of course you are. You talk a lot when you’re nervous.”
He was placing her keys on the table by the door when she turned to him. “And how would you know that?”
He shut the door and folded his arms over his chest. “You did the same thing that night. I couldn’t get you to shut up until I kissed you.”
Madison set her purse on the table by the door. “I don’t remember it that way.”
He walked up to her, causing her to inch toward the kitchen. “How do you remember it?”
“I don’t remember…talking.”
“Well, we did. You told me you were studying architecture.” He followed her to the kitchen. “You were having trouble with one of your classes. Intro to Architectural Design, I think it was.”
She hurried behind the breakfast counter. “Coffee?”
“We had coffee that night, yes.”
She went to the coffeemaker on the countertop. “No, do you want coffee?”
“If you’re having some.” His voice was right behind her.
She spun around to see him standing in the small kitchen. He was so close, making her momentarily forget what she was going to do.
“I take it black,” he stated, snapping her out of her stupor.
Turning back to the coffeemaker, she muttered, “I remember.”
“What else do you remember?”
Opening the cabinet above her head, she reached inside. “What difference does it make? What I remember or what happened.” She slammed a bag of coffee on the counter. “It’s behind us, Hayden.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” he whispered in her ear.
This time she did not turn around to face him. His hips pressed into her butt, and when his hand skidded over her right shoulder, gripping her jacket, she trembled. Madison stood perfectly still as he peeled the jacket off her.
“What’s changed your mind?” she softly pleaded. “Today at the office you were so indifferent to me.”
He threw the jacket on the counter in front of her. “I wasn’t indifferent. I was trying to keep you from getting to me, but it didn’t work.” His hands went around both of her shoulders, slowly turning her to face him. “When I saw you go off with Adam, I couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t stand to see you with other men.”
When her eyes met his, any reservations she had about being with him vanished. Her back smashed into the countertop as he slowly advanced. Her heart was beating faster than a hummingbird’s wings as his face moved inch by inch closer to hers.
His hands reached around her waist. “Tell me you’ve been thinking of me.”
She arched away from him, not sure if she was ready for this. “Thinking of you…I don’t understand.”
He eased into her, pulling her body against him. “Say you want me, Madison.”
Her eyes darted about his face, trying to register the moment. “Why?”
Hayden lowered his mouth closer to hers. “I need to hear that you want me.”
She hesitated—her mind telling her to not give in—but she caved. “Yes,” she breathed, “I want you.”
His mouth crashed into hers, sending shivers down her spine. His kiss was enticing, provocative, and utterly powerful. When his arms engulfed her, almost squeezing the air from her lungs, Madison did not care. She wanted to stay like this with him. Sliding her arms about his neck, she opened her mouth; letting his tongue trace the tip of hers, encouraging her to give in to him, promising more to come. Her inhibitions began to disintegrate and her hands started roaming the contours of his back, gingerly running over the curve of his muscular butt.
When her hands squeezed his hard ass, he laughed and lifted her onto the kitchen counter. His kisses traveled over the slopes of her neck, nipping her flesh along the way.
“You taste even better than the first time,” he murmured into her shoulder.
Tossing her head back, she searched his eyes. “How can you possibly remember how—?”
“I remember everything about you.”
She didn’t want to believe him, but somehow his words rang true…because she had never forgotten him, either. Running her fingertips along the curve of his square jaw, she smiled.
“And here I thought I was the only one having a hard time forgetting that night.”
She kissed his neck, and then nipped at his Adam’s apple, causing Hayden to suck in a desperate breath. Her hands eased inside his suit jacket, and she was about to push the material over his shoulders when the jingle of keys working the lock to the front door made them both look away.
As the front door pushed open, Hayden moved back from the counter, allowing Madison to jump down. When Charlie strolled into the apartment, Madison rolled her eyes. Great. Perfect timing!
“Who is that?” Hayden asked, his arm still about her.
“My roommate.”
“Hey there,” Charlie called when she saw Madison in the kitchen. But then her smile faltered when she spotted Hayden next to her. “Oh, wow, did I interrupt something?”
Madison moved away from him. “Charlie, what are you doing here?”
“I still technically live here, Mads.” She motioned to Hayden. “Who’s this?”
“Hayden Parr,” he replied, adjusting his jacket.
“You’re Madison’s boss?” Charlie’s eyebrows rose up her forehead.
Madison wanted to groan out loud as she watched Charlie’s zealous blue eyes running up and down Hayden’s lean, tight body.
Hayden went up to Charlie and extended his hand. “I hear congratulations are in order for your upcoming nuptials.”
Shaking his hand, Charli
e grinned at Madison. “Yeah, less than two weeks away. Madison is going to be one of my bridesmaids.”
Hayden glanced back at her over his shoulder. “Yes, she was just telling me all about it.”
Charlie snickered. “I’ll bet.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “You know, Madison still doesn’t have a date for my wedding. You interested, Mr. Parr?”
“Charlie!” Madison shouted.
Hayden chuckled as he shook his head. “I should be going.”
“Don’t leave, Mr. Parr,” Charlie pleaded. “Stay and have a drink with us.”
“No, thank you, Charlie.” His eyes lingered on Madison, causing a warm rush of heat to shoot up from between her legs. “It’s been a long day.”
He made a move toward the front door, and Madison rushed to his side. “I’ll walk you downstairs.”
Pulling the door open, he turned to her. “No, stay here. I can send my car tomorrow to bring you to the office.”
“No, I’ll find a ride to work, but thank you.”
“Are you always so determined?” He held up his hand. “Forget I said that.” For a split second he stood in front of her, as if wanting to kiss her, but then his eyes swerved to Charlie standing in the living room, watching their every move. “Good night,” he added, then slowly closed the door.
“You and the hottie boss?” Charlie shouted almost as soon as the door had closed.
Madison wheeled around. “Jesus, Charlie. Of all the nights for you to come home.”
Charlie grinned while sauntering up to her. “Are you going to tell me what happened? This morning he was untouchable, and then I come in the door and he’s all over you.”
“I’m not sure what happened,” Madison admitted, brushing her hands over her hot cheeks. “All I know is we spent the morning working on my design for the Martins’ house, and it damn near drove me insane. I had to run to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face.”
Charlie’s belly laugh echoed about the bare living room. “I guess he felt the same way.”
“I went out with Adam, that dipshit from my office, after work for drinks.” Madison retreated to the kitchen. “I thought Hayden didn’t want me, so….”
“You went for a guy you had no interest in,” Charlie answered, filling in her words. “I get it. That’s your MO with men. Go after the ones you don’t want because you don’t think you’re good enough for the ones you do want.” Charlie followed her to the kitchen and took a stool by the breakfast bar. “So what happened with Adam the sleaze?”
That Night with You Page 12