by Katie Kyler
I texted Jess. I needed advice. As much as I wanted to tell her that my boss, my fantasy man, had been my blind date, I didn’t. The whole Scintilla profile, the date, it was like a fragile bubble and I didn’t want to pop it by sticking it with details. I’d told her we had a great dinner and we’d kissed,
Allison: He hasn’t messaged me all day. I didn’t hear from him since our date. Should I message him? Will I seem too desperate?
Jess: Do it! He’ll be thrilled to talk to you!
I thought about skipping the entire Scintilla messaging thing and just sauntering over to his office and knocking on the door, taking charge and asking him out for a drink. I knew he hadn’t contacted me, for a reason. Either he was busy, or uninterested. I sent Jess a quick message back, hoping for some more inspiration and motivation to overcome me fears.
Allison: What if he doesn’t respond? What if he just tells me to go away?
Jess: Relax girl! He said he wanted another date. Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.
I shut down my computer and pulled out my phone. I stared at his closed door and quickly opened the Scintilla app. I typed out the message, ready to hit send as his door clicked open.
The door to Joshua’s office slowly swung open and a diagonal shaft of light was splayed across the hallway. The scent of Chinese food filled my nostrils and the sound fo shuffling papers filled the quiet office. This was perfect timing.
I clicked the button on my phone, shutting down the display, took a deep breath and walking over to his office. I watched him from behind as he packed up the papers on his desk. His perfect body, hugged by his expensive suit. I couldn’t help but stare at his ass. I thought about how I’d open the conversation. Hey, how about last night? Stupid. I million ideas raced through my head and I settled for the simplest.
I took a deep breath and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I twirled it once and prayed that I looked okay. I knocked softly on his door and he immediately spun around and stared at me. I had to quickly shift my gaze from his perfect ass to his eyes. I had almost been caught.
“Oh, hey…I didn’t realize anyone else was here. Come in.”
I stepped inside his office, the same place I had been a few days before when I presented him with the whiskey for his birthday. He continued packing up some papers and shifting things on his desk.
“Busy day? I hardly saw you out of your office today.”
“Yeah, just had a lot going on today,” he said.
He threw some files into the recycling bin and walked over to his computer. He had barely made eye contact with me. When he did there was no magical glimmer in his eyes like there had been on our date.
“Anything I can help with? I’m actually a head on my work a bit.” Only because I’ve been hanging out here, waiting to see you.
“No. Thanks for asking, but I have it taken care of. It’s just basic corporate crap.”
I watched as he stuffed his laptop into his bag, still not making eye contact. I played with my hair nervously as I rocked from side to side. I was here. I couldn’t just slip away without knowing something. I dug deep. “Did you have a good weekend?” Come on, asshole, show me that you remember something of our magical evening.
“Yeah.” He threw his bag over his should and finally looked up at me, our eyes locked. “Was there something you needed from me? It’s been a long day and my driver is actually waiting for me downstairs.”
I waited to see his face light up, or for him to approach me and throw his arms around me, but nothing happened. In fact, it appeared that he didn’t recognize me at all.
“Um, no. I guess not. Just wanted to…check in I guess.” I wanted to cry.
I walked out of his office and into the hallway as he followed behind. “I’m sorry, maybe we can catch up tomorrow?”
“Sure.” I fought back the tears as I walked to my cube and gathered my things.
“See you later.” He waved as he disappeared around the corner.
A few minutes later I received a message from EdensNomad. Been thinking about you all day. Sorry we couldn’t chat today. Work was crazy.
Edge of Desire
The Edge Series, Book Three
(An Alpha Billionaire Romance)
By
Ellie Danes
&
Katie Kyler
www.Ellie Danes.com
www.KatieKyler.com
Chapter 1
Allison
I sat in front of my bathroom mirror, wrestling with my make-up bag. The bag itself was flowery, with a delicate ribbon drawstring. Instead, it should have come equipped with hazard lights and flare signals, because this was looking like a disaster. After I jabbed my eye with the mascara wand for the fourth time, Jess opened the door and walked in.
“Doing all right in here? I hear cursing.”
I kept my eyes on my magnifying mirror, trying to undo some of the mascara wand’s damage. “It’s going about like it sounds.”
“I was afraid of that.”
Then I looked up and caught sight of Jess in the mirror. Her face was entirely green with some sort of beauty mask. I burst out laughing. “But at least I look better than you!”
She cackled, looking and sounding exactly like a witch. “You’re actually doing great, Alls. Here.”
She dipped a cotton swab in make-up remover and smudged away the mascara beneath my lid.
“I’m never going to get this right,” I said.
“Don’t talk like that. It’s all better. Really. You’re getting good at this.”
“I hope so. Then maybe I’ll graduate into doing make-up before work…” And maybe Joshua would finally recognize me. The thought filled me with hope and with dread at the same time. How could I want two opposite things at once? “But right now, I just want to look good for tonight.”
“It seems like you guys are getting serious. How many dates is it now?” She passed me a compact with powder and one of those big circular brushes.
“The third.”
“But who’s counting?” we said in unison, followed by, “Jinx!”
Jess waggled her eyebrows, which made the green face mask crack along her forehead. “So. Three. You know what this means, don’t you?”
I leveled a fake glare at her and tried to blend more powder along my cheekbones. “I really don’t.”
Our waiting-for-the-third-date-for-sex pact was over a decade old, and yet we’d both adhered to it. This meant, of course, that I almost never had sex, because very few guys had kept my interest for longer than a couple of dates.
Coming up on my third date with Joshua, I was definitely ready. But he still wouldn’t talk to me at work beyond vague greetings and requests for reports.
The week at the office after our first date, I kept waiting for him to acknowledge me, for some spark of passion to come across his face during a meeting or when I passed him in the hallway. But he continued to ignore me, and nothing happened between Allison and Joshua. Meanwhile, Phillygirl and EdensNomad texted up a storm, each message hotter and more flirtatious than the last. At one point Jess had stolen my phone again. Reading over our messages, she started fanning herself. “This is like a romance novel!” she said. “I need Jeremy to come home so I can get serviced.”
In my opinion, it was way better than a romance novel. All week we sent things like—
EdensNomad: What r u wearing?
Phillygirl: Can’t say
EdensNomad: Y not?
Phillygirl: Because it’s nothing
EdensNomad: I’ll b at ur apartment in half an hour ;)
…
EdensNomad: When can I see u again?
Phillygirl: Depends when you ask me out
EdensNomad: I’m asking u now
Phillygirl: Waiting for the magic word
EdensNomad: Better not. It’s best moaned, not typed
But it was all texts. It felt superficial but hot as hell at times. One time I tried to bring that flirtation to the office. Jos
hua was passing me in the hall, so close I could smell his cologne, so close I could’ve reached out and run my hand over the muscular outline of his shoulders.
Not really looking up at me, he’d said, “Hey, can I get that report on the Forte advertising campaign?”
I slowed my walk and replied, without really thinking and not looking him in the eyes or turning to face him. We stood, almost side by side, like secret agents, not acknowledging each other’s presence. “I’m still waiting for that magic word.”
He paused, turned and aimed those beautiful brown eyes at me. “Excuse me?” He seemed shocked and shook his head. “What did you say?” he snapped back.
“Oh, um, nothing. I just—” My face felt like it must be a brilliant shade of red. I played with my hair, smoothing it back behind my ear.
“No, you’re right. Please send a copy of the Forte report along as soon as you can.” He smiled. “I should have been more polite.” He turned and continued down the hallway without looking back.
He totally put me in my place as an employee, not his girlfriend, or whatever I was. I made sure it was the last time I mentioned anything about our texts at work. If he wanted to keep things subtle and professional at the office, I wasn’t going to force it.
But at least the texts continued. They weren’t all flirtatious. We got to know each other too. We talked about places we wanted to visit and what we wanted to do with our lives. He wanted to see his business succeed and prove himself in the world. I wanted a long-term relationship more than anything, and even though it felt too soon, I told him so. I’d put it on my Scintilla profile, but maybe he hadn’t paid much attention. He should at least know what he was getting into. Instead of being scared off, though, he told me he wanted the same thing…that he had wanted a real relationship for a long time.
On our second date, we had talked about it even more, how long we’d been waiting to find the one person who made us feel complete. Everything was moving so fast, probably because we were texting constantly. We went to the movies and watched a romantic comedy, and Joshua’s hand was on top my knee the entire time, sending rockets of lust up to my middle. We left the theater, under the darkened sky, and just walked, without a destination in mind. We strolled along the sidewalks of the city, enjoying each other’s company.
He stopped abruptly and twirled me toward him, the glare from the streetlight shining on us like a spotlight on stage. “I forgot something,” he said.
“Oh?” I murmured.
“Maybe it’s time we finally, officially, meet.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Officially meet?”
“It’s our second date,” He smiled as he reached for my hands. “Maybe it’s time we actually shed our nicknames for something more real. Unless you’re not ready for that.”
“No. It’s fine,” I said. “I’m Allison.” I liked the way he thought of this as our official meeting. Even at work we had never really been formally introduced.
“I’m Joshua.” He smiled. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Allison.”
Inwardly, I groaned, and relief mixed with disappointment.
During the time after our official meeting nothing had changed at work. I was still invisible to him. I started thinking maybe this was better. Maybe I was like a secret masked adventurer, or hero. Diana Prince turns into Wonder Woman, just like Allison Mahoney turns into Phillygirl.
Our texts today had been flirtatious, but there was a new edge to them. All of those passionate kisses we shared on our dates were starting to build into something more. Something else was going to happen, and soon.
My phone chimed and I scrambled to pick it up, nearly dropping it in the sink. Jess laughed. Her mask, by this time, was crumbling off in chunks. She flicked one into the trash basket while I checked my phone.
EdensNomad: Can’t wait to see u tonight.
Phillygirl: Me too
EdensNomad: What r u wearing?
Phillygirl: Something my friend gave me
EdensNomad: Is it easy to take off?
Phillygirl: ;)
Jess took the make-up brush from where I’d abandoned it on the counter. “I’m going to save you from yourself,” she muttered. “You can’t send texts and do your make-up at the same time.”
I just smiled, feeling buoyant enough to float. As Jess smoothed the blush into my cheeks, her touch was feather-light.
I had a feeling that tonight, EdensNomad and I might take things to the next level. It was time for Phillygirl to finally get lucky.
Chapter 2
Joshua
I pulled up to Allison’s apartment in my black Porsche. Something sleek and understated…just like her beauty. Allison, my Phillygirl. For some reason, that nickname just stuck with me. It was a reminder of how we met and how we were still getting to know each other through Scintilla, but it was also a bit of a tease. I was never much for nicknames with girls, but with Allison, it just felt right. It felt comfortable. Something I had missed for so long.
I liked how I had been distracted by her but at the same time it had been low key. There had been no bragging to my friends, no flaunting her around. This was our third date and I knew more about her than other girls I had dated for a few weeks.
Normally by this time in a relationship, hell, not even a relationship, I would have had sex with the girl a few times. With Allison, it was different. It wasn’t all about the sex, there was so much more to it. Although the thought of her touch sent blood flowing to all of the right places. There was no doubt I wanted her, and tonight, I hoped, would be the night.
She was waiting for me outside the complex, wearing a scarlet wrap-around dress that hugged her curves. I pulled up and felt the butterflies in my stomach as her perfect smile greeted me. She tucked her hair behind her ear, giving her a subtle and shy appearance. I found it adorable and it made me want her even more.
I parked and rushed around to her side of the car, opening her door. She was gorgeous. I leaned in and gave her a hug followed by a short, sweet kiss. She swayed in my arms and I loved the effect I had on her. Even though I didn’t show it, she made me feel the same way.
“Whew,” she said. “You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”
“Just you,” I said, helping her in. “There’s only you.”
I walked around the back of the car as I adjusted the growing budge in my pants. Allison had that affect on me. Her perfume, her touch, everything about her drove me wild. I eased into the car and placed my hand on her thigh as I leaned in, giving her another soft kiss. “Are you ready for this evening?”
“So, what’s on tonight’s itinerary?”
“Well,” I said, adopting a goofy tone, “at approximately seven p.m. we’ll arrive at Chez Bisou. At seven-ten we will order some slightly stiff drinks to ease our nervousness, and upon their arrival at approximately seven-twenty, we’ll proceed to order dinner while engaging the server in witty banter so as to disguise the fact that underneath the table, our hands are all over each other.”
Her eyes were wide, lips parted slightly. I thought she’d like that last bit…I knew I did.
“And after that?” she asked.
“At nine p.m. we’ll make our way out of the restaurant and travel by foot to Illicit, the best dance club in the city.”
“Ooh, I’ve always wanted to go there.” She wiggled a little in her seat, making her curls bounce, as she placed her hand on top of mine.
“After dancing ourselves senseless, we’ll leave Illicit at approximately eleven-thirty, and from there our itinerary continues with a nightcap.”
“Hmm,” she giggled.
“What? Did I miss something?”
“And where exactly will we be having this nightcap?”
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “If it’s all right with you, I thought we’d move that portion of the evening to a more remote and less crowded establishment, all the better for sipping and chatting and soulfully gazing into each other’s eyes.” I ch
uckled.
She gave an unladylike snort. So cute. She was a woman of contradictions.
“And where’s this remote establishment you’re talking about?”
I paused as a smile crept across my face. “I was thinking…my place.”
She squeezed my hand tightly as she smiled, looking deep into my eyes. “Sounds perfect.”
Dinner went just as my tour guide persona had described. Drinks, dinner, witty banter with the food server. Our hands groping each other under the table. Her skin was so soft beneath my fingertips, and that dress was made for temptation. I couldn’t stay away from her, she was like this luscious magnet of sexiness. The craziest part was that she seemed completely unaware of it, like she had no idea what kind of effect she had on me.
Her scarlet dress was practically a homing device, calling my gaze to her at every second. She didn’t even notice, but it did the exact same thing to every other man in the restaurant. They all turned to look at her when she passed by on our way out. Her ass swayed gently as she walked. I couldn’t wait to see how it moved while she danced.
Hand in hand, we walked over to Illicit. I couldn’t believe my luck in finding her. Scintilla was an amazing dating site, indeed. “Are you having fun on your adventure so far?” I asked.
“Well, I do have the best tour guide,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
“Really? What makes him so great?”
“Well, he’s handsome, for one.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
She lowered her voice to a sultry tone. “And sexy.”
I nodded again. “Please, continue. We’re taking notes back to headquarters to decide if he should get a promotion or not.”
“Well,” she said, “that remains to be seen. I haven’t seen all of him yet.”
I strangled out the words, “All of him?”
“Mm-hmm,” she said. “I’m hoping to be able to give a final, complete assessment at the end of the evening.”
I squeezed her hand, and she squeezed mine back. I could have jumped sixty feet in the air, I felt so good. She wanted to go further tonight, too.