“Hmm, yes, I could use a hand,” I smirked. I grabbed his hand and took him by surprise by pulling him down to the floor by me.
“Whoa, what’s this about?” he grinned brightly. He was lightly resting on top of me. “Someone may see us and think something inappropriate,” he reminded me.
“I don’t care.” The words came out in a rush.
“Really?” He looked confused.
“Really. I think that all I want right now is for you to kiss me. That is, if you are okay with that.” I flirtatiously poked him on the lips with my finger.
“Umm…I’m not sure that I can handle another let down,” he teased in his low, sexy voice.
“Trust me, you won’t be let down.” I pulled him to me and planted a large kiss on his glistening lips. He kissed me back passionately. I rubbed his lower back as he filtered my hair through his fingers. I didn’t want to let him go. His lips traveled from my lips to my neck. I knew the kiss was leading to other things, but I didn’t want to hold back any longer.
“Alexis, are you sure?” he panted between kisses.
“I’m sure.” With that, I allowed him to touch me in the most private of areas. I could feel his hard shaft against me as he prepared me for the ride. After planting a deeply passionate kiss, I felt his hard shaft enter me. A rush of pleasure bolted through me, and all self-control flew out the window. He knew what he was doing, and I loved it.
“How’s this for a workout?” he teased, nibbling on my ear lobe. I wanted him to thrust harder and faster.
“I can handle this,” I breathlessly replied, glistening underneath him.
At that time, we heard a loud gasp. The janitor had entered the room, assuming we had left for the day. “Oh! I’m so sorry! Forgive me!” he spoke quickly, all but bolting out of the room. Embarrassed, we quickly jumped apart, dressed and left the building. Never had I been caught in such a vulnerable, tender moment.
The Billionaire’s Release Book 2
Bella Rayne
Chapter 1
I was standing at the copier trying to pretend that everything was normal. Julie Golden, the forty year old accountant for Ashton J. Incorporation, had been in Ashton’s office for more than twenty minutes. Paranoia and jealously tried to creep into my mind, making it near impossible to keep my focus off of the clock and his office door.
“Alexis, I know that you’re probably tired of standing at the copier but here are more papers that need to be copied,” Janet sympathized as she plopped a new stack of papers on the table next to me.
“Okay, thanks,” I tried to force a grin. When you’re being eaten alive with jealously, it’s hard to think about anything else, much less to smile about it.
“Are you okay?” she seemed concerned. Of all people, I especially didn’t want her to know what had happened between Ashton and me.
I stuttered lightly. “Oh, yeah! I’m great. I suppose standing here becomes monotonous after some time and your mind starts to wander.”
She smiled kindly but it was obvious that she didn’t believe me. “Yes, that has a tendency to happen- especially doing this job.” She looked toward Ashton’s office door as well and glanced back at me. “Well, let me know if you have any questions. I will be at my desk.”
Keeping it together, I thanked her and continued to make the copies. I didn’t want anyone to notice my struggle with my emotions over the beautiful, slender blonde that had closed herself in Ashton’s office. I didn’t know what I was thinking. He hadn’t asked me to be his girlfriend or anything. However, I assumed that something was going on between us given the passionate encounter we had shared days prior. Julie was closer to his age, but then again, he had chosen me to get cozy with.
My stiletto heels were starting to make the bottoms of my feet ache. The amount of time I had spent standing in one position didn’t pair well with the stylish heels. Normally, I would have slipped them off my feet by now, but didn’t think it would be a good idea with Julie close by. Since I was clearly in some sort of competition, I felt inclined to show her that I was beautiful and amazing as well. To be frank, I was fifteen years younger.
I got lost in the shuffle of papers and the distraction actually helped to ease my mind. Then I heard it. Julie’s flirtatious giggle stung my ears. Rolling my eyes, I snuck a glance to scope out the scene behind me. Ashton’s office door had opened but Julie was leaning against the inner doorframe, preening and giggling at his every word. Oh, she was working it hard. From the batting of her overly mascaraed eyelashes to the bright red lipstick, she thought she was hot stuff. Ashton finally came into view, and he was staring her in the eyes and wearing the same flirtatious grin that drew me in to him. I was livid!
“Will you give me a call the moment you feel concerned about the numbers?” she asked. Sure, it was a business question, but her tone made it almost inappropriate.
“Absolutely. You’re wonderful, Julie. Thank you for everything.” He gave her good pat on the shoulder, which she completely soaked up like a sponge in water. It was sickening. I wasn’t typically the type of woman that became jealous easily, but the body language between the two of them was not professional. I began to wonder if I had fallen victim to a player. What if he did all the women this way? Janet caught me observing Ashton and Julie. I quickly returned my attention to my work; I didn’t want to see any more of the sickening display anyway.
Later that evening, I burst through the front door of my apartment in an irritable mood. Jessica looked startled. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, concerned.
“I’ve screwed up big time, that’s what. I can’t believe myself!”
“Are you referring to the steamy episode that you had with Mr. Billionaire?” She spoke sarcastically.
“Yes!” I almost yelled. I set my purse and tote heavily on the dining room table, not caring whether the contents within were fragile or not. Jessica was guarded but alert.
“Okay…what happened?”
I plopped down on the sofa beside her. “I’ve told you about the vivacious, overly beautiful and perfect accountant, Julia Golden, right?”
“Yeah…” she replied, intently listening for me details.
“She spent an hour in Ashton’s office discussing numbers.”
Jessica looked perplexed. “She is an accountant, Alexis.”
“I know that, but it was her body language toward him. She was totally selling herself, flirting with him and showcasing her figure and charm as if she were trying to sell something on The Price is Right.”
“In other words, she was making moves on your man,” she summed it up perfectly.
“Yes! It was obvious!”
“Okay…how was he responding?” she asked.
I took a deep breath. Reliving the moment angered me that much more. “He wore the same charming grin that won me over. It was as if I were watching me and him when I first started there. I admit that when I first met him I suspected he was a lady’s man. Somewhere along the way, he convinced me that I was the only woman in the world to him. Days after I gave into him, he is making moves on accountant! I almost wondered if they’ve had something going on before!”
“Calm down, Alexis,” she held her hands up to direct my frustration. “Are you sure that you didn’t misread any of this?”
“I’m sure. That woman was clearly trying to sell herself. And when that office door closed, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in there.”
“I have no doubt that she was making a move on him. Are you sure that you didn’t misread his reaction to her?”
“Jessica, I don’t know. I don’t know. All I know is that my guard went up, and I need to take a step back. I caved in to temptation and slept with that man to only discover this several days later. I’ve got a lot to think about.”
Chapter 2
My phone lit up. It was Ashton calling me. It was Tuesday night, the nights that I always trained with him at the YMCA. I had kept my distance at the office, only respectfully chattin
g with him when business called for it. When four o’clock rolled around, I quietly clocked out and left the office without uttering a word to him. He would know that something was up. I had made it a habit to walk with him to the YMCA after work on Tuesdays, but not today. I couldn’t bring myself to answer his call. I still had too many mixed emotions swirling in my mind. The space helped me to reevaluate everything--especially my own actions and desires.
“I’m headed to work,” Jessica smiled as she walked through the living room in her waitressing uniform. “Hopefully, I can do well on tips tonight. Usually, Tuesdays are so slow and the shift seems to drag by.” She noticed my phone vibrating and lighting up on the table. “Is it Ashton?”
“Yeah, it is. I can’t answer it, Jess. I don’t want to deal with it. He is my boss and that’s that,” I said flatly, keeping my gaze on the laptop screen.
“Sounds like you’ve broken up with him,” she said, tightening her ponytail.
“If that’s what you want to call it,” I grumbled.
Jessica grabbed her bulky keys. “Handle it as you see fit. Enjoy the time to yourself,” she grinned, closing the front door and locking it behind her. I breathed a sigh of relief in the welcome quiet. I lounged back, stretching my arms and slowly rolling my neck in calming, gentle circles. I stared at my phone blinking to tell me I’d missed calls from Ashton. I didn’t care to hear from anyone and certainly didn’t want to see his name pop up on my phone again, so I turned it off.
Jessica had been gone for over an hour. I had a hilarious chick flick playing on the television and had just prepared a dinner plate of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, tomato soup and chips. While I was pouring a glass of water, I heard a knock on my door. My frustration was immediate. I had a feeling I knew who waited on the other side. I thought about ignoring it, but the person knocked again. Then anger set in, and I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I held my plate of food firmly in my left hand to make Ashton feel as guilty as possible. I knew it would be him. When I opened my door, there he was, with a look of concern and confusion plastered on his face.
“Are you okay?” he asked solemnly.
I stared at him, unsure of what to say first. “I am. I’ve been enjoying an evening to myself. As you can see, I was just about to sit down, eat my dinner, and enjoy a movie.”
He studied my plate of food. I knew he was trying to hide his judgmental thoughts but his face revealed them anyway.
“Hey, I’m all for some alone time. I know I don’t get enough of it myself. Why didn’t you tell me that instead of standing me up for Yoga tonight?”
I really didn’t want to go into a long discussion that would require me to explain myself, reveal my upset feelings, and make my grilled cheese cold. “My grilled cheese is getting cold, and I’ve really been craving this all day. Don’t worry about me. I do appreciate you checking on me. Now that you know I am fine, please leave me alone.” I started to close the door on him but his hand prevented it from completely closing.
“Please, let me know what’s going on. You can eat your grilled cheese, and I will just sit close by and listen.”
“That’s just the thing--I want to enjoy my grilled cheese without it being tainted by bad feelings. This is my way of taking a break from stupid crap.” He was really angering me now. It was becoming a struggle to keep my voice calm and under control.
“Please? You don’t have to go into it while you eat. I can even stay outside for a while, while you finish. I can just sense that you’re really bothered and that bothers me.” His voice was caring and smooth. I felt my walls starting to slip.
I relented. “Fine, come in. I hope you don’t mind the chick flick that’s on the television.”
He sat on the chair by the sofa and observed the movie. The lead girl character was throwing eggs at her ex-boyfriend’s car and laughing ruthlessly. “I hope you’re not thinking along those lines,” he said around a half-laugh. He stopped when he noticed that I didn’t find his comment humorous. I took a glorious bite of my grilled cheese and tried to tune him out. He was wise to not utter another word. After ten minutes of silence, I set my empty plate on the table.
“What is Julie Golden to you?” I asked, getting straight to the point.
His eyes grew wide, behaving as if my question came out of left field. “She is the accountant for my company. Why would you ask something like that?”
I crossed my legs on the sofa and lounged back into the soft cushions. “I saw how the two of you were flirting with one another yesterday. Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about it. Actually, I normally wouldn’t give a flip about it, but considering I allowed you to have an extremely intimate moment with me, I assumed our relationship was in another bracket. Respect would have been appreciated.”
“Alexis, I am sorry that you perceived things that way. I do respect you. I care for you. As for Julie, I can’t control how she acts. In my line of work, I’ve had to deal with many flirtatious women who are hoping I will give them a second glance. Perhaps she is one of them, but I assure you that I did not intentionally flirt with her. You’re on my mind much too much for me to pay attention to another woman.”
His words were charming and seemingly sincere. Perhaps I had jumped to conclusions and wrongly accused the man. “I’m sorry,” I responded.
“Are you okay with what we did? Have I made you uncomfortable in that regard?” His concern looked genuine.
“Other than getting caught, I loved what we did. I can’t deny that.”
He smiled. “Can I share the sofa with you now?”
“I guess you’re out of the doghouse now,” I remarked with a stiff grin. The smell of his cologne excited me as he settled beside me.
“Good,” he grinned, staring deeply into my eyes. “When will your roommate be back?”
“She gets off work at ten o’clock tonight.”
“Hmm. Well, no one can catch us now,” he teased romantically.
The mood was quickly shifting. “Oh yeah?” I muttered huskily.
“Mmhmm. If you’re okay with that, of course.”
“I think I am,” I whispered, letting him kiss my lips.
Chapter 3
I didn’t like the nagging feeling that kept rolling through my mind. Alexis knew how I felt about responsible phone usage during my monthly meetings yet she continued to text someone during the duration of my meeting. I couldn’t help but wonder if she were taking advantage of her situation with me. Then again, I allowed everyone else to take notes on their phones during the meetings. I couldn’t really call her out on the phone usage and not say a word to anyone else. I just didn’t like how she grinned every time she typed into her phone. It certainly wasn’t over DVD sales.
I hid my thoughts from the group and continued forward. “If we look at this graph over here, the sales for the first quarter were higher than the sales in the second quarter. This is likely due to those New Year resolutions where people intend to create healthier habits,” I mused. Everyone was receptive to my comment except for Alexis. She was immersed in her phone, eagerly typing another message. “If our current projections are correct, Julie has informed me that the current third quarter sales have increased over the second quarter figures. So, for those of you that are in charge of the social media strategies, keep up the good work. Does anyone have any questions?” I surveyed the room for lifted hands. Alexis finally removed her eyes from her phone and smiled at me. “Alright then, that’s all that I have for today. You may return to your stations.” I opened the conference door for everyone and packed my papers into my briefcase. “Alexis, can you hang out for just a second?” I worked to keep my tone professional. It was still imperative that we kept our relations secretive.
“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?” she asked eagerly. Janet was the last one to walk by and she smirked as if she knew something more than the others. I waited until she was well out of earshot.
“I noticed that you were incredibly distracted during the meeting. I kno
w that I allow everyone to take notes on their phones, but something tells me that you weren’t taking notes. You were grinning from ear to ear.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Is this more of a personal question than a professional question?” She seemed offended.
“It’s actually both. I didn’t want to call you out in front of everyone, but I do think it’s important that you don’t take advantage of fondness for one another as a reason to get away with breaking rules. You still have to abide by them like everyone else. It puts me in a rather difficult spot.” I didn’t want to phrase things in a way that would create tension any more than I wanted to reveal my envy.
“I’m sorry. It was not my intention to put you in such a difficult spot. I wasn’t paying attention and it was irresponsible of me. I was receiving some messages from a friend of mine. It could have waited.”
I wondered what she meant by ‘friend’ although I didn’t want to seem like a control freak. “Don’t most of your friends know that you are at work during the day?”
“Yes, they do. He had a particularly exciting moment to share and couldn’t resist telling me. That’s all,” she explained patiently.
“He?” I pressed. Honestly, I had no reason to press such a topic since we weren’t officially a couple. We couldn’t be for the time being due to the aesthetics.
“His name is Seth, and I had met him on a dating website before I met you. Well, we haven’t officially met yet; we’ve only been pen pals, I guess you could say.”
I didn’t want to press the issue any further. “Okay, I understand. Just keep in mind that the next time it happens in front of everyone else, it may force me to speak up. If I don’t, they will suspect things.” I chose my words carefully so that she didn’t take offense.
“Okay, I can see how that could cause an issue. I apologize,” she replied softly. “As for me and Seth, we are just friends.”
Hang Em' Up: A Bad Boy Sports Pregnancy Romance Page 133