by Alicia Rae
“Raelyn, you’ve been sleeping for over an hour,” he informed me. His expression was plagued with sympathy.
“Oh my gosh!” I gaped at him in horror. No, no, no, no. I’d had another appointment. “I missed my meeting with Cage Sanders!” I threw my hands over my face in shame. I leaped to my feet, wondering if Mr. Sanders was still here, waiting for me. “I must speak with Kate at once!”
“Raelyn, relax.” He held out his right arm, stopping my actions. “Take a seat.”
“What?” I asked, appalled.
I needed to attend to Mr. Sanders right away. He was probably bored out of his mind in the waiting room.
“He’s already gone.” He pointed to my chair with firm eyes. “Sit.”
I backed up without looking and gradually lowered myself to my chair.
“When Kate went into your office to let you know that Mr. Sanders was here, she saw you asleep on your desk, and she came to get me right away.”
I blinked over and over again.
Cale added, “I took over the follow-up meeting with Mr. Sanders. Everything went smoothly. He left the building pleased and satisfied with his updates.”
“What reason did you give him for my absence?” I asked, not sure I could bear hearing the excuse. This was awful.
“I told him that you had to step out of the office at the last minute for something urgent.”
“What did you tell him was so urgent?”
“I didn’t elaborate. Mr. Sanders was very understanding.”
In relief, I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My expression softened. Cale had really saved my ass.
“Thank you, Cale. I’m really grateful for what you did for me.”
I stifled a yawn and rubbed my hands over my temples and eyes in an effort to release the tension sneaking up on me. I couldn’t believe I’d been so careless as to doze off at work.
“You’re welcome.”
I smiled appreciatively at Cale, noting that he was staring me down.
He was silent for a brief moment before he said, “Raelyn, I want you to take the rest of the day off and go home. I’ll cover your remaining appointments this afternoon.”
“What?” My jaw dropped once again. “Why?”
“You heard me.” He intently eyed me. “You’re dead on your feet, and it’s only two in the afternoon. You’re overextending yourself.”
“Absolutely not.” I sat up straight in my chair. “I’m fully capable of finishing the workday.”
“Raelyn, I’ve got this covered. Go home.” Cale’s voice was unyielding.
I didn’t like it, not one bit.
“I’m not leaving, Cale, so you can forget about it. I have a job to do.”
“Rae, do you remember all those times I covered for you, week after week, when you were sick the first time around and doing chemotherapy and radiation treatments?” he asked gently, using the old nickname he’d given me.
“I’m exceptionally thankful for what you did for me back then, Cale. However, I won’t leave my clients hanging. I have work to do.”
“Fine.” Cale lifted his shoulders on a shrug. “I’ll ring Damien and fill him in on my observations today.”
“You wouldn’t.” I cut my old friend a nasty glare.
He was playing hardball.
“I would.” He tilted his head. The sincerity in his eyes matched his tone. “Because I care about my friend and her well-being.”
Realizing I was fighting a losing battle, I sighed. “All right, I’ll go home.”
“To rest,” he added, “and I want you to seriously consider cutting back on some hours here. It’s too much, too soon.”
“Don’t push it,” I warned quietly.
“And don’t overdo it,” he countered. “Slow and steady wins the race. Burning yourself out won’t get you anywhere.”
“Touché,” I muttered stubbornly, more to myself than him.
Then, I readied some files for him and put them on the corner of my desk while explaining detailed instructions to him. I shut down my computer and grabbed my phone and purse.
I met Cale at the door to my office where he was holding it open for me.
“Thanks for looking out for me.” I briefly set my hand on his forearm and gave it a light squeeze.
He peered down at me while wrapping one arm around my shoulder and hugging me from the side. “Thanks for giving me a second chance.” He smiled.
fifteen
Raelyn
The rest of the afternoon, I made myself laze around the house. The hours passed by painfully slow. I read two magazines, ate an enormous piece of strawberry cheesecake—that probably went straight to my ass—and I lounged on the shore overlooking the ocean. As I stared at the water, I pondered over the last few days in hopes of putting my finger on what had triggered these excessive setbacks in my recovery. All I had done was work nine to five, like any other person.
I couldn’t deny that my job as an accountant was stressful and busy. It used a great deal of mind power and required the ability to juggle several tasks at once. Maybe it was too much, too soon, as Cale had pointed out. But it was difficult for someone like me, a go-getter, to accept the idea of slowing down. All these years, I’d prided myself on my strong work ethics and determination to be a successful businesswoman. To me, cutting back meant not fulfilling the high goals I’d set for myself. It was a tough cookie to choke down.
Here I was, sitting with my bare toes in the sand, gazing at the stunning big blue sea, where I was supposed to be relaxing and de-stressing, and it was having the opposite effect on me. Not working was equally stressing me out. I felt like I was failing myself and my dreams.
I sighed. It was a catch twenty-two, no matter how I looked at the situation.
I felt him before I heard him, for that indescribable pull we shared was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Emotions brewed like a fierce storm within me with each of his steps toward me. I bit back the overwhelming urge to cry as he came to sit at my side.
The waves crashed into the shore as I felt his eyes on me. I didn’t want to think about my feelings anymore because I’d just dwelled on them for the past couple of hours without the slightest relief or hindsight on what to make of my emotions.
Falling asleep at work was the worst, most pitiful, and most embarrassing thing I could have done today. I mean, who does that?
A sob escaped my traitorous lips.
Damien immediately scooted closer and engulfed me in his arms. “Raelyn, please don’t cry.” His tender, soothing voice washed over me like a soft caress.
It only made me cry harder. I turned my face into his suit and released every pent-up tear I’d held back since leaving the office.
I shouldn’t be weeping. I should be grateful I was alive, that I’d beaten an aggressive glioma brain tumor.
But that was just it; I was beyond thankful to be alive. It was the aftereffects that were difficult to accept—like my tongue twisting up my words and making me feel dumb, constantly forgetting the simplest things, and knocking a cup of mocha on an adorable little girl because I had been clumsy.
“All I want is to be me again,” I cried inconsolably.
“You are you, Raelyn,” Damien argued without missing a beat. He lifted my head off his shoulder. His eyes fixated on mine as he brushed my hair off my face. “You’re the same beautiful, gorgeous girl that I fell in love with back in your office the first time we met.”
“No, I’m different.” I adamantly shook my head. “I make so many mistakes now.”
His grays pooled with determination to make me understand. “I don’t see them.”
“That’s because you haven’t been around for some of them, and you seem to be completely oblivious to the ones you do witness.” I half-laughed, half-hiccuped. “You didn’t see me accidentally drench a little girl with my mocha. You missed me misread my computer screen and lose important notes numerous times today. Not to mention, you weren’t ther
e to observe me snoring on my desk through an appointment today.” I closed my eyes and raised my hands to cover my face in shame. “Oh God, I’m so glad you weren’t there to watch me startle awake and realize I’d missed a follow-up appointment with Mr. Sanders. It was so embarrassing.”
“You fell asleep at the office?” Damien asked, genuinely curious while failing miserably to hide his amusement.
“I did.” I moved my head up and down, refusing to look at him. At the back of my mind, I was surprised Cale hadn’t told Damien of the event at the office today.
“Raelyn, don’t feel bad. We’ve all done that at least once in our careers”—he laughed—“especially those of us who work grueling long hours.”
I glanced up at him, lifting my brows. “Have you ever been knocked out cold through an entire appointment?”
“Well, no,” he drawled. “But I once fell asleep after my last appointment and woke up at midnight with my lips glued to my papers from my drool.”
“Really?”
“No.”
I gaped at him.
He continued, “I’m just kidding! It was all true—minus the drooling part.” The corner of his mouth twitched, making me smile. “I only added that in there to see if that was what’d happened to you today.”
“So, you were just waiting for me to say, Me, too! Then, you were going to drop the bomb after my confession?”
He shrugged sheepishly. “Something like that.”
I tilted my head up to the sky and laughed wholeheartedly. I shouldn’t be surprised by his answer because it was very like him—always wanting the upper hand. When I finally glanced at him, a handsome grin spread across his face.
His eyes glowed as his hand reached up to tenderly stroke my cheek. “There’s that gorgeous smile,” he said, causing it to broaden.
My heart soared at his ability to calm my emotions after a trying day. I cupped either side of his face and breathed, “Thank you,” before placing a loving kiss on his lips.
Damien pulled me onto his lap. My legs straddled his waist as he deepened our connection. I reveled in our surroundings—the salty air, the breeze, the sound of the waves—and the feel of him embracing me. Only he held the ability to relax me.
When we finally parted, he leaned his forehead on mine and said, “I want you to go inside and pack a bag.”
My heart stammered in my chest, pounding against my rib cage, at his vague statement. “Uh, why?”
A melt-worthy grin consumed his features, devastating me with its intensity. “I’m taking you away for a couple of days.”
Free-falling, my cardiac muscle sank to my stomach. “Damien, I can’t just run off. I have clients, appointments, and things that need my attention.”
“Cale and Ashton have the office covered, so you can, and we are.” The stubborn tone of his voice was one not to be argued with, which I fully intended to ignore. One of us had to be sensible.
I glared my disapproval at him.
“Don’t give me that look, gorgeous. I’ve already made the necessary arrangements, so you’re all mine for the next two days.”
“No can do.” I regretfully denied him, purely out of obligation to my responsibilities. I couldn’t make Cale and Ashton cover for me more than they already had.
“Are you going to challenge me on his?” His eyes darkened with unmistakable heat. “Because, baby, you should know by now that I always win.”
“Not today!” I scoffed, fully prepared to hold my own here. I couldn’t let the man have his way all the time, not even with those panty-dropping, scorching grays of his. No way.
“Oh, gorgeous girl,” he drawled, all low and husky. “Definitely today.” He pushed to his feet, effortlessly taking me with him.
His belt caught on my shirt, giving him no choice but to set me down to untangle the mess. Once free, I used the split second of him lowering his guard to bolt.
I ran down the shore, apprehending it was the only direction I could go. If I went back to the house, it would be game over for me. The wicked thump of my pulse was a thrill, and I inwardly prayed for my legs to remain strong and steady. Now was not the time to trip.
“Hey!” he yelled out from behind me, already in motion. “Get back over here!”
“Never!” I tossed over my shoulder. Seeing he was gaining on me, I quickened my strides.
I didn’t make it far before Damien wrapped his arms around me. A loud squeal tore from the back of my throat as I was spun around and flung up over his shoulder. I latched on to his butt cheeks to steady myself.
“Put me down!” I screamed, laughing uncontrollably.
My earlier mood was completely forgotten, thanks to my hot, steamy, and tenacious CEO. He was unrelenting with his conquests.
He ignored my demand and strutted his stuff back toward the house. “Always testing my patience, gorgeous girl. When are you ever going to learn that I always win?” he muttered.
I rolled my eyes. “I win…” I trailed off, silently pondering just how often that had happened. “Not enough!” I smacked his ass, grinning stupidly at the loud sound that followed from connecting with his rear end. I bobbled up and down above him and chided, “You need to learn how to compromise every once in a while.”
“Compromise?” He spit the word out like it was filthy. “What does that mean?” he teased.
“It means, sometimes, I get to win!” Playing dirty in hopes of him releasing me, I inched my face downward and sank my teeth into the upper curve of his ass with enough pressure to make sure he felt the sting.
“Ouch!” He jumped.
The movement jounced me, and I grunted when his shoulder dug into my stomach.
“Playing dirty again, I see.” He hummed deeply, reading my exact thought.
I gasped when he veered toward the water.
No, he wouldn’t. His suit was far too expensive. It would be foolish to get it covered in ocean and sand.
Wait.
Yes, he would. This was Damien. He’d tossed my ass in the ocean several times.
“Tell me…” He trailed off on a throaty purr.
My jaw dropped as I realized he was entering the water. “No!” I bellowed out.
He asked, “Do you still remember how to swim, gorgeous?”
I only had a mere nanosecond to recall the previous times he’d asked me that same question. It had never ended in my favor, nor would it this time. With his expensive suit or not, I was going to get soaked.
All I could do was scream his name as he took three long strides, and then we were falling in slow motion. I closed my eyes right before I plummeted below the warm, salty sea.
I straightened my legs. I could touch the sandy floor of the ocean, so I pushed myself up to the surface. Sucking in a sharp breath, I twirled around in search of my traitorous other half.
He was to my left, crouching down so that his shoulders were barely above sea level. His arms moved back and forth as he treaded water. The adorable yet smug grin on his face couldn’t save him from my wrath this time.
“You,” I seethed, pinning him with my stare, “Are. In. So. Much. Trouble.” Each word was deliberate and carried a fierceness that should make him tremble as I began to close the gap between us.
All the while, his eyes bore into mine. There was no remorse in them. His eyes were totally smoked out, filled with only a pure, carnal need and determination to have me.
I paused when he rose to his full height and took the last two remaining steps toward me. The resolve radiating out of him made my heart skip a beat. He seized my hips with one hand and the back of my neck with the other. My hands went to his arms where I squeezed my fingers around his drenched suit, feeling his thick biceps.
He hovered his lips just above my own, taunting me with my longing to taste them. “We leave first thing in the morning after you’ve rested. End of story.” His chest rose and fell with his labored breaths.
He didn’t wait for me to answer. He slammed his mouth onto mine, taking what
he wanted, entirely owning me. The purity of his need to claim me instantly disintegrated any protest I might have felt before he touched me.
My stomach muscles tightened as our tongues brushed along one another. I was a massive pool of sensations and unreserved lust. All the revenge I’d wanted to seek on him moments ago dissipated. His effect on me was that powerful.
I wrapped my arms around his head and delved my fingers into his hair, tugging his mouth closer to mine. Going up onto my toes, I leaped up and linked my ankles at his back. I barely noticed we were moving until Damien gently lowered us to the damp sand on the shore.
The waves washed up over my feet and calves right as Damien rocked his hard length along my center, making me gasp into his mouth. Urgency took over as I quickly made work of his jacket and tie before fighting against the buttons of his soaked dress shirt. I finally lost my patience and ripped the last few in order to remove the wet material, so my greedy hands could travel over the planes of his chest, reveling in the firmness of his toned muscles. It was a sight to behold.
When I finally dragged my eyes away from the mighty fine view, his twinkling grays were staring at me. “Have you had your fill of me yet?”
That simply wasn’t possible, so I told him, “Never.”
I continued to strip my man, removing his dress pants and briefs. Delicious sparks launched in my core when I found him hard. I lightly trailed the pads of my fingers over the tip of his cock before gliding them to the base. His length pulsated against me, so I firmly gripped him in my hand. His head swooped down to the crook of my neck where his groan of approval spurred me on.
He leisurely kissed my neck, moving his way upward to the base of my ear. He continued his assault, licking and nipping at my earlobe, as his impatient hands worked to remove my shirt, bra, shorts, and panties.
His hot mouth ventured down the length of me where he found my breasts. Those wet lips of his lazily circled around my nipple while his hand squeezed and kneaded my other breast. The drumming of my heart sped up with each stroke. I bowed my back off the ground, needing and wanting everything he had to give.
My lungs were starved for oxygen. The breeze tickling my skin did nothing to ease my body temperature. I was on fire for him, only him.