Of course she remembered him—she’d been in love with Nicholas Marsh three years ago. Her passionate crush, which turned unwillingly to love after only a few days, started when Nick was brought over from the London office to work on a project that she was lead designer for. He was completely out of Zoe’s league—a little god, in her opinion—
but she’d fallen for his smooth ways, charm, and sexy British accent. He’d never been cruel to her, never to her face anyway, which at the time made him very easy to love. She had daydreamed that he would be the man to sweep her off her feet. He’d be the perfect guy for her, the one who wouldn’t care at all what she looked like on the outside. Zoe had to hear overhear him talking in the break room one day about how physically unattractive she was to really realize that he wasn’t interested and that he was a shallow twerp. It had been a painfully intense blow to Zoe’s already non-existent ego, and one of the worst days of her life.
She’d cried herself to sleep every night for two weeks and convinced herself that she’d never be desirable to any man.
“Since when has Nick Marsh last seen me?” Zoe laughed. “I haven’t seen him for years.”
“Tonight! He’s right over there.” Claire pointed across the crowded room to a small group of men looking in their direction. Sure enough, Nick Marsh was among them.
Zoe’s stomach tickled at the sight of him, just as dark and handsome as he’d always been.
He held up his champagne flute to acknowledge that he saw her and smiled a smile that she’d always wanted him to give her. A smile full of promise, sex, and heated misery. A smile that was very unwelcome now.
“Come on—I told him you were here alone,” Claire said as she took Zoe’s arm and started to pull her toward the group of men. “He’s dying to make your acquaintance again and asked me to bring you over to him. Shocking, huh?”
“I’m not here alone, Claire,” Zoe stammered as she pulled her arm free. “I… my date just hasn’t arrived yet.”
Zoe had no idea where Colton was. She’d asked him to meet her at Trump Towers, where the benefit was being held, because she’d been forced to arrive early to help set up the silent auction. He’d promised to be there right at seven. It was now eight-thirty. She hadn’t received any phone calls or text messages and he hadn’t answered her two calls.
She was tempted to call Minnie to make sure that everything was okay, but hadn’t had the time to being pulled from one place to the other to check on things. She was never at an event where she could just relax and enjoy the evening—she was always working. She really needed to call Colton to check in on him—maybe something terrible had happened? Her stomach hurt with worry.
She couldn’t call him then either since Nick Marsh and the other men had approached her and Claire.
“Zoe,” Nick smiled and bent to kiss her cheek.
She felt his lips drag along her cheek in a very sexual way. His thick accent and the sexiness of his dimpled smile made her blush despite herself. He really was insanely attractive—dark and mysterious and foreign. Zoe tried to remind herself of how shallow he was, but the harder he stared at her with his blue eyes, the more she forgot and was thrust right back into the crush she’d had before. His fingers moved slowly up her arm where he gripped her lightly before letting go.
“You look absolutely amazing, I hardly recognized you,” he took a sip of his champagne and smiled. “Did you have that lap band surgery? Or gastric?”
“No,” Zoe frowned at him.
Why did almost everyone who hadn’t seen her in years automatically think she’d chosen surgery? Not that it was any of their damn business really, but was surgery so common place now that people automatically assumed it first and not hard work and dieting? She didn’t want to belittle anyone’s choices—weight loss was incredibly difficult and surgery, though it brought fast results, wasn’t easy either.
“No, I did it on my own,” she saw that he was about to ask her another question and since she didn’t to talk about weight loss anymore, she grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter and changed the subject. “It’s nice to see you again Nick. I didn’t realize that you’d be here—what brings you back to the states?”
“I’m going to be in town for a few weeks—working on a project with Claire,” he winked at the blond woman at Zoe’s side. Zoe noticed Claire watching her with narrowed eyes.
The woman smiled falsely and turned her attention toward the other men who had yet to be introduced. Claire didn’t bother with introductions either—she just flirted. Zoe’s attention moved back to Nick whose hand was on her arm again; his fingers lightly squeezing her bicep. “When Claire told me that the incredibly sexy woman in the black dress was you I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears. Honestly, you look bloody fantastic.” Zoe forced herself to smile and took a step back, drawing her arm from his grasp, “Thank you, Nick. Now, if you’ll excuse me—I’m waiting for my date. I want to make sure that he can find me.”
“Oh, you’re dating someone now?” Claire asked incredulously. Zoe didn’t like that she seemed shocked by such news; as if the dating someone was such an unbelievable feat. “I didn’t know that—so, first boyfriend ever? Funny—I thought you were still head-up for Nick here.” Claire laughed lightly and touched Nick’s arm. She stepped in close to him, pressing her chest against his arm. Nick stared down at her with interest and a smirk. Zoe was almost positive she saw his fingers move over Claire’s ass. “Nick, darling, you did know that Zoe had a thing for you, right?”
Zoe felt her entire face heat up. Nick and the other men around them laughed, which didn’t make her feel any better about the situation. She didn’t know how to respond; how to rebuff things and roll it off her shoulders. She’d love to just laugh lightly and play it coy, but she was caught so off guard by Claire. And was so embarrassed that she had once liked Nick so much she could barely think of little else.
“That was the past,” she said quietly. “Trust me—it’s not the future. I’ve very happy with my current boyfriend. I’m not looking for another.” Before they could question her more, Zoe turned and walked away. Unfortunately, Nick followed her, catching her by the arm, he drew her back toward him.
“Zoe,” he laughed. “Ignore Claire.”
“Okay, fine,” she pulled her arm free, but he caught it again only a second later.
“Please don’t tell me that you’re upset with me for what happened years ago!” he pouted his lower lip in his best effort to look saddened, but not at all apologetic. In fact, Nick never apologized for his cruel words and gossip.
“Of course not,” Zoe answered honestly. “That was a long time ago, Nick, a very long time ago. I’m seeing someone now—a great guy who…”
“Isn’t here now,” Nick interrupted as he pulled her so close she couldn’t breathe from the proximity of him. “Dance with me.”
“No, thank you,” Zoe said as kindly as she could. “I need to make a phone call.”
“I’m starting to think that you’re making this guy up to get away from me,” Nick laughed and took her hand in his. He set his glass down on a table and pulled toward the twirling couples that Zoe had been enviously watching all evening. “Come, one dance—one dance that’s all I ask.”
Zoe saw no escape and allowed Nick to lead her to the dance floor. There was something about his asking her that was exciting. She had always daydreamed about him sweeping her into a waltz in the middle of a big lavish party like this one. He’d hold her indecently close and kiss her cheek and ear while whispering promises of evening bliss as everyone watched them in awe. She blamed those daydreams on too many Jane Austen movies and the fact that Nick Marsh was a real-life English rake with a charming quality that was so alluring it made her dumb. Nick put his arm around her waist and took her hand into his.
She noticed that his hands weren’t nearly as big as Colton’s and they were smooth and soft like he’d had a paraffin peel and exfoliation.
Zoe liked work-worn ha
nds better; ones tanned dark by the sun and were so big that they gobbled hers up with ease. Zoe glanced over her shoulder to the main door and looked for Colton.
“So, Zoe Rayne,” Nick murmured as he drew her so close she could feel the cool metal of his belt buckle on her stomach, “tell me how you’ve been—obviously life has been treating you well. How much did you lose?”
“I’ve been fine,” she answered focusing her best on the music and the steps he was leading her in. “Work has been very good, we’ve landed several big clients and the projects have been incredibly fun. Very rewarding—did you know that we worked with Apple computers recently?”
“Tell me about you,” he stressed dropping his head so it was close to hers. “Tell me about how you’ve been—miss me?”
“I haven’t thought about you at all actually,” Zoe answered flatly. Nick laughed heartily and twirled her around for a moment before he drew her back.
“That dress is lovely—it really does do a service to your new body,” he said.
“Thanks… I’m sure you haven’t thought the slightest about us here in New York either.” As he twirled her again, Zoe noticed Claire standing at the edge of the dance floor watching them with narrowed, annoyed eyes. Zoe couldn’t help it, as Nick pulled her flush to the hard muscular panes of his body, she suddenly felt very, very attractive and desirable. She supposed it was Nick’s attention that was causing her to feel smug and maybe a little bitchy toward Claire, but honestly, no one made Claire feel inferior and Zoe was quite certain that she was doing just that by dancing with Nick.
“Quite the contrary,” Nick said, his accent sounding thicker, “I’ve thought of nothing else but the lovely ladies of Mallory-Witt. I just never imagined I’d find you even lovelier than before.”
“Oh please,” Zoe laughed. “Cut the shit, Nick.”
Again he laughed deeply, his entire face becoming more and more handsome. “I remember that quick wit of yours Zoe. I’m glad to see that you didn’t lose it too.” She stopped moving and stared up at him. “Very little about me has changed, Nick.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he ran his fingers down the length of her bare arm. “Much has changed.”
Zoe shook her head slightly, feeling a swell of disappointment in her. “Nothing important has changed,” she said as she excused herself. Nick followed her off the dance floor.
“I’ve offended you haven’t I?” He took ahold of her elbow pulling her back around to face him. “I’m sorry—it’s a character flaw, I speak without thinking. Let me make it up to you. Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“I have a boyfriend,” Zoe stammered a lump growing in her throat.
“A late boyfriend. Does he honestly not care enough to be on time?” Nick asked. “I am here—I am now, Zoe. Perhaps you should ask him where his heart truly is and when he tells you that it’s not with you, you can come to a man fully willing to share his life with you. Dinner, tomorrow, you can’t say no.”
“I can and I will,” Zoe said flatly. “Nick, you’re handsome, but you’re really not my type anymore.”
“I’m sure I can change your mind, Zoe,” he touched her jaw tenderly and smiled. Zoe sighed and looked away, hoping that she’d think of some way to get out of this and away from Nick. Instead her eyes fell on Colton and she forgot about Nick completely.
Colton stood only a few feet away, close enough to hear everything that had been said, but far enough away that Zoe hadn’t seen him approach. The sight of him had made her heart swell with adrenaline and her stomach tickle with butterflies. She liked him no matter what he was wearing or how dirty he was, but clean cut and in a suit Colton was drop-dead gorgeous and sexy as hell. Zoe had never felt the desire to rip a man’s clothes off before—she wanted to now. Colton was wearing a black three-piece suit, finely tailored and insanely expensive she guessed. The cut and fit of the suit made him look like a model that had just stepped out of a GQ photo shoot. Everything about him looked perfectly placed—every angle of his Italian suit, every soft sweep of his shaggy, dark brown hair, the intense look in his dark eyes, the way his lips were pressed in a firm line, the way he was standing with one hand in his pocket and his legs slightly parted. He looked upset—and that look was incredibly sexy and intense.
She smiled and waved.
Colton’s dark brown eyes didn’t move from hers as she approached him; he didn’t move at all. He stood as still as a statue and said nothing.
He just stared at her.
His eyes burned into hers with such intensity she felt a deep blush sweep over her entire body, tightening delicate places that began to ache with an arousing burn. She ignored those aches and moved slowly toward him. Holding herself a bit taller as his eyes slowly moved up and down her body. For an instant she saw a look of torment in the wrinkle of his brow and the narrowing of his eyes. For the first time in her life she felt like a very sexual creature—nothing at all was wrong with her dress or her body. She stopped in front of him and brought her hand to his chest. His lips parted as he sucked in a breath and leaned into her touch.
“Colton,” she said breathlessly, she ran her fingers down the sleeve of his jacket, “you look… so handsome. I… gosh… you do clean up nicely, you know that? I do like the dirt though, but this—” she laughed as the blood rushed to her cheeks “—is sexy.” The corner of his mouth slid upward and he raised his hand to cup her cheek. The soft scrap of his fingers against her skin made her tingle all over. Colton finally stepped toward her and as he did, he brought his other palm to her cheek and his mouth to her lips.
The kiss was unexpected and Zoe felt herself stumble against him. She clutched the lapels of his jacket and sighed. He tasted of mint and smelled of a rich, heady fragrance that made every corner of her body ache. She was so in tune to him at that point: the sound of his breath, the feel of his fingertips as they held her cheeks tenderly, the movement of his body as he leaned down into hers, the soft vibrating hum in the middle of his throat. And his mouth—gosh, his mouth was doing things that increased the pulsing ache in her body so much that she felt overwhelmed by it. Driven by the chance to experience pleasure in entirely new, possibly naughty way, she stood up on her toes and returned the pressure of his lips.
Any thoughts and worries that she wasn’t kissing him right faded away as he broke the kiss with a deep moan and brought his mouth right back over hers. His kiss, gentle, exploratory and hungry, was easy to match. She focused on the soft pressure of his mouth and the taste of his tongue as it slowly explored the edges of her lips. She awkwardly bumped his nose with hers as he parted for a breath of air; he laughed lightly and held her cheeks a little tighter as his mouth pressed against her again. She looped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through the back of his soft hair. The soft delicate brushes of his lips against hers sent sharp jolts down the back of her legs, jolts that slowly built up in the center of her tummy and spread lower setting her on fire. As his tongue gently touched hers, Zoe felt her entire body shudder. Her legs felt like Jell-O and she sagged into him suddenly.
“You okay?” Colton whispered as he kissed her chin and the corner of her mouth. He drew back slowly his hand slipped from her cheeks and moved down to her waist. Zoe licked her lower lip, feeling the soft pulse his kiss left behind. She felt wonderful—light headed, a little dazed, extremely warm. She lifted her eyes to his and saw that he was looking just past her. Turning she saw Nick heading back toward Claire.
“Who was that asshole?” Colton’s fingers tightened on Zoe’s side, she looked up at him feeling a bit dazed and highly confused.
“D-did… you kiss me to… make a point or something?”
Colton’s eyes fell to hers; he stared at her for a moment and then lowered his mouth and caught her lips with his. This kiss was slower and even more tantalizing than before; full of enticing promise. The heat of his fingers on the small of her back as they drew her body flush to his body made Zoe feel squirmy. She felt so oblivi
ous to everything going on around her when he was holding her so close and when she could feel every inch of his body against hers. The more she concentrated on what she was feeling, the more aroused she felt herself become. Feelings that were completely new in several ways.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time, Zoe,” He said against her cheek. She felt his lips press softly to her ears. “I want to kiss you every time I see you and I might just do that now—because honestly, once is not going to be enough. And maybe I’ve completely screwed up our friendship kissing you like this, but—” he paused to kiss her until they were both breathless and crawling to get closer to one another. Zoe clung to him, her body still trembling from his touch and his kiss. She stared up into his eyes and sighed as he touched her lower lip with his fingers. “—You’re like Pringles, Zoe.” Zoe threw back her head and laughed. Colton kissed her forehead and chuckled. She curled her arms around him and held on; she didn’t want to let go.
“I’m tired of thinking about kissing, you know, I just wanted to do it so I did. And when I saw you for the first time tonight, I knew that I was a hopeless case,” Colton sighed as his eyes dropping to her mouth. He didn’t kiss her again. She wanted him too. “We’ll just take things one day at a time. And maybe seeing you dance with that guy fueled my jealousy a bit and I wanted to stake my claim on you. I did not like the way his hands were all over you.” She laughed again and tilted her head back to look up at him. “And…
you look incredibly beautiful tonight.”
Zoe blushed and looked away. Colton hooked her chin with his finger and brought her eyes back to his.
“You are a beautiful woman, Zoe,” he whispered. “I thought maybe it would be better not to focus on that at all, but I can’t. You’re beautiful in so many ways—and I want to prove it to you.”
“By tearing off my clothes?” she asked praying that she didn’t sound too hopeful.
His cheeks turned red as he laughed. She felt his fingers press into the small of her back, drawing her closer to him. His thumb gently caressed her skin, which did nothing to calm her frazzled nerves; the soft touch only made the feelings rushing inside of her worse.
Microsoft Word - Starter Boyfriend.doc Page 18