"Do you work around here?" Erika asked. "You could say so," he answered, watching Erika. Everything she did was delicate. From the way she sat, to the way she spoke, to the way she lifted the cup of coffee to her lips. And her lips were something.
She looked down at her phone then rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry. My ah, boss needs his coffee. I've spent way too much time here. I should be leaving."
"There's one more thing you should do, though."
"What's that?" she asked, leaning into him, curious.
"Give me your number."
Erika smiled slowly and then exclaimed, "I honestly thought you weren't going to ask. I was agonizing over how I would get the guts to ask for yours."
Pierce laughed. She was so honest it was refreshing. He gave Erika his phone, and she put her number in, and he saved it. "I'll call you," he said before she waved and started walking towards her office with her coffee in hand.
He sighed and sipped his coffee, watching her generous behind move as she took every step. She had managed to get under his skin. And he wasn't sure she would be leaving any time soon.
Chapter Four
"Why did you stay so long? And where's my coffee and muffin?" was the first thing Erika heard as she walked into the office. It was Jacob, of course.
"I'm sorry! I totally forgot!" Erika started, then she squealed excitedly. "Guess who got a hot hunk to take her number?"
"The barista? The waitress? You?" Jacob said the last word after Erika started shooting daggers at him with her eyes.
She was so fun to tease sometimes. She made it so easy.
"Yes! Me! Respect me, Jacob. I am a stunner," Erika joked and playfully stuck her tongue out. "It's so weird, though. He seems like the type who would appreciate a tall, leggy blonde on his arms instead of curvy little me."
Erika was interrupted from her musings by Jacob clearing his throat. "Yeah?" she answered absently, still thinking about Pierce.
"And what's to say you would know a man's preference just by looking at his appearance?" Jacob asked with a disapproving look on his face, which made Erika blush. She knew she sounded stupid.
"I don't know Jacob. I have never had someone like him approach me. I know I'm not ugly or anything, but it just feels so unreal," she said.
Jacob sighed and walked towards Erika. He saw her as a younger sister. But that didn't mean he wasn't taken aback when they first met. She was definitely a looker. There was no doubt about that. Her beautiful smile, her plump pink lips, her hazel eyes, and luscious dirty blonde hair just added to her entire appeal. And her body. Her body was simply amazing.
"You're not fat, Erika, you're curvy. And even if you were fat, you're fucking beautiful. So ignore whatever people have to say about you."
"Easy to say so when you look like you could grace the cover of Vogue or something," Erika mumbled, making a wide smile appear on Jacob's face.
"You think I could grace Vogue's cover?" he teased, watching as Erika's face got beet red. She rolled her eyes and stepped back from him.
"I take it back. You're annoying and slimy. Nobody would ever want your crusty ass."
Jacob laughed. "Do you really think so? Do you?"
"Fine, Jacob. You're hot. Now leave me alone," Erika grumbled and rolled her eyes again. Jacob was so irritatingly lovable.
"Tell me about the hunk," he said, putting air quotes around the word 'hunk.'
"He's so beautiful, Jacob. I've never felt so drawn in by someone. I just wanted him to hold me, like forever. I've never had this feeling with anyone. And truthfully, it kinda scares me. But guess the funny thing?"
What?"
"His name is Pierce," Erika laughed.
Jacob frowned a little, but she didn't notice. "What does he look like?"
"Tall, like really tall. He has these brown eyes that are so captivating and intense. It makes me want to look into them all day. And his hair. It's not too short. But I just want to run my hair through it. Ugh, I know I sound like a thirsty teenager—which I am—but he was beautiful, Jacob. I've never felt so drawn to someone," she whispered the last part reverently.
But Jacob looked worried. He was trying to piece everything together. "What if this man turns out to be Pierce Hunter? I know it's a long shot, but I have met the man before, and he matches the description—"
"Really, Jacob? How many people do you know called Pierce? I mean, it's probably just a coincidence in bad taste. But I am not going to let his name
stop me from discovering what could be a potentially good thing for both of us."
Jacob looked at Erika and sighed. She sounded serious. So it was of no use trying to dissuade her. Besides, she was old enough to make her own decisions. So his input, no matter how much he loved giving it, was not necessary.
"Just be careful, okay?" he said, and Erika nodded. She couldn't fault Jacob. He was just a caring friend. And if Erika was being honest with herself, no matter what happened, she wasn't sure she could stop seeing Pierce. She wanted to discover him, know all his secrets, and understand all his depths.
And that wasn't going to happen if she chickened out because of a name. It was just a name for crying out loud, not even a negative personality trait. Nevertheless, she smiled and nodded in Jacob's direction. For the first time in her life, she had someone who was looking out for her.
"Thank you, Jacob. Really. Knowing you care about me, it—" she faltered, then she beamed and continued, "Thank you. I really love you."
Then she hugged him impulsively. Jacob smiled as he squeezed her back, then he pushed her away. "Time to get back to work, boss," he teased, knowing how much she hated the word boss.
She frowned at him, and he laughed out loud, which made her frown get much more intense. "It's so easy to tease you sometimes. I wonder how you even fall for it."
"It's 'cause you're a stupid asshole. And I really hate you," Erika said jokingly as she walked to her tiny office. She sat and sighed. Now that she was alone, she was able to analyze the whole situation. She had met her stranger again and was finally able to put a name on the face.
Erika had to admit that Jacob was right. No matter how slim the odds are. Her Pierce could end up being that asshole, Pierce Hunter. But for now, she didn't want to consider that possibility. She just wanted to enjoy her time with this man, without thinking of the fact that he could be the one who wants to shut down her company.
Chapter Five
Erika sighed and put her head down on her desk. It had been almost a week since she gave Pierce her number. And it seemed like he had ghosted her, without even getting into contact with her. It wasn't supposed to affect her this much. He wasn't anything to her. They had some small talk, and he had made her laugh, that was about it. So she didn't understand the feeling of loss that was taking over her mind.
Every time her phone rang, she got excited, thinking it could be Pierce. And every time, she ended up disappointed. She wished she had taken his number so that she could have called him, but oh well. Jacob had noticed her mood changes. He tried to tease her into happiness, but without much success.
One moment, Erika could be smiling. And then she'd think back to when she met the man. And her smile would disappear. It wasn't fun analyzing all your words and even imagining bits of conversations that never even occurred. She hated this empty feeling.
The way he looked at her made her feel as if the feeling was mutual. That he was just as drawn to her as she was to him. But it turned out that it wasn't so. She was going to have to accept it and move on to better and more important things, like finally getting around to hiring a secretary for her small office.
"Jacob, should I get you anything? I'm going to the coffee shop," she called out, knowing how much Jacob lived for his food.
"Uh, no, I'm good. I spent the night at my mom's place, and she packed me lunch," he replied, still intent on whatever he was doing on the screen. While Erika was the brain behind most of the ideas and the main project of thei
r little company, Jacob was her adviser and the chief programmer. He was also the face of the company, and she used him so that people would not discover her true identity.
"Momma's boy," she teased, then ran out as Jacob turned towards her. Erika sighed as she dropped the false happy front. At that moment, her phone rang. It was an unknown number. By this time, she knew not to get her hopes high, so she gave a generic 'hello.'
"Hey. Is this Erika?" the person on the line asked. Erika frowned. The voice sounded a little familiar, but she couldn't place it precisely.
"Yes, this is Erika," she replied, curious as to who it could be. Maybe the representative of a sponsor?
"It's Pierce," he said. Erika stayed quiet. She was fuming, though. It was very disrespectful how he just called her out of the blue after taking her number and ignoring her for almost a week.
"Okay?" she said dryly, then wincing at her tone. She was annoyed at the man, but she didn't want to be rude to him either.
"I’m sorry for not calling you sooner. Where can we meet up so I can give you a sincere apology without feeling like an ass?" Pierce asked, and Erika softened a bit. His deep voice murmuring in her ears made her feel things, it made her nipples harden, and it sent heat to her feminine parts. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life.
"I'm heading over to the coffee shop. You can meet me there," Erika said, trying not to give away the fact that she wanted to see this man and maybe hug him or something.
"Okay, Erika." It was quite obvious that he said her name deliberately before hanging up. Erika shivered and started walking towards the coffee shop with a silly grin on her face.
PIERCE WAS SITTING outside the coffee shop while he waited for Erika to show up. He knew he had messed up. After taking her number, he had spent over a week without making any move to contact her. He had no reasonable excuse. He had no real explanation he could give her without sounding like an asshole.
The truth was, he was a little scared and didn't want her to turn out to be like the other women he had dated in the past. She was too special, too unique to be a gold-digging, money-hungry whore. Also, this bond was not something he had ever experienced with anyone. He was a naturally intense man. And with the pull he felt towards Erika, he knew that his dominant side was going to surface even more.
He didn't want to scare her away from him. She looked young, and she was obviously inexperienced. He didn't want to push her away when he hadn't even gotten to know her yet. The expression on Pierce's face changed as soon as he saw Erika.
Erika. She was beautiful, that was for sure. Her dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes were stunning. There was something about her eyes that just drew him in; it made him want to love her and show her how he felt. He knew she had a lot of passion within her. She had so much spirit. And her body. Her body was one he could worship forever. From her firm and perky breasts that even her work clothes couldn't hide, to her shapely waist and the delicious curve of her hips. Pierce wanted all of her. He wanted to hold her generous ass in his hands and tell the whole world that she was his, no matter that he hadn't claimed her yet. He wanted her to become obsessed with him like he was becoming with her.
His eyes trailed back up to her face and rested on her deliciously plump and pink lips. When she took them into her mouth and wet them, Pierce fought the urge to stand up and kiss her into oblivion.
"Erika," he whispered as she stood in front of him. He watched her swallow nervously, and he smirked. He had an effect on her. The cold tone she was using when he called was a front. She was trying to protect herself. And he was completely okay with that as long as protecting herself didn't mean shutting him out.
"Pierce," she said, and she extended her hand towards him. He looked down at it and shook his head a little. There was going to be no handshaking. Nevertheless, he took her hand into his, then pulled her beautifully curvy body into his and hugged her. He heard her sigh and knew this contact was having an effect on her as it was on him.
They stayed like that for a while. He could have held her in his arms the whole day. But all good things had to come to an end.
"Erika," he said.
"Hmm," was the only acknowledgment she gave. Pierce smiled.
"Have dinner with me."
Chapter Six
Erika felt safe. Pierce's arms were cocooning her, and she never wanted to leave them. But the next words broke her out of dreamland. "Sorry, what?" she asked. She saw Pierce wince and felt some satisfaction at seeing him like that.
"I want to show you how sorry I am. Go out to dinner with me. I promise you won't regret it," Pierce repeated, his deep voice giving her those same tingles. Erika was silent for a while, thinking.
"I'll completely understand if—"
"Yes." Erika wasn't going to give this man a chance to back out. Maybe he was going to stand her up, who knew.
But she wanted to explore this... thing, this connection they had.
A slow smile spread over his face, and she shivered. He leaned in and whispered, "I promise you won't regret it." Then he placed a kiss on the pulse sitting on her neck. "Text me your address. I'll pick you up by 8," was the last thing he said before leaving. But not before placing another kiss on her collarbone.
Erika stood there for a minute, trying to compose herself. She had just bagged a date with a beautiful man, and she was going to enjoy herself tonight. She was also going to make him obsessed with her just as she was getting obsessed with him.
THE DAY SEEMED LIKE it was going extra slowly, and by the time she reached home, her excitement had gone up. She wanted to know how it would feel to be his. She didn't know if it was going to happen that night, but she craved him in ways she had never desired anyone before.
Erika took her time to dress, putting her hair into big curls and doing minimal makeup. Then she wore a dress that hugged all of her curves and added heels that made her a few inches taller.
After texting Pierce her address, she waited patiently. She knew that he wasn't going to stand her up. She had that certainty. Besides, if he did that, it was going to be indicative of the kind of person he was. And she would know to stay away from him. So in either situation, it would be a win. Now all she had to do was wait for him.
About five minutes to eight, she heard the doorbell ring. After taking in a deep breath and making sure that everything looked okay (and especially that there was nothing on her teeth), Erika picked up her bag and walked to the door. She opened it slowly and managed to control herself when she saw Pierce standing there.
He looked so good she almost wanted to eat him up. He was wearing a colorful shirt with three buttons left unfastened, black jeans, and brown boots. The outfit just managed to accentuate his build and made him look even more delicious than he always did.
"You look beautiful, baby girl," he said to her, with that deep voice. Erika blushed. She would never get used to him talking. Especially when she was sure her panties got wet every time he spoke to her.
"You look great as well," she squeaked out then placed a calming hand on her chest. She watched as Pierce pulled out a box of chocolates he was holding behind his back and offered it to her. Her eyes got wide as she looked up at him.
"How did you know this was my favorite brand?" Erika asked, seizing it from him and holding it reverently to her chest. Pierce laughed, a sound that made Erika shiver as always.
"Lucky guess?" he said, with a smirk on his face. Which was actually the truth.
"In as much as I doubt that, I won't inquire further simply because I love you for bringing this. I will cherish you forever," Erika said dramatically,
smiling when she managed to snatch another laugh from Pierce. "Let me go put the chocolates inside so we can leave, yeah?"
Pierce nodded as Erika walked back in and placed the chocolates on the kitchen counter. Then she took a deep breath and went to meet the man waiting for her outside. As soon as he opened the car door for her to get in, she knew that this night would
be one that she would always remember and one that would change her life forever.
Pierce listened to Erika as she chatted animatedly about some cartoon she loved as a kid as they drove to the restaurant. He loved her spirit. She could turn the most boring or mundane things into intense pleasures. She was brightening up his world already. And in a very good way.
When he had seen her at the door, he was tempted to let his jaw drop. He had said she looked beautiful, but beautiful was an understatement. She had on some makeup that enhanced her already attractive features and the dress she was wearing. Damn, the dress she was wearing.
When he had taken it in, he had almost burst in his pants like a teenage boy. But goddamn, when he saw her, he was tempted to screw their dinner plans and persuade her that they stay home instead and get to know each other in a different way. But he didn't act on his desires. He didn't even kiss her luscious lips. It had taken all of his self-control, but he was determined not to maul her like some bear. At least until she was ready to take the next step with him.
Pierce parked and got out of the car and then opened Erika's door for her. As she got out, he inhaled subtly, taking in her scent, a unique blend of vanilla and roses. This woman right here, he was going to claim her as his. She was his. That much he knew.
After handing the valet the key, they walked into the restaurant, and the maître d' led them to their table. He watched Erika when they were both seated, loving the way she was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, and wishing he was the one to do so instead. He leaned into her and pulled her lip from her teeth, then rubbed it softly. "The only person allowed to bite your lips is me," he whispered, then let go of her lip.
Kiss Me (My Stiff Competition, #1) Page 2