I turned slowly on my heels. "You did?"
Arieon smiled. "Yeah. Contrary to what you think, sometimes I do things."
"Hmph." I pursed my lips. "I don't think," I started but he held up a hand to cut me off.
"You do. And that's okay. Hopefully, I'll prove you wrong."
Fat chance, not in this life time, you wish; any of those would have been acceptable responses. He'd done one thing. It didn't mean anything. It didn't make him worthy or useful but I still found myself speechless, blushing like a teenager under the attention of his piercing blue eyes.
"Maybe," I found myself whispering and wanting to kick myself for it. What the hell was wrong with me? I was suddenly completely aware of how attractive Arieon was. Of how perfectly fitted his suit was to his broad shoulders and thick frame. Of how his slicked back blond hair complimented unblemished tanned skin. I was practically salivating as my eyes rolled over him, appreciating his thick thighs, tucked into his slacks. God, you need to get laid, Ellen, I thought, remembering that this man was the bane of my existence and I was eyeing him like an ice cold lemonade on the Fourth of July.
"You alright?" Arieon reached out moving toward me.
"I'm fine," I answered, stepping back. I was already hot and bothered, the last thing I needed was him touching me. "I was just thinking about...work stuff." It was a transparent cover and Arieon smirked as if he'd read my mind, making my cheeks flame even hotter.
"God, how long has it been?" I asked quickly, attempting to deflect.
"Maybe two minutes." He shrugged, glancing at his watch.
"Fuck." I moved to pace but my feet were killing me. It'd been the kind of day that had required a lot of back and forth and my heels were unforgiving. I let out a breath of frustration and bent down to slip them off. Who gave a shit about appearances, anyways? I was stuck in an elevator with a guy whose opinion I couldn't care less about.
"Feet hurt?" he asked as I slipped off second heel.
God, he asked a lot of stupid questions. "Yeah, expensive shoes are great for everything but your actual feet." I resumed my pacing with a limp, the pain still echoing through my soles.
I stopped, staring in surprise as Arieon slid down the wall of the elevator, plopping to the floor. "Come here." He gestured at me, patting a spot next to him.
I blinked. It was an odd sight. A beautiful, grown man in a twenty-thousand-dollar suit sprawled on the floor.
"No, I'm good." I shook my head, limping to resume pacing.
"Come on. Just, for once, listen to what I say. Sit down."
I frowned but moved to his side. We still had another two minutes, at least, until the system rebooted and sitting wasn't the worst idea in the world. I pressed myself against the wall, moving awkwardly down it to take a seat next to him. My pencil skirt wasn't exactly designed for floor sitting but I managed an uncomfortable position with my legs stretched out in front of me. "There. Happy?"
"Put your feet in my lap."
I looked up at him, arching an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Just give me your feet," he answered with an exasperated sigh.
"I don't think so."
I sucked in a breath, swatting at him as he grabbed my legs, spinning me until my feet were in his lap. "Are you crazy?" A thousand different harassment suit headline flashed in my mind, all of them fading as his fingers dug into the balls of my feet. I found myself unconsciously moaning as his hand worked their way down to my heels. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph."
Arieon let out a laugh and the sound brought me back to reality.
"I don't need you to rub my feet," I protested, without actually pulling away.
"I know," he agreed, massaging against my big toe. "But you seemed like you needed it."
I bit back another moan and fought not to agree with him. I had needed it and the longer he worked my feet, the more I thought about what else I needed. I was keenly aware of how close my foot was to his crotch. I licked my lips and my eyes traced the pattern of his inseam, finding the faint outline of his cock. Goddamn, I was wired and his magic hands made me want to rip those slacks right off.
"I used to rub my mom's feet before she passed," Arieon said, snapping me out of my inappropriate daydreams.
"Oh." I suddenly had a vague recollection of Elion taking time off when his sister took terminally ill. I hadn't put the pieces together before but now, I realized that had been Arieon's mother. I hadn't asked Elion for the full details but the rumor mill had told me, whatever killed her had been brutal. And even for a man that didn't bring emotion to the work place, Elion had been obviously wrecked about it. He'd gone missing for months. It was how I'd managed to make a name for myself, by taking on the responsibilities he left behind.
"I'm sorry," I said, feeling a wave of guilt. I'd profited from the death of this man's mother. It hadn't been intentional but as I thought about it, I couldn't even remember if I'd taken a moment to stop thinking about myself and my promotion to give Elion my condolences.
I lifted my head, meeting Arieon's eyes. "Thanks." His baby-blues sparkled and it took my breath away. His hands had stopped moving and the energy that burned between us seemed to suck all of the air out of the room. His eyes dropped and I was suddenly very aware that he was at the perfect angle to see up my skirt.
I slid forward, lifting a foot out of his grasp to his shoulder to give him a better view. It was reckless and classless but my body was desperate for his attention. His hands moved from my foot, sliding up my ankle as his eyes stayed trained on the direct line of sight I'd give him to the sheer black panties beneath my skirt.
The elevators doors slapped shut and I nearly jumped out of my skin, dropping my leg and scurrying across the floor in embarrassment. I cleared my throat as I climbed to my feet, smoothing a hand down my skirt and trying to find my dignity again. My body still felt like it was heated to a hundred degrees and I was panting as I remembered how to breathe again.
As Arieon slowly climbed to his feet, I avoided looking at him.
"Uh," he started, but I shook my head.
"Nope." It wasn't much but it was enough to get him to stop speaking until the elevator stopped on the first floor.
"Ellen," he tried again as we both stepped off and into lobby. He reached out for my arm and I quickly pulled away, looking around to make sure that no one had been around to see.
"Thank you for...everything, Mr. Banks. I'll see you at the office the next time you show up."
CHAPTER THREE
As I stepped out of the shower and wrapped my towel around me, I sighed with disappointment. I'd made myself come nearly four times since getting home and I still felt unsatisfied. I still had an itch that made my mind wander back to the intense moment I shared with Arieon.
I would have fucked him. I wanted to fuck him and I hated myself for it. I fumbled in my drawer of extracurricular toys. I wasn't that woman. I wasn't the kind of woman who fucked men that basked in their privilege. Men that walked into jobs and took them away from deserving people. I was stronger than that. Better. Or at least, I'd thought I was.
My hand found what it was looking for inside of my drawer. I wrapped my fingers around the "back massager" and pulled it out. It had never let me down before. Tonight, I was going to use it to fuck myself back into reality. To push every latent fantasy of Arieon out of my head and remind myself that the moment in the elevator was a lapse in judgment and nothing more. I placed the massager on the bed and finished readying myself for the night.
As I twisted the last bits of my hair, my phone buzzed across my dresser. I picked it up, already knowing who it was. The only phone calls I ever received were from work or my best friend. And it was well into best friend hours.
"Hey, Ti," I answered, pressing the speaker phone button.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Well, it's almost eleven so, you know the usual. Hosting an orgy, making scientific breakthroughs, saving the world. Nothing special."
/> "Smartass," she grumbled. "I don't even know why I put up with you."
I laughed but in honesty, I didn't know how she'd survived me all of these years. I'd put all of my effort into my work. It had always been on Ti's shoulders to hold our friendship together and she did so without falter.
"So, how was work. It's Arieon day. How terrible was it? Did you fuck with him?"
"What? No, I didn't fuck him," I answered before processing it wasn't what she had asked. "I mean...Shit." I took a deep breath. It was bound to come up eventually. It would be easier, in the long run, to just get it off my chest sooner rather than later. "I kind of showed him my pussy...well, I guess just my underwear but...It was intense." I shook my head. "No. It was inappropriate."
"Wait, wait, wait. Back up. You did what now?"
"We were stuck in the elevator and he was rubbing my feet and things just got...strange."
Ti was silent for a long moment. "I'm going to need more details than that."
I sighed. "Ti, I really don't want to break it all down right now. I'm just trying to forget it all and get through the rest of the week. I've got way too much on my plate to add Arieon Banks to the mix."
"Eventually, you're going to have to give me the play-by-play on this but alright, I'll let it slide for now."
"Thank you." I took her off speaker phone and placed the phone to my ear.
"So, are you going to get the promotion then?"
"What?" I asked, sliding into bed with my massager as my side.
"I mean, you flashed the man and if you did it right, I'm assuming that means an upgrade."
I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight, Ti."
*~*~*
As I strolled into my office, I moved with pep and purpose. I'd given myself enough orgasms the night before to brighten my spirits. It was going to be a good day. I had tons of work to do and a first thing in the morning meeting to keep my mind fresh.
I made a quick stop in my office for my files and headed to the conference room. I had a flawless presentation prepared. It was over-the-top and targeted perfectly for The Bud Brothers, a famous and infamous beer company with profits that stacked as high as the lawsuits filed against them. Their family had been with Elion for nearly fifteen years, and with his retirement, they wanted reassurance they'd be taken care of. And I had the perfect plan of execution to ensure them they would be.
As I stepped into the conference room, my chest tightened. Arieon sat at the conference table across from the two bleach blond brothers, his head tossed back in laughter.
"Arieon," I breathed, drawing their attention. I cleared my throat as they watched me expectantly. "I mean, Mr. Banks." I moved from my lingering stance in the doorway to the table. Placing my hand at the edge, using it to hold me up. My legs felt like rubber. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here." Arieon smiled and tossed his head back in laughter again.
"I know, I just mean...It's Friday."
Arieon cocked his head and I realized how ridiculous I must have sounded. "I mean." I turned my attention to the brothers. "Chris. Reese." I nodded at each of them. "So nice to see you again."
"Yeah, you too." They climbed to their feet. "Thank you, Arieon. We were concerned with your uncle retiring but we feel good about it now."
They gave me a wave before they hurried out of the door.
I stared after them, dumbfounded. What the hell just happened? I turned to Arieon who climbed from his seat wearing a triumphant grin.
"What just happened?"
Arieon's grin widened. "I found out that you had a meeting with The Bud Brothers."
"So you took it?"
He seemed genuinely taken back by my fury, surprised that I didn't match his chipper tone. "No. I didn't—I mean, I just know Chris and Reese. I thought I could make it easier on you if I just met with them."
I was livid. Anger boiling in my belly. "I don't believe this. Two weeks of planning this presentation and you just stroll in and play the 'old friend' card."
"I-I didn't think about that. I guess I should have talked to you first."
I sighed as I met his eyes. What did it matter? What was I even doing? I worked hard but I knew better. Connections and prestige, that's what made your way. If working hard was the key, I'd have been managing partner. Pft, working hard. What a joke?
"It's whatever. You're the boss, right? You get to do what you want." I tucked my materials back under my arm and moved for the door. I felt deflated, beyond deflated. I felt defeated. Defeated in a way I never expected I'd ever feel.
"Ellen." He reached out for me, catching my arm. "I'm...trying."
I nodded, shirking out of his grasp. I knew he was trying, that's what made it hurt so bad. He was trying, putting in a mild effort in the ninth hour but I'd given my life to the company. I'd spent my twenties knee-deep in paperwork and all I had to show for it was a boss that was "trying".
I spent the rest of my day staring at the walls before deciding to leave. There was no point in me being at work. I was too demoralized to be productive.
I was still in the midst of my pity party when Arieon walked up next to me, standing silently as he waited for the elevator. The last thing I wanted was another elevator ride with him. Before that morning it might have excited me but now, it just made the world seem even more bleak.
"It's fixed," he said, bouncing on his heels next to me.
"What?" I asked, only half paying attention while I continued to mope.
"The elevator. I got the guys to get in here and work on it this afternoon. Was just a small wiring problem."
"Great," I said unenthusiastically.
He let out a heavy breath. "Look, I'm sorry about this morning but you're going to have to start showing me some respect."
I cut my eyes at him. It set a flame inside of me, pushing away some of the darkness. "You've got to be kidding me."
The elevator arrived and I stepped inside. "Maybe you should just get the next one," I said, holding up a hand as he followed behind me.
He shook his head. "No. Maybe you should tell me what I've done that's so horrible." He stepped inside of the door, holding an arm to one side to keep them from closing. "I'm just doing what I have to, Ellen."
I crossed my arms and eyed him up and down. "Fine, you really want to know?"
He nodded and I took it as a cue to unleash the hellfire burning inside me.
"Frankly, I don't like you. I don't like that you waltzed in here, stole my promotion and walk around like everyone should be delighted to worship at your feet."
"Well, I am the boss."
"You're a privileged child who got handed the job on a silver platter because you were born to the right person. I'm a Harvard grad, with an impeccable record and the only person keeping this company afloat while you show up for two hours on Tuesday's. So, no, Arieon. I don't think I'll be showing you that respect anytime soon."
Arieon's lips settled into a straight line and he narrowed his eyes on me. "I could fire you, you know?"
I planted my feet, standing my ground. "So do it," I challenged. I wasn't bluffing about my record. Arieon could fire me right then and there and I'd have another job before I made it to my car. If he thought he could scare me, he had another thing coming.
He kept his eyes on me as he took a step forward, letting go of the elevator doors. It was almost intimidating. I almost took a step back as the doors slid closed behind him. But then he blinked and his shoulders sagged in defeat.
He put his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "I'm not going to fire you." He sighed. "Listen, I..." He stopped short as the elevator jerked, sending me toppling over. I'd have face planted had he not reached out to catch me. His arms quickly moving beneath my own.
He was a rock beneath me, his hard steady arms keeping me upright as my own feet betrayed me.
I cleared my throat as I gathered my feet back beneath me and lifted out of his grasp. "Thanks," I said softly as I collected my bearings. "What the hell happened?"
Arieon moved to the elevator panel, pressing all of the buttons but nothing happened.
"I thought you said they fixed it," I said, my tone harsh and accusing.
"They did. Or, at least, that's what they were supposed to do."
I shook my head. "So, we're stuck. Again. Great."
Arieon turned on me. "It's not my fault."
"Well, whose fault is it then?"
"Why does it always have to be this way with you?" He moved closer to me. "You're smart, you're sexy, you're accomplished. You can't really be this bitter."
"Bitter?" I blinked in surprise. "I worked my ass off and the unqualified nephew of the boss that can't get a simple work order done out ranks me."
Arieon held up his hands. "That's not my fault either. I wasn't trying to take anything away from you. I was just trying to show my uncle that I was taking things seriously."
"Yeah, well, showing up one day a week really drove the point home." I let out a frustrated breath. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to work in this business and look like me? To be a woman with hips and ass and melanin? The second you walk into a room people assume you know more than me or that you're more qualified, and I thought Elion was the guy that built the company that was above that." I shook my head. "I'm not bitter, Banks. I'm disappointed."
Arieon stepped back, pressing himself against the wall. He crossed his arms over his chest with a sigh. "I guess, I wasn't thinking about it like that," he said softly.
I softened my tone. "Of course you weren't. You don't have to."
Silence settled between us and I shifted uncomfortably.
"Ellen," Arieon started, breaking up the quiet that had engulfed us. "I wasn't trying to take anything away from you. I didn't even want this job, I just...My uncle is a hard man to say no to."
I pursed my lips. He had a point. Elion hadn't built an empire by being easy to deny. I sighed. Maybe I had been a bit heavy on the hazing. I moved to lean against the wall next to him. "I know you're not trying to be a dick."
"And I know you're not trying to be a bitch."
Six Floors to the Top (Stuck With You Book 1) Page 2