by Iona Rose
“You really think my mom will let him make work calls from the hospital?” Brett laughs.
I laugh with him. “No, I guess not,” I admit. “Especially not if she thinks he’s calling me. She really hates me doesn’t she?”
“No,” Brett says. “She hates the fact that my father can’t stop working for even a second. But I mean he’d just had a heart attack today and she could hardly be overly mad with him, so she took it out on you, that’s all.”
I mull over his words. It makes sense I suppose.
“Why do you care whether she likes you or not anyway?” Brett asks.
Because it will make our wedding pretty awkward if your mother hates me, I think to myself, instantly pushing the thought away. “Oh I don’t care at all…I was just curious as to why.”
Brett smiles back at me, a wide smile that makes his eyes sparkle and reveals a tiny dimple in his left cheek.
I instantly want to reach up and touch it. The smile changes his whole face, making him look a little less serious, like he’s someone you could have actual fun with. “You know, smiling suits you. You should do it more often,” I blurt out without thinking.
Brett gives a soft laugh. “Is that so? Maybe you have some other suggestions, seeing as how you haven’t been able to take your eyes off me all night,” he says in a low voice.
His tone sets my heart racing. I feel my cheeks burning at his words. Dammit. He wasn’t supposed to notice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, and even to me, it sounds like the lie it is.
“Sure you do.” He flashes me that wide smile again.
For a second, I allow myself to forget that he’s my boss and I’ve just massively embarrassed myself in front of him. In fact, I forget everything except how his eyes look as he smiles. He winks at me and I feel my pussy clench.
“Do you know how I know that?” he asks. He doesn’t wait for me to answer, “I know it because I haven’t been able to stop watching you either, Opal.”
It should be creepy to hear he’s been watching me all night, but it isn’t. It’s brilliant, amazing and just what I wanted to hear.
Brett looks totally relaxed and confident, even as he tells me he’s been watching me. He looks sexier than ever if that’s even possible. His words and the wine come together inside of me to make me brave and I smile at him, a half smile that raises only one corner of my lips. “Are you saying you find me attractive?” I ask in a soft, breathy voice.
Brett doesn’t answer immediately, but he looks me up and down, his eyes sweeping slowly across every inch of my body.
His hot penetrating gaze makes me feel naked. I feel the heat in my cheeks increasing, and my heart is beating so fast I think it might explode. My body is taut, primed, craving his touch.
“I think we both know the answer to that question,” he says. His voice is dripping with lust, his eyes darkening, and he takes a step closer to me.
He’s standing so close now that I can feel the heat emanating from his body. If I moved forward so much as an inch, I would be pressed against him.
I can see the movement in his chest as he breathes, and I can feel his breath on my face. He’s breathing faster than normal and I know I am too. I so desperately want to lean in and run my tongue gently over his lips, and then press my mouth against his. I want him to wrap me in his arms and never let me go. I want to taste every inch of him, run my hands over his whole body.
“Why Mr. Connell, I do believe you’re flirting with me,” I say with a teasing smile.
I want so badly for him to kiss me that it’s like a physical ache inside of me. I hope my words will push him over the edge and make him do it.
Instead, they have the opposite effect. He takes a step back from me, opening up a gap between us. He takes a sip of his wine and clears his throat. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he says. The playful tone is gone from his voice and his eyes no longer burn into mine. “It would be awfully unprofessional if anything were to happen between us.”
Cursing myself inside, I realize I called him Mr. Connell because I thought it would sound sexy, like an Austen kind of sexy I guess. Instead, it reminded Brett that he’s my boss and reminded him why he can’t do this. Can’t do me.
Fuck.
He takes another drink, then he turns and heads back towards the double doors.
I don’t make any attempt to follow him. I’m still reeling from the closeness of his body to mine.
He reaches the doors and turns back for a moment. “For the record though, you look stunning tonight,” he says with a flash of a smile, then he turns back and disappears inside of the mansion.
8
Frozen to the spot for the moment, I stare at the door where Brett disappeared as if looking at that spot will somehow clear everything up for me. I never dared imagine for even a minute that Brett might find me as intoxicatingly attractive as I find him but now he’s shown me the truth, it makes me want him even more. We could enjoy each other’s bodies, make each other come to life. And does it really matter if he’s my boss? I mean we’re both adults and it isn’t like I’m thinking we should go around the office holding hands or anything. Surely, we can be professional at work and a little closer outside of work.
No one would ever have to know.
Whatever may or may not happen between Brett and I doesn’t change the fact I have a job to do right now. Or the fact the night air is becoming a little chilly, and the goose bumps on my arms are no longer just from Brett standing so close to me. I move towards the double doors and back into the mansion. I go through to the piano room and I instantly spot Brett before I have even consciously looked for him. It’s as though my eyes are just naturally attracted to his beauty, searching him out of their own accord.
He’s talking to Mr. Simmons again, and I decide against going over there. Mr. Simmons will only start quizzing me. To be honest, I’m still so thrown by my conversation with Brett on the decking, so I’m afraid I might blurt out something I shouldn’t.
Instead of heading over towards Brett and Mr. Simmons, I head towards Barney Lawson, another client of the firm who I have just spotted. I smile a greeting at him and he instantly begins chatting to me, asking me how Mr. Connell is doing and what happened. I fill him in and assure him his business is in safe hands.
“With him?” Barney says, nodding towards Brett.
“Yes,” I say, a little surprised. “How did you know? Have you met Mr. Connell’s son before?”
“No,” Barney says, shaking his head. “I didn’t even know Robert had a son. I just figured you meant him because you were looking at him when you said I would be taken care of.”
“Oh,” I reply stupidly. I catch myself and I know I can save this one. Barney gave me a readymade reason to be looking in Brett’s direction as I spoke to him. “Yes, yes of course. Brett has actually been out of the country expanding his own business.”
I can hardly say I haven’t been able to take my eyes off Brett since I came back in from outside can I? Instead, I give him a snippet of information I hope is interesting enough to distract him from my obvious discomfort when he said I was looking at Brett.
It seems to work and Barney switches topics, chatting to me about his own son who is almost ready to graduate high school.
I relax into the conversation since it’s on safer ground, but I still find my eyes drawn to Brett. I find it hard to maintain eye contact with Barney for more than a few seconds before I’m looking at Brett again.
I’m relieved when Barney finally excuses himself from my company. I mean he’s a nice enough guy and I thought being pulled into a conversation would distract me from Brett, but it just didn’t work. I can’t keep my eyes off him as I find myself slipping into a daydream about Brett, where he takes me in his arms, kisses me, makes love to me.
A waiter saunters towards me and seeing my empty glass, he holds out his tray. I put my empty glass on it and replace it with a full one, smiling and thanking h
im. I take my glass and go to sit on one of the couches. I sit back, leaning into the soft cushions and sipping my wine. I am still watching Brett, but now I think at least it looks a little more subtle. Anyone glancing at me would just assume I was watching the guests dancing.
The rest of the night drags on as I force myself to make polite conversation with the stream of people who see me alone and approach me, thinking I am maybe in need of company. I know I look like a total sad case, but Brett is expertly working the room now and I don’t want to get in the way. And truth be told, I’m not sure I trust myself to be in close proximity to him and not reach out to touch him.
As the night goes on, the first of the guests start to slowly leave and within an hour, more and more people have made their excuses and slipped away. The crowd is down to about half the amount we started with and I have put away another two glasses of wine. I’m starting to think Brett and I should be leaving soon too, but he’s deep in a conversation with one of the potential clients his father has been warming up, and I know better than to interrupt that. It seems I still have a few of my wits about me. That’s something, I suppose.
I finish my drink and I put the glass down on the small table beside the couch, telling myself I won’t be having anymore tonight.
A waitress materialises at my side almost instantly as though my vow to not drink anymore wine has summoned her to test my resolve.
Smiling politely at her, I shake my head. “No more for me thank you.”
She smiles and nods then moves on.
I turn back to where Brett is talking to the potential client, but he’s gone.
“Hey,” he says from beside me
He’s so close that I feel his warm breath on my ear as he speaks. I jump.
He chuckles softly. “Sorry. I thought you saw me coming.”
Shaking my head, I’m momentarily mute as I stare at his face. Every time I tell myself I’m prepared to see him up close and that I won’t let him affect me, the universe takes it as a challenge and shows me just how much of an effect he has on me. I’m honestly quite surprised he managed to come and sit beside me while I was talking to the waitress without me noticing.
“Are you about ready to leave?” he asks.
Still mute, I nod. I have wanted to leave for a while, but I realize leaving the party means leaving Brett and I suddenly don’t want this night to end. I have a feeling once it does, we’ll just go back to being a boss and his personal assistant and that cool distance will be back between us.
Brett stands and offers me his hand.
I take a deep breath and slip my hand into his, waiting for the sparks I know will come. I’m not wrong. My hand tingles where it touches his and his warmth seems to spread right up my arm. I let him pull me to my feet. “There’s a few people I need to say goodbye to,” I say.
“Yeah me too,” he agrees. “Meet me at the front door in five?”
I nod. At least he’s not abandoning me completely. He can’t because he will have to call my driver as I have no idea of his number, but I tell myself it’s more than that. I tell myself he doesn’t want this night to end either. I know I’m probably wrong, but it makes me feel warm inside, so I let myself believe it for a moment, telling myself it’s harmless.
Returning to say my goodbyes to the few remaining clients and a couple of other people I know, I finally thank the host and his wife for a lovely evening. I hurry out of the piano room before anyone else can latch onto me, and make my way to the front door where Brett waits for me.
He smiles as I approach him.
Looking down, I feel my cheeks warming again as I look at him through my eyelashes and give him a shy smile. I look up properly in time to catch him staring back at me with undisguised lust on his face. I swallow hard as I feel my cheeks getting redder, but I ignore them and close the gap between Brett and I. By the time I reach his side, he has regained his composure. Shame. I really liked that look on his face, even if it did make me blush right down my neck and chest rather than just on my face.
“I’ve called for a car,” he says. “I thought we could just share one. I hope that’s okay with you?”
“Of course.” It’s better than okay. It means our night together can last a little bit longer.
Brett’s phone beeps. He pulls it out and glances at it briefly. “That was my driver. Our car is here.”
“That quickly?” I ask, surprised. I expected us to have wait at least half an hour or so.
Brett smiles and nods. “My driver doesn’t go far. There’s an all night diner a mile or so down the road. He’ll have most likely waited there with a coffee and perhaps a burger.” He holds his arm out to me.
Taking his arm, I feel kind of giddy as the sparks fly up and down my body As we step outside, I stumble slightly and find myself leaning against Brett’s side.
“Are you all right?” he asks.
I look up and find him gazing down at me. His eyes have darkened again, and I know the touching of our bodies is having the same effect on him as it is on me. I can hardly breathe as I peer up at him and just nod to answer his question. I don’t think I can utter a single word right now.
He moves his arm away.
I feel a second of such intense loss that I can’t breathe, but his hand isn’t gone from me for long, and when he puts it on the small of my back to guide me down the steps safely, I find I still can’t breathe but this time, it’s for a different reason.
I take the steps slowly, aware of how much I have drank, but with Brett’s hand on my back, I feel like I’m floating on air and I get down the steps easily. I have never met anyone who has this effect on me before, and I don’t know what exactly it is about Brett produces such a strong response in me. But I do know this—I have to have him. If I don’t, I will end up absolutely crazy.
We reach the car and Brett opens the door for me. I thank him, pleased when my voice comes out sounding normal, and I get into the car.
He closes the door, goes around to the other side and gets in beside me. He asks the driver to drop me off first and we pull away. Brett sits looking out of the window.
After glancing at him a few times, hoping he will start a conversation, I give up and do the same. I can feel the tension between us. The air in the back of the car feels thick, like the sexual chemistry between us has taken on a physical form. I try my best to think of something to say to break the tension between us, but I can’t think of anything.
It’s only when we’re almost at my place when I realize that I’m about to be dropped off and that will be it. I have a feeling that if nothing happens between Brett and I tonight when we’re both a little tipsy and out of work mode, that nothing ever will. And the thought of never feeling his lips on mine, never feeling his hands on my body, is almost too much to bear.
I have to find a way to invite him up to my apartment without looking like I’m desperately trying to seduce him. I know Rita is staying at her boyfriend’s place tonight. I can’t help but think that if I can just get Brett alone up there, we will be unleashed and whatever is going to happen between us will happen. Maybe then I can get this desire out of my system and I can act a little more normally around him.
We’re pulling onto my block when I turn to Brett to start and execute my plan to get him into my apartment. “So did you manage to get any other appointments set up tonight then?” I ask.
He nods his head, looking at me a little dazedly as though I have pulled him out of a deep thought. “Yes,” he says. “I have several appointments set up for next week.”
“Good,” I reply.
The driver pulls up outside of my apartment building and I know this is my only shot. I can feel the blood rushing to my face and I am suddenly glad I’m beneath the cover of darkness so Brett can’t see how uncomfortable I am.
“Maybe you should come up to my apartment and we’ll have a quick drink and go over everything while the details are fresh in our minds. I’m a little worried that if we wait too long, we mig
ht forget something important. And Monday is a long way away.”
Brett studies my face for a second, his expression giving nothing away.
I have no idea if he can read the intentions beneath the seemingly innocent invitation, and I have no idea whether he is going to say yes or no.
After what feels like forever, he gives a curt nod. “As you wish,” he says, his tone cool and professional again. He turns his attention to the driver, leaning forward in his seat. “I’ll call you when I’m ready to leave.”
I can’t help but wonder if he has really missed the message I’m sending him, or if he’s just keeping his professional face on in front of the driver, but I’m suddenly awfully nervous. I’m nervous for what will happen if Brett understands my intentions, and I’m nervous for what will happen if he genuinely believes this is an important work discussion, because if that’s the case, I really have nothing to tell him. I’ve already given him all of the information I have on the potential clients, and I am going to look so stupid when I have nothing else to tell him. How the hell will I explain that one? I guess I’ll find out soon enough if he really believes this is about work.
9
Brett opens the door and starts to get out of the car.
I don’t wait for him to come and open my door. I am too full of nervous energy to sit still and I get out of the car myself. I fish my keys out and open the front door.
Brett follows me in silence.
“Should we take the stairs? It’s only one floor and the elevator takes forever to come. We could be up there before it even reaches us,” I say, aware that I am babbling.
Brett gives me a half smile and nods. “Whatever you think.”
I lead the way up the stairs and manage to get my apartment door unlocked. I push it open and flick on the lights, pleased that it’s reasonably tidy. I gesture towards the living room area. “Make yourself comfortable,” I say. “I’ll get us a drink. I have wine or vodka.”