“How can I forget it?” she said, pressing against him. “Alex, I’ve wanted you for so long, and now that I know how good it feels to kiss you, and touch you...” She ran her palm against his cock again. “How long and hard you are. It just makes me want more.” She squeezed him through the silky material of his expensively tailored pants, and as he closed his eyes, his groan made her feel powerful. She stepped even closer. “Don’t you want me, too?” she whispered against his throat, her lips skimming his stubble. The scratch electrified her, and she felt the jolt all the way to her core.
He hesitated—she could see the tightening of his jaw, the clenching of his fists, and she knew that he was trying to fight it. But from the way he exhaled through his flared nostrils, she knew that he was at war. And that between his common sense and libido, she knew which side was winning. He nodded, and triumph surged throughout her. “I do want you.” He shoved her hand away. “But this can’t happen,” he said before he turned away from her and walked back into the dining room.
CHAPTER FOUR
ALEX WAS IRRITABLE before he even entered The BH, the office tower built and owned by The Brotherhood, the home and headquarters of Collins/Fischer and the rest of their enterprises, including, of course, Di Terrestres, which encompassed the entire bottom floor. Before he even set a foot out of the elevator and onto the floor of Collins/Fischer, he felt like staying inside and riding back down to the front lobby. A week had passed since Brett went ahead and hired Maria, and even though she had yet to start working there, he’d been a ball of tension since that evening.
He hadn’t seen Maria since he’d followed her from the table at Thalia, but he didn’t need to. Everywhere he went, he smelled her, could taste her on the air, as if she’d been permanently etched on his skin or tied to him, following him everywhere he went. It would be her first day at the office and even though their workloads would keep them busy and she would be assisting Brett, Alana and him on all of the work related to Hedo, he didn’t know how he would manage to focus on anything knowing that she was in the building.
Alex looked up from the panel of buttons, still contemplating pushing the one marked with an L, and stared out the parted door at the clean titanium Collins/Fischer logo that faced him. “Goddammit,” he muttered to himself. That was his name on the company’s logo. He owned the fucking building. He’d worked his ass off to get where he was. He’d fought every adversary, every odd that had been stacked against him, and he’d persevered. If he couldn’t handle having one woman in his vicinity, then he might as well quit his job and go back to where he’d come from, become his father. Instead, he took a deep breath, scrubbed his hand over his face and exited the elevator, stepping into the hallway.
Collins/Fischer, a normally loud and bustling company, was quiet. Of course it was; it was barely 7:00 a.m. And while Alex and Brett liked to get an early start, they didn’t expect their staff to get in that early, and most waited until nine. Early morning was their quiet time to arrange their projects and coordinate their schedules for the day and upcoming week.
Alex yawned, and on the way to his office, it occurred to him that he’d forgotten to restock the coffee in his office. The fine Panamanian beans he’d been so pleased with had not lasted the week with the long hours he’d been putting in. He’d have to order more. Like, twenty pounds more. But until then, the communal office coffee would have to do. He veered into the lunch room to his left instead of heading straight to his office.
He was stopped in his tracks, however, when he smelled the hints of a familiar spicy perfume, and he knew he wasn’t alone in the room. His breath caught in his throat when Maria turned to face him, gorgeous in a crisp white blouse, and a high-waisted gray pencil skirt that hit just above her knees. The look was completed with her thick black hair tied back into a bun and cherry-red high heels. Her outfit might have been modest in cut, but it somehow seemed to show off her delicious curves rather than hide them. She looked like the star of every fantasy a man could have about a woman in an office setting.
Her red lips spread in a grin. “Hi, Alex. Or should I say boss?” she asked with a throaty purr that made him sweat through his suit.
Maria was going to be the death of him.
If Rafael didn’t kill him first.
Alex nodded and walked past her to the espresso machine without returning her greeting. He busied himself preparing his own coffee, but he could feel her watching him. “What are you doing here?” he asked, not looking at her, trying to ignore his every response to her.
“I work here, remember?”
How could he forget? “What I mean is, it’s early. People don’t normally start showing up until at least eight thirty.”
“Brett emailed me and asked me to be here early so he can get me started, and he wants me to sit in on your morning meeting. Then I have to meet with Alana to get caught up on what you guys are working on. You start early—it only makes sense for your assistant to do the same.”
“You’re Brett’s assistant,” he reminded her with a grumble. His voice was thick, rough, with desire. He needed time to ease into his day without having to worry about his dick getting hard, imagining laying her out on his desk.
But she didn’t seem put off by his demeanor, and she laughed. “You’re grumpy in the morning, Alex.” Her high heels clicked on the floor as she walked over to a bank of cupboards, absently looking inside a couple, becoming acquainted with the room, before she moved closer to him still, opening the fridge. She bent at the waist and leaned in, putting her brown-bag lunch in a free space at the bottom. He looked over and took in the stellar view of her ass and the gray material stretching over her luscious curves. She stood, and Alex tried to look away, but he was like a man possessed, driven to her, unable to stop himself from coming up behind her. His fingers curled over her hips, gripping her, digging into her flesh.
He heard the shocked gasp exit her lips, and she fully straightened, bringing her back flush to his chest. “Alex.” Her voice was a whisper, but it rang out in the empty room.
He bowed his head, placed his lips on her temple and spoke against her skin. “Maria, I’m not sure what you do to me, but I just can’t resist you.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to resist.”
He pushed his hips against her ass, certain that she couldn’t mistake how hard he was. She was so warm and firm, but so goddamn soft. “We can’t, though. I know it. You know it. This has already gone too far.”
“I do know that. But I don’t understand why. If we want each other, what’s the harm?”
Alex knew one hundred reasons why not, but fuck him if he could think of one at that moment. Maria’s body just felt so good against his. He lowered his head, and with her back still against his chest, she turned her face in his direction. Their lips were only millimeters apart. He could feel her breath, almost taste her...
A throat clearing behind them jolted Alex, and he separated himself from her. He turned around, half expecting to see Rafael, who also occupied office space on the top floor of the building. But it was Brett, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows drawn together. He obviously hadn’t misinterpreted what he’d walked in on. “Maria, I’m ready to start if you are.”
Maria recovered immediately. She gave her new boss a big smile and, switching gears, she seemed completely unaffected by the moment she and Alex had just shared. “Okay, great.” She walked away, leaving Alex standing by the refrigerator.
Brett stood aside, letting her leave first, before he turned his attention to Alex, raising his arm, blocking Alex’s exit. “What exactly did I just walk in on?”
“It was nothing,” he told him.
Brett clearly didn’t buy it. “Is there anything I need to know here?”
“No, not a thing,” Alex said, pushing past him. “Let’s get started.”
* * *
Maria sat in on the day’s first meeting, where B
rett and Alex went through their upcoming appointments, deciding who would represent the company at which functions, before moving to discuss the progress on their biggest projects. Besides the new hotel they were building, they still had their regular work ongoing, and she wasn’t sure how they kept so many balls in the air, kept everything straight with only a couple of assistants—her and those employed by Alex and Alana. She sat next to Brett and across the table from Alex. Several times, she would try to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her. Her heart still pounded from their earlier encounter, and she could feel his hands on her and his desire as he’d pressed against her.
Alex stood. “I think that’s everything. I’ve got to see Jessica at city hall. She’s checking on the permits for Hedo,” he said, rising from the desk and gathering his things.
“Expecting any problems with that?” Brett asked.
“There shouldn’t be any holdups. I anticipate they’ll go through pretty easily. And then it’s just funding and investments, partnership agreements. The usual.”
His phone beeped on the table, and he picked it up. He read the screen. “And that’s Alana. She wants us all to get together tonight to discuss the designs. Working dinner?” he asked Brett, not looking at Maria.
“Ah hell, I can’t tonight.” Brett shook his head. “Rebecca’s entertaining some clients, and she wants me on hand.”
“I can stay,” Maria said, getting both Alex’s and Brett’s attention. When neither man said anything, she tried to brush off the embarrassment of possibly speaking out of turn. But she wanted them to say yes. She wanted to be a valuable part of the team, and not just for her amazing ability to take notes and fetch coffee.
“That’s not necessary.” Alex held up a hand. “Me and Alana will be able to handle it. You should know that even though we have teams to handle a lot of the details, we like to personally do as much as possible. It’s important for us to have a hand in and oversight over every part of the business.”
“Makes sense,” she said with a frown at being rejected by him, but she could also see the turmoil in Alex’s eyes. He’d made it known how hard it was for him to just be around her, and she probably shouldn’t hold it against him. “But if you’re so involved, then you need as many trusted hands in this as possible, right?”
“That’s right. Maria, that’s a great idea.” Brett turned to Alex. “If I can’t be there personally, Maria will be a great stand-in. And she’ll get a better handle on the project.” A silence fell over the room, and she watched the showdown between the two men. Silent communication traveled between them and she only wished that someone would say something.
The next sound was Alex’s sigh. “Fine,” he muttered and turned to her. “You like sushi? We’ll order in.”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
Alex turned to leave but then glanced over his shoulder. “Be here at eight.”
CHAPTER FIVE
IT WAS CLOSE to midnight by the time they finished up. Alex stood and stretched his back. He looked over at Maria, admiring her work ethic, especially seeing how it was her first day. She still looked beautiful, and no more worn than she had that morning, except for the fact that she had taken her long, luxurious hair down from her bun. And every time she pushed it behind her shoulders, he’d had to restrain himself from reaching out and threading his fingers through it.
“What did you think of your first late-night summit?” Alana asked her as they gathered their things.
“It was good. This is such an awesome project, I’m so glad to be working on it. I’m almost energized. It’s late, but I don’t think I’ll be able to get to sleep yet.” Alex caught the pointed look she shot in his direction.
“Why don’t we go downstairs for a drink? I could certainly use one,” Alana suggested.
“Downstairs?”
“Di Terrestres.”
“I’ve never been there.”
Alana’s eyebrow raised. “No?”
“I’ve never been invited,” Maria laughed. “Like Rafa would ever let me. I’ve heard about the sorts of things that happen there, though.”
Alana shook her head. “Raf won’t let you go? He’s unbelievable.”
Maria laughed. “Not unbelievable at all. He’s so overprotective.”
“Please let me be the one to tell him that I’m putting you on the permanent guest list.”
Alex watched with interest. The women had known each other for years, but it looked as if an easy friendship was forming between them. Even on day one, Maria had easily become a member of the team. She fit in so well. If he could remember that she was just that—an employee, part of the team—then he may be able to forget his desirous inclinations toward her. Standing next to him, Maria bent over to retrieve her purse and bumped against him; whether it was inadvertent or not, he stiffened in response. Forget he wanted her? Not fucking likely.
“So, a drink?” Alana asked them both, leading them out of the conference room.
“I’d love to,” Maria said.
They both looked at Alex expectantly. He always went downstairs for a drink or two to unwind after work. It would just look strange if he refused that night. “Yeah, sure. Let’s go.”
When Maria crossed the threshold of Di Terrestres, she felt like she’d entered another world. The light was low and cast a favorable gold shimmer on every surface and person in the room. It was after midnight on a Monday, but it didn’t matter, there was still a crowd, and they danced seductively to the low music and kissed and touched in booths that lined the wall, watched over by nearly naked men and women who danced on platforms.
Maria was no prude, but she still looked around the room, eyes wide, as she saw the familiar faces of some of Las Vegas’s, and America’s, most notable people among the guests, engaging in acts that she couldn’t believe weren’t splashed over the gossip rags. Like her brother’s own intimate encounter at the club had been. Alana and Alex seemed unaffected. Of course they were. It was their club, and they were more than accustomed to the overt eroticism around them.
“We’re up here.” Alex touched her arm and directed her up a small set of stairs to a table on a balcony that provided them with a view of the entire club. His touch sent electricity through her, and her toes curled inside her shoes. It was the first time he’d touched her since that morning in the lunch room, and she’d craved it.
“Quite a view up here,” Maria commented as she took a seat next to Alex. “Like you can watch over all of your domain.”
“Yeah, ‘gods of the earth’ and all that,” Alana said, referring to the Latin name of the club.
“What actually goes on here? If I’m supposed to work for you, isn’t it reasonable that I know what you do?”
Alana answered first. “We provide a place for like-minded individuals to gather, socialize, have a drink, without having to worry about being under the scrutiny of the press or anyone else.”
Maria scoffed. “Come on. That sounds like the sanitized press release version you give the media. I’ve heard rumors.” She gestured to the crowd below them. “I just want to hear it from you guys.”
The waitress came with their drinks, and Maria caught the way that the woman looked Alex up and down. She couldn’t blame her. A person wearing a blindfold could recognize that Alex was the sexiest man in the room. He had the ability to draw people in and commanded a power over everyone.
“As long as everything happens between consenting adults, we don’t discourage physical exploration within our walls,” Alana continued. “In fact, we welcome it. The more relaxed and confident people feel, the better time they’ll have. And for the lofty membership price, we show people a good time.”
She’d known about Di Terrestres’ sexy reputation. Everyone did. But unless you were invited or paid the exorbitant membership fee, there was no way you were getting inside the door. The intensity of Alex’s stare a
lmost made her look away, but she didn’t waver. “You guys are being purposefully vague,” she said to both, but looked only at Alex. “And how do you show people a good time? Like, what specifically do you have set up here?”
He leaned forward as well, so that their faces, their lips, were only inches apart. Using every bit of restraint, she managed not to kiss him. “We have entertainment on the main floor almost every night—dancers, erotic performers. But it’s our other facilities that keep people coming back. There are also such events as private parties, black-tie masquerades.
“But it’s what we offer our most notable clients that makes us successful, so we have the bedroom suites that people can use for an additional cost, but our more VIP experience is tailored to each person’s individual needs. We have rooms set up for exhibition and voyeurism, dominance and submission, group sex.”
“Oh really?” She leaned in, resting her chin in her hand. “And I imagine that you’ve partaken in the facilities?”
Alex looked directly at her, and it felt like they’d left Alana completely out of the conversation. Maria wondered if the other woman could see the sexual tension between them. “Obviously.”
“And what’s your favorite?”
He shrugged. “I’ll try anything once.” His voice was smooth, whiskey-dark and sexy.
Alana cleared her throat, interrupting their conversation. When Maria turned away from Alex, she saw that Alana was indeed watching them. Her raised eyebrow showed that the moment had not been lost on her. She looked at her watch and pushed her glass away with a feigned yawn. “Well, it’s officially late. I’m going to get out of here. Maria, you did good work today. It’s going to be great having you on the team.”
“Thanks. I’m really excited about it.”
“Alex, we’ll touch base in the morning?”
“Of course.”
They both watched Alana leave, and when she was out of sight, Maria turned to Alex. “I really had a great day,” she told him. “I’m excited to be working with you.”
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