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Sleeping with the Enemy. (Business and Pleasures)

Page 2

by Lovecraft, Valentina


  “My name is Rin, Rin Terry. Your father was a great friend to me,” she said, grief flashed briefly in her sky-blue eyes. She visibly straightened and withdrew her hand from his.

  “He was also my mentor. The last few years we have worked closely to expand the company.”

  Her whole demeanor had changed; she looked like she might start up her previous fighting talk. He had to defuse this before it started.

  “Anaise mentioned you were a prized asset.”

  He moved to take back her hand, but she stepped away from him.

  “What is happening here?” she demanded.

  “One minute you’re all upset and my own stupid compassion lets you drag me out here-and the next you’re fine and dandy, trying to be charming and…”

  “Rin,” he said cutting her off, “I’m not trying anything. I just wanted some company- if I was trying to pick up a date I have plenty of willing options.”

  Rin looked disgusted.

  “Ugh! Pig!”

  This was not going so well. Jeeez. He ran his hand through his hair in exasperation and turned away from her to look out at the beautifully manicured hotel garden below.

  “Look, I’m not so good with educated girls, when you have spent a lot of time around the gold digger types, you forget how to be a gentleman. I’ve been propping up the bar most of the afternoon, and I seem to have lost all remaining tact.”

  He sneaked a glance at her.

  “I’m sorry… please stay and… chat.”

  He hoped she would stay, although he had just met her, he felt a pulling magnetism in a way he never had before.

  “I just want to feel something other than grief.”

  She leaned against the handrail next to him, close enough for him to feel the heat from her skin through his shirtsleeve.

  “I’m not usually so feisty,” she muttered.

  “We have met before you know. You obviously don’t remember, but I do.”

  He sensed she was about to reveal something that would do nothing to relieve the strange tension.

  “I was so shy throughout school, if it wasn’t for my sister and my best friend’s efforts I probably would have spent my teenage years locked away at home. One evening my best friend and I met some guys at a bowling alley. We had a great time. One guy in particular, who went to the only other school in our town, was interested in me. He was older and very good-looking; I knew all the girls had a crush on him. I had never had a boyfriend before, and I guess he easily charmed me. We arranged to meet up when I finished school the next day.”

  Rin paused for a moment. Jensen swallowed hard. He knew where this was going.

  “My best friend was excited for me, and word spread fast that I was meeting him. I met with sarcasm from the popular girls who were probably jealous, but I was too elated about going on my first date to care. At the end of the day, I waited at the school gates as we had arranged. I waited and waited. Some of the girls waited too, to see if there was any truth to the rumors.”

  He felt her shrink away from him.

  “Of course he never came. Why would Jensen Altman have any interest in shy little Karina Terry- the wall flower?"

  And there it was.

  Of course! Karina! He had never forgotten that name. ‘Rin’ had thrown him.

  Wow, she has changed. However, she still had the innocence and wild beauty that had intoxicated him all those years ago.

  She continued, “It wasn’t bad enough that I felt so rejected- I was also the big joke of the week. Some of the nastier girls enjoyed calling me a liar and spreading their own made-up stories about me. My life was socially miserable.

  However, that was not the last time I saw you.”

  Jensen frowned and held a breath.

  After a beat, she carried on.

  “I was eighteen when I began working at the company, in the first few weeks there was a team-building picnic. I had not realised your family connection, and I was surprised to see you there.

  I plucked up the nerve to come over and speak to you, but you completely blanked me before I even had a chance to say hi.”

  She paused a moment and chewed her lip.

  “I guess it’s all old news now, but seeing you again brought back the memories, especially after a weekend of grieving.”

  The silence that followed was odd, but not uncomfortable. He sensed she felt relieved.

  Jensen stared at nothing.

  How could I have completely forgotten about her?

  “I’m so sorry Rin. Teenage years are difficult enough with so many new emotions and kids can be so cruel; I had no idea what I had done.”

  He thought back to the bowling alley; he remembered arranging the date; he had been keen to see her again.

  So what had happened?

  Jensen turned to face her; she was looking into the distance. He placed his hand lightly on her lower back.

  “How about we start over?” He offered with a small smile.

  “Ok,” she said as she turned towards him. They were stood so close; her breasts brushed against him as she turned, sending a jolt of excitement through him.

  “My name is Jensen, I find you captivating, would you grant me the honor of joining me for a drink?” he asked with mock grandeur.

  Her smile lit up her face; she brought both her hands up and placed them on her chest.

  “It is lovely to meet you Jensen, my name is Rin, and I would like that very much.”

  Chapter 5

  Together, they followed the veranda around the side of the building to a larger balcony, decorated with flowering plants and stone benches, where they found an outdoor bar.

  Rin could hardly believe how she had gone from fury to putty in his presence. One thing was for sure; telling him about how he had unknowingly made her life miserable so long ago had felt like closure. She was happy just enjoying the moment. Being around him had brought back a wash of confused feelings but what had finally bubbled to the top was a giddy excitement. To say she had a crush on him was an understatement.

  “Another white wine?” he teased as he handed her the glass.

  The last couple of hours had flown by, and they had drunk more than she had meant to allow herself.

  “Thank you. Where is the closest powder room I wonder?” she asked more to herself than Jensen.

  “Probably the direction we came from.” He shrugged.

  Rin twisted in her seat to look back at the veranda. All that way? she thought wrinkling her nose.

  She went to stand and faltered.

  Jensen shot up and took her arm.

  “I’m fine; my foot slipped,” she lied.

  He grinned and dropped his hand.

  Rin stepped away from their table and made her way to the veranda. She turned the corner and realised how much she was actually starting to enjoy what had begun as such a sad day.

  She was nearing the fire exit when she placed a foot wrong, she felt herself falling. Stricken with panic and the realization she was nowhere close enough to anything to stable herself. Two strong arms wrapped around her, halting her fall and saving her from what could have very nearly been a broken ankle.

  “Careful Red," said a voice next to her ear. The arms straightened her before spinning her around. She was body to body with Jensen. The adrenalin from the near fall made her heart pound, and she was breathing quickly.

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  He pulled her in closer until she pressed against him.

  Rin licked her lips and tried to control her breathing. She inhaled him on each fast breath.

  Oh, god, he smelled good.

  His arms wrapped around her, and his face was close to hers. She looked up into his eyes and saw a burning intent. A small voice in the back of her mind warned her to leave, so she defiantly lifted her chin, offering him an opportunity.

  His arms tightened around her waist as his lips met hers, and for a time stopping moment that was all there was in the world.

  She mo
ved her head slightly and sealed his lips with her own. He pulled back and teased her with a kiss, then stopped, then started again. He traced her lips with his own until she could hardly stand it. Rin slid her arms up around his neck. Taking control, she leaned deeper into the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth meeting his.

  She felt his hand trace up her spine to the back of her neck, cupping under her ear and follow her jaw line with his thumb.

  Damn this man knew how to kiss!

  She uncoiled her arms from his neck as he bit lightly on her lower lip. She ran her palms over his chest, feeling the definition of his pectoral muscles, her thumbs following the outline, as she moved to wrap his torso closer to her own.

  As she pulled him in, he moved his kisses along her cheek, below her ear down to her neck. Rin breathed deeply as she felt the tingle from each kiss ripple out across her skin. She stretched her neck to accommodate him, bringing her head up to face the sky. He took a step forward, and in one smooth motion pressed her back against the cold stone wall behind them. A tiny, “Ohhh,” escaped from her lips as she felt the hardness strain against his trousers, pushing against her lower abdomen.

  His fingers moved through her hair slowly whilst his other hand smoothed over the thin fabric of her dress. He caressed past her hips and back around so his hand rested on the lower curve of her butt, pulling her harder against his groin. She exhaled raggedly as he nibbled her ear lobe. However, the squeak of door hinges to their immediate left brought her back to reality with a bump. Jensen had barely straightened when the door swung closed again.

  “There you ar–” began Anaise. She stopped dead when she had had a moment to assess the pair tangled in an embrace in front of her.

  Her jaw dropped open, she could not have been more comical to look at- if Rin had not been the subject of her friend and colleague’s disbelief.

  Chapter 6

  There was a long silence before anyone spoke. Jensen took another step away from Rin. Attempting to act casual, whilst rearranging himself without being too obvious about it.

  With a nonchalant smile, Jensen decided he should at least try to defuse the tension.

  “Anaise, how is the wake?”

  Anaise looked from one to the other with a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

  “As well as a wake can go. I had wondered what had happened to you. I guess I don’t need to ask.”

  She fixed him with a poignant look. Anaise turned to Rin and paused before asking.

  “Are you ok?”

  “Yes-yes, I-I’m fine thanks,” stammered Rin, blushing.

  “Right. Well, I’ll talk to you later,” Anaise said without looking at either of them and exited swiftly through the door she had appeared from.

  Jensen and Rin eyed each other awkwardly. He could not tell whether she was embarrassed or ashamed and part of him felt bad for her.

  Her skin still had the pinkness from the remains of her blushing; she looked decidedly edible, but he assumed that attempting to pick up where they left off would be unwise. Tact and the ‘gentleman’ she craved would win him the prize he now desperately desired.

  “Rin, I should find my mother as I suspect she will need some support. But I would love to meet with you again, in a less depressing circumstance.”

  He smiled apologetically.

  “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

  He took both her hands and lightly kissed her cheek.

  “I know a place that has the best food and atmosphere.”

  Rin looked up at him, her face unreadable.

  He caught his reflection in her eyes and felt overcome with a need he rarely felt with women. He had to see her again. He wanted so badly to touch her skin, to bask in her affection, to kiss her, her face only inches from his own… But no. He must refrain. She was not the usual easy lay that he could sample and discard.

  Rin broke away from his gaze. She had still not replied, but she had not refused either.

  He released her hands and took a small step back. Jensen was not about to give up on her, but he would not plead.

  “Here,” he said fishing about in his waistcoat breast pocket. He produced a silver card and handed it to Rin.

  “If you want, call me and we can go eat. Ok?”

  He gave her his best smile and stepped towards the fire exit.

  “I’ll catch you later my Lady.” He then disappeared after Anaise.

  Chapter 7

  Rin wriggled out of her dress and pulled on a long T-shirt. She relived the kiss again as she threw herself back onto her queen-sized bed. Between every action she had made on her way home, she had flashes of his hands on her body or the smell of his cologne. Unlocking the door to her house, she was simultaneously feeling his lips on hers.

  What had changed in her? She felt excited, giddy, petrified, desperate, unsatisfied and a little treacherous that she could so freely switch from what she knew and hated about him to how easily he had seduced her.

  She had decided after Jensen handed her his card that that was her cue to leave.

  Anaise busting them had popped the bubble of the sunny drunken few hours they had spent together. The reality that she was a respected member of the company, now with possible opportunities opening for promotion to the next rung on the executive ladder, she had disrespected Michael Altman by messing around with his own son at his wake.

  To everyone else it would look like she was making a move to get to the top by using the boss’s son.

  She sighed and looked at the card in her hand. It exuberated style and wealth but all it had written upon it was JENSEN ALTMAN in script, followed by his phone number.

  She couldn’t call him. That would be such a mistake. Her career would be at stake; he would end up ruining her life all over again.

  Why did he even have a card? What business is he offering?

  …hands in her hair, their bodies pressed against each other’s…

  Oh, this is too much! It was better that she did not see him again.

  No. I will not call, I will have a bath… no, a cold shower and then call my sister. She had to work tomorrow and there would be so much to do now Michael had gone; an early night was a sensible idea.

  Chapter 8

  Rin kicked her heel into the ground and cursed.

  He was late. Unbelievable!

  She still did not know how she had ended up calling him. She had had a cold shower. She called her sister. Upon hanging up, she automatically dialed in his number; in the few hours she had possessed his card, she had read it so many times that the number was emblazoned into her mind.

  The conversation had been awkward her end, but he had been openly overjoyed and made opulent promises of a fun evening of fine dining and jolly conversation. The rest of the afternoon was a haze.

  Now she was standing on the corner of her street waiting, getting cold in only tight jeans and a long top with a pashmina. She cursed again and turned towards her house to leave when the distant roar of a powerful engine turned her back.

  At the end of the road, a black Ferrari appeared and prowled loudly towards her, stopping inches from where she stood.

  The door opened soundlessly. Jensen stepped out and gazed across the roof at her.

  Without saying a word, he rounded the car to open the door for her. He looked effortlessly cool in jeans, an open leather jacket with a dark grey T-shirt and his hair loose around his face. Jensen appeared taller and broader than he had earlier; he looked as though he had just walked out of a photo shoot for a fashion magazine.

  He took a step closer and smiled.

  “Hey Red,” he said as he reached for the passenger door.

  “Hi Jensen. I’ve been waiting a while; I thought you were keen to see me?” she asked trying for indifference.

  “Fashionably late of course, had to make sure I was befitting for such a rare beauty,” he replied as he bowed and kissed her hand.

  He opened the door and gestured towards the seat.

&n
bsp; “Your chariot awaits fair damsel.”

  Rin could not help but smile; she enjoyed his mock gentleman routine.

  “Why thank you kindly sir,” she replied in character and stepped into the car.

  She was not sure where he was going to take her- but the newfound reckless part of her that had betrayed her morals by dialing his number, did not care where they went. The other part of her grumbled that she should not have given in on being left waiting in the cold without an apology.

  They had driven half way across the city when Rin’s curiosity could wait no longer.

  “So,” she said as he gunned the engine at the changing lights, “where are we going?”

  “Well, there has been a change of plan,” he said with a half-smile.

  “My favorite joint is being refurbished, so we are going somewhere else to dine.”

  She looked out at the city bathed in twilight and felt his eyes on her.

  “And where might that be?” she asked realizing he was being coy.

  “Oh, we are almost there now,” he replied practically grinning.

  He turned the car suddenly, and they plunged into an orange-lit tunnel that opened out into a large and heavily guarded underground car park, filled with extremely expensive vehicles.

  Rin gave a low wolf whistle as they cruised slowly to the end and parked up.

  She had barely unbuckled when Jensen opened her door and offered his hand.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly and accepted.

  Where on earth is he taking me? she wondered as they walked together towards an elevator. There was a window next to the doors, as they approached a large man appeared and murmured.

  “Mr. Altman.”

  Jensen nodded to him as the lift doors slid open.

  “Jensen, where are we going?” Rin asked again as the lift doors closed behind them.

  “Well,” he stated, as he leaned forward and pressed the highest button on a panel of about thirty. “Where I had wanted to take you, just isn’t possible.”

  The lift began to move up and felt like it was accelerating.

 

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