This was not happening!
Sam’s reply was a low sexy chuckle that grated on her nerves even as it warmed her belly.
“Sam, this isn’t funny. Why are you here?”
“Come out, I need to talk to you.”
“Do it through the bathroom door.” How was she ever going to face him again? “Have you ever heard of knocking at the front door and waiting to be invited in?”
“I did. You didn’t answer.”
“Why do you think that is? Perhaps because I was in the shower and didn’t hear the summons?”
Another deep chuckle met her fury.
“Riley, come on out. You saw me naked. I saw you naked. Big deal.”
Her eyes snapped wide. “Big. Deal?” she repeated in a harsh whisper from between clenched teeth. Was he kidding? The coffee must’ve scalded his brain. She couldn’t think of another explanation for Sam taking it upon himself to calmly climb through her bedroom window like some sort of sneak thief. Except, the coffee hadn’t been hot enough to cause damage, even if most men she knew thought with what was in their trousers.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m beginning to wonder the same thing. Stop hiding, Riley. I promise to be a gentleman.”
Before she could talk herself out of it, she yanked open the bathroom door and stalked out. “I was going to tell you this later, but since you’re here, I may as well let you know that I’ve decided not to accept your job offer after all.”
“Why?”
“What?” The sight of Sam lounging on her bed sent her thoughts all screwy.
“Why are you refusing the offer?”
“Because…” Why couldn’t she think? “Because I don’t believe we’d be a good match.” Sam’s brow inched up. Better clarify. “In the office, I mean.” Then she realized how that sounded. She shot out her hands in front of her in a halt gesture. She didn’t want him getting the wrong idea. “Not that I’m saying I think we’d be a match out of the office either.”
“I never took you for a quitter, Riley.” The disappointment in Sam’s voice had Riley straightening her spine.
“I’m not quitting. I’m simply refusing your job offer.”
“That’s a shame because I could really use your superpower.” The regard in his tone tugged on the part of her psyche that responded to praise.
“I have a superpower?”
“What would you call an ability to organize a mess like mine in only a handful of hours? I’ve never had an assistant with such amazing organizational skills. I’m willing to pay you an extra thousand a month to come and work for me.”
“Why do you want me?”
His smile appeared then turned wicked before he masked it. “My partner and I have been working flat-out these last few months and the office is a mess.” He swung his feet to the floor, braced his forearms on his knees and clasped his hands between. “Neither of us can find a thing. You saw my home office, my work office is worse. I need your help, Riley, please don’t say no.”
Her insides did that slow melt again. It seemed Sam’s sincerity had the capacity to melt her as skillfully as his smile.
“Let me think about it.” She waited for him to take the hint and leave.
He remained seated as though he belonged in her bedroom. Then she remembered he’d said he wanted to speak to her about something.
“Why did you come over?”
Sam gave her a blank stare. He shook his head as if to clear it. “Yes, I wanted to tell you that I booked your car into the garage for body repairs. You can drop it off at lunch time.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, pressed the side and swiped his thumb over the screen. “What’s your number? I’ll text you the details, and that way you’ll have my number to phone me so I can collect you once you drop your car off.”
Stunned, Riley stared at him.
“Riley, what’s your number?”
When she still didn’t answer, Sam glanced up, his arresting blue-gray gaze locking on her face. Numerous thoughts muddled her mind. Why would he book her car in for repairs without consulting her?
Sam blew out a breath. “Don’t get mad. I know the guy who owns the garage and he owes me a favor. He can fix your bumper in a matter of minutes. It’s sorted. All you have to do is drop the car off then collect it once it’s done.”
“You’re paying to fix my car?”
“I see no point in going through our insurance companies for such minimal damage.”
“You haven’t answered my question, Sam. Are you paying to have my car repaired?”
“I told you, the owner of the garage owes me a favor. Jon is happy to do the repairs on your car.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Maybe it’s time you got a chance to see that not all men are untrustworthy.”
“But I crashed into you. I should be the one paying for the damage I caused.”
“Then you cooked me a delicious dinner and organized my files. Let’s call it even.” He tapped the screen again. “Now give me your number.”
Tears pricked her eyes. Why did he have to be so sweet?
Chapter Six
After Sam’s considerate gesture, how could Riley find it in her heart not to help him out? She couldn’t, and that’s why she was now on her second week working for Sam. Now that the teething problems were out of the way, she loved her job.
Riley knocked then poked her head around Sam’s door.
Each aspect of him she discovered seemed sexier than the last. Sam, Attorney at Law was a thing of beauty. When she first started, she’d worried that her attraction to him would get in the way of her ability to do her job, but once she settled in she found working with him surprisingly enjoyable.
He glanced up from the open file he was reading. “Hi, Riley, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’m heading off. Do you need anything before I leave?”
“Another cup of coffee would be great. I think I might be here for a while.”
“Coffee, got it.” She closed the door and headed off to brew Sam a fresh pot. He’d been working late the last few days. She noticed his car pull into his drive around ten each night and found herself worrying about how hard he worked.
It was one thing to have ambition and another to let it drive you into the ground. As much as she’d like to encourage Sam to look after himself, it really wasn’t her business, she was only his employee.
That didn’t stop her worrying about him.
Riley carried the mug of fresh coffee back to Sam’s office. He didn’t look up this time when she entered. “I’ll try not to tip this one into your lap,” she said with a light chuckle.
“Ha-ha.” Sam’s sarcastic imitation of laughter made Riley chuckle again. “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, his gaze still fixed on the file in his hands.
They’d been getting on so much better than she had imagined. Sam was fab to work with, and while he drove himself hard and expected high standards from his employees, he never made her feel like she couldn’t make a mistake.
He unconsciously reached out and selected a candy heart sweet from the pack on his desk in front of him. When he popped it into his mouth and bit into the sweet, Riley mock gasped.
Sam glanced up. “What?”
“Busted.” She laughed as she plunked down on the chair in front of his desk. “And there I was thinking you didn’t have any vices.” She pointed to the candy hearts.
“Guilty.” He dropped another sweet into his mouth and grinned. “I got hooked on them in college. Want one?” He offered her the bag of sweethearts.
“Sweets before dinner? Very bad.” But she reached out and took one. “Thanks.” Riley glanced at the candy between her fingers. “Do you ever look to see what you get?”
It wasn’t until her mind registered the lettering on the heart that her breath snagged in her throat. A random phrase, so why did it feel like someone was trying to tell her something?
&nbs
p; Sam shook his head, his gaze returning to the file he’d been reading. “No, why do you ask?”
“Mine says KISS ME AGAIN.” She held up the little heart for him to see.
Sam’s head slowly raised, his gaze bypassed the candy and locked on hers. He switched his attention to the little pink heart, then did something completely at odds with the intense expression he’d worn a moment before. He laughed—a soft chuckle that cloaked itself around her like a warm cuddle and unleashed that seductive dimple in his left cheek. His gaze came back to hers and his expression sobered.
“I’d have to kiss you first before I can kiss you again.” The low intimate timbre of his tone sent a prickle over her, tightened her skin.
To disguise the sudden wired sensation in the pit of her stomach, Riley popped the sweet into her mouth, smiled then shrugged. “Well, there’s that.”
Even from the distance of his desk that separated them, Riley noticed the way his gaze dipped to her mouth then darkened as she crunched the chalky sweet.
“C’mere.” His voice, richer, darker, and sexier caressed her.
Riley gulped against the tension constricting her throat; her heart pounded in anticipation as she swallowed the chewed candy. “I don’t think that would be wise, Sam.”
“I’m not asking you to be wise, Riley. I’m asking you to come over here.”
“Why? Do you need me to look at something in that file you were reading?” She kept a playful smile in place as she thought of a way to ease out of yet another potentially awkward moment she’d created with Sam. She was pretty sure she’d make a fool of herself if she closed the space between them.
“Riley.” Her insides liquefied whenever he said her name with such command. “Come here.” With that rusty edge to his usually smooth voice, she couldn’t help but obey.
She slowly pushed to her feet and, on shaky legs, she moved around the desk toward him. “Sam?”
He stood, closed the remaining space between them. “Say my name again.”
“Sam…” This time it came out breathy and needy. No matter how hard she tried, Riley just couldn’t fight the attraction that had been tormenting her for longer than she cared to admit. She fancied Sam from the moment she first met him that morning almost three months ago as they both set off to work.
She raised her chin, met his gaze knowing he’d see desire in hers. The air between them pulsated. This time she made no attempt to hide her need.
“You’re incredibly distracting, do you know that?” Sam’s finger grazed her cheek, followed the curve and warmed her skin.
“So are you.”
“What do you think we should do about this unfortunate situation?” He captured a tendril of her hair that had escaped from her updo.
“We could ignore it.” Riley sucked in a shaky breath, breathed in Sam’s woodsy spice scent.
“You see, I already tried that. It isn’t working for me.” His gaze focused on the hair between his fingers, his voice dropped to an intimate murmur. “I just keep thinking about kissing you.” His gaze flicked back to hers. “Every time you bring me coffee, I want to pull you down onto my lap and kiss you.”
Riley’s breath got trapped in her throat. “Sam…” she whispered. “You’re my boss. Isn’t there a rule about fraternizing with your subordinates?”
His gaze dipped to her lips, traced their shape until they stung with burning need.
“I don’t want to fraternize with you, Riley. I just want to kiss you.” His bold admission gave her tummy twirls. Without further delay, Sam took the last step and sealed his lips to hers.
She slid her palms up over his delicious chest to his wide shoulders as she returned his kiss before Riley finally did what she’d wanted to for weeks. She cupped his jaw between her hands and got the answer to the question she’d pondered. How would his stubble feel against her palms?
Soft.
And so sexy she couldn’t hold in a sigh of pleasure. His arms snaked around her, drew her against his body as he deepened the kiss. If this was the only kiss she’d have with Sam, she was going to make the most of it. In a bold move, she snuck her tongue into his mouth, rewarded when Sam groaned deep in his throat and turned the kiss into a scorching erotic caress so deep and hot it left them both breathless.
When he released her, Riley thanked the heavens that he hadn’t let go of her completely or she would have melted to the cream loop pile carpeted floor.
His mouth found the side of her neck on the sensitive area just below her ear. A shiver of pleasure zipped through her as he trailed succulent kisses down her neck. “Remind me…what was written on that candy heart?”
“Kiss Me Again.” Riley barely got the phrase out around the tightness in her chest. Barely heard her words over her drumming heartbeat.
“Ah yes, silly of me to forget.”
Then he kissed her again—deeper, longer, more intense. A kiss of shared fiery desire, now started couldn’t easily be extinguished.
“Come home with me, Riley.” Sam’s hoarse whisper feathered her lips.
Chapter Seven
Riley slipped inside her villa and hit the light switch. She still couldn’t believe she’d said no to Sam.
Thankfully, although shocked by her answer, he’d been a gentleman and allowed her to leave without making a fuss. Now her body hated her for that decision. In truth, she’d longed to say yes and take what he offered, but Riley wasn’t a casual kind of girl and Sam didn’t strike her as a forever kind of man. But really, was it so bad to have just one night of total bliss with a guy? Probably not the best idea when that guy was not only your boss but also your neighbor. What if he was a terrible lover? How would she face pretending it was amazing? Especially when she couldn’t avoid him? Plus she still had Beto’s wedding to attend. She’d never be able to make Beto think she’d moved on and was in love with Sam if she had to spend her time trying not to let Sam see how much she regretted making love with him.
Yet, she knew from the way Sam kissed that he would be an amazing lover. No one who kissed a girl dizzy could be anything else. Riley kicked off her black-and-white heels, and padded barefoot to her kitchen. There was no denying the truth. She regretted saying no to Sam. Now, instead of a torrid evening between the sheets, all she had to look forward to was leftovers and a lonely night in front of the TV.
She pulled open the fridge door and peered inside. She didn’t want food, she wanted Sam. Since he wasn’t in the fridge, but her leftover banoffee pie was, she settled for the pie. No use in pretending she wasn’t going to finish the whole half a pie. Riley retrieved the dessert, grabbed a spoon from the drawer beside the fridge and padded back to the sitting room.
“Stupid woman,” she berated herself as she balanced the pie dish on one hand and pointed the remote control at the wall-mounted TV.
“Come home with me, Riley.” She deepened her voice to imitate Sam’s deep baritone, then changed it to a pitch much higher than her own.
“Oh no, Sam, I can’t. We work together.”
“Stupid woman, you might as well have said: but I can’t, you won’t respect me in the morning.” She jabbed the pie with her spoon and shoveled up a spoonful. She thrust it into her mouth, but even the cool creamy taste of banana and toffee did nothing to make things better.
“Stupid woman,” she muttered around a mouthful of pie. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” In went another giant bite. And still she muttered. “The next time a guy kisses you until your toes curl and asks you to go home with him—say yes, idiot!”
If she could only rewind time back to when Sam had kissed her this evening, there was no way she’d make the mistake of saying no. In fact, if he was to turn up on her doorstep right now, she’d ditch the pie—sorry pie—and show him how bendy she could be.
And maybe if she could find what she did with her phone she might be brave enough to text him words to that effect.
Yeah, if only.
****
Sam finally called it a night around nine
. Not that he got anything done after Riley rejected him. It had been a while since the last time he’d wanted a woman bad enough to disregard etiquette. He was only glad Riley had enough sense to stop him before he made a mess of their work relationship. To give into his hormones and sleep with her would have been a big mistake. What if she got weird and expected more from him? What if she mistook his need to assuage the sexual frustration he’d accumulated working in such close proximity with her as something more? What if she thought sleeping with him meant the start of a serious relationship?
Sam didn’t do serious relationships and he got the feeling Riley wasn’t a casual fling kind of girl. He should be thanking God for the lucky escape, not silently fuming because she told him “no”.
As he stalked through the office, he nearly stepped on an object on the floor beside Riley’s desk. Stooping, he picked it up.
Riley’s cell phone.
He was about to leave it on her desk when he remembered that she didn’t have a landline. For that matter, neither did he. Not many people bothered with landlines anymore, keeping their cell phones as a sole communication mode instead. If she left it here, she’d be without any way of calling out if she found herself in need of help. Sam dithered over the decision he knew he had to make. Leave Riley’s phone on her desk for her to retrieve it in the morning, or deliver it to her tonight.
If he left it here, he’d spend the night worrying about her safety. If he took it for her, he’d have to brave seeing her so soon after she rejected him. The best way to show her he was cool with her decision was to take her phone home with him and deliver it to her door.
****
The knock at the door saved Riley from finishing off the pie. She reluctantly placed the dish on the sofa next to her, un-tucked her legs, and dragged herself to the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, but May-May had a habit of stopping by for a chat on her way home after closing the shop. Riley didn’t mind because May-May always brought pie.
She opened the door with a welcoming smile that froze when she realized who stood outside her door.
Kiss Me Again Page 4