“I’ve been rather busy with work.” I can’t tell him. He’s like a dog with a bone.
“I forget, you’re all work and no play.”
“Unlike you, who thinks only with your cock and never your brain.”
Milo chuckles. “Maybe, but at least my cock gets the fun.”
“Idiot.”
“Jealous?”
Yes, but I won’t tell him that. My brother has had everything in life handed to him. My mother babied him whilst I had to work twice as hard for everything. He’s ten times smarter than I am, but couldn’t manage to get good grades because it meant he had to actually put the work in. I spent hours studying and still struggled. Milo has no idea how jealous I am of him most days.
“I’m going to try to sleep now,” I tell him, wanting off this call.
“Sure you are. Give me a ring tomorrow, and I’ll have the numbers for you.”
I don’t bother to tell him it is tomorrow for both of us because it won’t change anything. I’ll be happy if I get them by next week.
“Talk to you then,” I say and disconnect.
I fire up my laptop and start going through emails. I’m keyed up and pissed off, and I don’t even know why. Before bed, I cleaned out all important messages, within a matter of four hours, I have over a hundred new ones.
People wonder why I never take a vacation, this is why.
I delete a bit of junk, and then I see a name that causes my pulse to spike.
Nicole Dupree.
I open the email and smile.
* * *
Callum (Cal),
Thank you for the pizza today, it was amazing. I had a great time, and now that we’ve had some time together, I know you a little better and will be able to come up with some great designs.
I know you mentioned staying in the States a bit longer, so I wanted to see if we could have a meeting at my office on Friday? I should have some preliminary designs by then.
* * *
Best,
Nicole
* * *
First, she called me Cal, which I hate, but coming from her, I don’t mind. Second, she enjoyed today, and that is a victory. Third, she wants to see me again. All of these are wins in my column.
I can’t explain why these small things make me grin. In just one look, this woman got under my skin. She bewitched me, and I can’t stop thinking about her.
The timestamp from the email says she sent it ten minutes ago. Apparently, I’m not the only one up late.
Now, I need to be strategic and get her to agree to another day like today. I want her to see me, know me, and get out of her head. I don’t give a shit if I’m her client. I’m a man first, and I want her.
I know she wants me as well. Whatever stupid rules she has, I plan to make her forget.
* * *
Nicole (Nic),
You’re welcome for the meal, it was my pleasure. It seems my uncle was enamored with you as well since I’ve never seen such service before. I, also, enjoyed our time together. I do plan to stay in the States longer—mostly because I can’t seem to want to leave you.
A meeting would be great. However, why don’t we do it over dinner? This week is busy with meetings, but I’m free later on in the evenings.
Sincerely,
Callum (not Cal)
* * *
I re-read the email, delete the bit about not wanting to leave her because it doesn’t seem appropriate, and then send it.
Then I wait.
Sure enough, I get a response back.
* * *
Cal,
You seem to like dinner meetings a lot. That’s fine. I can do Friday night. By the way, why are you awake?
Best,
Nicole (definitely not Nic)
* * *
I’m grinning ear to ear as I respond.
* * *
Nicole,
I prefer not to eat alone, and if I can do it in the company of a beautiful woman, even better. Why don’t we do tomorrow instead? Friday is too far away, and I may be leaving before then.
I’m awake because I can’t sleep. What about you?
Sincerely,
Callum (note that I didn’t call you Nic . . . that should account for something.)
* * *
Another email in minutes.
* * *
Callum, (you’re welcome)
I won’t have designs done by tomorrow. It would be a frivolous meeting, and I’m sure you’re too busy for those. You know, running the empire you have and all. Let’s do Wednesday, that’s the earliest possible time I can manage. Is that okay?
Also, I figured you couldn’t sleep since you were emailing. I can’t get something off my mind, and it’s keeping me up.
Best,
Nicole
* * *
I know I promised her no flirting, but something niggles in my stomach, telling me that she needs to be pushed. I like to pride myself on knowing how to read people, but Nicole is a mystery.
The night we met, I swore I would’ve had her under me, screaming my name, clawing at my back. I would’ve worshipped her body, and we could’ve parted ways. I’d never met a creature like her before, and I was desperate to have her. Every sign pointed to a night neither of us would’ve forgotten.
But she ran.
She ran, and I’m determined to find out why.
Something scared her, and truth be told, I was terrified that I would not want to let her go once I had a taste.
She isn’t the girl you walk away from. I knew that the moment I saw her.
Whatever spooked her is fine because I’ve never been afraid of the chase.
I grab my phone and dial her number.
Chapter Thirteen
Nicole
What the?
Why is he calling me?
Shit.
He knows I’m awake. I can’t not answer since I just sent him an email three minutes ago. Damn it. I have to be a grown-up and pretend like I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night after having one hell of an erotic dream of him.
Okay, deep breath and answer the phone. You can do this. You are the fucking badass in your life, and this is just a stupid man with a big dick . . . you got this.
“Hi, Callum,” I say as though I wasn’t freaking the fuck out.
“Nicole. I figured this was easier.”
I snort. “What’s up?”
“We are.”
I laugh at the stupid answer. “That’s true. Did you need something?”
Other than a really good night of fucking . . .
“Coffee. I need coffee. My loft doesn’t have enough and I was hoping you might know where I could go for some.”
I put my laptop to the side of the bed and think. “Hmm, there’s not much open right now, besides, maybe it’s best to go back to sleep . . .”
“I doubt that will happen.”
“I’m the same. Once I’m up . . . I’m up.”
“It’s a curse, really,” Callum says, and I picture him in a pair of shorts, no shirt, with messy bed head.
God, he’s fucking hot. I wish he were here. I would recreate that damn dream in 4k UHD and surround sound. We’d break things while tearing each other’s clothes off. I’d bruise and not give a shit because it would be unbelievably off the charts. He’d burn me alive, and I’d take every lick of the flame.
“Why don’t you come over here? I have coffee,” I say and immediately clasp my hand over my mouth.
What the fuck was that? Oh my god. I freaking invited him here at one thirty in the morning. Jesus Christ.
He doesn’t reply, probably as taken aback by what I said as I am. After another second of silence, I give him an out—well, me an out.
“You don’t have to. I was just—”
“I’ll be right over.”
Great.
“Okay, for coffee,” I clarify.
“Yes. For coffee.”
And hopefully breakfast.
No. No breakfast. No nothing. Just coffee.
I don’t say anything and he clears his throat. “Nicole?”
“Yes. Sorry.”
“Text me your address.”
“Okay,” I say and then hang up the phone. In the back of my mind I know this is a bad idea, but too late to back down now.
Dear God, let me keep my pants on.
I take a very cold shower to try to cool down before he arrives. It’s been fifteen minutes and ten almost text messages trying to bail out. All of them sounded lame, and I figured it was best to suck it up, keep my distance, and hope this will all be just fine.
Maybe.
My doorman was informed of Callum’s visit, so now I wait.
Since my friends have no issue driving me nuts, I decide Kristin will be the recipient of tonight’s text. Mostly because she would know why I’m having a mild panic attack.
* * *
Me: I know you’re sleeping. But I have Callum on his way over here. My client, Callum. The guy I ran away from. I’m freaking the fuck out. You bitches never care about boundaries, so, here’s me not caring. Call me. Now. Please. Call. Me.
My phone rings a few seconds later.
“Seriously?” she says half asleep.
“I’m crazy, right?”
“Was never even a question,” Kristin says and grumbles. “What are you worried about?”
“Umm, sleeping with him. He’s coming over for coffee,” I inform her.
“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
She’s stupid. “Not funny.”
“No, what’s not funny is you texting me that I need to call you because you have a booty call coming over.”
It so is not that. She’s missing the point. If it were a booty call, I’d have done a quick vag check on the shaving, did my hair, and perked up the boobs, but instead, I’m having a fucking meltdown.
“It’s coffee, Kris. Coffee. No sex.”
“Lies you tell yourself.” She barely gets the jab out around a yawn.
“Why did I think you’d be the one to help the most?”
Kristin makes some noise in the background and then whispers to Noah. I hear a door close and smile. Good, she’s up. “I don’t know why you thought that, but my boyfriend is now going to make me pay for waking his ass up. That means you’re going to pay. Look, you’re freaking out because this is the first guy since the dickface to make you feel this way. The other guys you’ve done things with—things I try not to think about—were nameless faces. It was how you numbed your pain, and yes, you have pain.”
Whatever. I have issues because men are dumbfucks who hurt women for play. “It’s not like that.”
“Stop lying to yourself. You spent the day on your most favorite beach with him.”
“How—” I stop myself and then huff. “Fucking Heather.”
“Yes, Heather told me, get over it. Point is, you like Callum, and you know what? That’s good, Nic. It’s really good. It means you have a heart that’s not destroyed because of one person. Noah is the best thing that ever happened to me. He’s the man I wish I could give the years I wasted with Scott. But you know what? I can’t. All I can do is put that behind me and love him with all I am.”
“What if Callum isn’t the right guy?”
She sighs, and I picture her head tilted to the side as she answers. “Then you move on, but he could be everything. He could be the guy you’ve been waiting for. Don’t close yourself off because of your silly rules. I swear it was you who said rules were meant to be broken.”
I really hate it when my friends use my words against me.
“You’ve been super helpful.”
Kristin laughs. “Good to know. Now, I’m going back to bed. You’ll probably be doing the same soon enough?”
“I hate you.”
“Feeling’s mutual.”
“Asshole,” I grumble.
“Bitch.”
It’s funny because I am, in fact, a bitch. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait to hear. I love you, Nicole. Don’t let your past relationship determine the one in front of you. It’s not his fault that Andy was a complete piece of shit. Go get laid and smile a little.”
With that last tidbit, Kristin hangs up before I can reply.
Now, I need to decide what the hell to wear. Do I look cute and like I just woke up this way or do I want to look like I’m up and ready for the day?
Just woke up like this. Definitely.
I throw off my lounge pants and opt for really cute booty shorts with “sexy” written across the butt. I think it’s fitting, and then I head to the bathroom. Not wanting to oversell myself. I toss my hair into a messy bun and throw some mascara on.
Once I’m pleased with my appearance, I sit on the couch and listen to Kristin’s words bounce around like a pinball hitting the circles. There’s so much to think about, but she’s right. I’m basically dooming any man because one guy hurt me. Callum may not be the right guy for me, but what I do know is that it’s never a good idea to shit where you eat.
So, until this project is done, no sex.
Maybe I should go change into something that hides my legs?
There’s a loud knock on the door, and I jump.
Of course, I think about sex and then he shows up and I don’t have an option to change either. I really have the worst luck with this guy.
I open the door with a smile, and I swear I almost fall over.
He’s standing there in a pair of basketball shorts and a tight workout shirt that makes every single curve and dip in his chest visible. Jesus. Christ. I’ve died. As I make my way up to Callum’s face, his lips turn to a grin.
“Good morning.”
“Sure is,” I reply. I don’t even have the wherewithal to care that I’m totally flirting.
“Like the view?” he asks.
“I love things that rise, you know, the sun, heat, certain anatomy . . .”
Callum bursts out laughing. “I like you when you’re unguarded at two in the morning.”
I shake my head and pull the door open. “Come in. I have the coffee brewing.”
He enters my apartment and looks around. “If I had any doubts about hiring you, they’re gone now. Your place is breathtaking.”
So are you.
“Thanks,” I say instead.
He smiles. “Seems to me that all things pertaining to you are rather beautiful.”
My cheeks heat, and I want to slap myself. I’m freaking blushing like a sixteen-year-old. Dear God.
“Flattery will get you everywhere, right?”
Callum chuckles. “That’s what they say.”
We head into the kitchen, and I grab two mugs. I’m all about convenience with everything—except coffee. I used to watch my mom with her coffee press and think: Dear Lord, woman, get a coffee maker.
Then I tasted it.
It’s different, and once you have a little, you can’t ever go back.
I pour us both a cup, and we sit at the eat-in area. “Here you go.” I smile.
“Thank you. This already will be a million times better than the shit they have at the lobby of my loft.”
“So,” I say before I take a sip. “What had you unable to sleep?”
He shrugs. “A lot on my mind.”
Oh, I know that feeling.
“Same here.”
“You know, our list of things in common far outweighs our differences.”
“Really?” I lean back with my coffee cup.
Callum takes a sip and then grins. “You’re gorgeous, I’m rather good-looking. You have a father much like mine. You own your own company, as do I. You can’t sleep, and neither can I. There’s really only one thing we don’t agree on.”
I smile. “And what is that?”
“That we shouldn’t explore whatever it is that’s growing between us.”
My heart starts to race, and I push my hair back. “Callum.”
�
��Just listen.” He puts his hand up. “I know you have rules. I have them as well.” His voice is like warm sugar. “You’re missing one important thing about all of this.”
I lean forward, unable to keep the distance. He smells too good. His voice is too intoxicating. The way he looks is too much. I want him so badly that my insides physically hurt. He’s the damn forbidden fruit, and I’m Eve, wanting to swallow that damn apple whole. I’m strong, but damn it, I feel weak.
“What am I missing?” My voice is husky, even to my own ears.
“I’m not your client yet.”
And with that, he closes the distance and kisses me before I can do a damn thing.
Chapter Fourteen
Nicole
Kissing him is unlike anything else. I now understand the expression you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince.
Callum’s mouth is exactly what I like. Firm, yet yielding. Strong, yet gentle. And when our tongues touch, I swear I can’t breathe.
My hands tangle in his hair, keeping him exactly where I want him. I don’t care that while we technically haven’t signed our contract, he’s my client. I don’t care that this is a bad idea. It feels too good.
Everything about this is right.
It’s also so wrong.
He pushes the chair back before lifting me into his arms. We move until my back is pressed against the wall and his hard body is holding me captive there. Our lips don’t break away while we both battle for power. Callum, however, doesn’t relent. He toys with me, allowing me a moment to think I have control, but then it’s gone before I can grasp it completely.
It turns me on even more.
“God, your mouth,” Callum says, barely breaking away long enough to get the words out.
Not Until You Page 9