by Sophia Renny
A waitress appeared. Everyone else had already placed their order. Maggie quickly scanned the menu before deciding on some whole wheat toast and a cup of coffee.
“That’s it?” Mike asked.
“I’m not that hungry,” she hedged. “I guess I’m too nervous to eat much.”
“You have nothing to be nervous about,” he assured her. But his tone was too jovial; she saw the panic lurking beneath his smooth, salesman façade.
“I still don’t understand why this couldn’t have been handled on a web conference call,” Kayla sniped.
“Because the client wanted to meet her in person,” Tim reminded her placidly.
“You’re our multi-million dollar baby, Maggie,” Rob said. “Are you ready to face Jason Armitage?”
Oh, was she ever. She swallowed a bubble of laughter. If they only knew. Especially Kayla. Maggie would just love to wipe that smirk off of the other woman’s face once and for all. But she nodded demurely. “Of course! I think we all might be making too much of this. I have a good feeling that he’ll hire us.”
But deep inside she felt a twinge of doubt. Would he? He hadn’t said that he liked the campaign. Maybe he’d want her to change it completely. And what happened next in their relationship? Already she was grieving the impending distance between them. She’d be flying back to Des Moines that afternoon. Over a thousand miles would separate them.
Rob’s voice filtered through her tumultuous thoughts. “…so when we get there, Maggie, let me make the introductions. I’ll then turn it over to you to field his questions, but you need to throw any logistical questions back to Mike or me. You just talk about the storyline. Maybe he just wants to know how you came up with the idea. How about…”
He droned on. Oh, heaven forbid. How would she explain—in front of everyone—where the idea had come from? Now she really did feel nervous. But she nodded her head in agreement, murmured her acquiescence here and there as needed, and let her thoughts drift back to room 1208 and tangled bed sheets drenched with his scent. She wiggled in her seat.
“Ready, then?” Mike said, tugging her arm as he slid out of the booth.
“You bet!”
The limo ride to Jagz Headquarters took less than ten minutes. Mike took charge of getting their visitor passes at the street level security desk before leading them to the elevators. The Jagz offices occupied the top two floors. As the elevator ascended, Maggie wondered if Jason owned the entire building or just rented the space. She hadn’t given a thought to how wealthy or powerful he might be. Honestly, she didn’t care. Such superficialities weren’t what had attracted her to him in the first place. She smiled to herself, recalling the rich, velvet tone of his laughter that first night, the discreet exchange of glances across a busy hotel lounge, the expression of mutual desire. Six months ago. It seemed just like yesterday.
A young woman greeted them at the reception desk as they exited the elevator. “Hello again,” she said, nodding to the other four. She gave Maggie a warm smile. “And you must be Miss Edwards. Mr. Armitage is expecting you.”
“Great,” Mike said. “We’re all looking forward to meeting him.” He placed his hand in the small of Maggie’s back.
There was a moment of hesitation in the woman’s polished demeanor. “Let me show you all to the conference room. Follow me, please.”
The conference room was at the end of a wide hallway that was lined with glassed-in offices. One or two employees glanced up as the entourage passed by, but most seemed elbows-deep in work. The atmosphere smacked of quiet, focused efficiency. The receptionist opened a pair of wide maple doors and directed them in to a large conference room. A huge maple and glass conference table was the centerpiece of the room, flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows that offered views of the surrounding buildings.
They were up high enough that Maggie caught a glimpse of the Empire State Building. Unaware of Mike following her, she went to the windows to better appreciate the view.
“Neat, huh?” Mike said, the Iowa farm boy peeking through his smooth salesman exterior. “I just love New York.”
Maggie nodded as she stared down at the bustling street below.
“If we have time before the flight this afternoon,” he went on, “I’d like to show you around. Times Square is just a few blocks away. You’ve got to see it.” He touched her shoulder, his fingers brushing along the edge of her scarf. “How about it, Mags?”
Someone cleared his throat loudly behind them. Maggie spun around, already knowing who had entered the room.
Jason stood in the doorway, cool and austere. His eyes, laser-sharp, stared directly at her before sliding briefly to where Mike’s fingers still rested on her shoulder. A faint tinge of color stretched across his cheekbones. His eyes flickered away, including everyone in his smooth greeting as he said, “So this is the Pelham and Mason team. Thanks for staying an extra day. I trust it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience.”
Maggie stepped away from Mike’s touch. God, Jason looked so handsome in his charcoal gray suit and tie. But why was he angry? It wasn’t so evident that the others would notice, but she knew he was ticked off about something.
Rob stretched out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Armitage. I’m Rob Pelham and this is my business partner, Tim Mason.”
Jason shook their hands and then Kayla’s as Rob introduced her.
Mike stepped forward. “I’m Mike Brosky, sir. I’ll be your account executive. That is, if you decide to run with our ideas. And I sincerely hope you do.” His last word ended with a slight, grimacing sound. Maggie glanced at their clasped hands. Jason looked to be about two seconds away from breaking Mike’s hand.
“And I’m Maggie Edwards,” she said quickly, moving forward and holding out her hand.
Only Maggie saw the sneer in Jason’s expression as he released Mike’s hand and turned towards her. She lifted one eyebrow. Really? What are we, twelve? Amusement slowly curved the sneer into a smile. “Maggie,” he murmured, taking her hand. “Short for Margaret?”
She bit down a surge of laughter. “Just Maggie.”
He rubbed the pad of his thumb against her palm before slowly releasing her hand. “Well, Just Maggie, I’d like to speak with you privately. The receptionist was to take you to meet me first. Would you come with me please?”
She felt her face turn cherry red at the slight, almost indecipherable emphasis he put on the word come. She had to look away from the hot need that instantly flared in his eyes. Rob was making animated eye rolls, clearly demanding that she keep Jason in the room. Tim looked flummoxed. Kayla looked jealous. Mike had retreated to one corner, cradling his hand.
“Uh, yes, of course,” she murmured, ignoring Rob’s frustrated gestures as she followed Jason out of the room.
He adjusted his stride so that she could catch up with him. He gave her a sideways glance. “Tired?” he asked in a low voice.
“Strangely, no. I could run a marathon.”
He grinned. “I know what you mean.”
He took her through the reception area towards another set of maple doors. The receptionist looked up from her computer. “Sorry about that, Jason.”
“It’s okay, Katie.”
He steered Maggie through the doorway into an outer office. An older woman, his executive assistant, Maggie assumed, greeted him. “Would you like me to bring in some coffee, Jason?”
He looked inquiringly at Maggie. She shook her head. “No thanks, Emily,” he said smoothly. “Please see that we’re not disturbed.”
“You got it.”
Yet another door led into a spacious office, almost the same size as the conference room, with similar windows looking out on the city. A large mahogany desk occupied one corner. A gorgeous Persian rug covered the center of the maple hardwood floor. A brown leather and suede sofa and two matching armchairs decorated another corner. Maggie soaked this all in during the three seconds it took for Jason to close and quietly lock the door before turning around a
nd yanking her into his arms. He plundered her mouth with a lush, ardent kiss. Her body sagged against his, her knees turning to water. She clutched at his shoulders. He grabbed her hips and pressed her against his burgeoning erection. A groan emanated from deep in his chest.
They were both gasping for breath when he eventually released her mouth. He panted in her ear. “Three hours and ten minutes since I last held you, sugar. Did you miss me?”
“You have to ask?”
She gave a muted shriek when he suddenly scooped her up into his arms. He strode over to the sofa and sat down with her draped across his lap. She settled into the curve of his arm, pressed her cheek against his chest as she looked up at him. He gazed down at her, the lines and grooves of his face relaxing into an expression of supreme contentment. They remained quiet for several minutes, simply soaking each other in.
She played with his tie. “You look so handsome in this suit,” she said, breaking the silence. “I love the way you took command of that room. It was so…manly.”
He chuckled. “Manly, hmm? Furious is more like it. I wanted to rip that idiots head off. How dare he touch my girl.”
“Yes, I figured that out pretty quickly. Mike’s harmless.”
His fingers dug into her hip. “It didn’t look that way from where I was standing. I heard him asking if he could show you the sights. Something going on there I should know about?”
“No,” she denied vehemently. “That’s the first time he’s, uh, made a play for me. I was shocked, actually. Talk about poor timing.”
“Indeed. Would you have considered him if you and I…?”
She shrugged. “I can’t lie. The thought crossed my mind a few times. But I didn’t want to get involved with anyone at work.” She rubbed her nose against his shirt-clad chest, breathing him in. “Besides, he wasn’t you. You’ve spoiled me for anyone else.”
“Have I?”
Her gaze sharpened on his. There’d been a serious, almost troubled undertone in his voice. Her breath faltered. “Yes.”
His forehead furrowed. “You’ve never dated anyone, Maggie. Never been in a relationship. Would that bother you down the road? Not having tested the waters before finally settling down?”
“Do you want me to, uh, test the waters, Jason?”
His grip tightened. “Hell, no.”
Her heart soared. Was he saying what she thought he might be saying? She fought to keep her features and tone even-keeled. “I’ve met several guys over the last six months, you know. I wouldn’t call them dates. I’d posted my profile on an online matching site. I chose a few men who looked like they had potential, exchanged emails. But nothing ever went beyond meeting for a cup of coffee. I didn’t consider those dates.”
His voice was just as even, but his body felt like it was on a taut leash. “None of them asked you out after the coffee meet up?”
“Well, yes, they all did.” She couldn’t hide how flattered this had made her feel. “But the problem was…none of them were you.”
“Oh, Maggie,” he said softly. “I don’t deserve such devotion.”
Her eyebrows knotted. “Why do you say that?”
“It isn’t always going to be sunshine and roses, sugar. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I have my moments, my bad days. And the sex might not always be as amazing as it has been.” He sounded almost awkward as he continued. “I, uh, just want to make sure you don’t have any, uh, high expectations about that. Remember, I hadn’t had sex in over four years. I haven’t gone three for three in one night since I was in my early twenties.”
She toyed with his collar button. She found his discomfort utterly endearing. “Hmm. Isn’t there a little blue pill to help with that?”
She gave a shout of laughter as he tilted her off of his lap, tossing her onto her back on the sofa. He followed her down, pushing his hips in between hers. He growled into her ear. “Feel that, Maggie Rose? You’re the only pill I need.”
“Oh, my,” she breathed, still teasing. “Clearly you don’t have anything to worry about in that department. Silly man.”
His laughter puffed against her cheek. As quickly as he’d thrown her down he hauled her back up again, returning her to her perch on his lap. “Let’s not get sidetracked just yet.” His expression turned serious again. “Do you get what I’m worried about, Maggie?”
“I have no comparisons to make, Jason. And I don’t care that there hasn’t been anyone else but you. Like you said in the diner, it’s more than just sex with us.” She traced her fingers across his furrowed brow. “Please don’t worry that I’m living in some kind of dream. I don’t expect perfection. There’s been so much pain in both of our lives. Don’t we deserve some happiness?”
He hugged her tightly. He kissed her forehead. “You are so damn beautiful,” he whispered.
They sat quietly for a few moments, his hands rubbing up and down her back. “I didn’t use a condom this morning,” he murmured. “Are you still on birth control?”
She nodded.
“Any chance…?”
“No. It’s not the right time.”
He brought one hand around to the soft swell of her lower belly. “You’ll look stunning pregnant. Do you, uh, have a timetable on having children?”
She tilted backwards against his bracing arm, her lips twitching with suppressed laughter as she studied his face. The uncertainties he’d revealed over the last few minutes were a stark contrast to the smooth executive demeanor he’d displayed in the conference room earlier. She was charmed. “I’d want to start a family as soon as I marry,” she assured him. “I’m not a career girl.”
He looked surprised. “Don’t you like your job?”
“Oh, I love it. I love doing anything that allows me to use my creative side. And I have a blast with my co-workers. Well, most of them. But these last six months have shown me that slaving around the clock in order to land a client isn’t my cup of tea. It’s gratifying when a client likes my work, but it’s a momentary gratification. I’ve had this nagging feeling that I need to do something more.”
“Like?”
She played with one of his shirt buttons, suddenly feeling shy. She’d never voiced this dream out loud before. “I want to help other women, girls who are dealing with struggles similar to what mine were, Jason. Girls are drowning in a deluge of what Hollywood and media tells them is the ideal woman. All the focus is on outward appearance. I want to help to empower girls, to build up their self-esteem, to help them discover the beauty that’s inside of them. There are some amazing nonprofit organizations out there with similar initiatives. I’ve been putting together an advertising campaign I think one of them could use. I want to volunteer with one or two of them, then maybe start a nonprofit of my own.”
“Maggie, I think that’s wonderful.”
She glanced up at him. “Do you?”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “Absolutely. Who better than you to teach girls what it truly means to be beautiful on the inside and out?”
She blushed.
“Do you know,” he mused, “I can’t think of any other woman of my acquaintance who blushes. When you blushed for the first time that night, that’s when I just knew you were someone special.”
“I never thought my blushes were attractive until you said so.”
“Mmm. I’m thinking of the million different ways I can make you blush. I think I can pull a lifetime of blushes out of you, Maggie mine.”
“You think?”
“Do you doubt me? I’ve been fantasizing about one of those million ways for the last six months. You. In this office. Bent over my desk.”
She tingled everywhere. She clenched her thighs together, feeling dampness spread between her legs. “For a guy who’s so spit and polished on the outside, you sure have a dirty mind.”
“All guys do. Some of us are better than others at hiding our true animal nature. I want to mark you. I want to pound my ches
t and shout to the world that you belong to me and only me.”
Maggie giggled. She reached for her scarf, undid the knot and slid the silk material from around her neck. “You already have.”
Jason’s blue eyes sparkled with pure male satisfaction. “Damn. Does it hurt?”
She smacked him on the chest. “No. And you don’t need to sound so proud. I’m going to have to wear scarves for the next week at least. I hope they don’t make me take this off at airport security.”
His face darkened. “What time is your flight?”
“Four o’clock.”
He appeared on the verge of saying more but, after a slight hesitation, he just shook his head. “We don’t have much time then.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve been in here for twenty minutes. Do you think we can stall them for another twenty?”
“Rob will be climbing the walls.”
“Too damn bad. I like to keep my vendors on their toes.”
“Oh! So you’re going to sign up with us?”
He pressed a finger to her gaping mouth. “Twenty minutes, Maggie. Do you really want to spend it talking about that campaign?”
She slowly shook her head. Giving him an impish smile, she sucked the tip of his finger into her mouth, laved it with her tongue.
“Holy fuck. The things you make me dream of when you suck me like that.”
She squirmed in his lap, feeling his erection, hard as a sledgehammer. “I love it when you say that word.”
“Fuck?”
“Yes. It gets me all hot and bothered.”
His eyes sparked. “So, I’m not the only one with a dirty mind. A match made in heaven.”
Her giggle held an edge of nervousness. “There’s something I’ve wanted to do since that first night.”