A loud whistle split the air, and she jerked her head up. Nigel chuckled and then tapped her on the nose, “Come on, that’s Artie. We need to get back.”
“Artie?” she asked in confusion.
“The guy who drove us over here.”
“Oh! Is he ready to go?” she wondered how much time had gone by.
“Yes. That whistle means he’s giving us five more minutes to get down to the boat.”
Nigel led her back to the marina, and Artie was kind enough to drive them to the closest marina to the small apartment she was borrowing.
They held hands as they walked the six blocks back to her apartment in silence. Romantic silence.
Chapter 9
Nigel was amazed. He’d never been able to just walk and be still with a woman. Normally they talk all the time and want something from me. Clara apparently wanted nothing from him –except himself.
He still felt the burning need to possess her. That kiss had promised so much more. He’d done his best to control himself back on the island, but if Artie hadn’t blown his whistle … I’m not sure I would have been able to stop!
Holding Clara’s hand him feel so happy. I want to protect her and at the same time explore her and feel how she reacts. I want her! I love her!
He led her up to the doorstep of her apartment building and she turned towards him. “Nigel, thank you for showing me the island. It was the most romantic experience I’ve ever had.”
Her upturned face shouted, “Kiss me.” He obeyed the silent demand, leaning down and placing his lips upon hers. Man, you’re standing outside in full view of everyone on the street.
All thoughts of stopping the kiss faded away, once he felt her warm and eager lips. His hands wandered down her back until they rested on her lower back. When he deepened the kiss, her body arched into his and suddenly the kiss took on a whole different feeling.
It was feverish, it was raw, and it was real!
When he felt her squirming in his arms, he lifted his head and gentled his kisses. This took several long minutes, but was well worth the wait. When Clara opened her eyes and he saw the desire swimming in their brown depths, he barely contained his groan of frustration.
When she opened her mouth to speak, he quickly placed a finger over her lips, “Shhh!”
“But…”
“Shhh!” he backed up the command with a soft kiss upon her lips.
Clara shook his finger off and then tried again, “Do you want to come in?”
He examined her quizzically. He wanted nothing more than to come in, but he didn’t want to take advantage of her. She’d drunk several glasses of wine during dinner and he loved her too much to risk that she’d feel awkward or ashamed afterwards.
“I should probably let you get some sleep. You had quite a bit to drink.”
“I’m not drunk and I’m not tired. Are you sure you won’t come in?”
Nigel looked into her eyes and then mentally shook his head. Normally he wouldn’t think twice about taking a beautiful woman up on an invitation to join her in her apartment. Clara isn’t every other woman!
*****
Clara was having second thoughts as she watched Nigel try to decide whether or not he wanted to come in. Given the level of their attraction to each other, her invitation was a blatant offer for sex. And looking at Nigel, it was plain to see he knew exactly what she offered.
This is so not your usual style, girl! She wasn’t the type of girl who jumped right into bed with someone she’d just met. For some reason, she didn’t have any reservations about Nigel.
Nigel didn’t answer her question; he simply took her key from her hand and followed her inside.
They barely made it to her room before they were tearing at each other’s clothing. What had been started with the romantic kiss on the island, now ended in a feverish longing for each other. She removed her shoes, her dress, and her stockings. That left her in the lace demi bra and matching thong panty.
Clara was so intent on removing her clothes quickly, she didn’t realize Nigel had stopped removing his own and stood across the room staring at her. “You are absolutely gorgeous!”
She looked up and gasped with sheer desire. Nigel had removed all of his clothes by this time, and as her eyes moved downward, she felt her body warming and softening in all the right places. A wave of heat rushed through her and her nipples tightened. “You’re …”
Nigel grinned at her, and then stalked her across the room, “Don’t worry about it.” He reached her and pulled her flush against his body before dropping his head and taking her lips in a kiss filled with promise.
He backed her up to the bed and then pushed her down, following her as she scooted to the middle of the large bed. His hands pulled her panties off, tossing them over his shoulder before dropping his head to acquaint himself with her body.
She arched into his touch, her hands grabbing his thick hair, murmuring little moans of pleasure. What is he doing to me? I’ve never been this hot for a man this quickly.
Nigel worked his way back up her stomach, deftly removing her bra before taking her breasts into his palms, caressing and squeezing them. Clara moaned louder, when he put one of her nipples into his mouth, teasing her with his tongue, while at the same time reaching with his hand for her most intimate parts. She felt how wet and ready she was for him and wanted more. Fast. Feverish. Strong.
When he finally let her breast go, he pushed himself between her thighs at the same time he captured her lips in a kiss meant to ravish and possess. He paused for a quick moment to put on protection and then she felt him settle between her thighs. She arched into the velvet steel of his erection, helping him sink into her warmth in one long glide of sensation.
“You feel amazing!”
Clara answered with another moan, arching beneath his hands and then digging her heels into his back. Before she could worry if that move was too bold, she felt him getting even bigger and harder inside her. He began to thrust into her in a steady rhythm. Oh my god, at that pace I won’t last long!
Their intense desire for each other had them both crest the peak a few moments later. Clara’s body burst out into an orgasm that sent shock waves through her entire body and soul. Nigel collapsed over the top of her, murmuring her name over and over again. “Clara!”
He excused himself to use the bathroom, and returned with a warm cloth for her. She snuggled up into his arms when he climbed back into the bed. When she felt him squeeze her shoulder, she looked up into his eyes, amazed at the loving look he directed her way.
“I’m sorry, I have a very busy day tomorrow and need to stop by the office to finish some work.”
She tried to hide her disappointment from him. Of course he had things to do tomorrow. He lived here and had a job.
“I have a very important meeting tomorrow. If things go well, I hope to have a new assistant working for me by tomorrow night.” There it was again, his wicked grin. “This should give me more free time to repeat what we just did.”
“Well, in that case, I hope things go extremely well for you,” she told him, watching as he left the bed and put his clothes back on. He was gorgeous! Clara wrapped a sheet around her chest and pushed herself up in the bed, reclining against the headboard.
He tucked his tie into the pocket of his suit jacket and returned to the side of the bed, “Thank you for a lovely night. I wish things weren’t so hectic for the next three days, but that’s how things work in this business. Want to plan something for the weekend?”
She nodded, wondering at his reference to “this business” and wishing she’d asked him more questions about his occupation. “Sure. I’d love to.”
“Good. I have something very special in mind. Just for you.” Nigel leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her forehead before leaving and heading back out into the dark night.
*****
The driver was waiting for Nigel as he exited Clara’s apartment, and he had him drive him back to his office.
He’d spent so much time daydreaming today; he was still looking at several hours of correspondence before he could call it a night.
He arrived at his office just before midnight, immersing himself into work with a satisfied smile on his face. When he finally came up for air, he noticed with shock that it was already 3 a.m. It was time to get some much-needed sleep.
Back in his own apartment, his thoughts were fixed on Clara and how wonderful the time with her had been. I guess I’m falling in love with her. True love! This is so different.
Nigel climbed into his own bed, setting the alarm so that he would have enough time to shower and shave in the morning. He wanted to be bright and alert for the meeting with the fresh young aspirant in the morning. Not only does this applicant need to impress me, but also I need to impress her! She’ll give me the free time to spend with Clara.
Chapter 10
Clara waited until Nigel had left before heading towards the shower. She was so keyed up, that even after a hot shower, she couldn’t calm down, let alone sleep. Glancing at the clock, she calculated the time difference between New York and California and then grabbed her cell phone to tap off a text to Karen.
“You will never guess…”
She intentionally didn’t put anything else. Within a few seconds, her phone rang. Her best friend Karen didn’t disappoint her. She’d still been awake and immediately called back.
“Spill it!”
“Hey, I was afraid you might already be asleep.”
“About to. But, why aren’t you asleep? And what’s with the cryptic message?”
“I met the most romantic guy in the world at the airport. Karen, he makes me feel so special. I’ve never felt this way about a guy before. He even called me ‘delightful’.”
Karen laughed, “That’s a funny word to say.”
“Yes, but when he says it, it sounds warm, and true and makes me feel loved.”
“Wow! That’s moving fast.”
“I know, right? But something about this guy just fits!” She knew she wasn’t making a whole lot of sense, but none of her emotions about Nigel made sense. They’d known each other for less than forty-eight hours, yet it felt like they’d known each other forever.
She continued to drool over gorgeous Nigel until even her best friend couldn’t take any more. Karen told her to go to sleep now and wished her luck on her interview the next day, which sent her into panic mode. The interview! She had gotten so caught up in Nigel that she’d completely forgotten about the interview with the owner of the Bella label.
Clara laid out her clothing for the next day and then hit the bed, falling asleep without trouble. Her sweet dreams included Nigel and a bright future for herself.
The next morning, she woke up early and took her time getting ready to meet that guy from Bella. She hadn’t found time to google his name yesterday, having spent too much time sightseeing, and then last night…Well, last night the last thing on her mind had been doing a Google search on some guy whose name she didn’t even recognize!
When she was ready and had passed her own critical inspection in the mirror, she pulled her laptop from the carrying case. While she waited for it to log on to the apartment’s internet signal, the phone rang.
“Hello?”
It was Sara. “Good morning Clara. Are you ready for your interview with Mr. Jacobs?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Perfect. Here’s the address. I’ll be waiting for you out front in forty-five minutes.”
“Great. I’ll be there.” She listened as Sara disconnected the call. Forty-five minutes? I need to hurry up. Not being familiar with New York City yet, she had no idea where the address Sara had given her was. She checked the internet for instructions how to get there, and then glanced at her watch one last time.
Though she really wanted to research the man she was going to meet, she just didn’t have the time to spare. It was high time to leave, if she wanted to be punctual. On the way to her interview, her phone vibrated and a message from Nigel had arrived. “Hope you had sweet dreams, Ms. Delightful. Waiting for the weekend. Kisses Nigel.” Her heart made a jump. He’d thought of her!
In that moment she arrived in front of the newer office building, a large sign bearing the Bella logo affixed to it. She could barely contain her excitement.
Sara arrived a few moments later. She told her that Bella was a fairly new company. They currently had around thirty employees in the headquarters and a few more employees who worked in the only flagship store in New York City.
Clara smiled when Sara mentioned this, priding herself on having already visited that particular store. “I hope I don’t screw this up,” she murmured as they entered the building.
Sara touched her arm and offered her a reassuring smile, “Just rely on your portfolio. You are so talented, don’t worry. And Nigel is such a nice guy, you’ll like him.”
Nigel? That seems to be a popular name around here. She tried to contain her excitement upon hearing Nigel’s name. And how wonderful last night had been.
When she realized Sara had been talking to her, and she hadn’t heard a word she’d said, she forcibly pushed her Nigel to the back of her mind. She needed to take her thoughts off him and concentrate on the meeting. It was imperative to make a good impression.
Clara used an old trick she’d learned in college when confronted with two opposing items that seemed at odds with one another. Her Nigel was good looking with green eyes and he was in his early thirties.
To keep the two names separate, she used the exact opposite of Her Nigel. She imagined the owner of the designer label to be old, bald and with a big belly. That made her giggle and she instantly felt much more relaxed.
She followed Sara into the elevator, not surprised when the doors re-opened on the top floor. The lobby was very well appointed, and the receptionist desk was empty.
“Come on, Nigel said he’d wait on us in his office.”
The moment they entered the room a man in a large chair turned to look at them. She froze. It’s him! It’s My Nigel!
He looked as shocked as she was. She noticed Sara observing the silent interaction between Nigel and herself.
“Hi Nigel, this is Clara Bradford. Clara, this is Nigel Jacobs.” Clara still had a perplexed look on her face, even after the introductions had been made. Her Nigel and the man who owned Bella are the same? Had he ever told me what he did for a living? All of a sudden the fashion magazine made perfect sense!
There was an awkward moment of silence, but Nigel quickly regained his composure and was all business. “Hello Miss Bradford, nice to meet you.”
Clara stood there, staring at Nigel with a look on her face that showed her confusion. Taking her clues from his behavior, she realized that he didn’t want Sara to know that they had ever met. It hurt. Why didn’t he at least smile at her?
She did her best to play along and conceal the effect being in Nigel’s presence was having on her.
The whole meeting was rather strange. Nigel invited them to have seats in front of his desk and then he took possession of her portfolio. Clara bit the inside of her bottom lip as he thumbed through the sketches. I really hope he likes what he sees!
He hated everything he saw. “Miss Bradford, why do you think this particular line is more attractive than a more traditional cut?” He turned her portfolio around, showing her the sketch she had used to create the suit she’d been wearing in the airport the first time they’d met.
She was near to tears, when he openly criticized everything from the lines of a sketch, to the color schemes, to the shoes she had paired with each outfit. He doesn’t like anything I’ve done!
He occasionally looked up at her and the hard and cold look in his eyes kept her from even attempting to defend her choices. Next to her, she could see Sara watching both of them in total confusion.
“Nigel…,” she began as he finished looking at the portfolio, but he cut her off.
“Sara?” he replied with a r
aised brow and a look in his eyes that just dared her to argue with his assessment.
Clara watched as Sara tried to formulate a response to him, and when he simply stared her down, Clara’s throat tightened. He’s trying to find any and all reasons not to hire me as his assistant designer!
She moved her eyes from Nigel’s dark gaze to find Sara looking at her with sympathy. Realizing that she was only moments away from embarrassing myself, Clara let Sara see her desperation to leave the meeting without creating a huge scene. Nigel was acting like a total bastard, and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of making her cry.
She glanced at his face one last time and then dropped her eyes to her lap. Taking shallow breaths, she attempted to stem the tears threatening to fall, and hoped he would dismiss them soon. What happened to the loving man I’d slept with last night? This man is not even someone I would have coffee with, let alone the hottest sex in my life. What on earth is going on here?
Chapter 11
I’m acting like a complete asshole! Nigel looked at Clara sitting across from him with her head down and her shoulders moving as if she was taking barely controlled breaths. He let his gaze connect with Sara’s and knew he wouldn’t get out of having to explain himself.
He leaned back in his desk, when Sara asked Clara if she’d please give her a few moments alone with him. Clara readily agreed and left the conference room as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. Way to go, Nigel! You’ve just managed to destroy the only woman in years that actually made you smile and want to be a better man! Idiot!
Sara waited until Clara had exited the room and then she narrowed her eyes at him, “What is wrong with you? This girl is clearly talented and you pick on the tiniest details?”
He looked at her and tried not to let her know how accurate her assessment had been. “She’s not…”
“Oh, don’t give me that line of bull crap!” Sara told him, pointing a finger in his direction. “She would be a perfect fit for your team and you know it.”
Stubborn Love - A Contemporary Romance: Falling for Him (Falling for Him Contemporary Romance Series Book 6) Page 4