Late Nights

by Marie Rochelle

  Chapter Eight

  Hours after Holden left their uneventful poker game, Sterling sat alone in his dark study nursing a brandy and Coke. His mind kept replaying what his friend had told him about his fascination for Sasha, and he hated to admit Holden was absolutely right.

  Since Sasha came into his life, it seemed like his whole world changed for the better. It quickly went from unexciting and lackluster to filled with a variety of colors. It was like his mind and body was awakening to new and greater possibilities.

  Sasha helped him create excellence at Comforts Sleep Company with her brilliant thoughts and upbeat personality. Sasha constantly separated the chaos from his day without even trying.

  He almost allowed his grandfather’s legacy to go bankrupt because of his foolish, wounded pride. Now that he was older and had lived life a little more, Sterling understood how much precious time he had wasted allowing his past to have so much power over him. He exhausted too much of his energy trying to get back at his father. He could have used all of his confined resentment for something totally different and truly more productive.

  Sterling recognized a lot of his biggest mistakes because of Sasha. She probably could help him grasp so much more from his life if he stopped shoving her away anytime she got too close to him.

  He wasn’t going to waste another moment. He was going to take Holden’s advice. He wanted Sasha so badly his body ached from the desire to have her in his life and hopefully his bed.

  There wasn’t a doubt in his mind she cared about him because she showed it every time she came to work. Sterling had lost count how many times Sasha had worked late just to help him put the finishing touches on the showroom, despite the fact it wasn’t even her job. She could have left and had him doing it alone until the night crew showed up, but she hadn’t.

  Why couldn’t he have seen sooner what a diamond he had in Sasha?

  Now, all Sterling needed to do was hope Sasha accepted his apology for being an asshole, so they could move forward with the relationship he sensed they both wanted and craved.

  Setting his drink down on the table next to his chair, Sterling picked up the black cordless phone off the stand and quickly dialed Sasha’s phone number before he changed his mind. He would have to make the first move since she wasn’t about to approach him again.

  He was man enough to admit that he had done something wrong and he hoped that she would listen to him. He couldn’t keep shoving his attraction for Sasha away. He was going to jump in with both feet and see what would happen if they got involved.

  The phone rang several times and Sterling was about to give up hope Sasha might answer it until her sweet and familiar voice finally spoke to him.

  “Hello.”

  His heart skipped at beat at the sound. “Hello, Sasha, I was hoping you would be at home. We need to talk,” he blurted, telling her the first thing that came into his head.

  “Mr. Hamilton, why are you calling me?” Sasha asked, surprised. “Is there something wrong at work?”

  Of course, Sasha would think he was calling her about work. He never called her about anything else.

  “No, there’s nothing wrong with at work. I’m calling to see if you would like to have a drink with me tonight? I know it’s very short notice, but are you free?” Sterling held his breath while he waited for an answer.

  Sasha’s pause was so long that Sterling thought she had hung up on him, and he couldn’t blame her if she did. He might have ruined something very special forming between them.

  “Are you asking me out on a date?” Sasha asked, clearly taken back judging from the sound of her voice.

  Had it really been so long since he asked a woman out on a date that Sasha didn’t know what he was doing? He needed to get his act together in a hurry if he planned on romancing Sasha the way he wanted to do it.

  “Yes, I’m asking you out on a date. So, if you can give me about forty-five minutes I’ll be at your house.”

  Sterling couldn’t believe how well this was going. Sasha wasn’t still mad at him about the incident at work. He would finally be able to tell her how he felt. They could start seeing each other outside the workplace.

  “Mr. Hamilton, I’m sorry. I can’t have a drink with you,” Sasha said, shocking him. “I’m not the kind of woman you can call this late at night and think I’ll drop everything because you want me to do it. I need to go. I’ll see you at work next week.” The phone call ended with a click in his ear.

  Sterling glanced at the phone in his hand and then slammed it back down into its base. FUCK! What in the hell was he going to do now? Sasha was still pissed at him and he wasn’t clear how he was going to fix this mess he had made for himself.

  Without a doubt, Sasha was going to avoid him as much as she could now. But the one thing Sasha didn’t know about him was once he got his mind set on something or someone he wouldn’t give up until he got what he wanted.

  She better be prepared for him to turn on the charm, because she was in his sights and nothing was going to stand in his way. She was interested in him once and he could make it happen again for him. All he needed was the right idea and plenty of time.

  Chapter Nine

  “Will you go in the back and bring some fresh flowers for the entranceway?” Sasha asked the bellboy, handing him the vase filled with dead roses. “I think Tracie should be finished working on some new arrangements.”

  “Yes, Ms. Williams,” he replied and then turned toward the kitchen.

  She had been working close to sixteen hours straight. She wanted to make sure everything looked flawless at Luxury. She felt like she had neglected her duties here because of her infatuation with Sterling, but that part of her life was over. Her focus was redirected on making sure everything was taken care of while Rachelle was away celebrating being a married woman.

  Being a perfectionist came out in spades when it came to running their family business. She truly wanted this place to become the best it could be. She was going to do everything in her power to make it happen. Sasha didn’t doubt if she and her sisters worked hard enough they could get all their dreams for this inn accomplished.

  Walking around the lobby area, Sasha checked all of the important details, making sure nothing was out of place. She had to keep herself busy to stop her mind from wandering back to Sterling’s shocking phone call last night.

  Hearing his deep, sensual voice had thrown her off guard so badly, it had momentarily made her speechless, but she quickly regained her composure and focused on what he was asking her. She wasn’t interested in a thing he wanted to tell her over drinks.

  Honestly, she was surprised to hear from Sterling after the way she blew past him after work. She hadn’t even bothered to see if he needed anything else from her before she gathered her belongings and left, not even turning around when he had called her name. Yeah, it might have been a bit childish and immature on her part, but every woman had a right to revert back to that once in her adult life.

  Truthfully their relationship hadn’t grown past the getting to know you stage. It wasn’t like she and Sterling spent a lot of time building a special connection or anything that resembled a couple falling in love. It was better she knew now how he felt instead of finding out later after she invested more time in him.

  Nope, Sasha understood where she stood with Sterling and she was going to quit working for him. She was getting older and she couldn’t waste any more time. She was ready to settle down and start having kids. Rachelle had found the man of her dreams and she was going to do the same thing.

  It just wouldn’t be Mr. Sterling Hamilton.

  Sasha had only become interested in him because she felt an unbelievably intense connection. Of course, when it seemed like Sterling was getting over the stress of rebuilding his father’s deteriorating business, he started acting differently towards her.

  For several months the idea of getting more hands-on with Luxury had been running through her head. Why should she stand to the s
ide and let Rachelle have all the fun watching the family business grow?

  Rachelle was forever teasing her about her issues, with everything having its own certain place, but she couldn’t help it. If something was out of place, or was broken, then she would make it right. It didn’t matter if it was her house, office, or either one of her jobs.

  On the other hand, Genise found fault with her neatness and didn’t have a problem telling her about it. Her baby sister thought her necessity to have everything in order without any mess was part of her being hard to please, and not wanting to see things another person’s way, but it wasn’t true.

  She was very flexible about certain things. She possessed the wonderful ability to fit in anywhere or with anyone for any situation. Sasha wasn’t against adapting, but she wasn’t going to be anyone’s doormat.

  Sterling was done using her for her keen business sense while ignoring the rest of her. All of those qualities came inside the same cute, sexy package. If he couldn’t appreciate her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, then he didn’t need to be in her world.

  “Here you are. I was headed to your office to see you until a guy pointed me in this direction,” a male voice said behind her.

  Sterling! Why was he here? Why couldn’t he have stayed away? She wasn’t in the mood to deal with him today.

  Taking a deep, unsteady breath, Sasha slowly turned around and glanced up at Sterling, noticing the serious look on his handsome face. “Mr. Hamilton, what are you doing here? You wouldn’t come by Luxury unless it has something to do with your business. I can’t come into work today if that is what you want. I’m very busy here taking over for my sister Rachelle.”

  Sterling shook his head, causing a lock of his hair to fall against his forehead, which gave him a sexier appearance. “No, I’m not here about you coming into work today. I need to speak to you about something else more important. Do you have a few minutes to spare back in your office?”

  “Sorry, I can’t do it. I should get back to work at the front desk to greet the guests,” Sasha answered.

  She strolled away from Sterling, nodding at a few people as she moved back towards the sign-in desk. Before she got too far she was abruptly caught up by the elbow and firmly escorted in the direction of her office before she could utter a word of protest.

  Chapter Ten

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sasha snapped at Sterling the second he slammed her office door closed. She jerked her arm away, shooting him a hard glare. He couldn’t come here and manhandle her like this!

  He came closer, looking down at her intensely. “You weren’t being reasonable out there, so I brought you back here so we could talk in private.”

  “What is so important that you had to embarrass me in front of my employees and the guests standing out there?” Sterling better tell her quick, or she was out of here faster than he dragged her inside.

  “This!” He yanked her hard against his chest and kissed her. Sterling’s kiss wasn’t demanding or forceful—instead it was slower, more stimulating. His tongue brushed the top of her mouth, silently seeking entrance.

  Despite the fact Sasha wanted to deny Sterling, she couldn’t because she wanted him too damn much. She opened her mouth wider, allowing him the access he was seeking from her.

  With a growl coming from deep within his throat, he pushed her against the wall, trapping her between it and his hard body. Grabbing her hips, he wrapped her one of her legs around his waist and ground his hard cock against her damp underwear.

  “Baby, you feel so good in my arms. I knew that you would,” Sterling whispered against her mouth before trailing hot kisses down the side of her neck.

  “No… stop,” Sasha protested, but even the request sounded weak to her ears.

  A deep masculine laugh came from Sterling’s mouth as he raised his head and his mesmerizing eyes locked with hers.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t think so.” He recaptured her swollen lips and continued his sexual dominance of her senses. She finally gave in and wrapped her arms around his wide shoulders, drawing his body back against hers.

  Cupping her aching breasts in his hand, Sterling brushed his thumb back and forth across her right nipple, sending her body into overdrive with racing sensations. Eyes slipping shut, Sasha moaned softly. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had made her feel so dangerously close to losing control and blocking out everything around her.

  “Baby, I need to taste you.” Lowering his head, Sterling’s opened mouth hovered above her nipple and was about to draw it between his lips when someone knocking at the office door jerked them apart.

  Sasha only had a few seconds to shove Sterling away before Akisha sauntered in carrying a medium sized box. “Hey, Sasha, what are you doing back here in the office?” she asked, not noticing Sterling near the side of the door.

  “I wasn’t sure if anyone was in here or not so that’s why I knocked first. You’re usually out in the main entrance greeting our guests and getting to know them better. What’s up with you today?”

  Sasha started to answer her sister’s nosy questions, but Sterling cut her off before she could do it. “I believe that’s my fault.”

  Her sister jumped at the unexpected sound of Sterling’s voice. Her eyes darted over to him then back at Sasha. “Sorry. I didn’t know Mr. Hamilton was in here with you,” Akisha apologized, but a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

  “Hmmm, it’s okay,” Sasha replied.

  She could barely think straight. How was she supposed to carry on a conversation like Sterling’s tongue wasn’t in her mouth only seconds ago? She wasn’t able to pull something like that off under the keen eye of her little sister.

  “Just let me set down this box Rachelle sent to us on the desk and then you can get back to whatever you were doing with Mr. Hamilton.”

  “Mr. Hamilton is here because he needed to talk to me about something concerning work. You didn’t interrupt anything important,” Sasha lied, hoping she sounded convincing. Akisha was sharp and it would take a lot to fool her. “You can stay here while I open this. There’s no telling what is inside of it. You know how Rachelle is when it comes to sending us gifts.”

  Akisha glanced at her, then back at Sterling from the corner of her eye. “Sure, I didn’t,” she chuckled and walked over to the desk, placing the box in the middle.

  “Well, I need to head back to work. Please stay out of trouble and remember to lock the door next time, so no one else will interrupt your talk. See you later, Mr. Hamilton, and that shade of red by the corner of your mouth is very becoming.” Akisha spun around and made her way back towards the open door.

  “Bye, Akisha,” Sterling told her sister, but his eyes were still on her as he wiped her lipstick from the side of his mouth.

  Sasha felt her face glowing warm from embarrassment as Akisha glanced over her shoulder. She winked at her before leaving the office and closing the door behind her. God, there was no way her baby sister wasn’t going to tell Genise about catching her making out with Sterling in the office.

  Now that she was alone with Sterling and her mind had cleared away his kisses, she wondered what in the hell had come over her earlier. She never allowed herself to do something like that, especially at work.

  What if it had been a supplier or guests walking in on them instead of her sister?

  She would never live the gossip down. One wrong word to the right person and everything Rachelle had worked so hard for would be ruined because of her lack of judgment.

  One minute she was pissed at Sterling for acting like he didn’t want her touch and now, not even twenty-four hours later, she allowed his tongue inside her mouth. Honestly, if Akisha had walked in five minutes later there was no telling what she might have caught the two of them doing.

  Sasha had to get rid of Sterling because she needed time to think. There was no way she could do that with him so close. He was looking at her like he wanted to start up from where
they’d left off before Akisha’s surprise appearance.

  “You should go. I have to get back to work,” Sasha said, fixing her clothing. “I don’t know how I let this even happen between us, but we need to make sure it doesn’t again.” She really needed to have her head examined by a professional. Turning around, Sasha headed for the door, but Sterling blocked her path.

  “No, I’m not going to let you leave without saying more than that to me,” Sterling complained, staring down into her face. “We need to discuss what happened at work, along with what happened a few minutes ago. I know you were into the kiss as much as I was. If your sister Akisha hadn’t walked in on us, we would still be going at it and you know I’m telling the truth.”

  Stepping back, Sasha thought about walking around Sterling again and leaving the room, but after seeing the determined look on his face she knew he wasn’t about to let her leave until she gave him some kind of answer.

  “Mr. Hamilton.”

  “Sterling,” he corrected, shooting her a look, daring her to argue with him.

  Sasha took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face. Tuesdays were the busiest of the week at Luxury. She didn’t know why, but they were and she should be at the front desk dealing with the chaos and making sure everything ran smoothly.

  Therefore, she had to deal with Sterling as quickly as possible and then leave so she could get back to work. She couldn’t think about how good it finally felt to have him kissing her.

  “Sterling, we don’t have time to discuss what occurred between us right now. I need to be out front helping my sister.”

  “When do you think we should have a talk about it?” he asked, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “Give me a time and day then I’ll be ready, but I’m not going to let you brush it underneath the rug. You liked it when I was kissing you. Don’t you dare tell me you didn’t.”