by Romes, Jan
Alex gave her his full attention. “So, Stella, what brings you out on a snowy night like this?”
Stella downed a gulp of wine. “Trish and I do dinner and a movie on Tuesdays.”
Violet eyes flickered with interest. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Sure you will.”
Steve dinged his glass. “I have a question.”
“Uh-oh, ladies,” Alex warned. “Brace yourself.”
“No. No. It’s a serious question.” The mischief covering Steve’s face said otherwise.
Stella swept her lashes across her eyes waiting for Steve’s question. Trish propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin in her hands.
Between bursts of laughter, Steve asked, “Is Trish a freak too?”
Trish pretended to be shocked, for two seconds. She shuttered her eyes while trying to contain a smile. “As a matter of fact…I am.”
The mischief was gone and Steve’s voice sounded strange and husky. “Then I’ve been waiting for you.”
It was a great line and Trish was all smiles. She leaned into Steve and pecked him on the mouth. “I’m glad you waited.”
Trish kissed Steve right off the bat? Then again, Alex had done the same but it was to put off Jace, wasn’t it?
Steve returned Trish’s kiss.
Alex’s thigh brushed against Stella’s, and prickly warmth raced through her as if he had deliberately reached out and touched her. Her eyes shot to his and she found him staring with a roguish smile.
That grin was disturbing on so many levels. For a brief second, it made Stella want to snuggle against him. At the same time, it was powerful enough to make her want to run for cover. Surprisingly, she kept it together and returned the smile.
Alex upped his game by dropping his gaze from her eyes to her mouth and back again. The provocative gesture dizzied her senses and sent tingles of excitement racing through her. Stella tried to ignore them by watching Trish and Steve toy with each other. Steve messed with her hair. Trish ran her finger around the dial of his watch. Steve folded his drink napkin into an accordion and brushed the tip of her nose with it. Trish unbuttoned and re-buttoned the cuff of his shirt.
Alex shouldered Stella. “Would you like to help me pick out some music?”
Yes. No. Yes. With him so close, she couldn’t think. She blinked at him with acute delight. “Sure.”
“Be right back,” he said to Steve and Trish who were practically oblivious to anything except each other.
Stella hurried toward the jukebox. She felt Alex close in. His hand found the small of her back at the same time she reached the jukebox. When she leaned forward to scan the selections, Alex leaned with her. His breath was warm and sensual against her neck. And a shiver of delight ran the length of her spine.
“Who do you like?” he asked softly.
He was referring to music, yet her thoughts went another direction. You. I like you. “I love everything.” That sounded silly.
“Everything?” He leaned closer until his chest practically lay across her back.
The movement went beyond intimate and it forced Stella to take a profound inhale of breath to maintain her equilibrium. Her nostrils filled with his musky scent. She closed her eyes and took another whiff. “Mmm. You smell good.”
Alex mimicked her actions and took a close-to-the-skin sniff. “So do you.”
The blood flowing through Stella’s veins became hot liquid. Oh, God! None of this was real. Any time now she would wake up.
Alex put his hands on her hips and whispered in her ear. “Help me find a song.”
Her finger trembled as she trailed it down the selections. His fingers followed and caught up with hers. Another blast of heat impaled her and she was in danger of melting right then and there.
Alex took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Stella, I’m glad we ran into each other.”
Stella lowered her eyes so he wouldn’t read how affected she was. He lifted her chin so he could see.
A slow smile took over his mouth. The blue sparkle of his eyes said he knew she was defenseless. Weak. Completely his.
Alex crushed his chest against hers, but placed a hand on her lower back to cushion her against the jukebox. His lashes fanned across his eyes. “Stella,” he said quietly.
Kiss me. Please just kiss me and get it over with.
An irritated voice behind them broke the moment. “Stop hogging the jukebox.”
Alex smiled rakishly before moving Stella to give the intruder access to the machine.
A tough-looking woman gave them a haughty-glare. Alex smoothed it over with an apology and persuasive grin. “Sorry.”
The woman’s scowl became an ear-to-ear smile. “It’s okay, sugar.”
Stella was amazed at how smooth Alex was. She’d seen it at work but it didn’t really hit home until now. Her inner-voice fired words of warning. Gah. She couldn’t deal with Alex and her subconscious, it was just too much.
Alex led her away from the jukebox. Instead of heading back to the booth, he pressed her against the wall.
Shock spiraled through Stella. Warning sirens blared, urging her to play a little harder to get. She didn’t want to comply with the voice of reason. For once in her life she wanted to know what it felt like to be out of control, to throw caution to the wind, to be a little less…inhibited. This was beyond the scope of her willpower anyway, and the more she fought it, the more she wanted it.
Alex held her eyes until she moistened her dry lips with her tongue; then, everything just sort of happened.
He bent down, claimed her mouth for a second, before moving to her ear lobe and grazing it with his lips.
Shivers quaked through her.
Alex kissed her neck and began flicking her skin with his tongue.
The embers he’d been fanning with his eyes and now his mouth, turned into an unmanageable fire. Stella moaned, luckily the jukebox drowned her out; at least she thought so.
Alex laid his forehead on hers. “I feel the same way.” He stepped away when a barmaid came from between a set of double doors carrying a tray of food.
The small separation made reality set in. Even though the bar was dark, they were still in public doing very private things, which was totally out of character for Stella.
Alex pecked the end of her nose with a kiss. “We should probably get back.”
She managed a dazed nod.
They found Trish and Steve clinging to each other like vines on a lattice.
Alex tapped the side of the booth with his foot. “Get a room.”
The statement made them all laugh. But the reference was powerful and took Stella’s thoughts down a lusty path. She wouldn’t mind getting a room with Alex.
The barmaid brought another round of drinks. After she sashayed away, Alex grabbed Stella’s hand under the table, and kneaded her palm with his thumb. The memory of him running his tongue across it earlier elicited another moan, this one only she heard.
Alex sipped his beer without taking his eyes from her.
Stella squirmed because he was looking at her as though he knew she was completely turned on.
The owner of the bar threw a temporary bucket of water on the fire by informing them it was snowing and blowing like crazy outside. “I’m not telling you this to make you leave,” he said. “I just wanted you to be aware of it. Please. Stay as long as you like.”
Fate in the form of Mother Nature stepped in. Good thing too. Stella was so aroused, all Alex would have to do is smile and she’d probably attack him in the booth.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said.
Stella offered a nervous smile. “Not necessary. My car’s right outside.”
Alex was insistent. “That’s what I meant. I’m driving you home in your car.” He didn’t wait for her to approve the suggestion. He handed Steve his keys. “Will you two be okay?”
Steve grinned with conspiracy. “It’s all good.”
Trish winked at Stella. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” Then she mouthed the words “thank you”.
The prospect of being alone with Alex made her shiver from both fear and joy.
Chapter Twelve
A blast of Arctic air hit them the minute they stepped outside. A slick spot by the door sent Stella’s feet skating out of control.
Alex latched onto the front of her coat to keep her from falling. “That’s one way to get you in my arms,” he said.
Stella blinked up at him. “You’ve saved me twice tonight.”
Alex caressed her chin with his thumb. “It was a mutual saving.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Who wants to be stuck with Benson all night?”
“Trish,” she said offhandedly.
“Right.” He guided her to the passenger side and leaned her against it before capturing her mouth with a soft kiss. Fire shot through Stella, prompting her to kiss him back. There was nothing soft about her kiss. She claimed his mouth with hot lip-lock action that left them both panting.
Alex’s eyes went wide with surprise. “He was dead-wrong.”
It took a few seconds to catch his meaning. Stella grinned shyly.
Alex lunged at her mouth again and Stella trembled in his arms.
“Alex, I…,” she kiss-whispered against his mouth.
He pulled away a fraction of an inch to put his forehead on hers. “I need to get you home before we get arrested for making love in the street.
The wind was showing off and blanketing an already icy roadway with a fine layer of frozen sheen. Before they reached the interstate they got to experience a bit of winter madness firsthand when the car did a three-sixty spin. When it came to rest, they were inches from a parked car.
For a little added spice to an already simmering pot of nerves, an old rusty pickup truck almost hit them when the driver lost control at a red light.
Alex’s eyes doubled in size. “Too close for comfort. If you don’t mind we’re going to follow a snow plow the rest of the way. I don’t care if it is only going eight miles an hour.”
Stella nodded in agreement, her body slowly unclenching from the near miss.
By the time they pulled into her parking lot at two in the morning, they were exhausted and edgy. To their surprise, Steve and Trish were standing under a street lamp throwing snowballs at each other.
Steve patted the hood of Alex’s four-wheel drive. “This baby’s a dream.”
Alex gave him an ominous look. “Where was the dream a half-hour ago?”
Steve replied with a toothy grin. “Right here. We killed time by making out.”
Alex yanked the keys from Steve. “By the way, why are you here?”
Trish answered. “Since the roads were nasty, we wanted to make sure you made it without any problems.”
“If you were so concerned why didn’t you call my cell phone?” Alex’s chest heaved with anger. “I almost wrecked Stella’s car.”
Trish and Steve looked at each other, and they both said, “Damn,” at the same time.
Stella sighed inwardly. The weather was a wrench in what could’ve been one of the most uninhibited nights of her life.
* * * *
Stella walked into the office and Alex put his hand to his mouth to hide the pleasure of seeing her. Last night he’d glimpsed the real Stella. If the weather would’ve cooperated, he would’ve gotten more than a glimpse.
Belinda stepped in front of him to block his view. He frowned and moved her out of the way. She closed the gap again.
Her nearness made him cough and wheeze. “What are you wearing? Bug spray?”
Belinda’s polished lips turned into a pout. “It’s my new perfume. You don’t like it?” She lifted her wrist to his nose.
No. He didn’t like it. And she was marking her territory with that nauseating scent. Hell, she might as well just pee on him and get it over with. He straight-armed her to make her back up. “Do you mind?” His eyes bounced back to Stella.
Belinda turned to see what had his attention. “Figures. When Stella’s around you turn into a jerk.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure I do.” She put her hands on her hips. “I feel I must warn you. She’s keeping tabs on you for Maggie.”
Alex scoffed. The notion was as ridiculous as the bug spray. “Sure she is.”
Belinda casually looked at her fingernails. “Fine. Don’t believe me.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “What would be the point of keeping tabs on me?”
Belinda lifted a shoulder. “No idea, but she is. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The only things that came out of Belinda’s mouth were artificial sweetness and lies, and he wasn’t in the mood for either one. He gave her a look of loathing. “I have things to do. Go stink up your own cubicle.”
He looked at Stella again. Now her scent he didn’t mind.
Belinda made a whimpering noise.
Damn. He thought he’d shooed her away. Hints weren’t working, so he laid it out in plain English. “Go away. I’m not interested.”
Belinda scanned him from head to toe. “You’re just playing hard to get.” Before he could refute the claim, she put a finger to his lips. “Shh.” She made a sexy exit by wiggling her bottom.
The woman was an irritating, cold dose of reality; an irksome reminder to keep his personal life and business life separate.
He glanced at Stella. No way was she a spy for Maggie. The woman he kissed last night didn’t have a complicit bone in her body. Even if she did, what would be the end-game?
* * * *
Something was wrong. She could feel it. Alex had been all over her last night. Kissing. Touching. Almost making love to her. Today, he hadn’t spared her more than a cool, detached nod. He couldn’t have been more impersonal if he tried. She’d hurried to work – actually, she drove faster than she should have given the road conditions – thinking they could pick up where they left off. Somewhere in the five and a half hours since they parted, something happened. Stella propped against her desk, trying to piece things together. Was he miffed he didn’t get to home-base? She followed up with a worse thought. Maybe he had enough time to regret last night altogether.
If he had doubts or worries as to where this thing might be headed, it was understandable because she was dealing with the same gamut of emotions. She rather hoped they could talk their way through them. She sent him a hopeful look; his expression said “stay away”.
A faint thread of hysteria tried to work her over, she shoved it aside by telling herself she was misreading him and that his aloofness didn’t have anything to do with her. But, she had to know for sure.
Belinda vacated his cubicle, Stella bravely took her place. “Good morning,” she said, trying to keep her anxiety from showing.
Alex looked at her without the sparkle and shine from the night before. “Good morning.” His demeanor was tight and closed off, and there wasn’t a speck of intimacy in anything about him.
Stella tried to chip away the frost. “Any problems getting home last night?”
“No,” he said flatly.
One word answers were never a good sign. She tried a Belinda-move and sat on the corner of his desk. His eyes didn’t follow. They seemed to be attached to a manila folder which he was curiously holding upside down.
Stella quietly appraised him. His usually generous mouth was thin and moody, and the grip he had on the poor folder were signs he didn’t want her there.
Her heart fell to her toes. Hurt and anger surged its way through her. To hell with him and to hell with last night. Tears formed in the back of her eyes and she looked away so he wouldn’t see.
Alex’s phone rang. Stella slid off the desk and hurried back to her desk, but she could still hear his end of the conversation.
“Alex Clay,” he said gruffly. “Yes, I saw her. Yes, she is. You can kiss my…” He leaned out of his cubicle with the phone glued to his ear.
Their
eyes met and an unspoken range of emotions zipped between them.
Mr. Wrong, she thought cynically. Trish was right. Alex was one-hundred percent wrong for her, and she was thankful nothing more than kissing and groping took place last night.
* * * *
Stella ripped the lettuce like it was the source of her bad mood. “My life is constant turmoil. One minute things are on an even keel, and the next, chaos sets in. What am I doing wrong?”
Trish put down the knife she was using to cut up tomatoes, towel-dried her hands and wrapped an arm around Stella. “You’re not doing anything wrong. It’s just that you’ve played things safe for too long. Welcome back to the real world.”
“I like the safety-zone.”
Trish released Stella and put her hands on her hips. “If I have to be out here, so do you. So toughen up.”
Stella smiled weakly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“We balance each other out. You’re lovable and slightly neurotic. I’m brave and outrageous. And we’re both freaks.”
Stella made a face. Last night, the word was oddly helpful. Tonight, not so much. “Whatever.”
Trish refilled Stella’s coffee mug. “You need this. Drink up.” Then she took a sip from her wine glass. “I know this is a sucky time to talk about Steve, but I can’t help myself.” She fluttered her eyelashes and put a hand over her heart. “I think he’s the one.”
“Steve’s a sweet guy.” Remembering how Trish and Steve connected last night was awesome. Trish appeared completely smitten.
“I feel like hell talking about Steve while you’re hurting.” Trish sat on a kitchen chair. “Let’s iron out a few things about you and Alex.”
Stella fanned her hands outward. “There’s nothing to iron out.”
“Yes, there is.”
Stella deliberately slurped her coffee, which was a much better sound than delving into a discussion about Alex. “You have a knack for reopening subjects I try to close.”
Trish peeked innocently over the edge of her glass. “You said I have a gift.”
“I lied.”