With a curt nod, Alex held out his hand, and Zach shook it.
One Montgomery down. Now all he had to do was find the other one and figure out what her deal was.
* * *
Six days.
He hadn’t seen Megan in six damn days, and he had been willing to accept her story about working. Now that he knew she was lying? He was beyond pissed. Part of him knew she was scared—she was used to living her life a certain way, and he had been doing everything humanly possible to break her out of her rut and routine—but he also knew the other part of her was enjoying the sudden freedom she had discovered. Every time they talked, she was happy and laughing. Whenever they went out, she enjoyed herself. And when they kissed? He sighed because he knew neither of them had wanted to stop.
And yet they did.
When Zach had said Megan was ahead of schedule and he hadn’t asked her to work on a Saturday? That had been Alex’s breaking point. If she would have just talked to him, he would have respected her wishes and taken a step back. He had no problem with it. Hell, he’d stepped back as far as a guy could for two damn years! And now he was done being jerked around. He wanted her, and she wanted him, and it was time they stopped dancing around the topic and dealt with it.
And knowing now they essentially had Zach’s blessing, Alex felt like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Honestly, it was nobody’s damn business what he and Megan did. Alex understood that Zach was her cousin and was protective of her, but she was a grown woman, and she was capable of making her own decisions. And on top of that, after Zach and Megan had lived on opposite ends of the country for almost ten years, Alex didn’t believe Zach should have a say in any of this.
It was between Alex and Megan and no one else.
No matter how the Montgomery family tended to think.
The entire drive over to the office Alex had built up a good head of steam. It wasn’t the smartest way to go about approaching her, but she needed to know how upset he was that she’d lied to him. If nothing else, he expected honesty from her. He believed in being exactly who he was at all times, and he required the same from the people in his life. And if this was what she was going to do, then he needed to know that now so he could come to grips with the fact that they were never going to be.
The Montgomery offices were located in a large high-rise in downtown Portland. There were easily twenty other businesses in the building, so getting inside wasn’t a problem. Finding her was possibly going to be—especially if she really wasn’t at work and was off hiding someplace.
Like the library.
Or a day spa.
Or any one of a thousand places he’d mentioned to her and pointed out over the past couple of weeks.
Inside the lobby he looked around and found it nearly deserted. He took the elevator up to Montgomerys’ floor, and when he stepped out, it looked empty as well. A wall of glass divided the elevator space from the office with a set of double doors in the middle.
“Now what?” he said with a huff. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone walking around in the office. He stepped closer and saw a familiar ponytail. Reaching for the door, he pulled, but it was locked. With no other choice, he knocked.
Megan stopped in her tracks and turned toward the sound, and the only thing Alex could think of was how she looked like a deer stuck in the headlights.
Busted.
There was no way she could pretend she didn’t see or hear him, and her expression went from shocked to resigned in the blink of an eye.
Not a good sign.
At first she didn’t move, and then her eyes went a little wide as she walked hurriedly to the door. Unlocking it, she flung it open. “Is everything okay? Is it Gabriella? I had my phone turned off and—”
Stepping into the office, Alex said, “She’s fine. That’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh.”
He looked around, and the silence and stillness were almost unnerving. Behind him, Megan locked the door again and came to stand beside him. She looked tired and a little defeated and…so damn beautiful it almost made him forget he was mad.
“Why’d you lie to me?” he asked.
“I…I don’t know what you mean,” she said quietly, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
Tucking a finger under her chin, he gently forced her to look at him. “I played racquetball with Zach this morning. He told me you’re ahead of schedule. You haven’t been working late, and he had no idea why you said you were working today.” He paused. “Care to explain?”
Megan took a step back and then another before turning and walking away.
What the…?
With no other choice, he followed her. She turned into an office in the far corner, and once he stepped inside, he knew it was hers. There was computer equipment everywhere and huge binders all over the floor. The space was a bit disorganized, and yet…it fit the exact way he had envisioned how her office would be.
Megan sat behind the desk, and Alex immediately stepped behind her to see what she was working on.
“Solitaire? You’re here on a Saturday so you can play solitaire?” he demanded. “What the hell, Megan?” He spun her chair around, and her gasp of surprise only spurred him on. “What is your deal? You are so un-freaking-predictable, and I’m going crazy trying to keep up with you!”
“I’ve been busy,” she said weakly.
“Bullshit,” he spat. “I talked to Zach, and—”
“And Zach doesn’t know everything, Alex,” she countered with a little more heat this time. “I work my ass off here all day long. Yes, I got the system up and going faster than we thought, but my days are filled with training everyone on how to use it. Twice this week I went home with one of my cousins to help with his computer.”
“I already know this,” he said tightly.
She looked up at him, her brown eyes huge and looking a little bit helpless. “I needed some time, Alex.”
“Time for what? Because I believe I told you—multiple times—that I would never push you or rush you. Last weekend we were on the same page. If Ethan and Summer hadn’t called, we both know what would have happened, and you didn’t seem too concerned about needing time then. If you remember correctly, you kissed me first.”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, that’s what you’re going with?”
“What else should I say?” he cried. “Look, if you’ve changed your mind? If you don’t want to see where this thing between us goes? Then at least have the decency to tell me. All I’m asking is for you to talk to me, Megan!”
“I don’t—”
“Two years ago you had the excuse of living on the other side of the country, but now you’re on the other side of town! Barely! It’s not fair for you to blow me off without an explanation. I deserve to know where I stand with you.”
He was breathless and angry and so frustrated he wanted to scream.
“You scare me!” she yelled, and it took him by surprise.
“Excuse me?”
She nodded. “You do. I mean, not physically—I know you would never hurt me—but…you’re just so damn much, Alex! You’re like a force of nature! You’re confident, and you know what you want, and I’m not like that! I am someone who takes things slowly, and I think everything through from every angle. The only time I was ever impulsive was that weekend with you!”
“Was it that bad?” he asked, his voice gruff and thick with emotion because…holy shit. He’d thought she was scared of getting involved with anyone or breaking out of her comfortable routine; he’d had no idea it was him she was afraid of!
Megan shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. But…it’s not me. The woman you slept with? That’s not who I am! I dressed differently that weekend, I acted differently…I need you to know that this”—she motioned to herself dressed in yoga pants and a sweatshirt—“is the
real me! I went shopping and let Summer and Gabriella pick out all new stuff for me, but at the end of the day, this is who I am!”
Taking a chance, he took a step closer to her. “I didn’t think that you walked around in clingy dresses and stilettos. Although…I would be on board if you ever wanted to try it again.”
She laughed softly. “I’m being serious, Alex. You were attracted to a woman who really doesn’t exist.”
Shaking his head, he took one of her hands in his. “That’s where you’re wrong. I was attracted to a woman with a great smile. I was attracted to a woman I enjoyed talking with. I was attracted to a woman who kissed like a dream.” He tugged her gently so they were toe to toe. “And I’m still attracted to that woman. The dress and the heels? They looked great on you. But the yoga pants and sweatshirt look just as great. It’s not the clothes, Megan, or the hair or the makeup. It’s you.”
His heart was hammering in his chest because that was pretty much everything he had. He was laying it all out there for her, and he had no idea what she was going to do with it. For all he knew, she wasn’t as into him as he’d thought, and he was going to have to live with the fantasy of what could have been.
“I want to believe you—”
With his free hand, Alex cupped her cheek, caressed her soft skin. “You can. I’ll never lie to you, Megan. Ever.”
She swallowed hard, and Alex could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Why? What was it she was struggling with? He was at a loss for what else to do, what else to say, and as he was about to retreat, Megan grasped his wrist.
Uncertainty turned to panic and then pleading. “Alex,” she began, “please.”
He knew that please.
It had haunted his dreams for two years.
Alex quickly looked over his shoulder toward her open office door and considered his options.
“No one’s here,” she said, her voice a little soft, a little trembly.
It was almost too much to hope for, he thought. This wasn’t the way he envisioned making love to Megan again for the first time, but right now, he certainly wasn’t going to argue with it.
“Tell me you’re sure,” he said firmly.
“About no one being here?”
He smiled and hauled her in close. “No.” Lowering his head until their lips were almost touching, he asked her again.
Her hand came up and gently raked through his hair. “I’m very sure.”
“Thank God.”
His lips claimed hers, and he felt himself relaxing for what seemed like the first time in two years.
* * *
Only for him.
Megan wrapped herself tightly around Alex as she realized that no other man had the ability to make her want to lose control like this. It was wild and scary and exciting all at the same time. He kissed her like he wanted to consume her, and she was more than willing to serve herself up for him.
All week she had been at war with herself over this—over them. She’d crocheted more in the past six days than she had in the past six months! And with every slip stitch, she questioned why she was sitting home alone when she could be spending time with Alex.
And now she had enough blankets, hats, and booties for a small nursery full of babies.
When he’d knocked on the office door earlier, she’d known a large part of her had been relieved that he was finally there—that he was making the decision for her and not letting her hide anymore. Not that she had been completely hiding. She loved her cousins and was thankful for the closeness they shared, but even she was beginning to feel like it was too much. With them working together and hanging out after work, Megan knew she’d be more than happy to put some distance between them for at least a little while.
Alex lifted her and put her on the corner of her desk. There was barely any room because she tended to not be all that organized. Turning her head away from him for a minute, she breathlessly said, “Wait,” right before shoving a stack of binders to the floor. Alex chuckled—a low, rich sound—and Megan turned and reached for him again, eager for his kiss.
This reminded her of the night of the wedding—by the time they had neared her room, she hadn’t cared who could see them. It was hot and frantic and a little naughty, and that’s exactly how everything felt right now. She shifted enough to grab the hem of her sweatshirt and had it up and off with only a slight disruption to their kiss. Alex groaned and reached for her breasts, and she was thankful that today she had chosen to wear some of her new lingerie.
His hands felt amazing, just as she knew everything about him would. Alex broke their kiss so he could focus on kissing other parts of her—the parts that led down to the breasts he was gently kneading. Megan’s head began to loll, but she refused to give in to it. Instead, she did her best to pull Alex’s shirt off so she could see and feel and kiss him like he was doing to her. Growling with frustration, Alex whipped his shirt off before reaching for her again.
“Is this crazy?” she panted, rubbing against him in desperation to get closer and ease the ache she’d been feeling for far too long.
“No,” he said before nipping at the swell of her breast. “If it were up to me, we would have been doing this all week.”
She laughed huskily. “I meant here…the office.”
“My bed’s too far,” he said around another kiss. “Right now, the desk is fine.”
Kicking off her sneakers, she used her heels to pull him closer, and she could feel his arousal pressed snugly against her. She cursed her yoga pants. She cursed his jeans. His name came out like a soft whine, and he laughed softly against her neck.
She cursed him.
“Patience,” he said, and she wanted to scream.
Then his hands moved between her legs, and she did.
Oh God, she thought. So good. It’s so good…
“I’ve been wanting to do this for so long,” he murmured against her skin as his hands did wicked and delicious things to her.
She wanted that too. Her breath began to quicken, and her head did fall back. “I want…I need…more. Alex,” she breathed, “more. Please.”
After that it was fast and furious and oh so damn perfect.
The rest of their clothes fell away, and a few more items fell from Megan’s desk.
But neither cared. There were more important things to worry about—or focus on. Or just…do.
And when she thought she couldn’t wait any longer—thought she’d have to beg even more—Alex was there with her, and it was everything she remembered and so much more.
Had it really been this good?
Had it really been this wild?
The answer to both those questions was yes, and before she got sucked into the thoughts swirling around in her own head, Megan forced herself to let go and simply feel.
And it was the best damn thing ever.
* * *
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
It was hours later, and they had made it to Alex’s house.
And bed.
After a much more thorough and leisurely round of lovemaking, they were snuggled up—Megan was curled beside him with her hand on his chest and their legs tangled together.
“You work a lot of hours, right?” she asked.
Alex nodded.
“And…that’s admirable, right? Like…people tell you it’s a good thing, right?”
He nodded again.
She sighed. “Then why is it frowned upon when I do it? I mean, plenty of people work a lot—are dedicated to their jobs—but when I say that I am, I get grief for it.”
For a minute, Alex didn’t say anything. Seriously? This was what she wanted to talk about right now? Then he realized how much this must be weighing on her mind if she was choosing now to bring it up. He knew what she was getting at, and he needed to thi
nk through his answer properly.
“Let me ask you something,” he said softly.
“Are you answering my question with a question?” she teased.
Smiling, he placed a light kiss on her forehead. “Sort of,” he replied honestly. “Do you feel like you have to work long hours? Is it part of the job requirement?”
“Depends on the job,” she said. “Sometimes I stay just because I’m curious and am looking for ways to optimize a system.”
“Okay, but…why?”
Megan pulled away and looked at him. “I don’t follow.”
“I guess I’m curious as to why you feel the need to always be looking for more work. Do the other people in your department do that?”
“Well…no.”
“Have any of your previous employers accused you of not doing enough work?”
“No.”
He looked at her as if the answer was obvious. “Well…?”
She sighed again. “From the time I was little, I knew how important a good work ethic was. I watched how hard my father worked and how he talked about the people who worked for him. Then it was the way he started to train my brothers and was always telling them the importance of working hard and striving to do better no matter what job they had.”
“And what did he say to you?”
She shrugged. “Nothing. I was a girl, and girls weren’t supposed to worry about working. In his mind, I should have a good education so I could be a well-rounded individual, but he believed in things like making sure I had good manners and grace and my being groomed to be a good corporate wife someday.”
“Um…wow. That’s an outdated way of thinking. Even back then.”
“I know. My mother put me in all kinds of dance classes, and I took piano lessons and…ugh. It was awful. I hated it. All of it. That’s when I started studying so hard. I decided that I wanted to show him I was just as smart as my brothers.” She paused. “Not that he noticed. Not until I was in college did it finally occur to him I had real dreams and ambition beyond being a wife, mother, and hostess.”
Ah…suddenly it was all making a lot of sense.
Megan didn’t actually want to spend her life holed up in an office working eighty hours a week; she felt like she had to in order to prove herself.
Until There Was Us Page 16