by Claire Angel
“Um, tonight? I don’t know if I will be able to make it.”
He scowled at me and I looked down. It was bad enough that he had asked me in front of them, but finding an answer in all of that, was even more complicated. The more I thought about how everything was going, the more I knew I had to say something else.
“But I am free tomorrow night boss.”
I don’t know why I added that in, but that got a smile and I looked down. I didn’t want the rest of the elevator to see the smile that he put on my face. I don’t know why he chose now to ask me out so publicly and in front of Amber specifically, but I was almost glad for it. Now it was out, for better or for worse.
“Sounds like a plan Sarah. I look forward to seeing you. I will have a few people over for a party, but you will be my special guest.”
The elevator dinged and the door open. I was the first one through the stainless-steel doors, because there was no way that I was lingering around, not after that. I couldn’t believe that he’d asked me out like that in front of everyone. I was trying to keep it professional and he was coming out with that. I don’t know how I was supposed to feel about it, just how I did feel.
I half-ran to my rental car, just so that I wouldn’t have to be caught up in another exchange with him. It was hard enough to deal with Richard when it was just the two of us, but it was even harder, when there were people all around us. I knew that that little exchange, was going to be the talk of the office and I didn’t care for the idea of it at all.
I didn’t go home right away, because it wasn’t my home. It was this crazy place that I lived in with other people I didn’t like. I know that Richard was trying to make his intentions clear, but I don’t know if he realized how complicated he just made everything for me. How was I going to be able to deal with this? It just didn’t seem all that easy for me.
It was almost an hour later, after I got off the interstate and drove back into the city, that I made my way to the place I stayed in. I was too tired to notice the looks and for once, Amber didn’t have a rude thing to say to me. That was progress, if nothing else.
Chapter 21
Richard
“So, I hear that things are heating up at your office.”
“Really, how so?”
“Well, word on the street is, you have taken an intern under your wing and she’s going to be at the party tonight, as your date.”
I scoffed and sat back, looking at Steve. “You’re as bad as a damn woman Steve. Where did you hear all of that from?”
“Grant Holdings is always a topic. You are a playboy that keeps women’s attention. It can’t always be good. I hear you asked her out, in an elevator full of other staffers.”
I was a little uncomfortable with how close to the truth he was. When it was said out loud like that, it sounded even worse than before, if that was even possible.
“My, you guys need to get some more work Steve. I think you are spending way too much time gossiping over the water cooler.”
He agreed. “There is no way to get them to stop. I think the only way, is if you get married. These women are ravenous, and you have too much muscle and money for them to turn it off. I don’t even know if marriage would do it. I have had offers for a woman to become my mistress. They don’t even want to be the wife anymore, just the money will do.”
“A bit dark today, are we?”
He waved me off. “You know how it is. One gets under your skin and then it’s chaos from there.”
I definitely knew that feeling all too well, but something told me that Steve’s had turned out the exact way that I was avoiding. I wanted me and Sarah to go to a better place. I wanted to have that stupid ass grin on my face like Greg had. That was relationship goals as far as I was concerned. Steve didn’t get it and I was still trying to grasp the idea of it, though the feeling was pretty entrenched.
“Yeah, but you can’t let it make you bitter.”
“I’m not. I am just going to live vicariously through you for a while. So, who is this intern that I keep hearing about?”
I wasn’t going to say anything, but he needed a cheer up and I needed to get it out. Talking about it, always seemed to set things up in my mind differently.
“Her name is Sarah and she just graduated from Statfords not too long ago.”
“So, what is different about her?”
That same question was coming up a lot. “She is the one I think.”
It was a term that I had heard Greg use and I had scoffed at it when I had heard it, but that’s what she was. She was the one that I wanted. I knew that there was a reason that I felt that way, but I didn’t really know what it was. All I knew for certain, was that Sarah was the only woman that I wanted to touch or spend any time with. I had long since stopped going out for flings, because they weren’t cutting it for me.
“The one, huh? Well good luck with that. I thought I had found the one as well…”
“Times change quickly.”
“That they do my friend. That they do.”
I tried to steer the conversation away from women in general. Steve was in a weird mood and he was bringing me down. I hoped that he would figure out what was going on with him and get back to the free-spirit that I was used to.
Leaving him after lunch, left a bad taste in my mouth. It was quickly sweetened up by seeing Sarah, though she was avoiding me. It shocked me how quickly the scandal of my declaration in the elevator had made it through the business ranks. I hadn’t even known that I was going to say it really. It had just come out. It was what I had wanted of course, I just don’t know if I should have been as open about it as I was. I don’t know what I was thinking then. I really don’t. Now it was out though.
I wasn’t going to regret it, I refused.
After it was the end of the day, I caught up with Sarah’s coffee pot. She was cleaning it out and reloading it for the next day.
“You know, you really should let someone else do it for once.”
“Someone else did do it the second day, but then we didn’t have anything drinkable until almost ten. It was a mess, overflowed all over the breakroom. This is easier and less work in the long run.”
“You have a very interesting way of looking at things.”
“Not really, I just want coffee when I come in.”
She looked away and then went back to the coffee.
“I am sorry I blurted that out yesterday in the elevator. I shouldn’t have.”
“Are you trying to get out of our date?”
“Not at all. I wanted it to be more intimate. There is going to be at least thirty people there tonight. It won’t be as private as I would have liked.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
The silence lasted for quite some time. I didn’t know what to say to her and I was very aware that my actions were being monitored today. I couldn’t get too close, even though I wanted to pull her into my arms. I was getting tired of waiting.
“I am sure we will find a little nook or cranny to get lost in. I have plenty of those at my place.”
“Do you want me to just meet you there?”
“Yeah, sure. I will have my driver pick you up.”
She agreed and then half-ran out of the breakroom. After all of this time that we’d spent together, everything that we’d seen and done, she was still afraid of me. Or rather, she was afraid of what was happening between the two of us. I can’t say that I blame her. Not really. It was new to me as well, but I was ready to see what could happen next. To me, it was nothing but up from here.
***
Sarah got out of the car and Ernest took her hand to help her step out. The dress was amazing, and it was far more seductive than the ones I’d seen her in before. This was definitely not for business.
Her dark hair was down, and her eyes were gleaming next to the same colored dress. I’d told her that I liked her in green and the body-hugging dress that she was
wearing now, just proved my point. Sarah was stunning and it took me a moment to move forward and greet her. I never knew what to think when it came to Sarah, but the desire had never been a question.
“You look… Well, I don’t even know what to say. You look that good Sarah.”
She grinned and then looked away, embarrassed at the compliment. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for coming. Damn.” Sarah giggled and asked me if I was okay.
“I don’t know Sarah, but you’re here with me now, I am sure the hell getting there quick.”
Chapter 22
Sarah
The way he was looking at me was magnetic and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He was hungry and I knew that I was the cure. It wasn’t going to be easy, not when he was looking at me like that, but maybe easy wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted something good, not easy.
“This is a huge place.”
That was actually an understatement. The place was several stories high, four I think, and it was huge. He had the top of one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan. I had never seen a place of residence so big. It’s library alone, the room that I had to walk into when I first came in, was literally as big as one of the public ones down the street. It was amazing and I was finding it hard to keep my eyes from all of the paintings.
“Yeah, it’s one of many. I stay here the most, so I like to have some space.”
It was more than just a little space. He had four floors by the look of it.
“And it’s just you here?”
“My little sister comes to stay once and a while, brings some friends, but not very often.”
I couldn’t imagine this much space in New York. I didn’t know all that much about real estate here, but I would imagine that this place went for a pretty penny. His family was ridiculously rich. I had known that for a long time. My family had money, but his balance was on the next level.
“It’s a beautiful place with positive vibes.”
“Do you want to take the tour before people come in?”
I agreed, because I did want to see the place. It was rather modern and there were all kinds of furniture built in, that could shrink and fold down into almost nothing. I loved the wide-open spaces.
“If I lived here, I think I would go to the office a lot less. Work remotely.”
“I do that sometimes, but I am motivated to get home, so I work faster, if I do it there. All I want to do, is get back here.”
“I can see why. This place is really something.”
Richard was taking me down another hallway and I was already lost. There were stairs, as well as another private elevator. By the end of the tour, we were on the top level and had ended up in his bedroom.
I was standing in front of the window, looking down at the sprawl of the city below. It was one of the best views that I’d seen in a while and I had to imagine it was one that I would have as my own one day. That’s why I was here, interning with Richard, so that one day my family’s fortune would be more. I wanted enough to cover all of the generations to come.
“Richard, why did you bring me here?” I asked looking out.
“Because I want you.”
I was about to turn around, I stopped when his hand touched the small of my back. He moved around to look at me and those dark brown eyes were calling me. It was like looking into pits of need. My heart was beating so hard. I felt it would come right out of my chest. My palms were sweating.
He wanted me. As in he wanted to devour me in so many erotic ways possible? He was my crush far before I had started studying at the University.
His eyes stared at me hungrily. He pressed me up against the glass and he was so close to me that I could feel his hot breath and the heat passing between us. He moved to kiss me. I had waited for this since I got here. I knew it was going to happen and with all of the tension between us, now that we were alone, it was the perfect time to get to know each other a lot better.
I wanted more and I whimpered in my throat, as he lifted me up. If I looked behind me, all I was going to see, was the city down below me. I didn’t care for heights, but the way he felt, made me forget the view behind me.
I could feel the hard knot in his pants again and this time, something came over me. I was done playing games, being cautious. I was more turned on, than I had been in a very long time. At some point, I stopped imaging what would come next. I didn’t even care anymore. I was living in the now and needed him. I heard a moan and didn’t know who it came from. He pulled me off and set me down. I heard another whining noise and I knew that it was me that time. I wanted him, badly and I had been so close.
“What are you doing?”
Richard didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pushed me back against the glass and again kissed me with a fierce passion that only made my lips greedier. When his kisses traveled towards my jaw and neck, I moaned from the heat that lingered. His skillful hands slowly undid my dress and let it drop to the floor. He pulled back and I shivered under his touch as his finger traced the curve of my body. I tried to hide my body with my hands as I felt so shy and embarrassed.
He suddenly held my both hands and locked them behind my back. My mouth hung open in a gasp with the surprise. He kissed my greedy lips and his tongue explored my mouth. That was the best kiss I could ever have.
Then he carried me in his arms and laid me down on his soft bed.
His hands reached to the hooks of my bra. Before he could unhook my bra, there was a knock on the door. The problem was that he didn’t get up quickly. But he covered me with the sheet.
The door burst open; I couldn’t believe that this was happening. As much as I wanted this to happen with Richard, I wasn’t prepared for it. I don’t know if I would ever be able to deal with him all the way.
“Sorry Richard, I need to speak to you about a few of the guests that are insisting that they see you.”
Of course, it was Charles and I could feel his judgement from the door. I looked away and I knew that my face was red. Thank God that Richard used his presence of mind and covered me before the door was open. Else I would have almost died with the embarrassment.
I could see Richard’s face was red in anger. But somehow, he managed to control and apologized. He told me that he will be back in few minutes. I was worried about him smelling like my pleasure. I was so wet and now he was going out, leaving me like that in his room.
Once they were gone, I didn’t think I was going to be able to hang around and wait for him. It didn’t seem like the best idea and I wasn’t sure what else I could handle. I ran, something I had done several times now. Richard excited me, but scared me, all at the same time.
Chapter 23
Richard
“Are you going to tell me, what the hell I just saw?”
“I think you are losing the manners day by day. You are my best friend doesn’t mean you can barge into my bedroom.”
Charles looked at me like I had lost my mind and maybe I had. He couldn’t just enter my room like that. And the worst part he was being judgmental and made Sarah embarrassed.
“I thought we agreed, that you were going to do anything to get yourself a lawsuit?”
“No, I think it was more like you told me that I shouldn't fuck up like I did with Yolanda again and I told you that I would try.”
“And this is you trying?”
“I did try to stay away from her, I really did.”
“You also said that you weren’t going to get involved with the interns.”
“Amber needed a talking to. I wanted to fire her, but instead, I gave her a warning like you wanted me to.”
“And what about this going on with Sarah?” That was something that I wasn't going to give a reason for. Sarah was mine. That's all that he needed to know.
“I have it under control.”
“And if you don't?” His questioning was starting to get to me.
“Look Charles I have
already told you not to mess with me when it comes to Sarah.” I didn't want to think about all the what-ifs that could happen. There were a lot of chances of something going wrong. Of course, something could go bad. I could be wrong about Sarah. I didn't want to think that I was, but I knew it was a possibility.
“Nothing is going to go wrong, and if it does, then it does. You know better than anyone else, that you can't stop what is already in motion to happen.”
I knew that Charles believed in things happening the way they were supposed to. His parents had died when he was young and he had spent several years in foster care, but that had not stopped him or changed him in the negative. He looked at it, as it was just one small area of his path. It had made him who he was, so I knew that fate was a big part of how Charles felt about everything.
“Don't play that shit with me Richard. You just want me to tell you it's okay to get intimate with the intern and I'm not going to do it. I think you are setting yourself up for failure, again.”
“You could be right.” Maybe fate didn’t apply to me and Sarah. Charles hadn’t found love yet, most likely one of the reasons that he didn’t add that to his line of thought.
“You smell like sex!?”
He was mad and I knew that there were several reasons for his anger. It had more to do with him, then with me.
“She came spectacularly.”
Charles shook his head. “I really didn’t want to know that.”
He was trying to act like he wasn’t paying attention, but he was. I wasn’t going to worry about it, not right now. I didn’t know what was going to happen with her, but I knew that whatever it was, I wanted to ride it out. There was nothing left to do but that.
Charles wanted to talk about it more, but I did not. The last thing I wanted to do was jinx it. I don't know about what is happening with Sarah, but as soon as I got back upstairs, I knew how it was going to end. It was the only way that it could end.