by Krista Lakes
“I would have answered that phone call,” she whispered.
A warm smile crossed his face that made her knees tremble. Again, he took another step forward. He was close now. So close that she could smell beyond his aftershave, she could smell him. Masculine and wonderful. He smelled even better than she remembered. It was a smell that froze her.
“I had the hotel torn apart to get that note. Here is all they found,” he said, handing her his phone.
She took a look at the torn letter in her handwriting, framed against a white background.
Dear AJ,
I had an amazi
I want to see y
I wish I coul
I hope you unde
Please call me. 5
Yours Truly,
Kat
She laughed as she looked at it, raising her hand to her mouth. All the ink had washed away, and there was a giant red stain across the top half of it. It looked like they had lit the paper on fire just to get this much out of it, but the rest was either washed or torn away. There was just enough to show how crazy she was for him, but not enough to find her.
She wanted to respond, but couldn’t remember how to speak. He raised his arm and gently grazed her cheek with his hand. She shivered as she felt each individual finger against her skin, filling her with desire and warmth.
“You still want to give that presentation?” His grin had grown into a charming smirk.
“Eventually,” she said, finding her voice. “You can’t distract me that easily.” It was a bluff so obvious that it might as well have come from a child. She couldn’t give that presentation right now for all the tea in China.
She wanted to speak again, wanted to attempt one more half-hearted protest, but before a sentence had even formed in her head, AJ was leaning in.
The moment was slow, like an autumn leaf drifting to the ground. She felt a sort of heavenly warmth combine with the scent of his cologne as his face grew closer to hers. Her eyes closed and her lips were ready.
His mouth was only centimeters from hers when there was a knock at the door. It was soft but assertive.
Kat’s eyes shot open and she stumbled back just as the door opened. His secretary waited on the other side without entering the room. She cleared her throat before speaking. “I’m sorry, sir, but the board is on the phone.”
Kat was sure the secretary suspected something. She knew her face was on fire and that she had to look guilty as hell. It didn’t help that she was frozen again, unable to look anywhere but at AJ. He was visibly irritated.
“I am in the middle of a meeting.” He spoke slowly and enunciated each syllable carefully.
The secretary tucked her hands together in front of her. “I’m sorry, sir. They were rather insistent. The lawyers are meeting again.” She looked at Kat, evaluating her, before whispering, “Apparently the settlement was not to the plaintiff’s liking.”
Frustration seemed to engulf AJ’s face. It was a blend of anger and disappointment. He shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath, exhaling out of his nose. His wonderfully broad shoulders tightened and he attempted to roll his neck to relieve the tension, yet none left.
His glance returned to his secretary with a sort of professional focus. He took another deep breath that inflated his chest, this time his eyes remained open. “Tell them I am in the middle of a very important meeting that is going to make them a lot of money. When I am finished, I will be more then happy to listen to whatever their latest demands are.”
“Of course, sir.”
The secretary stepped back and closed the door. Everything went still again. A heavy silence hung in the air and seemed to occupy every inch of the room.
Kat felt the pressing need to speak. This time she spoke calmly. “I’m sorry. I can go. You have things to deal with.”
She picked up her bag and began collecting her things.
“No. Stay. I want you to stay.” He grabbed her hand before she could put her bag over her shoulder.
She had managed to cage the butterflies in her chest from earlier, but with one touch, he set them free again. Her whole body trembled.
“I want to see you again,” he said. His eyes went to hers and she froze, unable to do anything but stare into their beauty. She felt her cheeks beginning to flush but she hoped she didn’t show it.
“I can talk to your secretary about setting up another meeting...” she murmured. Though, honestly, it had taken months to get this meeting. She wasn’t sure if she could set up another one.
“Not about this.” He used his thumb to point to the folder on his filing cabinet. He paused for a short beat. “I do like your idea, though.”
“You do? You like it?” Surprised pleasure filled her. “I’d love to hear your thoughts on the marketing.”
“All business, aren’t you?” he said with a chuckle. His hand was still holding hers. He smiled and paused again, this time slightly longer. “I looked at the preliminary proposal and agree with it. I do have some questions, but… they aren’t for right now.”
She smiled back at him, fighting her happiness of his approval with her embarrassment of being so pushy with her idea. “I understand.”
“Right now, I’m just glad I found you.” His fingers caressed her wrist, giving her heart palpitations.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” she said, allowing her relief to come through as she spoke.
“Me neither.” He was staring into her eyes. It was a stare that was as passionate as it was comforting.
“And to think, you were just upstairs the whole time,” she said with a small laugh.
Another smile lit up his face. It fit his jaw line perfectly. She loved when he smiled and loved being the cause of it even more.
“If I had known, I would have been downstairs first thing Monday morning.”
She marveled at his charisma and the way he could flirt with charming confidence. He really was something. It was no wonder he was CEO of his own company.
With one hand still holding hers, AJ reached up and held behind her neck. He pulled her closer and his thumb gently glided to her cheek as he leaned in and kissed her.
Their lips connected with graceful ease. Everything she had dreamed of for the past two weeks came to life. His lips fit on hers like they had never left. He bit lightly on her bottom lip and released an energy in her she couldn’t remember bottling.
The images of their last night together were still vivid behind her closed eyes. All she could imagine was ripping off every article of clothing—starting with his tie—and heaving herself into his arms. She wished he would just take her on the desk and relieve the burning desire in her.
He slowly let go of her hand and moved to her waist. Instinctively, she took her empty hand and rested her palm against his chest. He gave one more brush of his thumb on her cheek and then slowly moved down, joining his other hand at the bottom of her back.
And then he pulled her even closer. Their bodies were pressed together and felt like one. The moment was perfect, better than anything she had imagined.
15
AJ
AJ could barely believe he was kissing her. He could barely believe she was really here. Her lips were soft and tender, while her body pressed into his. She was better than he remembered. She tasted warm and sweet. AJ felt himself savoring her taste as he held her bottom lip between his teeth.
In its entirety, the kiss was spectacular. The moment had begun slowly, but she increasingly responded to his every sensual maneuver, which only made him crave more. After settling for a moment on her waist, his hands had started to wander. They caressed the top of her butt, then slowly crept upward until he palmed her breasts.
The kiss had sparked a wildfire of sexual enthusiasm that he remembered from their night together. It began in his chest but quickly moved to the tips of his fingers and down through his legs. His movements intensified with every second; he pushed on her breasts only to seize her shirt and pull her close a
gain.
She was not shy in following his lead. After going first for his tie, which now hung loosely around his collar, she used one hand to grip his belt while the other tugged at the soft fabric of his shirt. Her hand ran up and down his torso, varying between a stroke and a tight grasp. Her touch was making the ache in his groin grow unbearable. It was as if they were still back in his hotel room, back in that lost morning that should have been. For all the feeling she was stirring up inside of him, it was as if the two weeks of not having her number had never happened.
The beep of the intercom startled him. It was wired with the office phone that sat on the desk behind him, though it sounded louder than he remembered. Kat jumped at the noise and she pulled away.
He let go of her breast but kept one hand on her waist as he leaned back and pressed down on the green button on his desk phone. His shirt was wrinkled and untucked.
“What?” he growled into the speaker.
“Sir, the lawyers are on the line again,” his secretary informed him. “They really aren’t taking no for an answer. I can’t stall them for much longer.”
AJ’s head dropped as if it were too heavy for his neck and he let out a sigh. He used his middle finger to apply pressure on his temple and rub his right eyebrow. He needed to stop what he was doing right now.
His hand fell from her waist and he took a step back. It was like his secretary was intervening with an omniscient, parental-like premonition. He would be wise to listen if he wanted to avoid ruining his company further.
This is has to stop, he thought to himself. She was an employee. His employee. A subordinate. This is the path that Paul went down, and as much as he wanted to kiss her again, he needed to think of what was best for his company.
“Sir? What should I tell them?” his secretary asked through the intercom. “They keep saying this is your responsibility...”
It shouldn’t be my responsibility, he thought angrily. It should be Paul’s. It was Paul’s fault he was in this mess. It was Paul’s fault that he felt guilty about wanting to kiss the beautiful woman standing in front of him right now. He turned and pushed the green button.
“Hang up on them.” His evident frustration had provoked a commanding tone that he rarely took with staff. “I’ll call them back myself when I’m done.”
AJ closed his eyes and centered himself before turning back to face her. Her lips still looked fresh from their kiss. They were as enticing as they had been moments before his urges had taken over. He wanted to forget the lawyers, forget the board, forget everything and give into her one more time. The consequences of another embrace seemed far away. They were buried beneath her warm taste that still sat on his lips.
She was still only an arm’s length away and stood playing nervously with her hands. He had expected her to be looking away but her beautiful eyes were studying him intently. She was taking in him and the situation completely.
“We can’t do this, can we?” she asked softly. “Not with what’s going on.”
“Screw them,” he said, and he meant it. It was an instinctual reply, but his stomach began to knot when he heard the words out loud. There’s no doubt that an office relationship would bring his integrity into question, and furthermore, the integrity of the company.
“You say that, but I saw your face just now. The mess with the company isn’t going away. And you being with an employee...” She trailed off and then punctuated her sentence with a shrug. “It’s the exact opposite of what you need.”
“But it’s not what I want.” What he really wanted was to rip her clothes off and resume what he had started until she was moaning in his arms again.
“It’s not what I want either.” She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him.
He didn’t speak. Silence felt like the only appropriate reply. He turned and looked out the big office windows, wishing that he could fly free like a bird right out of them.
“So, what do we do?” she asked. “How fast do you think those lawyers can get a settlement and everything out of the papers? Maybe we can just wait until then.”
“Not soon enough.” The lawyers on both sides were getting paid by the hour, so naturally neither party was inclined to move quickly. Realistically, he knew it would be months before they finished.
Even if the lawsuits were settled tomorrow, the press wouldn’t forget it so soon. His publicist had stressed that this was going to last for at least a year. Maybe more.
Her big eyes drew her in. Desire still flickered in green depths and her lips were moist with their kiss. He couldn’t wait a year. Someone else would see how beautiful and wonderful she was and would steal her away. He couldn’t ask her to wait a year for him.
“I want to see you again,” he said and waited in anticipation for his stomach to turn, but it remained calm.
“I’d like that.” Her face loosened with the hint of a smile. “But I don’t want to jeopardize your job.”
He got a devilish smirk on his face. “We’ll just have to keep it quiet.”
“I completely understand,” she replied softly and then bit her lip. It was almost as if he felt the biting tingle more than she did. It made his pulse race. He loved when she did that. “I mean, are you sure? It’s a big risk for you. I’m not really all that special.”
God, she really is amazing, he thought. An uncontrollable smile grew on his face, and he made no effort to tame it. She was unlike any girl he could remember. Most women were far too captivated with his success, only seeking an opportunity to get into his pockets and take advantage of his wealth. But not her. She was undaunted by any sort of selfish anxiety. Her concern was for him.
“Liar,” he said. She was special. He’d known that from the moment he saw her. He could tell that he caught her by surprise, but she quickly smiled. Her face was warm and zealous again, and he was glad.
“How do you want to do this?” she asked.
He chuckled at her question. You mean like lying down? Standing up? Doggie style? Missionary? I think we should do it every way possible.
He harnessed his wandering mind. “We go slow. We start out discreet.”
“I can do discreet,” she replied. “But I’m not exactly on your schedule. It took months to arrange this meeting. Won’t it be suspicious to suddenly have me around all the time?”
He turned and picked up her proposal. “This project is a great reason to have you come see me on a regular basis. Perhaps we need to schedule some business dinners?”
“I like business dinners.”
“Good,” he said. He knew his smile matched hers. Excitement fluttered in his stomach, dancing with joy that he didn’t expect.
He reached for her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it. She was so smooth and soft. He wanted to feel more.
“I’ll have my secretary call you,” he told her, not letting go of her hand. “To set up a meeting.”
“I hope it’s soon.” Her smile filled the room with light.
“Count on it.” With one hand he pulled her closer, and with the other he held the edge of her chin as he kissed her once more, this time appreciating the delicacy of her lips over her hand.
Slowly and regretfully he let her go as the intercom began to buzz again.
With their faces still only inches away and her eyes still closed she licked her lips. The motion was intoxicating, instantly driving him insane with memories of what that mouth could do.
She opened her eyes and stepped back. He missed the feel of her in his arms as she ran her hands down her dress to alleviate the wrinkles before reaching for her bag.
She looked up, putting the bag on her shoulder. “I think this was a very successful meeting, Mr. Jacobson.” Her smile had grown playful and mischievous. He liked it.
“I agree, Ms. Riley. We shall have to do another.”
She was moving towards the door when she stopped, looked back, and winked. Immediately he remembered the wedding, the same hint he had discretely sent her in the very beginning.
What a turn of events.
He was smiling foolishly as he mumbled the word, “Goodbye.”
16
Kat
It took three days before a dinner was scheduled. Kat had felt like a kid waiting for Christmas after leaving his office, as if Christmas was some near but immeasurable time away.
She had been at work, toiling through yet another spreadsheet, when her phone rang. She’d nearly let it go to voicemail just because she was so close to finishing her work, but answered it just in time.
“Mr. Jacobson would like to request another meeting in order to further discuss your proposal.” The secretary sounded completely uninterested, and if anything, annoyed to be calling Kat to set this up.
Kat wanted to sound as professional as possible, but found herself grinning from ear to ear, regardless of the secretary’s tone. “When is Mr. Jacobson proposing to meet?”
“Are you available to meet with him Friday at The West Wing Steakhouse at 7pm?” the secretary asked. Kat could almost see her roll her eyes through the phone.
“Yes, that sounds perfect.” It was a good thing that the secretary couldn’t see through the phone on this end. Kat was doing a silent victory dance around her cubicle. It looked like a cross between a touchdown dance and the Macarena, but Kat didn’t care. They had a date!
The secretary repeated the specifics of the meeting again before abruptly hanging up. It was all business as far as she was concerned, which suited Kate just fine. She wanted the secretary to think it was all just business. They needed everyone to think that.
She was out of breath from her happy dance as she plopped down into her chair and spun in lazy circles. A date. A pretend business meeting, but a real date with Mr. Sexy-wink. Life was golden and bright. She could barely wait.
Kat packed and collected her files and laptop before getting ready for dinner that evening. It would be just like her to show up to a ‘business dinner’ with AJ without even a pencil in her hand. If they were going to be able to see each other, she had to do a good job at keeping up the pretense. The only way to combat the anticipation was to be overly systematic.