by Sarah Morgan
The other woman grinned. “I’m starting to understand why Jake gave you office space here. You fit right in.”
Paige carried on working until her head throbbed, and then finally switched off her laptop.
It was almost midnight and she appeared to be the last person in the building.
Jake’s team frequently worked until the early hours but she knew that at the moment lots of them were in the San Francisco office preparing for a major pitch.
Yawning, she grabbed her purse and walked out of the office she shared with Eva and Frankie.
“Paige.”
Jake’s voice came from behind her, deep and sure. She felt a rush of excitement closely followed by exhilaration.
Hauling her feelings behind a mask of indifference, she turned. “Hi. I didn’t realize you were still here. It’s late.”
“It’s midnight. That means it’s the weekend. And we have a date.”
“I assumed that started tomorrow.”
“It’s starting right now. I’ve been working all week and so have you. Come into my office. I have something to show you.”
The look in his eyes made her heart race.
“I’ve already seen it. Pretty impressive in fact.”
He laughed. “That’s not the only thing I have that’s impressive.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Now I’m intrigued.” She stepped over the threshold of his office and he closed the door behind her.
“It’s been a long week.” His eyes were dark, fathomless pools and Paige felt her heart beat faster.
“Yes.”
He slid his hand behind her neck and lowered his forehead to hers. “I came looking for you earlier on today and you were on the phone to a client. Otherwise I would have pinned you to the desk and done indecent things to you.” His voice was thickened. “What does that say about me?”
“It says you’re a risk taker and that you have no respect for office furniture.”
“And how about you—” His mouth hovered dangerously close to hers. “Are you a risk taker, too?”
She hooked her finger into the front of his shirt. “I think I might be.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, his hands in her hair, his mouth hot and demanding. She melted into him and with a groan he powered her back across the office until her shoulders hit a wall.
He fumbled behind her, opened a door she hadn’t even realized was there and pushed her through.
Dimly she registered smooth counters and more doors. “What is this place?”
Without releasing his hold on her he pushed the door closed, trapping them inside. “Storage, dressing room—there’s even a bed in here in case I’m working late but I don’t often use it.”
“A bed?”
“Yeah.” He yanked at her dress, and then she gasped as she felt the warm slide of his hand over her skin, seeking. Finding. And then there was only the skilled stroke of his fingers and the rush of desire that spread through her with delicious, syrupy warmth.
“Jake—”
“You’re beautiful.” He kept his mouth on her, kept his hand on her, sending her higher and higher with every intimate brush of his fingers until she moaned and squirmed against him.
She felt the rigid thickness of him straining against her and fumbled with his zip until she freed him.
Neither of them moved. They stood, locked against the door, lost in their own private world of steamy desire. And then she felt his hand slide to her thigh, urging it upward. She curled her leg around his back, her eyes still fixed on his.
His first thrust brought a cry to her lips, and he crushed her mouth with his, swallowing the sound so that all that was left was sensation. The sensation of him filling her, possessing her, taking everything she had to give until orgasm rushed down on her so fast she had no time to breathe. She heard him curse softly as she tightened around him, felt him thrust deep to counter the seductive ripples of her body, felt the moment when he tipped over the edge.
Then there was only the hot pulse of him, the heat of his mouth and the incredible intimacy that was being with Jake. It felt deeper and more intense than anything she’d ever experienced before.
Maybe it was because she’d known him so long. Wanted him for so long.
Finally he eased away from her and stood for a moment, steadying his breathing, his forehead resting on his arm while with the other arm he held her close.
Her forehead was on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes as she breathed in the scent of him, absorbing every movement and texture. Man and muscle.
“We just had sex in your office.”
“Yes. At the time I wondered if this was a waste of office space but now I’m kind of glad I built it.”
She felt weak and shaky. “I’m glad, too. I’ve never had sex up against a door before.”
He gave a husky laugh and eased away so that he could look at her. “All part of your education.” He lifted his head and stroked his fingers over her face in a gesture that was both possessive and intimate. “Are you all right?”
“I think so. Although I can’t believe we just did that.” She’d had sex with Jake in his office. Standing up. “Or maybe you do it all the time.”
“Never. I’m starting to think sharing office space with you might not have been such a great idea.” His voice wasn’t quite steady, and he released her and gently smoothed her dress down.
“You said you had something to show me.” She tried to sound normal, as if being with him hadn’t just rocked her world. “Was that it?”
He stared at her blankly, and then his expression cleared. “No, that wasn’t it. I built you an app.”
She was touched and more than a little excited. “You did?”
“Yeah, I was going to show it to you but I got distracted. I blame you.”
“You could show it to me now.”
“Or I could wait until Monday and show it to all three of you.” He lowered his head and kissed her again. “The weekend has started. Work can wait.”
“I don’t want to wait. I want you to show me the app.”
“I’ll show you over dinner.”
“Now? It’s late.”
“That must be why I’m so hungry.” His smile was wickedly sexy. “And this is Manhattan. There is no such thing as late. There’s this fantastic Greek place around the corner. Stays open until all hours.”
“Does your mother know you eat Greek?”
“My mother doesn’t know half the things I do.” He took Paige’s hand and led her out of the office, winding past empty desks to the elevator.
They descended to the street in a silent glide of simmering chemistry and leashed sexual desire. Her heart gave a little flutter. She didn’t think she made a sound, but she must have done because he sent her a searing glance that raised the temperature of the enclosed space by several degrees. She looked away quickly, knowing that if she didn’t they’d end up having sex in the elevator.
Somehow they made it to street level, and then she felt the light brush of his hand on her back as they walked two blocks to the restaurant.
Despite the hour, it was crowded. A small, friendly crowd inhabiting an intimate space filled with delicious smells and sounds that transported her straight to the Mediterranean.
Jake waved aside the menus, ordered for both of them and then pulled out his tablet computer. “Get ready to be blown away.”
His enthusiasm made her smile. “I’m ready. And, by the way, I can order my own food.”
“I know you can, but I eat here all the time and I know what’s good. Move closer.” He tugged at her chair. “See this? This is your app.”
“It’s so cute.” She smiled. “A genie lamp. Do I rub it?”
“You tap it.” He tapped his finger on the screen and she watched, intrigued as he took her through the different features. “It’s easy to use, so even nontechnical people will find it easy. Your clients can use it to send requests for concierge services. Laura can filter them and
direct them to the appropriate person. It means you don’t have to be involved with simple requests. If the dog needs walking or someone needs dry cleaning collected, Laura can allocate it to the best person. Frees you up to deal with the events and more complicated requests.”
She asked him a few questions, and then experimented herself. “This is amazing. I love it. Did you program it yourself?”
“Yes.”
“But you’ve been so busy with that pitch in San Francisco and—I didn’t think you did much of the hands-on work now. Apart from cyber security. I thought you were all about clients.”
“I am.”
She handed the tablet back to him. “So why did you program our app?”
“Because it was for you. You needed it.” His gaze held hers and she felt warmth spread through her.
“Thank you. We’ll pay you, obviously.”
“I don’t want you to pay me. And I have to do something with my time since I’m sleeping less than usual.” He waited while their waitress delivered food to the table, an array of small dishes with warm freshly baked pita bread. “What shall we do this weekend?”
She smiled. “I’m going to keep you awake.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Just because a man doesn’t ask for directions, doesn’t mean he isn’t lost.
—Paige
THAT SATURDAY, THEY walked the High Line, the historic disused railway track that had been transformed into Manhattan’s highest public park. A mile and a half long, it meandered through the neighborhoods of West Manhattan, a vibrant, verdant walkway of rambling gardens, wildflowers, grasses and shrubs softening the hard angles of the surrounding buildings.
When they were tired of walking, they bought coffee and settled themselves in a beautiful shady nook directly above West Fifteenth Street. From here they had sweeping views of the Hudson River, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.
“I love this place.” Jake squinted against the sun. “It reminds me that things don’t have to stay the same. That they can change, be reborn and regenerated.”
Settling her coffee in her lap, Paige stretched out her legs and tilted her face to the sun. “That’s your whole job, isn’t it? Finding new ways to do things? Refreshing the old?”
“I don’t refresh. I innovate.”
She closed her eyes and smiled. “Mr. Sensitive.”
“No woman has ever called me sensitive before.”
“I know all your sensitive parts.” Her phone rang and she opened her eyes and dug it out of her bag. “I ought to check who this is—” It was her mother, and she answered it with an apologetic glance toward Jake.
“Mom?” She turned away slightly, smiling as she listened to her mother’s excited update on their latest travel adventures around Europe. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy you’re having such a great time— Yes, everything is fine here. Work is great. Couldn’t be better.” She talked to her mother for a little while, and then ended the call. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be.” Jake finished his coffee. “You’ve got a mother who wants to know how you’re doing. You get on well together. You’re lucky.”
She toyed with her coffee. “Did you ever think about trying to contact your mother? Your real mother? When we talked about it that time, years ago, you said you were thinking of it.”
“What would be the point? I figured that if she’d wanted to know where I was and what I was doing, she would have stayed in touch. She was the grown-up. I was the kid. She knew exactly where I was living.”
She pressed closer to him and he turned his head and smiled.
“Don’t look at me like that, with those big sad eyes. It was a long time ago. I can honestly say I rarely think about it now.”
That might be true, but the experience had become part of who he was, she knew that. “If you ever want to talk about it—”
“There’s nothing to talk about. Maria is my mother and she’s been my mother since I was six years old. I don’t have room for another mother in my life, particularly not one who made it clear she didn’t want me. Anyway, can you imagine having two mothers?” He shuddered. “Two women asking you when you’re going to settle down and give them grandchildren. Spare me that.” He rose to his feet and reached out his hand. “Let’s walk. And then we should probably go home, because tonight I’m cooking you dinner.”
She let him pull her to her feet, wishing she could heal all the hurt. She had scars on the outside but Jake’s were no less significant just because they weren’t visible. “You cook?”
“Hey, I was raised by an Italian woman. Once you’ve tasted my lasagna you’re going to beg for more.” He hauled her against him and kissed her. “And that’s not the only thing you’re going to be begging for.”
Back home, Jake opened wine and cooked dinner while she watched. It felt easy and natural to be in his apartment, watching while he wandered barefoot around his spectacular kitchen.
“This was one of the first dishes my mother taught me.” He chopped, diced, fried and eventually layered everything into the shallow dish.
“That’s impressive.” She helped clear up as he cooked. “You look like a professional chef.”
“You’d better taste it before you give your opinion. Does your mother cook?”
“Yes. We had a home-cooked meal every day the whole time I was growing up. And because Puffin Island was small, I used to go home for lunch when I was at school.”
“What was your favorite meal?”
“That’s easy. Lobster bake on the beach.” She sipped the glass of wine he’d poured her. “We used to sit with our toes in the sand, watching the sun go down. Bliss.”
They talked, swapping stories, learning more about each other, each tiny detail cementing the foundation of their relationship.
When the meal was ready they ate at the table, watching the sun go down over the Hudson.
“Maria taught you well.” Paige put her fork down and stared at her empty plate. “Delicious. So tell me how it went in San Francisco? Did they like what you did for them?”
“Yes. Do you want to see?”
“Do you need to ask?”
He smiled and opened his laptop.
She focused on the screen as he showed her the design. Her brother had always told her how smart Jake was, and since sharing his office she’d seen it for herself. She saw how his team deferred to him, how many potential clients he had calling him up. He never had to cold call anyone. They always came to him.
He had more business than he could handle, and that, she thought, was because he was good at what he did. The best.
She needed to make sure Urban Genie gained the same reputation.
For the next half an hour he took her through the design and showed her what it could do.
“Jake, this is incredible.” She explored it, fascinated. “It’s going to transform their business.”
“They think so, too.” He closed the laptop. “I’m glad you approve. I keep forgetting I’m dating Geek Girl. It’s pretty cool.”
“I am not Geek Girl. I am Incredibly Hot Girl who just happens to love technology.”
“You’re Geek Girl. I don’t suppose you could wear glasses while we have sex?”
“Would it make me sexier?”
“Nothing would make you sexier.” He pulled her onto his lap and she grinned.
“Careful with the hardware.”
“I love your hardware.” He slid his hand down her body. “Your software isn’t bad, either.”
“Is this Geek sex?” She murmured the words against his mouth. “It’s like phone sex only—geeky. Is that a USB stick I can feel pressing against me?”
He laughed. “You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”
“You’re pretty sexy, too, for a guy who communicates in code. I love that you’re so passionate about what you do.” She kissed him. “I guess I could borrow Frankie’s glasses if you thought it would make the sex hotter.”
He scooped her up, carried her to the bed and dropped her in the middle of it. “Do you seriously think the sex between us could get any hotter?”
Not hotter, but it was changing. That frantic, crazy, let’s-make-up-for-lost-time sex that had blinded them both in the beginning was now interspersed with something different. Something more intimate. Personal. There was still discovery, but there was also knowledge.
She gave him a suggestive look. “We could try for hotter. What do you think?” She started to unbutton her dress and saw his eyes darken.
“I think you’re a tease.” He stripped off his shirt and joined her on the bed.
“If I were a tease, I wouldn’t follow through, and I have every intention of following through.” She slid her hand over his abdomen to the snap of his jeans and heard him suck in a breath. “Still want me to borrow Frankie’s glasses?”
“No. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to see through them. Is she shortsighted or long?”
Paige hesitated. The reason Frankie wore glasses wasn’t something she had any intention of discussing. “I’m not sure,” she said finally, and lowered her head. “Fortunately for you, my vision is perfect and I see something that interests me. Come here so that I can take a closer look.”
* * *
THE WEEKEND MERGED into a lazy blend of laughter, conversation and sex.
On Sunday they ate brunch in a little café near Central Park and walked hand in hand along winding paths, watching in-line skaters, families with strollers and dedicated runners.
They reached the boating lake and Jake paused.
“What?” She looked at him, and then followed his gaze to the lake and started to laugh. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not kidding.”
“You want me to get in a boat with you?”
“You’ve done everything else with me.” He wondered how she could still blush after all the things they’d done together. “You’re so cute.”
“I’m not cute.” Her eyes challenged him. “I’m sexy. I am the CEO of Urban Genie. You’ve probably heard of it. We’re pretty famous now.”
“I’ve heard the CEO is hot stuff.” He pulled her close and felt her gasp as he tipped her off balance. “You are sexy. And you’re going to look even sexier when I’ve capsized the boat and dumped you in the water because then you’ll be wet.”