Glancing around, to make sure no one paid attention to him, he plunged his hand into her shoulder bag. He looked down, and found some make up, gum, a couple of post-it notes with a grocery list, and—AHA—her cell phone.
He checked her recent calls, but nothing caught his attention. Even her contact list seemed suspiciously short. A couple slides on the main screen showed him several harmless apps. Besides, of course, Cyber Dust. The one she could use to text whomever, and keep it a secret. Not good. He knew he wouldn’t find any messages, as they self-deleted after a few seconds, but he clicked on her user info anyway. And… His heart skipped a beat. Horseracer7861. That had been the nickname he heard a family member refer to Matthew as a child. Apparently his half-brother dreamed of being a Cowboy when he was eight. Most importantly, why the fuck was Matthew on her contact list whose messages had to be secret? At work, he never saw them chat. Truth to be told, he never noticed Matthew giving her a second glance.
If she wanted to steal from the company, why would she need Matthew’s help? And why on Earth would he jeopardize everything he worked so hard for? Hhmmm…didn’t make sense. Something was off.
Unless…she and Matthew were having an affair.
Chapter Three
Focus, Elena. Focus. She splashed some cold water on her face, then reached for the paper towel, and rolled a good amount into a ball to pat her face. What the hell was happening?
Concentrating on her lies, or filtering the truths she could feed him, was a hard task. Especially when he was so close to her, with the nuances of his spicy scent pushing through her nostrils, and his extra-large sized football player body within a couple inches from hers.
Smoothing her hands over her blouse and skirt, she took a breath longer than the Colorado winter. For whatever reason, he wanted to take her out to eat. She just had to make sure she wouldn’t be the entrée. A woman like her could never get involved with a bad boy like Devon. What would Doctor Hodge say? And why did her shrink have to go on vacation?
Sure, it had been three years since her divorce. Granted, her nerve endings sizzled like an overheated pan whenever Devon was around. But he was used to experienced, unbroken, sophisticated women in the bedroom department. Besides, if Matthew only knew she was all smitten by the opponent… The enemy.
“You can do it. You can do it.” She ran her hand down her bun.
“You okay?” the lady next to her asked. She slanted the woman a glance. A tall, blonde beauty who reapplied pink lipstick.
She shrugged. “Yes. Just a bit nervous.”
The blonde winked at her. “I don’t blame you. If I were having dinner with that hunk, I’d be nervous too.”
“Right?” She smiled, and headed out of the bathroom. See, this was completely normal. Devon was a super attractive guy, and any woman with a heartbeat would be nervous around him. Anxious. Excited.
A lump lodged in her throat. When she neared their corner booth, she could already feel his gaze warming her skin. The little hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she slid across the booth, managing to give him a neutral smile.
“Appetizer’s here.” He cocked his head toward the direction of the oysters.
“Interesting.” She glanced at the ice-poached oysters, and the sauces neatly displayed. “I’ve never tried it,” she said, eyes on the food. A small talk about a seafood morsel couldn’t land her in hot water, right?
“You don’t know what you’ve been missing,” he said, his voice dropping a couple notches. Somehow, the booth seemed smaller, or had he scooted next to her? Even though she wasn’t facing him, she just knew his gaze studied her profile, and she was on display like a mannequin in a window.
The thought hardened her nipples, and her clit tingled. Crap. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was about to reach for a glass of water, when he took a piece of oyster with his fork and lifted it to her mouth. Her mouth!
Ignoring the throbbing sensation in her stomach, she turned her head to face him. The second her eyes found his, air fled from her lungs. A silver sparkle flickered in his eyes, and was it her impression, or did his hotness go up a notch in the past minute? With his full, delicious—she guessed—lips parted, the man stared at her with an intensity that could probably move objects. She knew for sure, it wreaked havoc with her system.
Goodness. She opened her lips, and he dipped the fork into her mouth, without breaking eye contact. She swallowed the tasty morsel, while she still had complete control over her basic motor skills, and the chilled oyster slid down her dry throat, nice and smooth.
“Good girl. Do you like it?”
She touched her lips. “Yes. I heard a lot about it, but hadn’t tried it until now.”
“It’s not true, you know. About it being an aphrodisiac.”
“Who was talking about that? I meant how nutritious it is.” She shifted in her seat, and hoped her attempt at play lightened the mood. “I knew nothing about aphrodisiac,” she lied. She had heard about it, but had refused to try it during her marriage. The last thing she needed with Timothy had been more sex.
“It’s a myth that has been told over a thousand years. But never scientifically proven.”
“Does everything need to be scientifically proven for you to believe?”
“Not at all.” He tipped up her chin. She quivered. The texture of his rough hand against her soft skin sent little warning shivers down her spine. “For instance, the other day I was reading an article about the theories of attraction. There are many of them—based on DNA, physical appearance, similar interests. I don’t buy any of them.”
“Why not?” she asked even though an inner voice warned her not to. Was it so hard to steer the conversation toward the weather, politics, or a miraculous cellulite treatment she heard about?
He traced her jaw with his index finger, leaving a trail of simmering goose bumps wherever his flesh touched. “True, raw attraction can’t be explained. It shouldn’t. You just feel it.”
Darn it. She clenched her legs together so hard, for a second her clit stopped pulsing only to resume twice as powerful. No. Three times.
The thumping beats of her heart overpowered the whispers from other couples at other tables. Even the jazzy music from a piano player not too far away lost some of its charm. She knew she shouldn’t look deep into his eyes, and soak into his caress. That was obvious. That was safe. The right thing to do.
Yet… The feel of him so close, the way his eyes gleamed, and the wicked smile that spread through his gorgeous face clouded her judgment. “How can you be so sure?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
She shivered even though there was nothing cold about the temperature. Her breasts pushed against her bra, or was that she, leaning into him? God. She was a mess, and she just couldn’t stop. Anticipation flooded in her veins, her desire for him was a poison and an antidote.
To give her thickening throat some relief, she swallowed—hard—and licked her lips. If she knew what was best for her, this was the time for her to withdraw and retreat. Cut her losses, and just rejoice at the simple fact her sexuality wasn’t dead and buried like she imagined for years.
“Kiss me,” she heard herself saying, although that coarse sound could barely pass for a voice.
He dipped his head down, and before she could second-guess her command, he covered her lips with his. The sensation belted an electrifying awareness within her. Hot strands knotted her stomach. His tongue delved into her mouth, and she stiffened for a moment. Worlds of sensations collided, and she linked her arms around his neck. Otherwise, her bones would melt into a shameless putty of satisfaction.
When he started to explore her dark recesses, she dropped her shoulders a notch. He pulled her to him, his hand resting on the small of her back. She marveled at the proximity, and started to stroke his tongue with hers, doing some exploring of her own. How could she not?
He grazed her upper lip with his teeth, and she let out a soft moan. Heat escalated inside he
r; her entire body itched with need. Agony, even. He slid his hand under her skirt, and his palm fondled her butt cheeks. Massaging them. Wow. Her pussy tingled. Throbbed.
She intensified the kiss, and it was his turn to groan. Hhmmm. So he was just as turned on, wasn’t he? Her hands fell down his broad shoulders, and he grabbed one of them and put it on his leg. Wait. Was that his leg? Warmth spread across her cheeks and neck. She palmed the large, pulsating bulge and could feel him smiling against her lips. Nope. There wasn’t a chance in hell that was a leg.
“I need to fuck you,” he whispered, his breath labored. “Let’s get out of here.”
I need to fuck you. The words rang inside her, powerful and deep like an old fashioned church bell. She froze. What on Earth was she thinking? She jerked away from him, and in a split second a chilly sensation swirled around her like a ghost. She had heard those words before, from a much different male voice. I need to fuck you. I need it. It’s like I can’t stop it.
“No,” she blurted, then covered her mouth.
“What happened?” A wrinkled formed between his eyebrows, and he quirked his head to one side.
You don’t wanna know. “Look, thanks for dinner, but I’m not ready for this.” Who was I kidding? Just because Horny Fairy tossed some magical dust on her, didn’t mean years of abuse would just vanish.
He gave a long sigh. “What’s wrong? You asked me to kiss you. You don’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Just don’t play games with me.”
“Trust me, I’m not.” She grabbed her bag and stood. “Listen, I have to go.”
He made a motion to stand up, but she gestured for him to sit, waving her hand. “Please, don’t. I will get a cab. Let’s pretend this never happened, okay?”
“Elena, I’ll take you home. Calm down.”
She clenched her purse. How could she calm down? If she stayed, not only would it be awkward, but she’d keep thinking about those words, and the man who said them to her. For three years. Whenever he wanted to.
“No,” she said, a tad louder than intended. A few people threw glances at her, and she lowered her tone. “Trust me on this. I need to leave.” She started to walk, and when she looked over her shoulder, he watched her, dark eyes on her like a hawk. “The oyster wasn’t bad. Thanks,” she added, and then headed out of the restaurant as far as she could. Her body still trembling.
***
Elena closed the door of her car, her fingers clasping the handle. Let go. It’s okay. Listening to her inner voice, she drew in a breath and began to walk away from the parking space. At seven am earlier that Saturday morning, the company’s driver had delivered her Beamer to her garage, a courtesy she could only blame Devon for.
Devon. She glanced around the park, and didn’t see him amongst the dozens of employees wearing black and white polo shirts and shorts. Like the ones she had on, although now she wished her shorts were bermudas instead of Daisy Dukes length.
Damn it. Damn it.
Holly waved at her, and she waved back, trying to avoid walking over to the group of interns surrounding her good-looking friend like fairytale bunnies and squirrels to a Disney movie princess. Best thing was to keep her head in the game.
A well-known local fast food chain had pulled up a trailer and offered organic meats, hot dogs, and burgers. She recognized a few coworkers playing dodge ball, while others mingled and sipped on beers.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
“Hey, Ells.” Matthew snuck around her, and she continued walking alongside him. No handshakes, or hugs, or any type of special greeting were in order. To anyone who saw them, this was just an employee talking to a superior. Maybe about the weather. Or politics. Or cellulite treatments.
“It’s a nice day, isn’t it?” she said, realizing if she could choose her topic of conversation that would be it.
“Do you have any news? Were you able to get into his private account? You didn’t text me back,” he said, peering around them as though to make sure no one could hear them.
“I logged in, but then he almost caught me. I’ll try again on Monday.”
“Why don’t you stop by the office later today?”
“Because it’s the weekend. I will have to punch an access code to enter the building, and there are cameras in the entrance. I can’t be that obvious,” she said, with a nervous chuckle.
He adjusted his sunglasses. “Good point. Listen, Ells, I really appreciate your help.”
“That’s the least I could do,” she said. Wasn’t that the truth? During the time Matthew had lived in New York, she had become friends with his wife Sandra, and both of them helped her come to terms with the end of her marriage. Talking about it was still hard—with anyone besides Dr. Hodge anyway—but if he had helped her face that new chapter of her life, why couldn’t she do the same? Objectively speaking… There was a possibility Devon was stealing. And even if he hadn’t, she had accepted the job to help Matthew in his pursuit of the CEO title. He was the best man for the job, wasn’t he? “How are things with Sandra?”
He flashed her a half-smile. “Not good. We’re doing couple’s therapy, but I’m not sure we’ll make it.”
She shrugged. “Oh man… I’m sorry. If she needs anything, I’m here,” she added, even though ever since she moved to Denver, Sandra had met her for coffee only a handful of times. It seemed she was always busy.
How could Elena judge her? The year before she filed for divorce, she had been half-alive, and not communicated well with family. A part of her had shut out the world like a terrified sea clam.
“Call me if you wanna talk. I wish you both the best,” she said.
He winked at her, and a gleam of hope hit his green eyes. “That makes two of us.”
If she hadn’t been treated like a walking vagina by her former husband, if he hadn’t been so sick, maybe their marriage would have survived too. She certainly enjoyed being married, she realized, worrying her lip. And she would again. Well, once she overcame her fear of trusting someone on a sexual level. That would be a great start.
“I gotta go mingle. Keep me updated on Monday.”
“Sure.”
He nodded, and headed to an area where his team had gathered to play ball. She kept glancing around, in both hope and dread of finding Devon.
“Come join us,” Janie said, and before she could think twice, her friend was leading her through the crowd, with a clipboard in hand and a hot pink whistleblower around her neck. “We’re just about to play tree hugger and I need more victims. This was kind of my idea, you know.”
“S-sure.”
Janie opened a bag with the corporate logo on it and grabbed a couple dark scarves from it. “You need to pair up with someone. I can’t play because I’m organizing, and a cute guy from Human Resources latched onto Holly,” Janie said, and handed her the two soft pieces of black fabric.
Wait, what? She glanced at the group of easily a dozen folks a few feet from them. Some took turns putting the blindfold on others, while a few laughed and joked. “What’s the game?”
“We’ll go over there”—she pointed at the forested area—“and you will touch and feel a tree, then your partner will lead you away. Then you will remove the blindfold and try to relocate the same tree you hugged.”
“Hhhmmm… Okay.” She placed her hands on her waist. “It all sounds great, but most peeps are in pairs already or doing other activities.” Any other activity sounded better than having a coworker lead her anywhere.
“I’m free,” said a deep voice behind her, awakening all her nerve endings.
Janie crossed something off her clipboard and smiled. “Perfect. Get her eyes covered then join us to the left. It will start in a few minutes.”
Elena turned around, the anticipation alone a dangerous venom skating into her bloodstream. The moment her gaze landed on his, a part of her softened into a warm bread pudding, straight out of the oven. Shit. What the hell was happening? “We don’t have to
do this.”
He flashed her a smile. “I’m supposed to mingle with the employees,” he said casually.
“I don’t think we need any extra…mingling.”
He held her stare, and even though she wanted to will herself away from him, she couldn’t. Her body balked, and she was scared her treacherous, throbbing heart would spill out of her mouth if she choked out a word.
The sound of a whistle almost made her jump, and she glanced at the group. Almost everyone was ready, and Janie was in full-on recreational mode, no doubt enjoying being the one to boss everyone around. Crap. Leaving would probably be a bigger deal than staying.
“This is just a friendly game of trust. You trust me, right?” he mocked.
“Not one bit.”
“Good. That means you need to play. Turn around.” He gestured with his hand, and she did as commanded. He erased the distance between them, and again that dangerous energy twirled around her. She closed her eyes, licking her lips like she was about to eat an ice cream cone. Maybe dark chocolate gelato.
When he put the soft fabric on her, a delightful shiver coursed through her, and her skin prickled as if said ice cream had melted on her flesh. Or, maybe, it was just the man who was exponentially yummier than any icy treat. A sound yanked her from her reverie. It was the clearing of a throat, but she couldn’t know for sure if it had come from her or him. Opening her eyes, she could barely see the sunlight. Her eyelashes rubbed on the blindfold, and she realized then how vulnerable she was to him. Even when she couldn’t see him. Maybe even more so. She caught a whiff of his male scent, the lingering fragrance teasing her.
A game of trust. She could laugh at the irony—and almost did. A nervous chuckle escaped her lips before she could stop it.
“See? You’re having fun already,” he said, and her blood went on a low simmer.
She heard a few people talk, but their voices faded into the background. He guided the small of her back, his hand steady and strong. She was barely getting used to that super manly touch on her, when he clenched his palm around her wrist.
Accidentally Seduced (The Naked Truth Series Book 3) Page 3