Whisper

by Rose Middleton

  Neither Jett nor she paid attention as the other two men left. He still held her hand, though it no longer resembled a handshake. Glancing down, she found he’d changed his grip and held her hand as if he were about to lift it to his mouth for a kiss. The image of it struck her, made her head light and before she knew it, he’d led her into his office and sat her in a large, wingback chair. Without a word he poured her a cup of water, knelt by her feet and held it to her lips.

  “I can do it myself,” she whispered, to which he shook his head and urged her to drink. The cool liquid was no match for the fire burning inside her. It merely turned to steam and she wondered if anything could douse her need for him.

  “I like it.”

  She blinked. “The suit?”

  “The name.”

  “Jett.” She covered his hands with hers. His warmth chased away the twinge of fear that bloomed in her gut. “If I’d known—”

  “You’d what? Turn down the offer? I wouldn’t expect that of you. It was a shock to run into you like that though. You let me think you were a model.”

  “You let me think you were a lawyer.”

  He stood to throw the paper cup in the trash and then returned. She took his outstretched hands and let him bring her to her feet. The turbulence in his eyes suggested an internal struggle. Was he about to cut short their affair?

  “I felt your presence. Somehow I knew you were close but I never thought you’d be in my building, my office.”

  “Your building?”

  He rolled his eyes playfully. “Figuratively speaking.”

  The effort it took to keep her gaze from wandering to his lips derailed her thoughts. “I felt you too.”

  “It’s amazing, to be connected so intimately.”

  Her cheeks heated, admitting she felt the same. “We hardly know each other.”

  “Perhaps.” He stepped closer. “But only in matters of insignificance. Deep down, I know the kind of woman you are, Whisper.”

  Roxanne took a small step back, keeping a suitable distance between their bodies. He might have carnal knowledge of her but he didn’t know her well. And it seemed his idea of matters of insignificance didn’t match hers. “You said the spell would end at sunrise but it hasn’t, has it?”

  His eyes clouded over. “Rox, we can’t talk about that here. No one knows and I need to keep it that way.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  He smiled and she watched his eyes change. No longer were there pupils and irises, but the crashing waves of an ocean she’d seen in her dreams. It seemed so real, as if she could dive in and swim inside him. Tentatively, she reached up and brushed her knuckles along his cheekbone, concluding with absolute certainty that those dreams were real.

  His eyelids drifted closed as he stepped closer, pressing his cheek firmer into her hand. Desire drew her toward him and threatened to overrule every rational thought in her head. With barely an inch separating them, Roxanne felt her body heat. Silently she demanded he touch her and wondered if he could still read her thoughts.

  “I told you we’d find each other.”

  His words hung heavy in the air. Could she turn her back on office rules and first-day jitters to break the deadlock?

  “Last night was incredible, Jett.”

  His eyes opened, like two windows looking out over the ocean. “But not as good as if when we are together physically?”

  “Different but satisfying.”

  “I prefer the real thing.”

  His confession tugged a wry smile from her. No arguments here.

  “Are you okay with me working here?”

  The ocean disappeared from his eyes and he pulled away, walking over to the windows. “Honestly? I don’t know. Our arrangement was to keep the details of our lives secret.”

  Roxanne toed the carpet. Where had the nervous tension come from? If he agreed they should end it then neither would be hurt and the chances of being discovered as casual lovers gone. In the end, they were safer that way. “I know. It was all about the fantasy. It’s okay, really. I understand.”

  He spun to face her. “Understand what, exactly? I didn’t say we were over.”

  Her heart jumped into her throat and his gaze dipped to where she knew it thumped under the thin skin between her collarbones. “What are you saying?”

  Jett licked his lips, his body leaning toward her. The door behind her swung open and Addison strolled into the room, oblivious to the energy flowing between them. “Here you are. I’d wondered where you’d gone.”

  “What about Greg?”

  Addison waved a dismissive hand in Jett’s direction. “Signed, sealed and delivered to whichever firm is game enough to take him on. Now it’s time for lunch. Jett, if you don’t mind, I’m taking Roxanne out for a bite to eat. You know where to find me if I’m needed but if I don’t hear from you, we’ll see you all at two.”

  Chapter Three

  “Your first day and you get lunch with the boss,” Jett whispered as they entered the boardroom side by side. The effort it took to keep his hands off her rendered his mind useless but then, it had been pretty much pointless to try to work while his mind kept imagining her at lunch with his boss.

  Not only did his Whisper now have a name but he had to work by her side. Taylor & Taylor’s policy on workplace fraternization spelled things out in very clear, direct terms. They could do whatever they liked in the privacy of their homes but at work, there would be no cavorting. And if a relationship interfered with their productivity they were toast.

  If he had to spend the entire week in her presence without touching her or even sharing a private moment, he’d be unstoppable come Friday night.

  “Jealous?”

  He huffed and moved to sit at the opposite end of the large oval table. Jealous? Not likely. Holding back a mountain of desire to rip off her clothes and take her on the conference table? Absolutely.

  The need surprised him. He should be worried about her presence, fearful she’d let his secrets out of the bag and, above all, anxious about their private rendezvous clashing with their everyday lives. To his utter dismay, he was none of those things. Having Roxanne in his life filled him with electricity.

  The fantasy was not over, not by a long shot, and he’d set her straight the next time they were alone.

  “Well,” Addison got proceedings underway, “I hope everyone’s ready for an announcement.”

  The old man glanced at Roxanne, enamored with her, as any man should be. Her flawless complexion framed by waves of shiny black hair presented the perfect package of woman. Was he too quick to draw the conclusion? What did he really know about her? Even she had warned him to tread carefully but Jett had derived conclusions about her from her actions. Knowing she enjoyed the anonymous encounters with him spoke to her adventurous nature, her strength of self and an independent spirit he admired.

  Allowing him to bind her demonstrated her trust, though he had to work for it. He’d learned that during their first night. Her conviction in demanding he prove his worth that night had paid off for them both.

  “I’d like to introduce Roxanne Whisper and officially welcome her to the team here at Taylor & Taylor.”

  You could hear a pin drop, it was that silent in the room. Theodore cleared his throat, stood and greeted her. No doubt they’d met and this was for show, but the formality of the occasion required it. Beside Jett, Grant Stevens nudged him.

  “Did you know they were hiring?”

  Jett shook his head, never taking his eyes off Roxanne. “Nope, but you have to admit, this place needs more women.”

  “That’s true.” Grant chuckled. “Do you know who she is?”

  Jett shook his head again. Well, it was half-true. “You?”

  “She was at Pillow Talk, the firm specializing in erotica authors, romance authors, exotic dancers and porn stars.”

  The news spiked Jett’s curiosity. Erotica authors, eh? He’d have to get to the bottom of that. Hell, he’
d need to write a list of all the things he’d need to investigate before long. Whose idea had it been to keep the humdrum details of their lives out of the equation?

  “I hope she doesn’t bring them here,” Grant added. “We’re a respectable firm.”

  Jett laughed. “Sure, that’s why we represent elite athletes who punch nightclub security. Do you know how successful some of those authors are?”

  “They write about sex.” Grant sounded disgusted, causing Jett to finally turn.

  “And you date a different woman every week and talk about your encounters like they came from some porn flick. Don’t be so righteous. Have you ever read an erotic romance?”

  Grant pulled a face. “It’s still sex, spelled out word for word. And it’s still written by women, for women. All mushy and romantic. Nothing like real life, my friend.”

  Jett thought back to the second night he’d shared with Roxanne Whisper. How naïve he’d been to read erotic poetry to her. He could laugh about it now, but that night, he’d read with the passion and desire the writing elicited in him. The lovemaking that followed blew his mind and converted him to a fan of literary eroticism. So much so he’d spent the rest of the following Saturday propped up in bed reading the entire anthology. Would she tease him with it when they were alone?

  “Thank you for the warm welcome, Addison.” Her voice snagged his attention and he turned his back on Grant. “I can only hope to live up to the expectations you have of me.”

  Formal welcomes from Grant and the three other consultants followed. It surprised Jett to see them leave shortly afterward, though he didn’t mind being left alone with Roxanne at all. Pity Addison lingered about.

  “Don’t mind them.” Jett nodded toward the door, not leaving his chair.

  “I’m glad I have the two of you alone,” Addison bellowed in his jovial manner. “I have a client I want to lure over to Taylor & Taylor but I can’t decide which of you two I’d like to handle her account. I’ve prepared briefs for you both and you each have the week to design a campaign for presentation. She’ll make the ultimate decision on who she wants to represent her. But beware, while there’s a little friendly rivalry to be had, in the end we want her to sign with Taylor & Taylor. Have I made myself clear?”

  Addison slid a manila folder down the table, where Jett trapped it under an outstretched hand. Amused by the decision to pit him against Roxanne, he flashed a cunning smile and winked. “Are you up for the challenge, newbie?”

  She glanced at the file and returned a sly smile of her own. “Oh, are you feeling challenged? I know my angle already.”

  Jett laughed hard, loving the emergence of this competitive streak in his Whisper. “Them’s fighting words, I think.”

  Addison gave them both a lasting look of approval and then disappeared, closing the door behind him.

  “You’re not considering welching out of Friday, are you?”

  She grinned and sauntered toward him, dropping the file on the table before nudging his knees apart and stepping in between. “What do I get if I win the account?”

  Jett swallowed. She wasn’t playing around and he loved it. “To dominate me.”

  “Oooh,” she cooed, rubbing her hands up his thighs and setting his groin on fire. “I get to control the controller? I like that.”

  He sat up, bringing their mouths dangerously close. Her heated breath caressed his lips and teased his restraint. “What do I get if I win, Whisper?”

  Her eyes flared and her knee nudged his balls. She winked and licked his bottom lip. “Me, for a whole weekend. That’s if you still want me.”

  Jett grabbed the lapels of her jacket and pulled her down for a kiss. Anyone could walk in on them but the instant her mouth opened and they connected, he forgot about the danger and lost himself in the kind of kiss he’d only ever dreamed about. Those soft, silk lips glided across his with a surprising hunger. He expected her to hesitate, to play it safe.

  Smooth, clean teeth nipped at him before her tongue licked away the hurt. The rough graze of her tongue reignited the fire in his groin. She knew exactly how to use the appendage and had wielded it with precision on many occasion. Right here, with the threat of the boss walking in on them at any moment, the taboo action was all the more desirable.

  Jett fitted his hands over the curve of her hips and tugged her closer. Her knee nudged the rock-hard length of him, making him see stars. Without a word he stood, directed her back against the large expanse of mahogany and leaned toward her until she lay on her back.

  In silence, he ran his palms over her breasts, unbuttoning her jacket as he moved down. Nipples poked through the thin white shirt. His mouth watered but he resisted the lure calling him closer.

  “I could take you right here,” he teased as his fingers slid over her belly.

  “Do it.”

  He smiled at her dare. Because she wanted him to, he wouldn’t. “We’re dangerous together, Whisper. What if the boss found us?”

  “What if he didn’t?”

  “Until Friday,” he growled, “we don’t touch, we don’t kiss. Hell, we avoid being alone together. Got it?”

  “Do you think you can handle it, Jett?”

  He nodded, rubbing his nose against hers. “Do you?”

  With one final kiss, she straightened, flattened the crinkles in her suit and picked up her folder. At the door, she turned back to him, her eyes sparkling with desire. “No matter who wins, there will be magic, right?”

  * * * * *

  In the privacy of her office, Roxanne stripped off her jacket and kicked off her shoes. How did he do that? One kiss and she was ready to strip naked and offer her body up for his pleasure. It had to be the spell still working on her. That was if there was any real magic involved.

  When he’d told her he was a witch, she hadn’t questioned it, thinking it was part of his fantasy. Her initial reaction was to ask why he wasn’t a wizard or a warlock but he’d enlightened her and explained that throughout the generations, the men and women in his family called themselves witches. He’d chuckled whimsically and joked how Hollywood loved their fantastical wizards or warlocks. She’d confessed to being totally ignorant, assuming his explanation came from some game like Dungeons and Dragons, but now she wondered.

  If he really was a witch, would he use his powers on her against her will? She felt small for considering the idea but he had admitted to using magic on her. Did it explain the amazing night they’d shared last week? Or was there some sort of placebo effect encouraging her to believe him?

  She sighed and slumped into her cushy leather chair. She lifted the manila folder and fanned her face. What had she got herself into?

  On the desk, her phone rang. Suspecting Addison had further queries or tasks for her, she lifted the receiver to her ear and gave her official greeting. She didn’t expect the rich and sexy laugh that tickled her ear, nor did she expect her body to go haywire.

  “Miss me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s been two minutes, Jett.”

  “But you missed me, right?”

  Biting her lip, she weighed up the consequence of blurting out the truth. “I take it you’re calling to renege on our deal?”

  He laughed again, the deep, dangerous sound sending shivers down her spine. “Hell, no. One way or another, lady, someone’s going to lose. I called for another reason. More serious.” He cleared his throat, making her smile at his show of concentration.

  “Which is?”

  “Did you consider ending our fantasy when you ran into me this morning?”

  Roxanne sat up. He was serious. “Say again?”

  “You heard me and I want you to be honest. All games aside, do you want to back out?”

  “Are you asking because that’s what you want?”

  He hesitated and she almost groaned. “Don’t answer with a question, Whisper. I need to know. Do you want out?”

  Time to be honest. “No. You?”

  “I want to keep seeing you. Bein
g with you is addictive and when I’m inside you I feel more like myself than ever before. I don’t think there’s anything more heavenly than losing myself in your heat.”

  She heated all over again. “Do you want a relationship? Because I suck at those.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “I’m independent, I’m bossy, I like my space. And I’m a workaholic. You’ll see.”

  “I’m bossy too.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “You’ll see come Friday night.”

  “If you win.”

  He chuckled, the sound so intimate she shimmied in her seat. “I will and you’ll be mine for the whole weekend.”

  “Don’t be so sure. I will beat you. I will own you.”

  A heartbeat of silence made her smile. She’d left him speechless and it thrilled her, but she remained quiet to listen to him. The long, slow breath told her he was plotting his revenge. “I’m sorry to say but I think you’re gravely mistaken. Do you have any idea who you’re up against?”

  She heard the double entendre in his voice and practically melted in her seat. Her pussy throbbed when she imagined him naked, hovering over her. “Why don’t you inform me?”

  He chuffed. “Two words, baby. The best. So when I win, you’ll give me that whole weekend, including the Sunday night. Got it?”

  Call her a glutton but damn, she loved the confidence in his voice. She loved even more the secret knowledge of the challenge awaiting them. “Don’t get cocky, mister. The prospective client is Lora Devine.”

  “And she is?”

  Oh, she so had this in the bag. “Only the most successful erotic romance author this country has ever produced. You know I have experience in this area, right?”

  “Writing erotica?” He sounded hopeful.

  Roxanne laughed. “Prepare to be dominated. And while you’re at it, read one of Lora’s books. She has a few submissive characters. It’ll prepare you for Friday.”

  * * * * *

  Taking Roxanne’s advice, he spent a couple of nights engrossed by Ms. Devine’s bestselling books. They gave him a thousand ideas for promotion and marketing and, after Grant’s damning view on erotic romance, Jett felt certain his PR campaign would not only boost his client’s image but the image of the entire industry as well. So sure was he of a win, he booked the hotel room for the entire weekend in advance and began mixing herbal teas in preparation for a magical encounter.