"Good morning," he said, flashing those dimples as he took his sunglasses off.
"Morning," Sam said, amazed at how normal her voice sounded given the amount of havoc his new look had on her senses. Now that he was this close, she could smell the leather and his Old Spice aftershave. Yum. Her entire body burned.
"Oh, Adrian!" Tiffany gushed as she twirled a strand of blond hair around her index finger. "We were just talking about you."
Adrian arched a brow at her. "What did I do now?"
"Oh, it was nothing bad. I was just asking about that silly old e-mail, but I know you're busy. So, you take your time and when you're ready, I'll take care of it for you."
My, how her tune has changed, Sam thought irritably. Why is it, you find a good man, clean him up, and then the vultures start swooping in?
Life was not fair.
"I sent the e-mail last night," Adrian said.
"How strange," Tiffany said with an obviously practiced frown. "I didn't see it in my in box."
"Did you forget to change it over from your personal e-mail account to the company servers again?"
"Oh," Tiffany said, stroking him lightly on the arm as she giggled and preened. "How silly of me. You know, I just can't keep all this computer stuff straight in my head. I'd really appreciate it if you'd show me how to fix that."
"I'll send Scott down."
His phone rang. Adrian answered it while Tiffany ran a hungry look over his body.
Sam wanted to choke her. "Don't you have something you need to do?" she asked Tiffany.
Tiffany glared at her until Adrian hung up, then she smiled sweetly at him. "You know, if you've got a minute, right now - "
"Actually, I don't. I need to talk to Sam. Excuse us?"
"Oh, absolutely. I'm sure you guys - no offense, Sam - " she said, sweeping a hard look to Sam before giving Adrian a worshipful smile, "have computer problems to talk about. I'll see you" - she punctuated the word by touching Adrian on the chest - "later."
Sam had to force herself not to clobber Tiffany.
As soon as they were alone, Adrian bent down to whisper in her ear. "I did put the right colors together, didn't I?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah," Sam breathed as two women who were staring at Adrian collided behind him.
He let out a relieved sigh. "I was having a bad Heather flashback as I came in the door and three women looked at me and started giggling."
Sam could well imagine that. She felt giddy herself.
Adrian stroked his chin with his hand. "And I'm not sure about the face. I've had a beard or mustache since I turned seventeen. I feel really naked."
At that moment, she wished he were naked. Naked and in her arms doing the Wild Thing with her. "You shouldn't."
"You're sure I don't look like a girly-mon? Because I really don't want the guys up in design to start following me around."
"Oh, no," she said with a laugh. "There's nothing girly about the way you look."
"All right, but if the guys start harassing me, I might have to fire you."
She laughed at the empty threat.
His phone rang again and Regina paged him.
"It starts already," Sam said.
"Already? Hell, it started two hours ago, which is why I came on in," he mumbled as he flipped open his phone, and headed toward his office.
Sam bit her knuckles as she watched him walk away. She ran a lecherous gaze down his lean back and well-shaped rear. An image of those flat abs tormented her, and it was all she could do not to follow him into his office, lock the door, and keep him there until they were both sweaty and spent.
"Yo, A-dri-an!" Scott called as he passed by Sam's cube.
Sam cringed, knowing how much Adrian hated for someone to do that to him.
"What?" he snapped as he stuck his head over Randir's cube.
"Oh," Scott said. "You're not in your office. I was wondering what we're doing for lunch today?"
"We haven't discussed it."
"Well, it's eleven-thirty and I'm starving. Let's discuss it."
Adrian peeped over the cube wall to look at her. "Sam, you coming?"
"Depends on where you go."
"Well," Scott said to Adrian, "I was wondering if your sister's working at Chik-Fil-A today. I'm kind of broke, so if she'd spot us again, I'd really appreciate it."
"You mooch," Randir said. "I say we take him out back, and shoot him."
Adrian laughed as he picked up his phone and dialed it. "Hey, Mark? This is Adrian. Is Heather working today?"
"Hey, Sis," Adrian said after a brief pause. "Scott's broke and wanted to know if you'd feed him again? Okay, we'll see you shortly." Hanging up, he looked at Sam. "Chik-Fil-A?"
"Sure, I'll go."
"I'll drive," Jack said from the cube opposite her. "I have the minivan today. But I warn you, it's full of toys."
The six of them gathered their things and headed for the door. Adrian fell in beside her, then reached an arm toward her.
Sam froze in nervous anticipation as it appeared he was about to put his arm around her, then he bent it up quickly and raked his hand through his hair.
Disappointed, she did all she could do not to pout.
Adrian cursed at himself as he realized what he'd almost done. And at work no less... Jeez. What was wrong with him?
But then, he knew. Sam had been sneaking looks at him all morning.
And he'd loved every minute of it.
Jack unlocked his van. Sam took the seat behind the driver's and Adrian quickly sat beside her. When she looked up and smiled, he felt like someone had sucker-punched him right in the gut.
"I really like that jacket," she said to him.
"Oh, Adrian," Scott teased from the front passenger seat as Jack started the van, then backed up. "You're just so cute today," he lisped. "Can I have a ride in your special Love Bytes machine after work?"
"Would you guys leave him alone?" Sam said.
"It's all right," Adrian said as he picked up a Game Boy from the seat and turned it on. "I'll just fire his ass after lunch."
Adrian played Centipede while Sam and the guys exchanged insults. He listened to them, all the while glancing sideways at Sam. Man, how he loved the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed.
As soon as they reached the mall, they piled out and headed to the food court. They had just entered the area when Sam caught sight of Heather standing beside a table with a guy dressed in a leather motorcycle jacket. He had three days' worth of black stubble on his face, and a death grip on Heather's arm.
Sam held her breath.
Rage descended on Adrian's face as he rushed toward them.
"Josh," Heather said in a pain-filled voice, trying to pry the man's hand off her upper arm. "You're hurting me."
"I'm going to do more than that if - "
"Let her go," Adrian growled as he grabbed Josh's hand and removed it from Heather's arm. He shoved the man back.
Josh raked a sneer over Adrian's body, but there was fear in his eyes as he took in the size of Adrian. "Look, pal, this is between me and my woman."
"No," Adrian said. "It's between you and my baby sister. And if you touch her again, it's going to be between you and me."
A wave of apprehension crossed Josh's face as he looked from Adrian to Heather. "I thought you said Adrian was a geek."
"He is," Heather said. "But he's a really big geek."
Josh angled a finger at Heather. "You remember what I said."
"Let me tell you something," Adrian said with a killing glare. "If I find you near my sister again, I'm going to play Picasso with your body parts."
Heather postured. "And he can do it too, he has a black belt."
Josh snarled at the two of them, then stalked off.
"Jeez, Heather," Adrian said as he turned to face her. "Can't you ever find a decent guy?"
"He's not always like that," Heather said dismissively. "He can be really sweet, sometimes."
Adrian's face turned hard,
"Back off, Adrian. It's none of your business. You know, I'm not eleven years old anymore, and I don't need you coming to my rescue all the time."
"Fine," he snapped. "Then stop calling me every time you get into a jam."
"Fine," Heather snarled back at him. "Mom's right, you are just like your father. Worthless and mean."
Sam held her breath as a dark, angry pain descended over Adrian's face.
It was then Adrian must have remembered they were there, listening, because he looked to his left, saw them and locked his jaw.
Without a word, he walked off.
The guys stayed in the food court to comfort Heather while Sam ran after Adrian. He was halfway down the mall before she finally caught up to him.
"Hey?" she said as she pulled him to a stop with a gentle hand on his arm. "You okay?"
Adrian stared at her as he felt her soothing touch all the way through his body. "Why does she have to act that way?" he asked rhetorically. "I'll never understand you women, and why you're only attracted to pricks who run all over you, then turn on you if you dare open your mouth to defend yourself."
"Not all women are attracted to men like that."
"Yeah, right. Prove it."
Before he knew what she was doing, she stood up on her tiptoes, reached her arm around his neck, and brought his head down for a scorching kiss.
Adrian's head swam at the softness of her lips, of the feel of her tongue against his. He cupped her face with his hands and closed his eyes to better savor the moment.
She had her hand buried in his hair, sending chills the entire length of his body. He felt himself harden even more as a wave of her sweet feminine scent permeated his senses.
In that moment, he couldn't think of anything except taking her home, stripping her jeans and sweater from her body, and keeping her that way until breakfast.
Sam didn't know where she'd found the courage to finally kiss him, but she was glad she had. She'd been dreaming of it all day long. And now that she'd actually done it, it was all she could do not to moan from the incredible taste of his lips. The warm, masculine smell of him.
Until it dawned on her what she was doing. She was kissing her boss less than five miles from work, in the middle of a mall crowded with Christmas shoppers where four of their co-workers could see them any second.
Pulling back, she let go of him. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have done that."
But Adrian didn't let her get away. He caught her in his arms and pressed her against the store window behind her. Then, he kissed her so fiercely that she thought she might faint from it.
It was raw, demanding, and it made her so hot that she couldn't breathe. Couldn't think as she felt his heart pounding rapidly in time with hers.
Good Lord, the man knew how to give a kiss. Every part of her throbbed and ached for him. And when he ran his hands down her back to press her closer to his hips, she felt his hard erection against her stomach.
He wanted her.
In that instant, she felt she could fly.
"Neither should I," he whispered against her lips. "But the bad thing is, I want to do it again."
So did she.
He took a step back and put his hands in his jacket pockets.
"What are we going to do about this?" she asked tentatively.
"I don't know." He looked around them. "You probably should get back to the guys before someone sees us."
She took a step toward the food court, then noticed he hadn't budged. "Are you coming?"
He shook his head. "I'm not hungry. I'll go play at Radio Shack while you guys eat. Just pick me up on the way out."
"I'll stay with you."
He smiled. "I appreciate the thought, but Ms. Hypoglycemic can't go without lunch."
It was so like him to think of her, and that was one of the things she loved best about him. "All right."
He caught her hand before she left him, then kissed the back of her knuckles. "Thanks for coming after me."
"You're very welcome."
He let go and she felt a strange vacant hole in her stomach. Glancing back at him and the striking image he made smiling at her, she headed to the food court.
Sam waved at the guys as she went over to Chik-Fil-A and ordered a value meal.
"Is Adrian okay?" Heather asked.
"No. You embarrassed him."
"Well, you know, it's not my fault. He always has to act like he's Mr. Macho out to defend my honor all the time. It gets really old."
"He loves you, Heather. What's he supposed to do? Sit around and let you get hurt? Jeez, I'd kill for one of my brothers to do the things for me he does for you. I mean damn, girl, you let him go to work, knowing he's the boss, in ruined clothes while he pays you to embarrass him. I just don't understand you."
Heather looked away guiltily. "I do love him, you know. I just wish he'd quit trying to parent me all the time."
"Well, from what I've heard, he was pretty much the only parent you had growing up."
"I know," Heather said. "I remember when he was twelve and I was six, Mom couldn't afford a Christmas tree. I was crying on Christmas Eve because I didn't think Santa would come without one, so Adrian rode his bicycle down to the supermarket and talked the tree dealer into letting him work for one."
Heather sighed. "He's always doing really sweet things like that for me. I guess I really do take him for granted."
"Personally, I think a whole lot of people do."
Heather handed Sam her food.
"Wait," Heather whispered as Sam started to leave. She quickly bagged a sandwich, fries, and brownie. "Would you take this to him and tell him I'm really sorry?"
"Sure."
Sam made her way over to the guys who were eating. They were back to their usual bantering, but as she ate, she couldn't get the taste of Adrian's kiss out of her mind. That kiss had really done something to her.
Worse, she kept imagining him as a kid working on a cold Nashville parking lot so his baby sister would have a Christmas tree. It was such an Adrian thing to do.
And she wondered if anyone had ever done such a thing for him. But in her heart, she knew they hadn't.
Adrian took care of the world while no one took care of him.
Sam cracked open Adrian's office door. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I was leaving."
He turned around in his chair to face her. "Is it five already?"
"Five-thirty, actually."
"Oh." He rose from his chair and shrugged on his leather jacket. "I'll walk you out."
"Okay," she said, her heart pounding as every hormone in her body instantly fired.
There was an awkward silence between them as they walked down the hallway toward the side door where she parked.
"I, um... I had something I wanted to ask you," he said as he opened the door for her.
"Sure," she said in dread as she led the way across the lot to her car. "If you're worried about what happened this afternoon, don't be. I'm not going to tell anyone."
"Oh, I don't care about that. I mean, I care about that, but... shit," he breathed. "I never was any good at this. So, I'll just do what I do best, and blurt it out. Would you like to go to the Christmas party with me?"
Sam smiled as her heart raced even faster. "Yes, I would. But only if you bring the mistletoe."
His gaze dropped to her lips and she wondered if he was imaging the feel of their kiss like she was.
"Great," he said. "Pick you up at three?"
"Sounds good. I'll give you the directions to my house tomorrow."
"Okay." He bent his head down like he was going to kiss her again, then he quickly shot back upright. "We're still at work."
Adrian watched as she got in her car, and a chill went up his spine that had nothing to do with the cold winter wind and everything to do with her.
She was something else. And he liked it.
She rolled her car window down.
Adrian leaned down to where he could speak to her without someone overhearing them. "You know, I really want to kiss you right now."
"Me, too."
Ask her back to your place. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't dare.
"You better get back in," she said. "It's cold out here."
No, it wasn't. Not when he was standing so close to her. "Yeah," he breathed, "You're probably freezing."
She reached out and touched his hand. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Adrian gave a light squeeze to her hand even though what he wanted to do was hold it tight.
Letting go, he walked away from her, and with every step he took, he cursed himself for the stupidity. Why hadn't he asked her back to his apartment?
But then, he knew. If he had her alone in his place, his hands would be all over her. It was too soon, and the last thing he wanted was to drive her away from him.
He'd never wanted anything in his life the way he wanted Samantha Parker.
Closing his eyes, he did his best to banish the image in his mind of her naked in his arms. The imagined feel of her breath falling across his neck as he lost himself inside her body.
"I want you, Sam," he breathed as he watched her pull out of the lot. "And one way or another, I'm going to have you."
3
"Sam?"
Sam looked up to see Adrian's head poking out of his office door. "Yeah?"
"In my office. Now."
She swallowed at his low, even tone. It sounded strangely like the one he used to crawl all over Scott when Scott did something stupid.
Worse, he'd been avoiding her all day. He hadn't even gone to lunch with them.
Had she done something wrong?
Nervous, she got up and took the five steps that separated her cube from his office.
As soon as she was inside, he closed the door.
Sam's heart pounded. This wasn't good. Adrian never closed his door unless it was time for a major performance talk.
Eyes dark and features grim, he turned toward her.
Sam expected him to tell her to sit, so when he cupped her face in his hands, and pressed her back against his wall, she was stunned.
His breathing ragged, he lowered his head down and captured her lips with his.
And it wasn't just any kiss. It was scorching and demanding. Every hormone in her body jumped to attention. Closing her eyes, she relished the warm scent of him. The masterful feel of his tongue dancing with hers as his hands roamed over her shoulders and back, down to her hips. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and moaned softly as her desire for him tripled.
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