Skin of the Night: Book One of The Night series

by Claire D. Bennett

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Her eyes narrowed faintly, and I got the feeling she was trying to get a read on me. “Just be careful you don’t sacrifice too much for them – your ambitions, I mean. I’ve been there and done that, and if I could go back, I might have proceeded differently.”

  Her words confirmed my suspicions. William must have told her about us. Nevertheless, I was shocked by her advice. Was she insinuating that I ought to have given William a chance back in May? If she were, it was the last thing I’d expected. She clearly wasn’t a possessive type, and the reality of that made me realise that their arrangement was indeed only casual, if it even existed anymore.

  “Consider me warned,” I murmured with a nod.

  Just then, William exited his office, and as soon as my head whipped around to acknowledge him, Violet followed my gaze. Upon seeing us, he hesitated for a second, but I was unable to guess his thoughts from the blank expression on his face. Seeming to recover, he approached with determination.

  “Violet,” he greeted.

  “Hi, Will,” she replied fondly. “I was just introducing myself to our new paralegal.”

  His gaze shifted from her to me. “I hope she didn’t scare you. She can be a bit intimidating, but she always means well.”

  “I’m still here,” she replied, amused.

  “She didn’t scare me at all,” I assured him with a frown. “She was merely offering some words of wisdom to an aspiring solicitor.”

  Sceptical, William knitted his brow and turned to regard her again. A message I couldn’t decode passed between their eyes before she said, “Anyway, lunch?”

  “Yes.” He nodded.

  § § §

  Lunch had been an awkward event. Andy had joined us for it, and re-encountering him had been a strange experience because I didn’t recall him being so aloof. While he had been polite in his greeting, he hadn’t said much to me, and I suspected it was because William had told him about us. However, I frequently sensed his eyes on me, but whenever I looked over, he’d averted them. Even so, I could tell he was scrutinising me, and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

  Elisabeth, who I was seated across from, had initiated most of the conversation while Andy traded regular glances with William across the table. Neither Violet nor Elisabeth paid them any attention, so I assumed that they probably behaved like this on a regular basis. In the end, they were best friends, so it was to be expected that they would have secret and silent conversations that no one else would understand.

  Things had taken a turn for the worse when John Night had arrived by our table, along with his fellow partners. I’d met Mr Philip Day, for instance, who was John’s first partner in establishing their empire. He was a nice man of short build, with a beer-belly that strained against his expensive suit.

  While asking how my day had been thus far, John had grabbed his son’s shoulder. “Brilliant,” I’d said. It wasn’t entirely a lie. The professional aspect of the firm had kept me on my toes all day, even if my boss had kept me on my toes for another reason entirely.

  Looking John in the eye, while knowing I’d slept with his son, was an unpleasant experience. Even though I had endured it before, it still unnerved me. I should not have been sitting on the knowledge of how William performed in bed, but I was.

  I worried my gaze had been a tad too fleeting, but I hadn’t been able to help it. What I’d done was unbecoming, and I was scared he would catch on to it somehow. Underestimating his perceptiveness was not something I intended to make a habit of.

  So, when it was time for William’s meeting with our client Clifford Paints, I was relieved. Finally, I’d be provided with intellectual distraction.

  Elisabeth was unlinking her MacBook Pro from her desktop computer when Violet caught my eye. She was walking beside Frederick Silverstone – a senior associate who was leading the team on the potential merge between Clifford Paints and Craft Interior.

  The sexual prowess she wielded was outstanding. It was noticeable from her confident strut, which I paid keen attention to as she guided Mr Clifford and his son, as well as their company’s financial advisor, towards a conference room. Instead of watching the floor in front of their feet, the three men kept their eyes glued to her firm bottom.

  “Ready, then?” Elisabeth asked and sent me an encouraging smile.

  “Yes,” I confirmed and closed my computer to bring it with me.

  “Good. Might you fetch Will for me? I’ll get set in the meantime.”

  A lump gathered in my throat as I nodded. After a deep breath for courage, I turned for his office and scraped together what little strength I had left, but just as I was about to knock on his door, he ripped it open and nearly crashed into me. In my rush to dodge him, I tripped on my heel. As I was about to tilt backwards, his hand shot forward to grab my arm, and then he yanked me towards him again with such force that I knocked face-first into his chest.

  The irony of the situation was not lost on me. By trying to evade him, I’d only ensured bumping into him. However, since his intoxicating scent hit me before his muscles did, it successfully distracted me from the pain. Good grief, he smelled amazing, but his scent instantly provoked the memory of our sensual night together.

  “Careful, there,” he scolded when I tilted my head back to regard him. Hyperaware of his proximity, I felt the thumb of his hand – around my arm – gently rub me. Delicious electricity derived from his action, making my skin tingle beneath his touch. No man had ever made me feel this way, where merely a touch could send my heart into overdrive.

  Blushing scarlet, I cleared my throat and struggled to suppress the erotic memories his scent had triggered. Clutching my MacBook to my chest, I tried to ignore how hard my heart pounded against it.

  “Your client is here,” I murmured. “Ellie told me to fetch you.”

  “Violet’s already notified me.”

  “I see.” I nodded. “Do you always charge out of your office as though you’re late for a flight?”

  At the corners of his mouth, a smile threatened, but it never made it to full bloom. “As a matter of fact, I’m nearly late for a meeting.”

  “Right. Am I insured under the firm’s policy if I end up seriously injured next time you stampede out of your office like a bull? Because I didn’t find that clause in my contract. ‘If your boss happens to run over you, you are entitled to compensation depending on the extent of your injuries’,” I joked.

  “I’ll personally make amends if that happens,” he assured me, and his tone was loaded with insinuation I couldn’t quite decipher. “Though, for next time, try not to be such a slow turtle.”

  My nostrils flared. “Why don’t you try walking next time, instead of bolting out like you’re trying to outrun The Flash?”

  “DC Comics?” His head tilted as he caught my reference. “That was unexpected. Anyway, it’s not every day that I’ve got a slow turtle lurking outside my door. You know, if you want to touch me, you don’t need to risk your health to have an excuse. Just do it. I won’t mind.”

  I glowered up at him. How he was able to angle everything as though I were incurably smitten with him was beyond me. It must be a talent, and it made me grit my teeth. Eventually, I retorted, “Weren’t you running late?”

  I detected a flicker of intrigue in his light blue eyes as he stared down at me. Slowly, he released my arm to journey his hand to my back instead.

  “After you.” He ushered me down the aisle. Acutely aware of his hand on my back, I heard my pulse drum behind my ears while my heart appeared to have relocated to my throat. I was tempted to ask him to remove it, but at the same time, I never wanted him to.

  We exchanged no words during our swift journey to the conference room, for which I was grateful, because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to string together any coherent sentences. His touch was far too distracting. How
ever, that didn’t prevent me from wondering about the reason for his preference for silence. Perhaps he was mentally preparing for the meeting. Even so, a small part of me hoped it was because I’d rattled him equally.

  When we reached the door, I was about to open it for him seeing as I considered my role here similar to that of a servant, but he beat me to it. Pushing it open, he ushered me in first.

  “Mr Night,” Mr Clifford greeted immediately, rising from his seat.

  “Mr Clifford,” William replied. “This is Ms Cara Darby, a new trainee of ours. She’ll be helping Ms Tallis with the report.” As he introduced me, his head cocked in Elisabeth’s direction at the end of the table.

  Violet studied me from head to toe from where she stood beside Mr Clifford, but her expression made me no wiser.

  “Hello,” I greeted and walked over to shake hands with them. As I escaped William’s touch, I was struck by how cold my back felt without it. Odd. I’d never noticed escaping someone’s hold quite so consciously.

  Once I had greeted Gerard Clifford, I moved to greet his son, Tom Clifford, and then finally their financial advisor, Bo Zhang. Afterwards, I grabbed my seat beside Elisabeth, placed my computer on the table, and puffed out an anxious breath.

  The meeting was intense. While Frederick was present, it was clear he had left William in charge. Was it normal for a junior associate to lead a meeting like this, or was it a testament to William’s competence?

  Overcome with admiration, I observed as William led Mr Clifford and his son through the process of the congeneric merger and what it would entail in terms of legal aspects. They discussed which information Day & Night would require to proceed, the specific technologies and sensitive information Clifford Paints had which required added security and would be included in the mutual non-disclosure agreement, as well as how soon we could pass said agreement to Craft Interior for signing. In the event that Craft Interior would sign, Clifford Paints would return to us with more information regarding the financial details for how they wanted to complete the transaction, as well as material for the legal due diligence process.

  I didn’t dare to question the state of my underwear while I watched William. He was in his element, and it was awe-inspiring to witness. I had never been this desperate for a man’s sexual attention before – never been so aroused. I could almost hear my ovaries call his name. Clever as he was, he was tantalising to a fault.

  I could hardly fathom that I had managed to find my way into this astounding man’s bed. How lucky was I? His brain nearly gave me an orgasm in and of itself, and yet I was adamant about casting the idea of him aside. For a brief moment, I hated myself for it, but in the next, I didn’t.

  This was precisely why I couldn’t have anything to do with him in that sense. I’d been seated here for an hour by now, and I had hardly written a word. To make matters worse, I hadn’t had the mind to watch Elisabeth’s work, either. All I had done was ogle, admire and drool over William. He was much too distracting, far too arousing.

  This wouldn’t do. He was going to ruin both my career and me.

  Tormented, I sat there till the meeting finally concluded. When it did, I remained paralysed in my chair, flabbergasted. My face had been constantly flushed. I felt out of breath, for crying out loud. Under the table, I squeezed my thighs together, desperate for some friction, and I shocked myself when I did. My fluids had not only drenched my knickers, but they’d also lubricated the better part of my inner thighs. My skin was moist and sticky.

  “Cara?” Elisabeth called after the solicitors had escorted our client out of the room. My head jerked up, and when I met her eyes, I found her frowning at me. Only then did I realise that this was the second time she was calling my name.

  “You okay?” she asked, concerned.

  “Yeah.” I swallowed. “Just a bit overwhelmed.”

  She smiled knowingly. “Yeah, well, you’ll get used to it soon enough. It’s a fast-paced environment, but you shouldn’t feel intimidated. It’s always like that in the beginning. Everyone’s been there.”

  All I could offer was a nod.

  “Well,” she said, “now that I’ve written down the first draft of the report, I’ll have to do some polishing. We should probably do it together. Will, Fred and Violet are likely to want it on their desk by the end of the day.”

  “Sounds good. May I use the loo before then?” My voice had a pleading tone because I was anxious to clean up the mess that William had unwittingly made. Would I have to bring spare underwear to work from now on?

  “Of course.”

  § § §

  Later, Elisabeth read through my polished version of the report, and I was extremely relieved when she said, “This is actually really good work, Cara. Well done.”

  While we had initially planned to do it together, she had been called to attend another meeting with Frederick, so she’d told me to attempt it by myself using her notes. I had appreciated that. I always learnt faster when I was simply thrown into a situation and forced to sort it out on my own. Being guided was one thing, being micromanaged was another, and I was not a friend of micromanagement.

  Her remark made my day. It truly did. After all the chaos I’d endured with regards to William Night being my boss, I was in dire need of positive feedback. During the meeting earlier, I’d been genuinely concerned about my performance, seeing as I hadn’t had the mind to admire anything other than him. Thankfully, it would seem I’d managed to compensate for what I’d lost by completing this report.

  “Thank you.” My shoulders relaxed, and so did my heart. Not even my final exams had left me as battered as my first day here, but to my relief, I had reached the end of it.

  “Why don’t you print it and hand it over to Will?” Elisabeth suggested. “After that, I’m sure he’ll let you leave for the day.”

  “Okay.”

  Nervous hardly covered how I felt when I stood outside William’s door some minutes later, mustering the courage to knock. In fact, my hand was trembling when I raised it towards the dark brown wood.

  “Yes?”

  I sucked in a sharp breath and opened the door. Poking my head through the gap, I said, “I’ve finished the report.”

  Ripping his gaze from the screen of his desktop computer, he offered me his undivided attention. “Have you? Well done. Let’s have a look, then.”

  Stepping in, I closed the door after myself and approached him with some vigilance. Because I desperately wanted to impress him, I hoped he would approve of the report.

  An amused frown crossed his face when I proceeded to extend the report to him.

  “Your hand is shaking,” he remarked, and I hated that he noticed.

  “Caffeine overdose,” I lied.

  He raised a brow. “Perhaps you should consider reducing your intake.”

  “I’m an addict.”

  “Typical law student,” he murmured before his eyes locked on the document. When his eyebrows eventually furrowed, my heart clenched in panic. Had he spotted something? Taking his sweet time, he turned the page as he read through before he slowly began nodding to himself.

  “This is excellent. Great job, Cara.”

  Air stormed out of my lungs, and I didn’t bother about him noticing. “Really?”

  He studied me with some surprise. “Really. Are you alright?”

  “I’m just a bit anxious. I want to get this right.”

  His gaze softened. “Cara, calm down. You’ll do fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

  His calm demeanour was strangely contagious. Before I knew it, his soothing statement had reassured me somewhat. “Thank you.”

  After dropping the document on his desk, he said, “You’re free to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Right. Thanks. How long do you plan to stay? Just curious.”

  He chuckled and turned his attention
to his computer screen. “I usually leave at eight or nine – unless Chelsea’s playing. But the season’s over, so work has got my full attention now.”

  I laughed. “You are such a football nerd.”

  “I really am.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

  “Yes. Tell Jason you did wonderful on your first day, or else I will.”

  “Alright,” I replied with a grin, and I was still wearing it when I exited the lift and stepped onto the street. Perhaps shadowing him wouldn’t be as bad as I had feared after all. Thus far, we’d managed to maintain a professional relationship impeccably, I thought.

  17

  CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT

  Neither William nor Elisabeth was here yet, which I was glad to see. To make a good impression, I had meant to arrive before them. It was Wednesday now, and my first two days here had gone rather well. In particular, I had William to thank for that. Before I’d started, I had feared he would return to his old ways and have difficulty treating me as a colleague, but his behaviour had exceeded my expectations. He hadn’t sexualised me so much as once, much less forced me to remember our one-night stand. Instead, he had been perfectly professional and had taken me under his wing precisely the way he had promised he would when I first signed my contract some months ago.

  Grabbing my seat, I booted up my computer and opened William’s virtual calendar to get an idea of his day. I knew I had to visit Clifford Paints this afternoon to collect some documents on William’s behalf, so I was trying to figure out when to complete the task. Shortly after lunch, he had a meeting with Violet, so I gathered I should do it then.

  At five to eight, I heard the gates to the lift slide apart. Turning my head, a smile caught my lips and radiated from my eyes. Approaching me with two coffees in his hands was William. It amused me that he continued to bring me coffee every morning. He’d done it yesterday as well. While I appreciated it, I wondered if it were special treatment because I was new and he wanted me to feel welcome, or whether he had been in the habit of doing this for Charlotte – the paralegal who had taken maternity leave – as well.