I was at least thankful he kept his comments PG in front of the store clerk.
We’d already grabbed his things to take with us so I could drop him back at the rehab center. His shrink was dropping by this evening for a session. I hoped this guy would help him see that nothing could change what happened in the past and that it was time to move on with his life. I know he’d felt guilty regarding Gabi, but it was time to let it go.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT that guy that I can’t get him out of my mind? I know I want my cowboy, he’s all I ever dream about, he’s what I get myself off to when I’m feeling pent up. Nobody before or since has had such an effect on me until Nate.
I’d thrown some old clothes on to finish cleaning my place after he’d shown up unannounced at my door. In one respect I was embarrassed to be caught naked, but in another, I wanted him to know. What’s with you, girl?
My internal voice was making a point. What was with me? Nate was definitely hot, but I really wasn’t into guys with an earring, though on him it created a look of confidence and danger. What the hell am I thinking?
Every time I go near him my mind begins to freeze up and I can’t control my mouth. I either speak to him like a buffoon or I fight with him. You’re only fighting with him to keep him at arm’s length. You like him.
I couldn’t deal with my inner dialogue anymore and I didn’t have anything else to keep me busy. I’d already cleaned the condo from top to bottom. I decided I’d head down to the gym, since I was dusty and sweaty anyhow, and run on the treadmill for a while. Exercise had been my go to when I needed to get out of my head and just not think or feel for a while.
I was thankful I had the gym all to myself. I plugged in my headphones to the machine and clicked on the radio option. I loved that our building sprung for new machines that had tons of bonuses added to them, especially a radio and TV.
I set my course for an hour-long workout that would test my endurance. I started getting lost in the steady beat of the music. I hadn’t been one to work out much, but lately I ran from my dreams of him, I ran from my troubles at work, and now I was running from my neighbor.
I could feel myself back in the pool, his hot chiseled chest pressed firmly against mine. I remember almost forgetting how to breathe when I felt the length of his cock press firmly against my stomach.
I felt my stride falter slightly, but corrected before I fell. I opened my eyes to see the treadmill beeping, indicating my pulse rate had jumped, but I was almost at the end of my run. I let the memory of the pool slip from my mind and noticed my pulse return to somewhat normal. Why did he have such an effect on me? And how did an hour almost go by without me noticing?
I heard noise coming from the corner of the room at the weight station. I turned and saw, to my horror, it was him. I didn’t smile or attempt a hello, I just shook my head and continued my run. The less I thought about that man the better.
A hand came up and grabbed hold of mine, making me scream. “What the hell?” I turned to see him smiling with sweat across his brow. Damn, he must’ve been here for a while and not told me.
He motioned for me to pull the earplugs from my ears. “What?” I know I was being discourteous, but he seemed to bring out that side in me.
Nate raised his hands, showing he wasn’t going to hurt me. Gee, this was becoming a habit with him. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Your pulse rate was through the roof.”
I don’t know what possessed me to fly off the handle. “It’s not your concern, asshole! What are you doing, following me? Do you have a thing for getting on my bad side?”
What was with me and fighting with him all the time? Why couldn’t I just be pleasant? I knew he was my neighbor, so I’d have to develop some kind of rapport with him eventually. If only he wouldn’t keep catching me off guard.
“Sorry, princess! I was just being a concerned neighbor. You may think I’m overreacting, but when you’ve seen someone have a heart attack on one of these machines, you get alarmed when the alert sounds.”
Great, now I felt like a heel. I couldn’t look at him as I responded, so I glanced down at the ground as the machine slowed down to the cool down mode. “I guess I should say thanks, then. I didn’t know you’d had a bad experience with these machines.”
There was a long period of silence between us as he continued to stand nearby and watch me. I finally had to ask, “So, why are you down here?”
“I came down to pump out some aggression. You really pissed me off earlier today. And I need to work off some food I ate at brunch.” He paused for a moment, his hand grabbing my chin to force me to look at him. “All I’m trying to do is make friends around here. Forgive me if I actually care about others, but that’s who I am, so stop fighting me all the time.”
I felt the small tingle of electricity pass through the touch of his fingers onto my skin. I wanted to say okay, but the words left my mouth before I could filter them. I’d been hurt in the past to the point I didn’t care what people thought. “I didn’t ask you to be my friend! What if all I like to do is fight and be a bitch?”
He released my chin and smirked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think you’re being defensive because you were thinking of me when you were running and that’s what sparked your pulse rate. Or you’ve been hurt by someone and you’re trying to protect your heart.”
Damn him for reading me so well! “I’d rather not say. Besides, you’re one to talk. Didn’t you say something about not being interested because you’re looking for the one who slipped away?”
“Touché! But you’re forgetting that I did offer you friendship. It doesn’t hurt to have a few friends by your side. I’m just trying to make some. I’ve lived in Orlando a long time, but was always away on business. I only have a couple of friends and would like to make more now that I’m here to stay.” He got a cocky smile on his face and half laughed. “Don’t make me regret my decision.”
I guess I could call a truce with him. “Fine.” I extended my hand out to him as the treadmill came to a stop. “I’ll agree to a truce and to try to work on being friends. It’s not easy for me to let my guard down with people. If you ask my sister or my cousin, you’ll find my bark is worse than my bite.”
He laughed. “It sounds like we have a lot in common already. It hurts to be burned by people, especially ones you thought you could trust. Why don’t we start over?”
I watched in curiosity as he left the room without saying goodbye or anything. What the hell just happened? That’s when I heard the door open. He walked over to me. This is just weird!
Nate extended his hand. “Hi, my name is Nate Michaelson. I just moved into condo 4C. What’s your name?”
I started laughing. I couldn’t help it. This was all too funny, but pretty cool at the same time. If he wanted to start fresh, I could do that. I extended my hand to his, shaking it. His grip was quite powerful and that damn electric pulse was still present. What was with that?
“Hi, I live in the condo below yours, in 3C. My name is Gianna Scott. Welcome to the neighborhood. I’ve been here for a couple years now, so I know the area well. If you need anything, feel free to knock on my door.”
I watched as Nate moved backwards, letting me have space to come off the treadmill. My legs were a little wobbly and I faltered a bit, falling into his chest. I put my hand up to stop myself, landing right over his heart. I could feel his accelerated beat and feel the firmness of his muscles. This guy is built like a tank!
His arms came up to encircle my waist, holding me steady. “Watch it there, little one,” he warned.
I hadn’t heard that expression since—Could it be? I looked up into his face, trying to imagine him with a Lone Ranger style mask, but one that extended to cover everything but his mouth and chin. You’re dreaming, girl! You want your cowboy so bad you’re starting to substitute other men in his place.
I knew my subconscious was right. Maybe I was imagining the spark between us. Although, I’ve been aro
und other men lately and no other touch has elicited a sense of electrical purpose like the cowboy’s and Nate’s. I averted my eyes, realizing I was still staring. It’s just wishful thinking. Fate would never be this kind to drop him right in your lap.
“You find something you like?” His voice held amusement.
I shook my head. “Yeah, you wish.” I did what I knew best—changed the subject. “Nah. I’m just trying to get a good look at your face so I can give the description to my sister in the event I go missing. That will give her something to give the police so they know who to start questioning first.”
I’d never been so captivated by a man’s smile before, but Nate’s was breathtaking. “You’re trying to be cute.”
“Nope. I’m just being honest. I was serious about needing the description to tell my sister.” Really I wasn’t, but he didn’t need to know that. The level of intensity was too much for me to handle.
“You go ahead and tell yourself whatever you need to in order to feel comfortable. I’ve seen your type before, Gianna. Actually, you remind me of my sister. She had some issues she was dealing with and tried pushing people away, too.”
He moved closer, backing me into the wall and lifting both hands to either side of my face, caging me in. “What is it with you? One minute you want to be friends, the next you push me away. You drive me crazy on so many levels.”
His head leaned down toward mine. His lips were just a brush away from my own. I could feel the warmth of his breath caress over my face, heating my skin and causing me to flush. My body was feeling alive again, craving contact with him, and wanting him to kiss me.
I closed my eyes, waiting for the feel of his lips on mine, only to feel the side of his face press against mine as he whispered, “Don’t tempt me, love. You don’t want to play with fire and get burned. And with me, you will get burned.” His teeth bit at my earlobe as a shiver ran through my body. Did he have any idea how wet he’d made me?
I watched as he stepped away and resumed his workout, lifting weights.
I needed to get out of here to take a nice cold shower so I could gather my faculties and be able to think again.
I remembered, as I was leaving, that he’d mentioned starting a new job tomorrow. “Have fun at your new job. Hope you enjoy it.”
He didn’t respond, only grunted. I guess I deserved that after I’d pushed him.
I decided, on the ride up to my place, that I’d grab the cold shower, change into some clothes, and join my family over at my uncle’s house for the Sunday potluck dinner they always hosted. At least I could be around others and have a distraction from my thoughts of my cowboy and Nate. I’d just need to stop by the deli for a large plate of antipasto salad.
When I left, I found a small package outside my door. I took it with me and opened it on the way to the garage. To my surprise it was a new player, along with the old one with a small note.
I went down to the gym to thank him, but was disappointed to find it empty. I’d make a point to find him and thank him tomorrow. Right now, I needed to get away from here and talk to my sister about all I was feeling.
WHAT THE HELL WAS I thinking? I should have just walked out of the exercise room when I saw her on the treadmill, but she looked amazing. She was as elegant in her stride as a gazelle chasing across the plains of the Serengeti.
Gianna definitely was a looker. She was here, whereas my mystery woman was just that—a mystery. I don’t know why I couldn’t just judge her as herself, why I was always comparing her to my Vixen. Her hair might be a different color—actually I’m not sure what her hair color is—she was wearing that platinum wig. Her body may be thinner than my mystery woman, but it was still hot. I craved the scent of strawberries and champagne, but I needed to let it go.
Gianna’s smell of sweat and arousal were intoxicating, reminding me of her. It was all I could do to keep from revealing how hard I was. I was never more thankful for baggy gym shorts than I was tonight. It had managed to conceal my need for her and I’d been able to keep from pressing myself up against her core. Oh how I wanted to rip her clothes off and have my way with her. I wanted to show her what her smart mouth would get with me. She’d be so wonderful to tame into a submissive, if she’d agree to it.
I’d lost my desire to work out when we’d started going at each other’s throats, but I wanted her to see my muscles flex. I wanted to know if I had any effect on her. I guess I did, since she easily caved to me.
Now that I’d been pumping the iron, my body craved for me to finish my routine. It’s funny how I used to lift weights just for exercise and to strengthen my muscles and body core. Now, I did it as a means to lose myself, so I didn’t have to think about Vixen.
I finished up my routine and realized I was still sporting a hard on that hadn’t gone down from arguing with Gianna. I looked over at the clock on the wall, realizing I needed to grab some food, take a cold shower—thanks to her—and try working some more on the files. I wanted to be able to tell Mr. Prescott something when I met with him in the morning.
Morning came too quickly. I hadn’t been used to keeping a regular schedule for some time now. Being a contractual forensic accountant, or what some would call an auditor, I was able to keep strange hours, so I could go in late and work through files without anyone being wiser.
In the last four years, I don’t think I’ve ever woken up before nine in the morning. But today, I was due to meet Alexander at the office by seven.
Parking was easy. I remembered where my sister used to park, and knowing she was still on her honeymoon, I decided to use her space for now.
I guess it was kismet, because I ended up parking only a few spots over from Mr. Prescott. I wasn’t surprised to see he drove a luxury BMW.
“Good morning, Nate.” He stepped forward to shake my hand.
“Morning, sir.” The first thing I planned to do when we got inside was grab a cup of coffee. I’d had two cups already this morning and was still struggling. “I hope you don’t mind if I park in my sister’s spot for now.”
“Feel free, and make yourself at home around here. I can almost bet that Marissa and Dane will ride in with one another when they get back from their honeymoon. They should be back sometime next week. If we need to, we can always assign you one of the extra spots we have on this floor. They’re usually reserved for our managers.”
He turned and headed toward the elevator in the garage and I followed. It was nice that I’d been here on a few occasions to visit Marissa. Of course, I’d only been shown the back entrances then and it looked like I would be going the same route today. I’m guessing Alexander doesn’t let people know he’s in yet, or likes to surprise them with his presence.
“Good morning, Mr. Prescott,” a gentle voice said as I followed him off of a private elevator and onto his floor of the office.
She was a cute thing, a little older than Gianna, but not by much. Her hair was dark, with hints of auburn running through it, and just reached her shoulders. Something about her seemed familiar, but then again I was saying that about all the women I was meeting lately. I’d never encountered her here before. Was she new?
“Good morning, Marjorie. I want to thank you for coming in so early this morning.”
“Would either of you care for a coffee or some pastries? I have the water heating and I picked up some pastries on the way in.” Her smile reminded me of Vixen.
Damn it, man, get your head out of your fantasies and back to reality. You have a job to do!
Mr. Prescott looked at me. “A coffee would be great. I’ll take anything strong, with a touch of cream and no sugar,” I said.
“I’ll have my usual, Marjorie. Thank you.” He motioned for me to take a seat in his office while he closed the door and took the seat behind his desk.
I was a bit curious. “Has she been working for you long?”
His face looked perplexed. “Who, Marjorie?”
I nodded.
“Yes. She’s my niece. Sh
e took over about five years ago when my long-time assistant decided to retire. Why?”
“I’ve never met her before and was just wondering. I’m sorry if it seems strange, but in my line of work, everyone is a suspect until I can prove them otherwise,” I admitted.
He nodded. “I understand. Did you have any luck with the list of potential suspects? Any idea of what we’re dealing with?”
I didn’t know what to tell him, other than the truth. “I’m not sure what you have going on here. I’ve gone over the current files in accounting and sales and it’s a mystery to me. I’ve never seen anything so crazy in all my life.” This much was true.
“I usually have some indication of who to look at when I come into a business, but I’m at a loss as to who the culprit is,” I admitted.
There was a knock at the door. “Come on in, Marjorie.”
I watched as she brought in both coffees, set them down, and then left.
He took his cup in hand, taking a small sip, before asking. “So what’s your plan? We need to get this mess resolved as soon as possible. It’s causing chaos in the departments, causing my managers more work hours, and I don’t like people being implicated for things they didn’t do.”
“I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I don’t think we have a simple fix. In most cases I see a trend with one or two people and focus on them. I’ll find problems with their work, which leads to a reveal, and the job of finding the perpetrator is over.” I took a sip of my coffee to test how hot it was. It tasted heavenly. I’d have to ask Marjorie what brand this was because it was better than the stuff I’d bought on sale.
Before I could go on, Alexander asked, “So what are we looking at, time wise?”
“I was hoping to avoid taking the alias as the temporary assistant to your accounting manager, but that may be the only way I can get to the bottom of this. I’ll do the work during the day as long as you can slip me some hard copy folders of some of the items in question that I can work on in my spare time, either here or at the condo. I’d particularly like to see the hard copies of files that are getting changed in the PDF system to get a better idea of what they’re going after.”
I Need You Now Page 8
