by Locklyn Marx
“They’re not frolicking,” Reid said, offended. “They’re dancing. Ballroom dancing. It’s supposed to be sophisticated and playful.” Everyone knew ballroom dancing was the it thing right now. Dancing With The Stars was the hottest show on television. Part of his job was to know exactly which shows were the most popular, so that he could estimate how much it was costing companies to run their commercials during those time slots.
Alexis shook her head again and took a bite of mashed potatoes. “Well, whatever. Either way, it’s cheesy.”
“But the brand is supposed to be playful.”
“You can be playful without looking like you’re seven.”
He tilted his head. “Okay, Ms. Smarty Pants,” he said. “What do you think I should do?”
“Well, if they told you it was playful yet sophisticated, I’d try to play off both those themes.” She fingered the key card that was sitting on the table in front of them.
“Why not do something with keys?”
“Keys?” Reid frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“You give the customers key cards,” she said, “that open the door to the store.
Like an access pass into another world. It’s playful and fun, yet sophisticated because it seems exclusive. You’re not just selling the clothes, you’re selling a mood.” She took a sip of her champagne, her blue eyes thoughtful. “And then you could use the card to track people’s purchases, so that you could send them targeted coupons. And they could unlock different offers, or scan the key card in-store to get a certain percentage off on pre-determined days.”
He started at her incredulously. It was so ridiculously simple and perfect that it bordered on brilliant. Of course, they’d need a tagline. Something that played off the idea of exclusivity and unlocking a different world. But that would be the easy part.
“You just came up with that?’ Reid asked her. “Just now?” He turned the computer screen back toward him, and his fingers began googling, making sure the idea wasn’t something Alexis had seen somewhere else.
“Yes.” Alexis shrugged. “Sorry, I know you probably think it sucks. But trust me, it’s way better than frolicking around in – ” she peered over his shoulder at the screen. “What is that, a hot air balloon?”
“Yes,” he said defensively, somehow still protective of his idea even though he knew that compared to hers it was completely ridiculous. “And anyway, I love your idea.”
“You do?” She blushed. “Thanks.”
“I’m going to have to come up with a tagline,” he said. “And I’ll have to put some materials together, but there should be a twenty-four hour print shop around.”
“You’re going to do all this tonight?” Her eyes widened as she took another sip of champagne.
“Well, the meeting’s tomorrow. So I don’t really have a choice.”
“What about your frolicking idea?”
“What about it?” He was on a stock image site now, looking for images of keys.
He wondered if there was any way to put a rush order on a key card with Vista Collection’s logo embossed on it.
“You’re going to just scrap it?”
“Yup.” He scrolled through images on the site, trying not to think about all the work he’d done. And he tried not to think about Richard Mueller, who was probably going to freak the fuck out when he got wind of the fact that Reid had changed the whole direction of the pitch.
“Don’t do that!” Alexis said. “What if my idea sucks?”
“It doesn’t.” He turned the screen around so she could see it. “What do you think about something like that? As an image for the key card? Along with their logo?”
She frowned. “Pink?”
“Yeah. It’s playful.”
“It’s also safe and kind of girly.”
“You don’t like pink?”
“No, I love pink,” she said. “But not all women do. I think you should go for something a little more whimsical, maybe deep purples and light blues.”
Alexis took the computer, her fingers flying over the keys, entering search terms on the stock image site until she found what she was looking for. She turned the screen back to him. On it was a picture of an old fashioned skeleton key that was dark purple at the top, and then changed slowly to a light blue.
“That’s perfect,” he said in awe.
“I know.” She smiled at him.
“Now I just need to find a place that’s going to be able to work on this on such short notice.” He was back to googling.
“I should probably go,” she said, standing up. “I mean, you have so much work to do.”
“No way,” he said, putting his hand on her arm to stop her. Her skin was soft, and she smelled like chlorine and shampoo. “You’re staying here with me. I need you.”
***
They worked all night. Alexis felt a small wave of tiredness wash over her at around three in the morning, but it quickly passed with a shot of Red Bull. They worked and planned and perfected the pitch and the tagline – “Step Into A Good Mood.”
At five am, they broke to have breakfast at a cute little diner while they waited to pick their order up at the twenty-four hour print shop next door. They ordered blueberry pancakes and bacon and egg sandwiches, talking and laughing as they ate.
When the sun had risen completely over the horizon, they headed over to the print shop to pick up the boards that laid out their campaign, along with the key cards they’d somehow managed to get designed in time.
“Wow,” Alexis said as Reid paid for everything. “That shit’s expensive.”
Reid laughed, like he thought this was hilarious. “I guess that’s what happens when you wait until the last minute.”
When their taxi dropped them back off at the hotel, there were still a few hours left before Reid’s meeting at ten.
“I guess I should probably let you get some sleep,” Alexis said. “I mean, so you can at least be a little bit rested for your meeting.”
“Yeah.” They were standing in the hallway, both of them leaning against the doors to their respective rooms. Alexis didn’t want to leave him. Something about being around him was soothing, and it wasn’t just because working on the project had been such a distraction.
Working with Reid had taken her mind off everything, it was true. But there was something else. Reid’s presence was comforting. Nothing rattled him. It was like he had this unshakeable confidence, like he believed that no matter what went wrong, he’d be able to handle it.
For example, when she’d come up with that idea for his pitch – he hadn’t freaked out or complained that now he was going to have to do a bunch of new work. He’d immediately sprung into action, trying to come up with a plan and find the best way to execute it. It was apparent that he had a ton of self-belief, and Alexis found it extremely comforting.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep,” Reid said, shaking his head. “I’m too wired.”
“Probably from all the Red Bull we drank.”
“Yeah.” He took a step toward her. “Thanks for all your help. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”
“No problem.”
He moved even closer, and Alexis swallowed hard. The whole night – no, the whole day -- something had been simmering between them. Something they’d both ignored. But she’d seen the way he’d looked at her in the pool earlier, the way his eyes had lingered on her body, the way he grinned at her when she caught him staring, like he wanted her to know he was thinking wicked thoughts.
“Thanks for helping me,” he said. His voice was low and gruff, and she flushed.
“You already said that.”
“I know.” He grinned. “I just want to make sure you know how thankful I really am.”
He took another step toward her. He was so close now that she was afraid he’d be able to hear her heart drumming away in her chest. Reid reached out and slid his finger down her cheek. “Do you know how hard it’s been to keep my hands
off you?” he asked in that same gruff, sexy voice.
Heat flamed between her legs and then rushed through her entire body. “No,” she said weakly.
“No, you don’t know how hard it’s been, or no, I shouldn’t keep my hands off you?” He was still grinning at her. His index finger had slid down her cheek and over her neck, and was now moving in a lazy circle on her collarbone. It was so much of a tease that she started to feel light-headed.
“No, I don’t know how hard it’s been.” Her mouth felt dry, and she licked her lips.
“It’s been incredibly hard.” He took one more step toward her, so that his body was pushed up against hers. Her back was against the door. She could feel the hardness of his chest pressing against her breasts, and suddenly, she was breathless. All her anxiety, all her worry, all her nervousness was coming to a breaking point. She wanted to forget about all of it, to just let herself go, to lose herself in a moment. And Reid was giving her the perfect excuse.
When he kissed her, it was surprising and expected at the same time. His mouth took hers, not asking for permission. She opened her mouth to him, and his hands encircled her waist, holding her tight against him as he kissed her.
She thought he’d want to take her right into the room, but he kept her there in the hallway, kissing her for what seemed like forever. He teased her lips, pulling back, speeding up, making her breathless with anticipation. She’d never been kissed like this before. Her knees were week, and she was so turned on she could hardly take it.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked finally.
“Do you want me to come in?” He sounded flirtatious, but Alexis could see the want and desire burning in his eyes.
“Yes.” She searched her purse for the key card, finally finding it only to drop it on the floor. Reid picked it up for her, then slid it into the slot and grabbed her hand.
They fell onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs and kisses. His hands skimmed down her sides and up under her tank top, his fingers moving over her stomach.
Her whole body was on fire. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone.
He kissed her again, his lips moving down her neck, over her breasts, down her torso until he reached the bottom of her shirt. He slid the material up slowly, sliding his tongue over the curve of her abdomen before finally pulling the shirt over her head and tossing it on the floor.
She pulled him back down on top of her. A moment away from his body felt like forever. She hooked her hands around the back of his shoulders, pulling him as close to her as she could.
Their lips met again, their kiss deep and hard this time, until Reid stopped to pull his shift off. Alexis forced herself to slow down so she could take in the magnificent splendor that was his body. He looked like an Abercrombie model, all flat abs and wide shoulders and tan skin.
He pulled her back into his arms, and then rolled over so that she was on top of him. His hands snaked around her back, unhooked her bra and then pulled her down, taking the tip of her nipple into his mouth. Pleasure flowed through her body, and she was afraid she was going to have an orgasm just from his mouth on her breast.
She moaned and tossed her head back as he sucked on her tightened nipples, warmth and ecstasy flowing through her body.
When he stopped, there was only a second to catch her breath before he was unbuttoning her shorts, and pulling down her panties. His hand slid down her stomach as his mouth returned to hers. His thumb found her clit, and he rubbed slow circles on it as they kissed.
She moaned and opened her legs for him.
“God, you feel good,” he whispered in her ear. His breath was hot against her skin, and his fingers began to up the rhythm, taking her to the edge and back before he finally stood up and took off his shorts.
His cock was rock hard, and in a flash, he was right back on top of her. She felt his hardness rubbing against her, getting her even wetter than she already was.
“Reid,” she breathed.
He pulled back and looked into her eyes, smoothed her hair out of her face. He was asking her permission now. She could see on his face how bad he wanted her, how much he wanted to be inside of her. But he wanted to make sure it was what she wanted, too.
She nodded slightly, and then he slid inside of her. The feeling was instant bliss.
He rubbed a finger down over her lips and slipped it into her mouth, and Alexis sucked on it gently to keep herself from crying out.
He began to move inside of her, slowly at first, then faster. He pulled his finger out of her mouth and ran it down her body until he got to her clit. It was the most intense and best feeling she’d ever had in her life. He picked up the rhythm, his cock and finger moving in tandem until she couldn’t take it anymore.
She moaned as her orgasm rushed through her. She felt him coming inside of her at the same time, and it made her orgasm that much more intense.
He stayed inside of her for a moment after they were both still. When her heartbeat finally began to slow, he pulled back and kissed her.
“You’re amazing,” he said.
Alexis took in a deep breath, not trusting herself to speak.
“So,” Reid said. “Should I sleep in here for a little while? My meeting’s at ten, but we have a few hours before I have to leave.”
A wave of regret washed through Alexis’ body. What the hell had she been thinking? Sleeping with Reid? She hardly knew him. No, scratch that. She didn’t know him at all. He was basically one step up from a stranger. She’d never slept with a stranger before. In fact, she’d only ever slept with one other man in her whole life. And now here she was, going around opening her legs for the first guy who’d taken an interest in her.
And why? Because he’d like some stupid idea she’d come up with for an advertising campaign? Was she really that pathetic?
“You don’t have to stay,” she said.
“I know I don’t have to,” he said, rolling over. “I want to.”
He went to pull her close, but she stiffened. Suddenly, she wanted him to go.
The whole thing felt too intimate, too fake. There was no way he really wanted to be here, holding her. Why didn’t he take it for what it was – a sexual escapade that didn’t have to mean more than it did?
“What’s wrong?’ he asked.
“Nothing,” She got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, where she splashed some water on her face and studied herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen from Reid’s kisses. What the hell had she just done?
She closed her eyes, wishing she could take the whole thing back. But of course she couldn’t. After a few more seconds, she took a deep breath and returned to the hotel room.
Reid was sitting on the bed. He’d put his jeans back on, but his shirt was still on the floor.
“What’s going on?” he asked. He sounded confused and concerned, which was worse than if he’d been angry. Angry meant he actually cared – concerned only meant he thought she was deserving of his sympathy.
“Nothing,” Alexis said. She climbed into the bed and slid under the covers.
“Then why are you acting weird?”
“I’m not acting weird.”
“Yes, you are.” He shook his head. “I don’t have to stay here if you don’t want me to.”
“I don’t really care what you do.” It was a lie. Although if she was being completely honest, she wasn’t sure which was worse – him leaving or staying. Half of her wanted him to go back to his own room, the other half wanted him to pull her close and hold her until he had to leave for his meeting.
“Do you really mean that?”
“Do I really mean what?” She was trying to sound flirty and flippant, but it came out annoyed.
He shook his head, then stood up and picked his shirt up off the ground, shoving his head through the hole angrily. “You know, you’re some piece of work, you know that?”
“What?” She was taken aback.
“You heard me.
You show up at my apartment, you eat my peanut butter and jelIy, you make me come and get you from the hospital and bring you on this stupid work trip with me, and now you’re acting like you want nothing to do with me? No thanks.”
“I’m not acting like I want nothing to do with you,” she said. Her eyes started to fill with tears.
“What is it?” Reid asked, sitting down next to her. “What’s going on with you, Alexis? What are you running from?” His eyes were blazing and his face was serious.
“It’s okay,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. We can figure it out.”
He sounded like he meant it. And she wanted to tell him the truth – she wanted someone else to know what had been going on, someone who could tell her what to do, someone who could help her figure out the crazy thoughts that had been swirling through her brain.
But why should she trust him? Yes, he’d been perfectly nice to her, but that hadn’t stopped him from sleeping with her pretty much the first chance he got. She’d only known him for two days. If she told him, he’d run.
And that would hurt more than if he thought she was a complete bitch.
She shook her head. “Nothing,” she said. “Nothing’s going on with me. And I’ll pay you back for the peanut butter and jelly.”
His jaw dropped. “You’ll pay me back for the peanut butter and jelly?” he yelled. “You think I give a fuck about the peanut butter and jelly?” He dropped her hand, then stood up and began pacing the room.
“Well obviously, since you brought it up.”
“I brought it up because it was just one of the many things I’ve done for you.”
“So what do you want? A medal?”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, shaking his head in frustration. He sat back down on the bed and took her hand again. “Alexis. Whatever it is that you’re running from, it can’t be that bad.”
She averted her gaze and pulled her hand back from his. “What the hell would you know about it?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean that I saw the pictures in your room. I saw your life, Reid. The trophies, Harvard, the girls. What the hell would you know about it?”
