She turned her head and our lips brushed against each other.
“I do like you.” She confessed but as soon as the words fell from her lips, worry filled her eyes.
I suspected again that she’d been hurt in the past.
“Newsflash, I like you too.” I thought that would help but it didn’t.
She still looked uneasy, but surprised me by reaching out to touch my chest.
“Do you?”
I smiled down at her. “I thought that was obvious. Are you thinking about me now?”
“You better go save Clarissa.”
Changing the subject.
“Answer the question. Then I’ll go.” I challenged. “Come on simple yes or no question. Are you thinking about me? And what I said last night.”
“If I say no would that be safer?”
“Is no the truth?”
“No.” She smiled when I touched her face.
“Then why can’t you say yes?”
“Because you’re my boss. And we’re at work.”
God, she was stubborn. It was fine I could fight fire with fire. I reached out and took the edge of her waist band. My fingers were met with the soft silky fabric of her blouse, then her skin when I reached over the band.
“We had fun that night didn’t we? Do you remember that?” The best way to deal with her was to tease out her own feelings.
“I remember.”
Good, now we were getting somewhere. I leaned closer to her ear for effect and whispered in her ear.
“Do you remember how I made you feel?” I teased. She hugged the file to her chest. “And how I made you scream my name when I was inside you?”
Raw.
Sometimes it was the only way. “Tell me you remember.” I gave her a wicked smile.
“I remember.”
“Good, now answer the question. Are you thinking about me?”
Moving so I could see her, I gazed deep into her eyes waiting for an answer.
“Yes.”
“Good. We should finish exploring your limits Summer.” Closer, I went closer now pressing my lips to hers for a light kiss. The scent of her perfume filled me, making me wild. It urged me to taste her. “Do you want to?”
“We can’t here.” She replied against my lips.
I liked that her resolve was fading.
“Where can we?” My skin begun to tingle at the thought of her giving in, but then I watched, annoyed, and sexually frustrated, when I saw the hesitation return.
“I can’t… you should go save Clarissa.”
“ We have unfinished business, Summer. And, the longer you drag it out the worse it will get. But we’ll see how long you can keep up this charade.”
I knew she was as aroused as I was but I also knew that if I continued I’d either have to drag her off to one of the cupboards or take her right here in my office.
I stepped back, deciding to go.
Nothing else needed to be said.
From the look of her I could tell that I’d said enough.
Chapter 14
Alex
Whoever said that good things happened when you did good had to be lying.
When I left Clarissa yesterday the woman was so overwhelmed with joy that she couldn’t stop crying. Thankfully I really did save the day, and stop things in their tracks before it got worse.
I was happy I’d been able to help and made a mental note of that being my one good deed of the day.
But then today hit.
I had the morning from hell when I got a call from the police because one of my clients decided it was a good idea to rob a bank to clear his debts. I had to refer the case to Preston because he was the best criminal defense lawyer I could think of.
Then the system crashed and I couldn’t access most of my notes for the rest of my meetings for the day. I had to improvise with Summer’s help. The time it took to get everything together meant that I couldn’t spend the time I wanted with her to take her to lunch, and there were points during the day when she came in to see me but I was with one person or another.
The worst part of the day though was saved for last.
Trouble came to find me as the last trace of daylight retracted into the evening sky.
It was my fault for answering the door without checking first to see who’d rang the bell. I’d gotten home before Summer and thought she must have forgotten her key.
How was I supposed to know that the evil queen was going to be the one standing on the opposite side of the door?
Celeste Langdon didn’t even wait for my invitation she just waltzed in, walking straight past me. Taking her place in the living room as if she owned it.
Just like her father, she moved with that air of authority that demanded attention.
She sat in the center of the largest sofa and put her feet up. The notion allowed her raven hair to fall to the side, along with that God awful slick black fur coat. To me it looked like the animal it was made from was about to regain the life it had lost and run out of the room. Away from her.
“God, why?” I had to ask.
As I walked into the living room she looked over at me and smiled that icy smile I hated from way back when we were kids and she used to get away with murder. It was as cold as her pale almost white blue glacier eyes.
My mother couldn’t stand her either, and always said to both Preston and me to stay away from her.
“Pick anyone else, but not that girl.” Those were my mother’s words exactly.
“Well hello Celeste, why don’t you come in, or better yet stay outside?” I said with a bright smile.
“Is that anyway to talk to a woman that could be your future wife?” She inclined her head to the side and laughed.
“Fuck off.” I kept the smile on my face and made my way around to sit on the love seat.
“I would love to, except that it would appear that our fathers are keen for us to get to know each other in the biblical sense.”
I would have laughed at the biblical reference if I didn’t feel so annoyed that my dad had still pursued the issue.
“I came to give you a test run.” She added. Her devilish smile widened making my skin crawl.
“No, not going to happen but thanks for stopping by. You know where the door is.” I waved my hand towards the door.
She laughed. “Alex, you have to be the only man alive that’s ever resisted me.”
“Please say Preston too.”
“I got a kiss out of him. Would have been more though if he wasn’t so drunk he passed out.” She cooed.
“Oh that makes sense. I mean the part about him being drunk. Something would have to be wrong with him to go near you.” I nodded with conviction. She didn’t like that.
Knowing her as long as I did, I’d gotten to know what could break down that bravado she wore. That suave, resting bitch face diva act didn’t cut it with me. I saw past that shit and knew a weak, pathetic, miserable person lived inside her.
She was an attention seeker. Never really had her parents attention so she went the long way around to get it. That molded her into the demon who sat before me today.
“I think it’s a good idea, you and me. I’m beautiful, wealthy, smart and literally the female version of you.”
“We’ve known each other for what?” I thought for a moment. “Twenty five years, give or take and you’ve just now come to that conclusion.”
“We’re getting older, time to start taking life seriously. Right? My theory is you’ve never tried me out so how would you know what I’m really like.”
She got up allowing the coat to slip down her shoulders, revealing her bare arms. The loss of the coat drew more attention to her breasts which I knew she’d had surgery on multiple times to make them that big.
She came up to me and placed her foot on the sofa, right in between my legs near my crotch.
I guessed that was supposed to either turn me on, or show me she had some power over me, but I didn’t feel anythin
g.
A sinful smile lifted the corners of her red mouth and she moved the dress so I could see the barely there thong or whatever it was she wore for underwear.
I couldn’t quite describe it. It had a string of pearls running along the sides to hold it on her and a thing line of material that ran down to … well I stopped looking at that point.
“Want to see more?” she asked running her hands over her breasts and undoing the first button that held the top together.
“No thank you.”
“Stop being such a prick. Fucking will solve everything. You’ll enjoy it.”
I heard the front door open and close.
That would be Summer.
I cursed under my breath.
She’d head straight in here to get to her room and see us.
“I thought you lived alone.” Celeste observed looking on. The smile on her face fell when she saw Summer walk in.
Summer saw Celeste move her foot from my crotch and I watched the realization fill her eyes, much to my annoyance.
I did however feel a sense of redemption when I noted the jealousy that took over. Celeste looked Summer up and down as she wondered who she was.
I would be fair and admit that Celeste was beautiful. But put next to Summer, she didn’t stand a chance. If I were some sort of artist I would call this scene
The Angel and The Demon.
Summer walked in bringing in the sunlight with her ethereal glowing beauty. That hair literally looked like a halo over her head and her delicate, beautiful
features were something to behold.
Celeste on the other hand was a mass of darkness. Dark clothes, raven hair, evil eyes, dark personality.
I would have basked in the scene and the obvious tension between the two women if I didn’t see the look on Summer’s face too.
Jealousy.
And when she looked at me I saw hurt.
“New toy?” Celeste cajoled with deep sarcasm.
I gave her an indignant look and narrowed my eyes at her. “This is my beautiful PA, Summer. Summer this is Celeste.”
Summer looked her over and at least offered a polite nod.
Celeste raised her perfectly arched dark brows at me then returned her focus to Summer. “Alex and I go way back. You’re working late?”
“I am.” Summer replied, her pink glossy lips pressed into a thin line. She looked back to me and shifted her weight from one side to the next. “Do you need me to get you anything? I’m going to dinner with Eilesh.”
“I’d absolutely love a bottle of holy water, a bible, and if you can find a priest who specializes in exorcism at this hour that’d be great.” I chimed in.
Celeste laughed. “He’s funny isn’t he?”
“I’m being serious. Tell him we have a demon in our home, angel.”
“Our home? Angel?” Celeste laughed again and I instantly realized why. “Do
you live here, Summer?”
“I do. Is that a problem?”
Shit. I’d fallen in my own trap.
“Your PA lives with you?” Celeste turned back to me and smiled.
“The job requires it.” I quickly said.
“Of course it does.” Celeste cooed, voice heavy with sarcasm.
Then I saw that look of evil I’d grown used to fill her pale features. She was
going to rat me out just like when we were kids.
“It does, so drop it.” I snapped now standing up.
“Okay, well as long as she keeps away from the bedroom for the next hour or so I’m good.”
Rat me out, or ruin what I had.
Those were her tactics, and just like always I got caught in my own trap as the alpha female made her mark.
The bitch.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be going anywhere near there.” Summer’s voice cut in. she looked directly at Celeste and never acknowledged me as she walked away and went up the stairs.
“Get out.” I said to Celeste when I knew Summer was out of earshot.
I didn’t like her seeing this side of me.
Me angry.
“Excuse me?” Celeste narrowed her eyes.
“I said get out.”
“You’re throwing me out?”
“Celeste, don’t fucking piss me off any more than you have. Get the fuck out of my house and don’t come back.”
“But our fathers—”
“Our fathers nothing.” I yelled. “Just get out.”
She reached for her coat and slung it over her arm, not bothering to put it on. Then she stormed off and slammed the door shut.
“Fuck.” I hissed. This was hell.
I didn’t spare another second to go and find Summer.
I was already at a dead end with her, and there was no way that I was going to allow Celeste of all the people to mess things up for me.
Summer
Should I really have been that surprised to find a woman here with Alex?
Don’t feel.
Don’t.
I grabbed on to the rail and sighed with frustration.
I’d gone outside to the roof top terrace for air. Thankfully it was a cool, windy night with fresh air in abundance.
“Summer.” Alex came through the sliding doors and rushed up to me. “It’s not what you think.”
I gave him an askance look and shook my head.
“Really?” I couldn’t hide my sarcasm. “Looked to me that if I’d been a minute later I would have walked in on a lot more.”
“No, Summer, I promise you. That would have never happened.”
Right now I wasn’t sure which made me feel worse. The damn Celeste – what a name –or the obvious revelation that this position of mine wasn’t a live in position.
Okay, admittedly a part of me guessed that maybe the whole live in thing had been made up. I was just going through so much at the time he offered that I didn’t question it much. Instead I hoped it was true.
So, maybe the annoyance I felt leaned more towards walking in and seeing Celeste with her foot wedged in between Alex’s crotch in some weird kinky position. And, her bare leg in his face.
It was stupid. Why was I even annoyed?
Alex and I weren’t anything. We had a one night stand, and a few heated kisses. That was it.
But… as he came closer and I saw the wealth of worry that filled his eyes, that damn feeling I tried so hard to push away came back to me, now telling me that I was wrong.
Against my will it lessened my annoyance enough to hear him out.
“Celeste is Devon’s daughter,” he continued. “Just someone I grew up with. She loves to cause trouble wherever she can. Nothing in this world would make me go anywhere near her.”
“it doesn’t matter, you don’t owe me any form of explanation.”
“It matters, and I’m telling you the truth.” He never took his eyes off me.
“It’s not just her.” I pointed out quickly. “This was never a live-in position, was it?”
“No, it wasn’t. I lied about that.”
“Why?” I was interested to know his reasons.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of you being in that awful apartment I found you in. You couldn’t stay there, and I wanted you to be somewhere I knew you’d be safe. It was the only way I knew you’d stay with me.”
The wealth of sincerity and care in his expression reached out to me, softening the tension, opening my heart.
I couldn’t help it.
Other than Eilesh, I didn’t have anyone else who would have cared like this for me.
I couldn’t even be mad at him for that.
“Please don’t leave.” He added.
“Alex...” I didn’t want to leave but I had to be level headed here. I had to be. “I thought this was a live-in position, knowing it’s not changes things. I can’t just live with you.”
“Why not? There’s no reason why you can’t. I think it’s obvious what we both want.”
Just like the night at the
club he saw straight through me and saw that I wanted him.
That strange electrical vibe shot through me like a bolt of energy the minute he touched my face, making my nerves tingle. As he ran his finger along my jaw his eyes darkened. I saw the dark liquid silver form in the faint lights that lit up the terrace and paralysis threatened to take over.
I’d gotten to the stage where it was getting harder to control myself around him, and I realized that he knew.
That dangerous smile inched across his mouth confirming my thoughts. Everything this man did, whether it was a touch, a look, his words, it was all for a reason.
“Don’t tell me I’m the only one who felt that?” he grinned.
I tried, made an attempt by stepping back out of his reach, but Alex decided he would follow me and came back close.
Close, so that our bodies touched, and my body definitely came alive at the proximity.
He didn’t bother speaking anymore. He just yanked me against him and smoothed his hand over my cheek and across to the back of my neck. Then, he captured my lips with the hunger of his.
I didn’t fight back. I couldn’t.
The kiss robbed me of my senses and I couldn’t remember the reasons why I should fight back. Or why I needed to resist him.
This was unlike the previous kisses we shared. It held a greediness that seemed to course through both of us.
He tilted my head to deepen the kiss and I smoothed my arms up the deep mass of muscle on his chest, and up to circle them around his neck.
A moan that illustrated the pleasure that rippled through me escaped my lips, moving from me to him.
It caused him to kiss me harder. I felt that sensation again. Like he wanted to devour me whole, and take every piece of me. Owning me.
With my breasts crushed to him, and heart practically beating out of my chest I wanted him to take me.
To have me.
To own me.
I was so stunned when he broke the kiss and stepped away, leaving me breathless.
“We’re not done yet. I’m not finished with you , and you aren’t with me. So you can’t leave.” He rubbed his hand over the shadow of his beard, breathing heavily. “What happened to you? Who hurt you, angel? Tell me who’s robbing me of you. I know you just lost your father, and that you must be hurting from the loss of him, but something else happened to you. Something that made you want to escape life.”
The Rules Of Attraction Page 15
