Dangerous Desires

by Tia Siren

  Her loft was not far from the business district where the office was. After leaving work at half past five, she was home in less than fifteen minutes, stopping once to pick up milk and eggs. If there was anything Colleen could not do without, it was her omelet first thing in the morning.

  She never missed breakfast, having been raised on a farm in Virginia. She left home after her mother died and her father remarried. Vowing never to return, she headed to California and ended up in Cupertino. With the money she’d saved from working on her family’s farm, she bought the loft and completed her college education. That was six years ago when she’d been only twenty-four.

  After slipping into her silver pumps, she picked up a matching purse and left the bedroom. Julian had been waiting for twenty minutes in the living room, but Colleen was never one to rush a date. She didn’t want him to think she was too eager.

  Being a stickler for time, Julian had arrived five minutes before eight. As she headed down the stairs, taking her sweet time, her phone rang.

  “Are you all set?” the person on the phone asked as soon as she answered.

  “Yes,” was her reply before the line was disconnected.

  Colleen quickly pushed the caller from her mind and went to greet her date. He was wearing a dark suit, which she knew was tailored just for him. His back was to her as he stared at a painting on her living room wall. She took a moment to admire the breadth of his shoulders.

  Her eyes cruised his tall frame, noticing the way he stood with his weight on his right leg. His left hand was wedged in his pants pocket, pulling the fabric across his tight butt. Her nipples immediately hardened at her scrutiny of his ass. The urge to slap that back side was immense. Julian must have sensed her because he turned around just about then.

  “Hi?” he greeted, his smile making him even more gorgeous than he was.

  “Hi,” she answered back, disappointed that he hadn’t been thoughtful enough to bring flowers.

  “Let’s go.”

  She sensed some amount of aloofness in him, but she wasn’t worried. Her mission was to make him pant with need for her. She saw the way his eyes lingered on her breasts. His shell wouldn’t be that hard to crack. Twining her arm with his, Colleen reached up and pressed her lips to his cheek. She heard his intake of breath before she pulled away and walked towards the front door. “Let’s go,” she cooed.

  Even the slight contact with Julian left her moist between her legs. She couldn’t wait to get him where she really wanted him. All the way to the restaurant in the business district, Colleen could not stop thinking about running her tongue across Julian’s broad chest. She wanted to savor his touch, feel his hot skin against hers as he entered her wet flesh. “Augh,” she groaned involuntarily.

  “Huh?” he turned and glanced her way very questioningly.

  “Nothing,” she replied, turning red. I have to be careful, she scolded herself.

  They reached the restaurant and were ushered to their table. The cozy Mediterranean restaurant was the ideal place for romance. The small tables were far apart, affording privacy. Floating candles in the center of floral waterbeds offered the only light, increasing the ambiance. Soft music played from invisible speakers, adding to the romantic atmosphere.

  Julian was a gentleman, making sure she was seated before taking his own chair. As he sat, their knees brushed. It couldn’t be helped because the table was designed for intimacy. The meal was delicious, but Colleen was too preoccupied with Julian to enjoy it. He was also quite the conversationalist, raising one topic after the next, keeping the conversation flowing smoothly. When he spoke, his hazel eyes twinkled.

  “So, I was standing there with my bladder about to burst, and Ryan, he was adding more beer to the cauldron…” Julian said in his rich, smooth tone.

  He was telling her one of the many stories of his and Ryan’s college shenanigans.

  “So, what happened,” she urged. “Don’t keep me hanging.”

  “I could feel it escape as a little touched my underwear. I tell you, I could not hold it, and they were pushing me to finish the entire keg. Then all of a sudden, we heard shouts, and a group of boys ran into the gym yelling that the dorm monitor was coming. I was the first one outta there, running all the way to my dorm. By the time I got there, I had pissed myself.”

  “Ha-ha,” she laughed.

  As he told her how he tore his clothes off and jumped into the shower, she pictured him doing that very thing. She couldn’t wait to see him without clothes. In fact, she wanted to be the one to take them off.

  “What are you thinking?” he was asking. “You seem lost.”

  “Sorry, I was just visualizing you running away from all that. What happened to the other boys?”

  “Ryan got caught, but you know him, he can charm the pants off anyone…”

  Colleen giggled. “Let me guess, he somehow sweet-talked his way out of it.”

  “Uh-huh, and apparently the dorm monitor ended up finishing the keg. We never heard of the incident afterward.”

  The evening went well, and Julian was the best date. When they left the restaurant, he took her for a stroll at Creekside Park. The earlier recreation crowd had left, and only a few couples were seen walking hand in hand. One person was walking their dog, and another was jogging.

  Colleen knew Julian had been recently hurt, and her mission was to make him forget his past and focus on her. While they walked, she took his hand, and he didn’t seem to mind. For a few minutes, they were silent, enjoying the night. The magnetic flow between them was unmistakable, and she took advantage of it. When she stopped, Julian paused to question her with his eyes.

  Without a word, she pressed close to him and sealed their lips. Twining her arms around his neck, she went in for a deeper kiss, but Julian pulled away.

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized.

  “What’s wrong?” she searched his eyes.

  “This is our first date; I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

  Colleen laughed. “I was hoping to take advantage of you.”

  “Ha, good one.”

  She was happy to see him smile. “Come on Julian; we’re adults and have known each other for a while. Is it because we work together?”

  “No.”

  “So, you’re not attracted to me then.”

  “That’s definitely not it.”

  “Look, I’m not asking you to marry me. I just want to make love tonight.”

  “Wow, you don’t mince words do you?” It was more of a statement than a question.

  “I don’t see why two adults can’t have a good time without someone getting all weird about it. It’s not like we don’t know each other,” she added. “We’ve worked together for a long time, and I have always found you attractive.”

  “You have?”

  “Are you one of those people who feel weird about office romances? It’s not like you have never screwed any of the female staff.”

  “Well…” he began, but she would not allow him to speak.

  “I know you and Becky used to do it.”

  Julian let out a breath. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Well?” she prodded.

  He seemed to be thinking about it as he searched her face. Colleen gave him two minutes… well, at least she estimated it was two minutes before she took his hand and pulled him into her arms. She sealed their lips and pushed her tongue into his mouth. When he groaned and relaxed, she smiled inwardly. Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?

  4

  Julian’s stomach quivered when Colleen’s tongue brushed his. Maybe the fact that he hadn’t been with anyone in a while made him cave, but here he was in the arms of a beautiful woman. Who was he to resist? She told him there were no strings attached. She was a big girl who knew what she wanted, and it was obvious she wanted him.

  He’d almost forgotten what it had been like before he met Nicole. A year and a half ago, he would have jumped at the chance to get Colleen in the sack. What had
changed? Nicole happened. It was now over, and he was a man with needs. Fuck, he missed the old days.

  A wave of current ran through his body as she pressed her large firm breasts into his chest. Breaking the kiss, he grabbed her hand and led her to the parking lot to his Mercedes. The speed with which he was going, one would have thought there was an emergency.

  He planned to take her back to her place since it was closer and ravish her until she screamed his name, but as he slipped into the driver’s seat, Colleen began to unbuckle him.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t wait,” she panted.

  Before he could stop her, she was pulling his thick cock from its restraints and bringing her lips close to it. Fortunately, it was late, and the park was nearly empty of people. His cock pulsed as she wrapped her warm tongue around it. Lightning bolts ran up his shaft and into his belly as she worked her lips over him. She paused to lick the head, then kissed the tip.

  Just as he thought he was going to come into her mouth, she raised her head and sat upright. He was confused. Was that it? He got his answer when she eased from her seat and slid over to straddle him.

  “Colleen…” Julian started to say, but she cut off his speech with her lips.

  He could feel her heat press into him as her bare flesh brushed against his already rock-hard cock. She wasn’t wearing any underwear, and the thought almost drove him wild. As he pulled her close, a knock on the window startled them. Colleen quickly returned to her seat. Julian fumbled with his zipper as his hand shook. The knock came again just as he managed to tuck away his pulsing cock and pull the zipper.

  Rolling down the window, he came face to face with a park ranger. “Is everything okay over here?” the man asked.

  “Y-yes. My date and I are just hanging out,” Julian told the ranger.

  “It’s late, and the park is closing.”

  “We’re leaving now. Thank you.”

  On the way back, they rode in silence. Julian knew that Colleen expected them to finish what they started, but the moment had passed, and he needed to find out who had tried to compromise his work.

  When he dropped her at her loft, her disappointment was evident. “Don’t you want to come in for a while?” she asked.

  “I’ll take a rain check. How about a movie next time? You choose the movie, and I’ll get the tickets.”

  Her features brightened at the prospect of a second date. Julian wanted to make love to her, but something more important was brewing, and he aimed to figure out what it was. He leaned across and kissed her soundly, taking his time to savor the sweet taste of her mouth. A shudder ran through him, and he pulled away.

  He left Colleen and headed directly to his office. It was minutes after one, and he didn’t expect anyone to be there except security personnel. However, as he pulled into his parking spot, one of his team members’ BMWs was pulling out. He honked, and the vehicle braked. He waited until Rick got out of his car and jogged across.

  Rick leaned through the window. “Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here. What happened to your date?”

  “I dropped her home,” Julian responded. “What are you doing here this late?”

  “I found something out, and I needed to make sure I was correct. Let me park my car, and I’ll show you.”

  The Maconn MedTech building was an old two-story dwelling that Julian bought at auction and remodeled, turning it into his dream workspace. The building offered comfort and privacy away from the hustle and bustle of the business district. Julian finished parking while Rick returned his car to its designated slot. Both men hurried into the building, and Julian assumed they were headed back to the think pad.

  When Rick stopped at the file room in front of the think pad, Julian was curious. This was where all the files for their project were kept. The data was encrypted, but the document files only contained notes. The computer contained information that would be of no value without the actual configurations contained in the tech room. This area also contained customer files for the technology that was already on the market, the reports from testing, and the FDA.

  As they entered the area, Julian noticed how tense Rick appeared. The man’s strides were stiff, and he seemed preoccupied. Julian allowed his colleague to lead the way in order to better observe him. By the time they reached the room, Julian was convinced that something was wrong. Rick turned on the main PC to which all staff had access.

  “You see this?” Rick pointed to a password protected screen.

  “Yeah, so?”

  “Type anything except your password.”

  Julian frowned but did as Rick asked and typed the word sex. He knew it was cheesy, but he was still reeling from his arousal.

  To his amazement, the portal opened. “What the fu…?” He switched off the computer, turned it back on and did the same thing, only this time he typed some random letters and again, the portal opened. “We either have a mole on our team, or someone very good has hacked our system.”

  “You’re right. But if a hacker did this, how’d they gain access without someone’s help?”

  The building itself could only be entered with a security pass card. Therefore, that meant someone inside was responsible.

  “This is a smokescreen,” Julian declared. His mind was working at the speed of light. There was nothing on that computer that was of much value. The valuable stuff was in the tech room and his private lab. Someone was either trying to mess with his mind, or they had no clue what they were doing. If the hacker knew him at all, they would know that he would have a more secure database for the work he was doing.

  “How did you know about this?” he asked Rick, curious to know what happened.

  “I wanted to get the report from the FDA for the DBS chip. I turned the thing on and was reaching for my coffee when my elbow brushed the keyboard. I found it strange that one key opened the portal. I signed out and tried another key, and it opened again. That’s not all.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Yeah, I did a check and found a descrambling Trojan hidden in the registry.”

  The only way a Trojan could bypass the security system was if the antivirus/malware/spyware program was compromised. Julian knew that Rick must have already checked to see if it was turned off or deleted, but he had to make sure. The program was switched off.

  Julian grunted. “We have a mole.”

  “What should we do now?” Rick asked.

  “Nothing,” he said, and Rick looked aghast. “I’ll devise a plan. Go home and get some sleep.”

  5

  Colleen wasted no time in calling and setting the second date. Julian was looking forward to it. He’d spent the last few months feeling sorry for himself over a girl. It was time to get back to his old self. A sexy woman was offering herself, no strings attached, and he wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers. He wasn’t sure what she was after… a one-night stand or a relationship, but he would let her know he wasn’t looking for anything serious.

  Opting for a dress shirt and sports jacket, he finished getting dressed. He dropped his cell phone into the leather casing attached to his belt and picked up his keys.

  The movie was an action thriller, and afterward, they went to eat at a Japanese restaurant in the business district in the heart of Cupertino. They wasted no time after dinner, as they both knew what was going to happen. For Julian, things seemed a bit rushed, but as Colleen pointed out on their first date, they were adults, and they could do as they pleased.

  Her loft was closer, so that’s where they headed. He would have liked to get to know her more, but there was time for that later.

  As soon as they were through the door, their lips found each other as Colleen began unbuttoning his shirt. She pushed the jacket from his shoulders and continued releasing his shirt buttons.

  His hands found her breasts and gave each mound a gentle squeeze. He couldn’t wait to taste their taut peaks. She’d rid him of his jacket and was pulling his shirtta
ils free from his pants when his cell phone went off.

  With a groan, he retrieved the phone from its case and answered it. “Hello,” his voice betrayed his annoyance.

  “It’s Brady. Nicole has been hospitalized. Can you meet me at El Camino?”

  The blood drained from Julian’s face as his heart seemed to stop and then begin a slow, sluggish beat. “Yeah, I’ll meet you in half an hour,” he replied before hanging up. He turned to Colleen with an apologetic look while buttoning his shirt. “I’ve got to go.”

  Without even waiting for an answer, Julian picked up his jacket and was out the door in a flash. Memories crashed his mind of the woman who brought him the most joy and pain.

  Four months ago…

  The clock struck seven as his long strides made a path on the portico of the large Victorian-style house. Situated in Monta Vista, just outside the city limits of Cupertino, the house was surrounded by expertly manicured lawns and gardens. Dusk had already fallen upon the city, and the lights on the property flashed on.

  The light on the portico also came on, revealing the nervous tension of the man pacing. Julian had never been this nervous about a date before. They’d been on dozens of dates, having been seeing each other for over a year.

  Not only was she beautiful, she was also a software specialist, and he was smitten with her mind. Never had he met a woman so intelligent and utterly brilliant. This was the night he would make their relationship official. He’d never done that before. Hell, he’d never had a serious relationship until he met her.

  A light chuckle escaped his lips. What was there to worry about? She loved him, and he loved her, that’s all that was important. How should he do it? Should he get down on one knee like in the movies or should he hide the ring?

  He paused his pacing for a moment to stare at the yellow roses in his hands. He’d stopped at the flower stall a mile away to get them, but now he was unsure of his choice. Would she like them or not? Just as he was contemplating running back to the little flower stall down the street, the front door opened, and there stood Nicole’s brother.