Felisha Goulding's Stolen Innocence Series

by Felisha Goulding

  Slowly, she lifted the covers, afraid of what she’d find underneath. She gasped and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Holy mother of God! Where are my clothes? Thankfully, her bra and panties were still intact, covering her most intimate parts, but for the life of her she had no idea how she got here nor did she recall removing her clothes.

  She let out a long sigh before convincing herself that she must have somehow managed to get undressed before she fell asleep. It’s a good thing I wore matching undergarments. She should feel mortified. She knew it had to have been Drake who undressed her and tucked her in. The devil in her couldn’t help the grin that formed slowly across her face and reached the corners of her mouth at that very thought. I hope he got an eyeful. But I guess I’ll never find out, I’m certainly not going to ask him.

  Meg stirred at the feel of a vibration on the pillow next to her. She looked over and picked up her cell. An e-mail appeared in her inbox. She opened it up to see it was from Drake Noble.

  DN To: mmalone@griffinpublishing.ca

  Fr: dnoble@nobleinvestments.com

  Subject: My Place

  Meggie,

  I hope this e-mail finds you well. You weren’t in the limo for two minutes before you passed out. I didn’t get a chance to get your hotel key and I wasn’t sure what the room number was.

  I apologize if you feel out of sorts this morning, but I decided it would be easier to bring you back to my condo where I could check in on you and make sure you were okay throughout the night.

  I kept the lamp on in case you woke up wondering where you were, but you slept right through. In fact, you didn’t stir. I found you in the exact same position this morning when I checked in on you before leaving for work.

  Take your time getting ready and feel free to make yourself something to eat and to shower. Towels are in the closet in the hallway outside the bathroom. I instructed my driver to pick you up when you’re ready. He’ll bring you back to your hotel. He’ll be waiting out front around noon, if you’re ready to leave before then go to security located at the main lobby and ask them to call Matt. Matt is my personal chauffeur. He’s been instructed to take very good care of you during your stay here in New York.

  Please make yourself available this evening. I will be taking you out for dessert. I would very much like to continue where we left off.

  Matt will pick you up at 8:00 p.m. this evening, please be ready.

  By the way, I believe I made myself clear to Frank that I may need you here for the next week, maybe two? Please confirm.

  Meg’s heartbeat sped up while reading the e-mail. A chauffeur for the entire time I am here! That was far too generous, there was no way she could accept his offer. But her heart raced in her chest, and she immediately hit reply.

  To: dnoble@nobleinvestments.com

  Fr: mmalone@griffinpublishing.ca

  Subject: Babysitting

  DN,

  Thank you for everything. I can’t tell you how embarrassed I am.

  I’m sorry you were stuck babysitting me all night.

  Dessert sounds great! I’ll be ready at 8:00.

  Yes, I am available and here for the next two weeks.

  Once again, thank you.

  MM

  Shortly thereafter, her cell buzzed again with another email from Drake Noble.

  To: mmalone@griffinpublishing.ca

  Fr: dnoble@nobleinvestments.com

  Subject: Invite me

  MM,

  Don’t be embarrassed. It was my pleasure. I’m just happy everything turned out okay.

  See you this evening! Enjoy your day.

  Ps: My pin number is 2810F6BB, please invite me as a contact

  DN

  Quickly, she strummed her fingers over the keys and added his PIN number followed by an invite before settling back into realty. What the hell am I doing? I’m supposed to be working on a business deal. But all I can think about is how attracted I am to this man. Business is the last thing on my mind. I am so screwed. If I mess this up for Frank, he’ll never forgive me. Hell, I will never forgive myself. I better keep these meetings strictly professional, it would be best for all involved.

  The clock on the nightstand indicated it was shortly after eleven in the morning and Meg couldn’t believe she had slept that long. After making the bed, she changed quickly into yesterday’s clothes. They were laid out nicely on the armrest of the chair in the corner of the room. She grabbed her purse and briefcase from the floor and headed out into the hallway. The condo was large, decorated nicely and very masculine. It suited him. Not wanting to hang out too much longer, she was eager to get back to the hotel and change into clean clothes, pack and head over to Sarah’s. Meg decided to take her up on the offer after all. Who knew when they would get the opportunity to spend this much time together again, admittedly, she missed Sarah terribly over the years.

  Meg turned back in the direction she came from and found what she was looking for. After using the washroom, she retrieved an elastic band from her purse and put her hair up in a high ponytail. She put on her clothes and did a quick walk through checking out the condo. She stumbled upon the master bedroom, just two doors down from where she had slept the night before. His scent lingered in the air, wrapping itself around her. A hint of arousal coursed through her body when she thought about what it would be like to be draped over his bed with nothing on, waiting for him to seduce her. Breathless again, Meg couldn’t believe the hold this man seemed to have on her. For the life of her, she couldn’t get him out of her head. Of course, standing here and looking at his bed was only tempting her all the more and certainly not helping matters.

  The bed was situated in the middle of the room, a night table on either side, along with a dark wooden headboard up against the wall. All four walls were bare. The color scheme was earthy, giving the room a dark but comfortable feeling. Dark wood covered the floors and a nice antique carpet was laid out in the middle of the room between the bed and dresser at the opposite end. A large dark wooden chest sat on the floor at the foot of the bed. Feeling as though she was invading his privacy, Meg turned to walk down the hall to the door leading out of the condo. She checked to ensure it was locked after carefully closing it. She wiggled the door handle, and sure enough, it was secured.

  Once she exited the elevator, she went directly to the front desk as Drake had requested and told the older man standing behind the counter that she was a guest of Mr. Noble in the penthouse. The older man looked her over carefully. “Very well,” with a warm smile he continued, “Mr. Noble reminded me on his way out this morning that he had a guest. Your limo is waiting just outside the door,” he said as he pointed toward the large double glass doors.

  “Thank you,” she managed with a hint of embarrassment. God, the man must think I’m some one night fling that Drake picked up for the evening. She turned quickly to walk out the front door and just as she was about to push the door open, she heard the older man’s voice. “Ms. Malone, Mr. Noble asked that I give you this.” He walked toward her and handed Meg the package. She thanked him and slowly made her way out, all the while looking curiously at the package in her hand. Whatever it is, it’s certainly heavy.

  The limo driver, Matt, held the door open for her to get inside. She thanked him and stepped in to take a seat. Again, she could smell the faint scent of Drake in the air. Enjoying the smell, she looked back to the package she was holding and ripped it open. There were two boxes inside, one in the familiar shape of a wine bottle. She removed the bottle from the gift bag and noticed a miniature gift card attached inside.

  She looked up to see Matt staring back at her, waiting patiently. “Go ahead,” he says, “I can wait.”

  Embarrassed, she replied, “No, no need to wait, go ahead. I’m sorry. I should have realized you would need to know where I’m going.” She smiled at him apologetically. “The Weston Hotel on forty-second please. It may take me twenty minutes to pack and check out, if you don’t mind waiting for me?”

>   “Not at all, Ms. Malone,” he assured her before he put the vehicle in drive, and Meg focused once again on the package she was holding.

  She looked up to where Matt was sitting before she continued on with the package. “Matt, would you mind calling me Meg? Ms. Malone sounds far too formal and if I’m going to call you by your first name then I insist you call me by mine.”

  He looked at her through the rearview mirror. “Don’t be offended, Ms. Malone. I wouldn’t be comfortable with that. This is my job, and in my line of work, we always refer to our clients as mister or miss. But I do appreciate the gesture,” he replied before looking back to the road in front of him.

  Meg couldn’t argue his point; she understood and let it go. He obviously took his profession seriously and she could appreciate that. She focused her attention back to her earlier task and opened the small envelope. Inside was a hand-written note.

  MM,

  The waiter at Michael Jordan’s restaurant felt terrible about the way your afternoon ended and had this bottle delivered to my address for you.

  It would appear you made quite an impression on him.

  Enjoy!

  DN

  Hmmm, I hope I made a good impression with you more so than the waiter. Once she removed the bottle, she gasped after she realized it was the same expensive wine she’d had at lunch the day before. Meg was thankful the waiter had thought to do this for her. She knew how expensive the bottle was and hoped he had gotten it for free. I’ll have to call him later to thank him personally. She opened the smaller box and pulled out an unfamiliar square-shaped item along with a package of Benadryl. There was another envelope attached and she opened it. She removed the card inside and started reading.

  MM,

  I took the liberty of filling your prescription. Keep this EpiPen with you at all times; you’ll find the instructions are voice activated and details are located on the side. Please read them carefully. If you have another allergic reaction, this will help and the effect is immediate to stop anything dangerous from happening to you. The Benadryl is also for emergencies.

  Let that be the last time you scare me like that!

  DN

  Meg leaned back and rested her head on the seat, her chest tightened and she smiled. She knew how busy Drake’s life was through her conversation with Frank, yet he made time to do this for her. She appreciated the kind gesture and couldn’t stop smiling like a silly school girl. Meg wasn’t sure how she was supposed to behave in this moment. All she knew was that she liked him. She thought about yesterday’s episode and the embarrassment that went along with it and couldn’t believe he didn’t run in the other direction.

  Trying once again to recall what happened after she left the hospital, Meg leaned forward. “Matt, I’m sorry to bother you.” He looked at her through the rear view mirror and listened as she spoke. “About last night, was I out cold? I don’t remember a thing once we left the parking lot.”

  “Yes, you were indeed out cold, Ms. Malone.” Geez, again with the Ms. Malone!

  “How did I make it up the elevator to Drake’s, I mean Mr. Noble’s penthouse?”

  Matt looked back at Meg and she could tell this conversation was making him a little uneasy. He looked a little apprehensive in answering her. “Mr. Noble carried you, I carried your hand bag and briefcase; but he carried you up and settled you in to bed.”

  “I didn’t wake up at all?” She looked at him curiously.

  “No, not while I was there. I heard him calling your name but you didn’t budge.”

  Hah, that pretty much confirms it. Drake had to be the one who undressed me. Meg wasn’t quite sure what to make of that; she knew for certain she would blush from head to toe when seeing him this evening. Should I ask him?

  * * * *

  Drake Noble sat in his office and tried like hell to focus on his work. He had a light schedule today and a conference call in forty-five minutes. His mind continued to replay his meeting with Meggie Malone. She was like no other woman he had ever met. And God knew he had many women in his life, none of whom compared to Meggie Malone. He couldn’t explain what it was he felt toward her. All he knew was he had to have her in his life and he would not give up until he did. Fuck business. I don’t give a shit about that right now. He would simply make an offer that her boss could never refuse just to see her again. It was odd, these feelings that continued to take over his every thought in the last twenty-four hours since meeting her. Most people would think him crazy and absurd for what he was feeling. Drake himself thought he was losing it. He couldn’t wait for the day to end just so he could see her again, touch her soft skin, look deep into those perfect blue eyes, and smell her. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was sweet, kind and there was such innocence about her. He knew he had to act fast. She was here on business for a very short time. And he would do everything in his power to make her his.

  Drake took one last look at his cell, re-read the message she sent him and smiled like a lovesick puppy. He placed the phone in the inside pocket of his jacket and stared blankly at his computer. Focus, man. You have to deal with that conference call and get through the afternoon before you see her again. He moaned low in his throat, adjusted his crotch to relieve the strain and dug into his work.

  Chapter 10

  Once Meg finished packing her things back at the hotel, her cell phone vibrated, the distinguished sound of a BBM message. Must be Frank. He has to be frantic by now wondering how things are going. Or maybe it’s Sarah. Meg hadn’t yet had the opportunity to call Sarah and let her know that she was on her way. Closing the door behind her, she hurriedly dug for her cell phone at the bottom of her purse and took a look to see who it was from. It was a BBM message from Drake.

  MM,

  Thank you for adding me! Much better than e-mail. I see you’ve left the condo. Did you at least have breakfast?

  DN

  Meg hit reply.

  DN,

  Thank you for your concern, and no, I haven’t had breakfast yet, but will make myself something once I get to my friend’s place. Thank you again for everything you did last night.

  Still totally embarrassed,

  MM

  Thankfully, the concierge at the front desk agreed to charge only for the remainder of the day and cancelled the rest of the week at no charge. She thanked him and headed back to the limo. Matt was standing there, waiting patiently, greeting her with yet another smile before he looked away. Meg looked at him. This time, she studied his features as she approached the limo. He looked to be around his late forties, nice looking man, well built, lean body. She figured there was at least two hundred pounds of solid muscle hidden under that black jacket he was wearing.

  She wondered why he had gotten into the limousine business. The man was built like a navy seal so security certainly made sense. His hair was closely shaven in a military buzz cut that gave him the distinct look of a soldier. Strong muscular features pronounced his face, and despite his hard features, he was good looking. Not her type exactly but she definitely would have given him a second glance if she walked passed him on a crowded street. Meg continued to watch him as he took in his surroundings and she couldn’t help but wonder if he were looking for something or someone. He had an air of authority about him, a dangerous edge. Despite the kindness he’d shown Meg earlier, she got the impression that Matt was not a man to be messed with.

  * * * *

  Finally, Meg made it to Sarah’s condo near Central Park. The building from the outside was immaculate and very well groomed. She looked toward Central Park across the street and was surprised at how big it was. The park seemed to stretch out for miles. Itching to get out for a nice long run, it hit her that she’d been thrown off her regular routine for three days now. Meg decided to get unpacked, grab a quick bite to eat, and get changed for a nice long and much needed run though the park. Running helped clear her head and put things into perspective. Besides that, she felt the fresh air would do her good after last night’s
episode.

  She approached the front desk and introduced herself to the security guard who confirmed Sarah had been expecting her. He handed over the key and let her know the condo was located on the third floor. “What unit number is it?” she asked.

  “She owns the unit straight down the hall to your left once you get off the elevator. She owns half the floor.” the security guard replied.

  “Oh, I see, thank you.” Holy shit! Sarah owns half of an entire floor! What the hell do you do with all that space? Excitement coursed through Meg; she couldn’t wait to see this!

  “Enjoy your day, ma'am,” the security guard said with a smile.

  “You too, thank you.”

  Meg eagerly walked toward the elevator that took her straight to the third floor. She fit the key into the lock and stepped inside. Wow, out of this world! The condo was huge with an open concept. A large kitchen came into view with a breakfast bar that separated the kitchen and sitting area. Commercial pots and pans aligned themselves across the wall of the backsplash above the counter, and a gas stove with an open grill nestled in the corner of the counter. All her appliances were commercial-sized and stainless steel.