“Todd, STOP!” Anger surged forth in Jay's chest as it became obvious that Kathryn was fending off an unwanted advance which spurred his protective nature into full gallop. Before either one of them had enough time to do anything but widen their eyes, an animal growl erupted from his chest, and he charged the three or four steps required to reach the desk separating him from the pair. He reached across and gripped the offending male by the scruff of the neck, jerking him backwards until he was laying on his back looking up at Jay, who towered over him. The look on his face and the ease with which Jay had lifted the 250 pound male off his feet made it clear that Todd was in a fight he couldn’t win. So he did what cowards always do when not pawing at unwilling women, he put his hands up to block his face and cringed. Jay lifted his hand in a claw to strike the man, which in this position was likely to break his neck, only to have Kathryn leap forward and lock both of her hands around his wrist, preventing him from completing the blow.
“Stop it! Just STOP!” she commanded, causing Jay to freeze in place, hand still raised to strike.
Jay focused on her face, quickly checking her over visually for any sign of injury. When he saw none, he relented and lowered his hand, though he maintained his grip on Todd’s coat collar.
“Are you all right?” Jay asked, “I saw this man accosting you…”
“Yes, I'm fine,” she said, "You can let go of him now."
Jay reluctantly let go of Todd’s coat collar, but not before shaking him like a wet rag as a warning not to do anything stupid. As the man stood, stammering apologies, Kathryn shut him up, saying “That was the last time you pull your shit, Todd! I'm reporting this to the partners, and you’ll be lucky if I don't sue you for sexual harassment.”
Todd tried to summon up some dignity to cover his retreat but failed miserably. He quickly exited the door, slamming it behind him. Jay and Kathryn stood staring at the door as if expecting Todd to storm back in. After a few seconds it was obvious he wasn't coming back.
Almost simultaneously, they turned to look at each other. Both of them paused, unsure of what to say for a moment. Kathryn asked the first question,
“What are you doing here?” It was great to have her own personal guardian angel, but if he was stalking her, that was just creepy, no matter how gorgeous he was.
“I have an appointment with Ms. Sharpe” he said, “I did not expect to find you here.”
“I’m Kathryn Sharpe” she said with a smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you my last name earlier. You must be Mr. Jelani Contee? But you introduced yourself as ‘Jay’,” she accused.
“That is what my friends call me, and I was hoping to be very good friends” he said with a warm, only slightly suggestive smile.
There it was again, that warm rush that passed through her as she imagined what it might be like to kiss him. “We’ll have to see, won't we, though you’re well on your way already, coming to my rescue twice in less than two hours?”
“Are you so often in need of rescue?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Not normally, no... You just happened to catch me on a good day.”
Jay noticed that her smile, though still radiant, had a slightly tremulous quality to it, showing the strain of the adrenaline that was still pumping through her system. “Please sit,” he said, as he ushered her toward her chair, “is there anything I can get you?”
He took her hand and guided her to her seat, and again he stood waiting for her response while not relinquishing his comfortable hold on her hand. Her hand felt good in his, it was warm and gave her something to focus on as the worst of the adrenaline surge passed. His hands were large, much larger than hers. She was not a small woman, so it was rare that a man could make her feel delicate, like he could wrap her in his arms and protect her. She had the crazy thought that he could scoop her up and hold her to his chest like a child. It was something the feminist movement would deny, but most women liked the feeling that a strong man could sweep them off their feet. It didn't mean she needed him to, she was a modern woman, and had been taking care of herself without the assistance of a man for quite some time, but she couldn't deny the appeal of feeling petite compared to him.
“Have you had anything to eat yet this morning? You look a little pale, and I saw your breakfast on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop.”
“Now that you mention it, no, I haven't, and I am feeling a little out of sorts. Would you mind conducting our meeting over a late breakfast?” she asked.
“Not at all, after our chance meeting this morning, I only had time to grab a bagel and coffee. I feel like I could eat a zebra!”
That struck her as an odd saying. “Wasn't it supposed to be “horse”? Maybe it was an African thing.” she thought with a silent chuckle.
“There is a great diner a couple of blocks away, if that's ok?”
Jay nodded his assent.
“Perfect, just give me a few moments to straighten myself up a bit, and notify my secretary. I'll be right back.”
Kathryn exited the office and went straight to the receptionist. Leanne's eyebrows rose when she saw her disheveled look. “What on earth happened to you?” She asked. “You didn't claim Mr. Contee as yours ALREADY, did you?” she said with a devious glint in her eye.
“Remember the hunk I told you about who helped me out this morning?”
Leanne nodded an affirmative.
“Well, that's him.”
“Oh, you lucky bitch,” Leanne whispered loudly, “can I have him when you're done with him?”
Kathryn laughed and shook her head. “Listen, I need you to schedule an appointment with the partners as soon as possible. Todd finally went too far. Mr. Dreamy in there walked in on it, and almost decapitated him.”
"I saw him run out of there like his ass was on fire.”
“I'm sure he's running to try and get some plausible explanation in front of Roy and Gus, before I make my complaint. There's no way he's getting out of this one though. Let me know when they can see me. I'll have my cell with me; I'm taking Mr. Contee to breakfast.”
“Will do, boss.”
With that, she turned and made her way to the ladies room, straightened her clothing, and refreshed her makeup. She paused in front of the mirror, considering. She decided that losing the top button of her blouse didn’t make her look slutty, but it showed a tantalizing inch or two of skin that she hoped Jay would find appealing enough to want a closer look. She couldn't believe she had just met this man and she was already, not just considering sleeping with him, but actively planning his seduction. She wasn't normally so forward, nor would she be considered promiscuous by most standards, but it had been a while since she'd gotten laid, and she saw no harm in indulging herself.
Chapter 5
On the way to the diner they made small talk, mostly about inconsequential things. They weren’t really having difficulty making conversation, but came to some unspoken agreement to keep things light after the drama of the morning’s incidents. Eventually, Jay’s curiosity got the better of him though. He asked Kathryn, “So, what is going to happen now, with Mister Grabby?”
“Well, if I know him, he’s on his way to our main office to talk to the senior partners. He’ll most likely fabricate some story about how I came on to him, in an attempt to keep his position with the firm.”
“Aren’t you worried that they will believe him?”
“Why would they? It’s pretty well known that he has problems with women in authority, and this won’t have been his first offense, I’m sure. And I have your eye-witness statement, if you’re willing to give it.”
“Of course I do not mind. Any filth that feels the need to force himself on a woman deserves to face the consequences of his actions.”
Jay’s obviously protective statement warmed her heart, and added to the already glowing coal burning deep in her belly. “Could this guy be any more perfect?” she asked herself. He was tall, strong, handsome, sexy as hell, and obviously wealthy. All in all, h
e was one hell of a catch, so much so that a sudden worry crossed her mind. Many wealthy men who traveled for business were less than scrupulous when it came to portraying themselves as single men, and he was of an age that marriage, or at least a long-term relationship, was likely. She surreptitiously checked his hand for any sign of a wedding ring, looking for the tell-tale impression of a removed wedding band, and found none. “Maybe in Africa, they don’t wear them.” she thought. She decided that she wanted to know for sure, so she asked. “Are you married Mr. Contee?”
Jay was surprised by the question. His species rarely ever married. For one reason, they lived much longer than the average human, and for another, they were unable to sire children with anybody but their one ordained life mate and those were exceedingly rare. His father had found his mother, but in their generation, they were one of the few mated couples of the family. His uncle was almost 120 years old and had still not found his mate. Nor was he likely to, at his advanced age, yet another reason that the pride was not more prolific. According to his mother, there were signs that you had found THE ONE, that were impossible to misinterpret or ignore. Of course, none of this meant that he couldn’t enjoy the company of beautiful women, so he was content for now.
He answered her honestly, pleased with the sign of her interest, “No, I am not married,” he said, “and before you ask, I have no woman either.”
She smiled up at him with inner relief. As much as she wanted this man, she wouldn’t stoop to taking him from someone else. “Good” she said, confident that he was telling her the truth. There didn’t seem to be any dishonesty in the man, and she considered herself an excellent judge of character.
They made their way to the counter of the small diner and took seats next to each other. They laughed and joked through breakfast, lingering over their meals in order to enjoy one another’s company for as long as possible. They were shoulder to shoulder throughout the meal, both enjoying the physical contact, but not wanting to be too obvious about it. Eventually, they were pressed together from knee to shoulder, leaning on each other comfortably. The sexual tension was unmistakable, and extremely strong. Kathryn looked at her watch and was shocked to see that over two hours had passed since they sat down. Not once had there been any awkward conversation or lengthy pauses. He made it very easy to hold a conversation, asking plenty of questions, and actually seeming interested in what she had to say. It was a nice change from the men who constantly talked to her chest; not that he hadn’t looked. She had seen him drinking in the sight of her on more than one occasion, but not in an offensive way. She actually enjoyed him looking, it made her feel sexy and desired. She had spent her fair share of time perusing his fine form as well.
They did have business to conduct, unfortunately, so she said, “I hate to break up the party, but you came to see me for a reason today. I would be remiss if I didn’t at least attempt to take care of your business needs at some point today.”
“Oh, yes. Well, I do have some properties I need to purchase for our family business, warehouses mostly. I do have a list of properties I would like you to look in to and acquire for our Corporation. Being unfamiliar with U.S. property laws, we thought it would be easier to work through a lawyer already well versed in this type of business activity.”
“I can certainly help you with that.”
“I will email you the list of properties then, but I have to ask you a question first.” The look on his face prepared her for some out of the ordinary mischief. “Are YOU married?”
It took her a moment to respond, and when she did, it was with a knowing laugh, “No, I’m not married either.”
“That is fantastic,” he said and reached over and took her hand, swiveled their stools toward each other so that one of her knees was between his strong legs. He gently, but firmly pulled her toward him, cautiously, in case he encountered resistance, he leaned forward and slowly reeled her in, meeting her half way, but leaving the decision to her if she would cross the rest of the way and give him the kiss he desired. She offered no resistance, but paused to look at him; he was waiting patiently, but without pressure, for her to decide. This moment was always so much more important than men thought. That first kiss could tell you everything about the potential of a relationship. If he was a poor kisser, or if there was just no spark there, the relationship was doomed as far as she was concerned. She closed the distance, their lips met, and the fireworks started. His lips were soft but strong, gently exploring the contours of her mouth and lightly tugging on her plump lower lip. Her body responded by lubricating itself, making her feel like she was liquefying inside, instantly dampening her panties. He slowly reached up and cupped the side of her face as he kissed her before sliding his hand back to the nape of her neck and tangling his fingers in the short hairs there, sending a shiver through her entire body. Jay reluctantly retreated from the kiss with a broad, slightly smug smile on his face, obviously satisfied that she had felt the same strong reaction he did. He was the first to speak, a reverent, “Wow!” that had Kathryn smiling just as smugly.
It was crazy, she thought, how she was responding to this man. She had never experienced anything like it. Her whole body seemed to be straining towards him, wanting to mold itself to every hard angle of his body. If sex with him was anything like that kiss, it was going to be epic.
Jay rose from his place at the counter and held his hand out to her. She rose to meet him, feeling a little unsteady on her feet, rocked from the impact of that kiss. “Time to get you back to work, I think.” he said and led her from the restaurant. She fairly floated the two long blocks back to her office, still holding hands comfortably, like new lovers.
He left her at the elevator with a promise to pick her up at 8 for dinner. She might just have to cancel their dinner reservations though; she suddenly had other plans in mind…
Chapter 6
Jay had been anticipating this moment all day. He was standing in front of Kathryn's door, trying to gather himself before knocking. For some inexplicable reason, he was nervous. He hadn't had a case of nerves like this since he was a teenager, and truth be told, he was kind of enjoying it. In eighty years, things like this can become routine, but this was anything but. It felt like his first date ever.
Kathryn watched Jay on the security monitor as he fidgeted at the door. He obviously had no idea the camera was there, because he appeared to be talking to himself. What he was saying, she had no idea, but the fact that his jitters were so obvious was endearing. It seemed like forever before he lifted his hand to knock on the door.
The man to whom she opened the door seemed anything but timid though. She was wearing her favorite little black dress and spike-heeled sandals. The dress fit her like a second skin and showed off her voluptuous curves nicely. The neckline took a daring plunge that showcased the pendant nestled between her breasts. Jay’s reaction was extremely gratifying; his jaw went slack and he seemed to be drinking in the sight of her, lust lighting his eyes.
“You are stunning!” Jay breathed his mouth suddenly dry.
She had dressed for seduction and was confident she looked good, but it was still nice to get such fervent confirmation.
“I hope you don't mind,” she said, turning to the side to allow Jay to enter, and gesturing behind her toward a table set for two, “I thought we might enjoy dinner here more.”
“I do not mind in the least,” Jay said with a wicked smile, his mind instantly leaping to the infinite possibilities for the evening.
It seemed like not a moment had passed since their breakfast. They were immediately finding small excuses to touch each other. First it was an incidental brush of his knees against hers, and then it progressed to a comfortable but palpable sexual tension as Kathryn responded to his small teasing advances with her own. By the time Kathryn returned from the kitchen with dessert, both of them were painfully aroused. As she placed the small dish on the table in front of Jay, leaning over just enough to allow him to peek into her ample cleavag
e, he captured her hand a slowly drew her in for a kiss.
Lust exploded between them both at the contact, a hard ball of throbbing need ricocheted through Kathryn's body, causing the muscles in her womb to contract and flood her channel making her slick and ready.
Jay drew back, panting, and looked at her with wonder. He had never reacted so strongly to a woman before. His cock was painfully hard and the sudden surge of desire almost had him spurting into his underwear like an over-excited teenager.
They stayed frozen for a moment, each looking at the other in awe, trying to get a handle on the emotion and need that were flooding their bodies and minds. Kathryn was still bent over Jay, dessert dishes forgotten, when she looked down and saw the thick shaft of his cock straining at his slacks. When she licked her lips they both exploded into movement.
Jay surged to his feet, finding Kathryn’s lips on the way. He grasped her by the hips and pulled her to him, his erection grinding into her lower belly. Kathryn gasped and reached down, desperate to free his cock so she could see it for the first time. She fumbled at his belt as he gathered up her dress and slid it above her waist. The force of him grinding his cock into her pelvis propelled her backwards until her buttocks met the dining table, giving her enough leverage to tilt her pelvis upwards, so the hard pillar of his cock could press where she needed it most, directly on her slick lips and swollen clit. Her silk panties were almost no barrier to the hot, slick honey bursting forth from her, glazing her thighs, and wetting the front of Jay’s slacks.
Kathryn resumed her assault on Jay’s belt, desperate to get her mouth, hands, and pussy around his long, thick shaft. Suddenly he surprised her by taking her hands and placing them on the table behind her and then claiming her lips again with his. He began working his way down her body with his hands and mouth; biting, kissing, and licking every exposed inch, finally dropping to his knees in front of her and pressing his mouth to her smooth mound. Still holding her hips, He traced his way down to the vee of her sex and inhaled her scent, fitting his lips over her engorged clit. The nuclear blast of sensation nearly buckled her knees and she unconsciously pressed her hips forward into the contact, already on the verge of an orgasm that threatened to drown Jay in her juices. He yanked her panties to the side so he could taste her slick flesh. Her cunt was like a warm, ripe fruit, juices from her molten center glazing his face. He grasped her behind the knees and lifted her onto the table behind her, pressing her back until she was lying with her legs spread wide to allow him to feast on her delectable honey.
Stranded: A Mountain Man Romance Page 66
