The Heart of Tomorrow (Book Two) (The Tomorrow Series 2)

by Nugen Isbell, Megan

  “I thought you might like that,” he said, glancing over to me with a grin.

  “I’m surprised you’re still in your suit. Not that I mind. I quite like you in a suit,” I said, my eyes moving over the sleek material.

  “Late night at the office and it’s closer to the airport than my hotel so I came straight here. You can help me out of it when we get back to my room.”

  I felt my cheeks flush as thoughts of our impending activities started racing through my mind. I knew he was thinking about it too and he let go of my hand, sliding it around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

  “There’s my bag,” I said a moment later, trying to concentrate on the fact we were still in a public place. He scooped it up effortlessly and then took my hand again, leading me out towards the parking garage.

  The warmth surprised me. Back in New York it was still a little chilly in the evenings, but it appeared spring was in full swing here in southern California.

  Drew let go of my hand and reached into his pocket, taking out a key fob. I heard the beeping of a car unlocking and I looked up to see the lights of a white sedan blinking.

  “A Nissan?” I asked curiously.

  “Why do you seem surprised?” he asked, lifting my bag into the trunk

  “I guess I thought you’d have a car that’s a little less…typical,” I said, trying to think of the best word I could to express my thoughts.

  “I have other things to spend my money on instead of a rental car, Natalie.”

  “Like cross-country first class tickets?”

  “Your comfort is paramount to me. My rental car is not. This gets me to work and back and is surprisingly economical,” he said with a playful grin and then held the passenger side door open for me.

  He was inside a moment later and after making our way through traffic, we were cruising down the highway, Drew reaching across the console and holding my hand until we exited a while later. He pulled into the parking space of a Hilton and he got out, getting my bag before coming around to my side and opening the door for me.

  “Shall we?” he said as I took his hand and stepped out.

  “Thank you,” I answered and he led me into the lobby.

  It was a nice hotel, definitely upscale. I noticed that he made eye-contact with the concierge before we stepped into the elevator, climbing up to the twelfth floor. I followed him down the hall until he stopped, pulling out a key card and pushing the door open.

  “Here we are,” he said as we walked inside.

  A king sized bed greeted us along with a large flat screen TV. A comfortable looking chair was in the corner near the window and then my eyes focused on the ice filled bucket of wine and fresh fruit.

  “I thought you might like a snack,” he said, sliding his hand around my waist.

  “I think I might after I take a shower. I feel like every germ from that airplane is stuck to my body,” I said as he turned me to face him, locking his hands behind my back so I was trapped.

  “I’m not going to try and contain my enthusiasm, Natalie,” he said with that sly smile he often gave me when he wanted me. “It’s been two weeks since I felt you beside me and I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

  I had been exhausted. When I landed in L.A., all I could think about was crawling into bed and going to sleep, but that was before I’d felt Drew’s hands on me or tasted his lips. My drowsiness had suddenly vanished and the last thing I wanted to do was go to sleep.

  “Then don’t wait,” I said softly and he didn’t.

  His lips pressed against mine, slowly at first before quickly moving faster, his tongue finding its way into my mouth. I closed my eyes, relishing in how good he felt. I wanted more though.

  I jerked away and he looked concerned.

  “Are you okay, Natalie?”

  “I’m fine. I just want you out of this pesky suit,” I said, yanking his tie and undoing it quickly, sliding it off his neck and tossing it onto the floor. I pulled off his suit jacket then and started unbuttoning his shirt. My fingers moved slowly and I could tell my pace was not moving fast enough for him. I grinned up at him though, loving the power I had over him and I eventually finished, peeling it off until he stood shirtless before me. I ran my hands over the smoothness of his chest and I saw the way his muscles twitched as I reached for his waistband. Slowly, I undid the zipper, tugging at his pants until they were on the floor and he was only in his boxers. I was reaching for them too when I felt his hand grab my wrist.

  “My turn,” he grinned and I could feel the excitement inside of me growing as he pulled off my sweater and then the t-shirt I’d been wearing underneath. He slid his hands into the yoga pants I’d worn on the plane, sliding them off, along with my panties before reaching around and undoing my bra.

  “No fair. I’m naked and you’re not.” I grinned and he smiled playfully back before pulling his boxers off quickly.

  “Now we’re even,” he said. “Except one thing is missing.”

  He reached up, undoing the elastic in my hair that had been confining my ponytail, until it spilled down my back.

  “There is nothing more beautiful than seeing you like this.”

  “Except for you,” I said and I saw him blush a little. I loved how vulnerable he could seem at times.

  He suddenly scooped me up so I was cradled in his arms. We were in the bathroom a moment later and he set me down as he turned on the shower, steam filling the room.

  “After you,” he said, holding the shower door open for me and I stepped inside.

  He was beside me a moment later, his hands on my wet skin as the water glided over us. He slid his hands around my waist, pulling me to him before he pressed his mouth to mine, the water making our lips slick as they moved over each other. He slowly spun me around so my back was facing him. He reached for the shampoo and soon he was massaging it into my hair. When he was done, he took a cloth and began washing my body. I was aching for him by the time the soap was rinsed. He was reaching for the water to turn it off when I stopped him.

  “My turn,” I said when I noticed his curious look and when I started washing him, he didn’t protest.

  I moved slowly over his smooth skin and just as he’d done to me, I got great pleasure teasing him. He was biting his lip and I knew he’d nearly hit his limit with me. A second later, he reached quickly for the faucet, turning it off and staring at me with hungry eyes.

  “Enough of this,” he said firmly, flinging open the shower door and grabbing a towel.

  He wiped his face off quickly and then tossed a towel to me once he’d stepped out.

  “You seem rather impatient tonight, Mr. Saben,” I teased as I dried myself off and he shot me a playful glare.

  “Damn right I am,” he said, toweling himself off quickly and then tossing it aside, snatching mine as well and throwing it onto the floor. “You’re dry enough. Get over here.”

  He grabbed me, smashing me against his body before scooping me up over his shoulder and striding quickly out of the bathroom and over to the bed. He tossed me onto it and then crawled over me, our bodies still damp from the shower. I waited in anticipation for the feeling I’d missed over the last two weeks and when I finally felt it, I was complete and it was as if we’d never been apart.

  Sixteen

  We slept in late the next morning and when my eyes finally opened, I was greeted with Drew’s smiling face. He looked satisfied and I couldn’t help my mind from drifting to the night before. He’d seemed almost greedy in the way he’d consumed me, but I didn’t mind. I loved when he took charge and when we were finally done, we’d laid in bed, indulging in the champagne and fruit he’d had delivered to the room. It’d been a wonderful night and it’d only been made better by waking up next to him.

  “Were you watching me sleep?” I asked.

  “I was and I’m not ashamed to admit it.”

  I felt my cheeks blush and he bent down, brushing his lips over mine.

  “I was just about t
o order breakfast. What would you like?”

  “French toast.”

  “You got it,” he said and then pulled the covers back and I watched as he climbed out of bed, sliding on a pair of shorts and then picking up the hotel phone and ordering our breakfast. A half an hour later, we were sitting in bed, eating and watching the morning news. He turned to me when I was done and picked up my plate. “Why don’t you go ahead and get ready while I tidy up in here.”

  “You want to join me in the shower again?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him and he smiled, shaking his head.

  “I have to decline my darling, Natalie. If I get into the shower with you again, we’ll never leave the hotel.”

  “That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” I teased and he set the plates down, pulling the covers off of me.

  “Don’t tempt me, Miss Vasser. Now please, go take a shower.”

  He kissed me gently, his lips hanging enticingly on mine and I could feel my body gravitating toward him, wanting more than just the kiss. He pulled away though and he licked his lips, which only made me want him more.

  “You need to get in the shower now,” he whispered slowly and I got out of the bed, making my way to the bathroom and I could feel his eyes on me the whole way.

  I took a quick, boring shower and when I got out, he hopped in. I got dressed, happy to be able to wear a long white skirt and tank top instead of the light sweaters we were still wearing back east. I left my hair down, adding some mousse to hold the waves and Drew stepped out of the shower just as I was starting my makeup.

  “You don’t need that stuff, you know that, don’t you?” he said, standing behind me and when I looked up, I could see his reflection staring back at me. I seemed so small next to him and then one of his hands rested on my shoulder as his other one brushed the hair from my neck and kissed it.

  “Thank you,” I said. “But it makes me feel better.”

  “As long as you know you’re just as beautiful without it.”

  I rested my hand on top of his and smiled at him, our gazes meeting in the mirror.

  “I love you, Drew,” I said.

  “I love you too,” he replied and then stepped into the bedroom.

  I finished my makeup and when I was done, he’d gotten dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a casual gray t-shirt, a far cry from the power suit that had greeted me at baggage claim.

  “Ready?” he asked and I nodded, gathering my purse and following him into the hallway.

  “Where are we headed today?” I asked him as we walked.

  “I was thinking Santa Monica Pier might be a nice place to spend the day.”

  “Sounds good. I’ve seen that place in the movies. Looks like fun.”

  “It’ll be a first for both of us,” he said and I looked over at him as we stepped into the elevator.

  “You haven’t gone yet?”

  “No. You seem surprised.”

  “I am, a little. You’ve been here a while now. I thought you would’ve checked out all the sights.”

  “To be honest, I haven’t done much at all since getting to L.A.”

  “What do you do then?”

  “Work late and then come back to the hotel or go to the gym.”

  “Why haven’t you done any of the touristy stuff?”

  “Because I wanted to do it with you. I haven’t been in the mood to do anything without you here.”

  His voice was low and I knew he’d missed me. I knew what he was implying…that I should come to Los Angeles and truthfully, being with him now, it’s what I wanted too.

  “Well,” I said, taking his hand. “I’m here now and it’s time to have some fun.”

  “It definitely is,” he said, looking over at me just as the elevator door opened and he kissed me before we stepped out.

  Seventeen

  The weekend had been fun, just as he’d said. We’d ridden the rides on Santa Monica Pier. I even convinced Drew to get one of those ridiculous caricatures together by one of the sidewalk artists. We’d found a little shack that was selling fish tacos and we ate them on the beach, side by side as the waves rolled up to our feet, watching the sunset.

  The Yankees were playing the Angels on Sunday and Drew got us tickets right behind home plate. We’d had a good time, but Drew left in a sour mood when the Yankees lost after a walk-off base hit by Mike Trout. The rest of the day was spent lounging around the hotel room, trying to cheer him up, which I had no trouble doing.

  When Monday morning came, Drew wanted to take me to the office. He said he only had a few things to take care of before we could take a drive up the coast.

  He held my hand as we walked towards the new home of Taylor and Saben. The sign was already up, but it seemed very different than the office in Manhattan. It wasn’t housed in a tall skyscraper like in New York. It was its own building and I could feel the more casual atmosphere the moment we stepped inside. Even Drew seemed more laid back. Even though he’d picked me up in a suit he so often wore in New York, today he was sporting a pair of expensive jeans and a striped button up shirt he’d left untucked with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

  He said good morning to the security guard and then he led me into the main office, stopping at the reception desk. I was used to seeing Christa upon my arrival at Taylor and Saben, her hair tied back into a bun, her tortoise shell glasses poised on her nose. The woman who greeted us was the complete opposite. She was young with tan skin and jet black hair that hung straight as a pin down her back. Her blouse was open far enough so that her cleavage was one of the first things I noticed about her.

  “Good morning, Gabby,” Drew said, picking up a pen and scrawling my name into the visitor’s log.

  “Good morning, Drew,” she said with a friendly smile and then her eyes moved to me and I was taken aback by the casual greeting. I’d expected her to address him as Mr. Saben, but then I remembered my first meeting with him and how he’d insisted I drop the formalities and call him by his first name. “You brought a visitor this morning?”

  “Yes. This is Natalie, my girlfriend. She flew in from New York.”

  I would’ve been blind not to notice the momentary dip in her smile when she realized who I was, but I doubt Drew was even aware.

  “Welcome to Los Angeles,” Gabby said as she handed me a badge.

  “Thank you,” was all I said to her and then Drew took my hand, nodding at Gabby as he led me away.

  Drew said hello to different people as we made our way towards his office, exchanging a few words and introducing me before we’d move on. I couldn’t help but notice the amount of attractive women in the office, many of whom seemed the perfect stereotype of California girls: Tall, thin, tan and blonde. They all seemed more than happy to speak with Drew and I found myself inching closer to him as they talked.

  We eventually made it to his office. He opened the heavy oak door with an official looking nameplate on the front reading ANDREW SABEN -PRESIDENT. We stepped in and he shut the door behind us. Just like everything else, it was different than his office in New York. This one was smaller and without the impressive view. It looked as if he hadn’t done much decorating, which I took as a good sign. Perhaps he’d be returning to New York sooner than I expected. I walked over to his desk. Of course, it was neat and tidy, like every other aspect of his life, but I smiled when I saw a picture of the two of us that had been taken at Christmas time.

  “So,” he said when he was behind his desk. “What do you think of the new office?”

  “It’s nice,” I said and he stopped looking through a pile of paper on his desk, glancing up so our eyes met.

  “But?” he asked.

  “No buts.”

  “There is a but. I can tell by your tone,” he said and I couldn’t help but smile a little. He obviously knew me too well.

  “Your staff,” I began. “A majority of them seem awfully young…and attractive,” I added, watching as his mouth curled up into a smirk.

  “Are you jealous,
Miss Vasser?”

  “No,” I said quickly.

  “I think you’re lying.”

  He came to the front of the desk where I was standing and slid his hands around my waist.

  “I am lying,” I said and he laughed, kissing me on the forehead.

  “I can’t help what they look like, Natalie. They all worked here before I got here.”

  “So, you admit they’re pretty.”

  “Well, they’re not ugly,” he grinned. “But, they’re nothing compared to you. Plus, there’s not a redhead in the bunch and you know I’m partial to redheads.”

  He was staring into my eyes, the sincere grin still on his face and I knew he meant what he said.

  “I’ll just try not to think of you being alone with all of these attractive women while I’m back in New York.”

  “You have nothing to worry about. Ever,” he said, the grin leaving his face, transforming into a serious line.

  “I know. I’m being stupid.”

  “I actually kind of like it,” he said, the smile returning to his face just as we heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” he said, undoing his hands from my waist as a woman walked in.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company,” she said, her eyes moving over to me.

  “That’s okay, Mya. Come in,” he told the woman and she stepped in. “Mya, this is Natalie Vasser, my girlfriend from New York and this is Mya Mendez, one of the other architects.”

  Mya looked to be a few years older than Drew, but there was no denying she was attractive. Her black pencil skirt looked great with her long legs and her blouse showed a rack that put mine to shame. Her long curly hair was nearly black with caramel highlights and she looked at me with eyes a shade of hazel I’d never seen before. Her tan skin was flawless and I suddenly felt very plain next to her.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie,” Mya said, extending a hand to me.

  “Likewise,” I said as we shook and then she turned her attention back to Drew.

  “Do you have a minute to come to my office?” she asked him.