Our First Embrace

by Judy Lynn Hubbard

  “No. Well, not technically. He has his own place, but somehow it’s just too much trouble for him to stock up on groceries, so he shows up at my house quite a bit.”

  “You wouldn’t have it any other way,” Nicole accused, and he grinned.

  “Probably not.” He leaned forward and whispered, “But don’t tell him I said so.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  “You look nice today.” At Alexander’s unexpected words, she nearly spilled her coffee. She glanced down at her kelly-green skirt suit and then back into his appreciative eyes.

  “Thank you.”

  “After the staff meeting, I’d like to work with you on the ball gown sketch.”

  “All right.” Nicole blinked as he changed directions on her again. Trying to keep up with him was challenging. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought since we last talked about it.”

  “Good. I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with.” He picked up his cup and stood. “See you later.”

  “Later,” she echoed as he left.

  Alone, she released her breath on a noisy sigh. Picking up her napkin, she fanned herself vigorously. That man was just too dangerously handsome for his own good—or hers. She pushed her nearly full coffee cup away, suddenly feeling the need to submerge her feverish body in a vat of ice water instead of sipping on the hot beverage before her.

  * * *

  The morning flew by, and before Nicole knew it, she was ensconced in Alexander’s office with him working on the gown they were designing together for the upcoming fashion show. It was nerve-racking being alone with him in such close proximity. They sat side by side in front of massive windows on matching tall stools with easels, various pencils, watercolors and paint brushes at their disposal.

  They had been working nonstop, and both had long since discarded their jackets. Nicole’s sleeveless blouse left her arms bare, and Alex had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, exposing his hair-sprinkled, muscled forearms.

  “What do you think?” Nicole held up the sketch for Alexander’s review.

  “Oh, yeah.” He nodded approvingly. “That’s coming together very nicely.”

  “I think so, too.” Pleased with his praise, she placed the sketch back on the easel. “Thank you for this opportunity, Alexander.”

  “No thanks are necessary. You earned it. Your work is good—for a beginner.”

  * * *

  Alex had teasingly called her a beginner but was rewarded when she smiled. She had the most beautiful smile.

  When his eyes focused on her mouth in increasing intensity, her smile slowly faded and her lips parted slightly in anticipation and invitation. His eyes rose to lock on hers, and instead of moving away as common sense dictated, he placed a hand on her bare arm and lowered his head toward hers slowly, giving her sufficient time to pull away, which he soon realized she had no intention of doing.

  “Hey, Alex, do you want to grab some lunch?” Victor breezed unannounced into the office. When he spotted Nicole sitting closely beside her brother, his smile widened. “Nicole, it’s good to see you.”

  Victor ignored the silent warning in his brother’s stormy gaze. He pulled Nicole off her stool and kissed both of her cheeks, then hugged her tight until she laughed.

  “What are you doing here, Victor?” Alex cursed his brother’s lousy timing—or perhaps it was fortuitous he had arrived and stopped him from making an unprofessional mistake.

  “It’s been too long, Nicole.” Victor purposefully ignored Alex for the moment. “We’ll have to do lunch soon.”

  “I’d love that.” Nicole smiled. “Where have you been hiding?”

  “Work has been crazy.” He theatrically wiped his brow. “I’ve barely had time to bug Alex.”

  “If only.” Alex’s tone was dry, made more so by the fact that he was perturbed by his brother’s interruption and his and Nicole’s friendly manner. As if sensing his thoughts, Victor laughed, only incensing him further. “Victor, what do you want?”

  “What’s wrong with you, bro?”

  “Nothing.” Alex treated him to a pointed glance. “Except, as usual, you’re interrupting my work.”

  “Oh, is that what you were doing when I came in?” Victor leaned on his desk. “It didn’t look like you were working too hard.”

  “Victor...” Alex growled, glancing at Nicole’s averted head. “I’m warning you.”

  Victor laughed and focused his attention on Nicole. “If I wasn’t so self-confident, he’d give me an inferiority complex.”

  Nicole shook her head at him. “I don’t think there’s much chance of that.”

  “You know it,” Victor agreed with a wink.

  “Victor.” Alex shot daggers at him. “I’m working now.”

  “I hope you’re working on asking Nicole out to dinner,” Victor blatantly suggested. “You seemed to be headed in the right direction when I entered.”

  “I swear one day I’m going to cut your tongue out,” Alex threatened, to which Victor only chuckled.

  “I’m just trying to help you out, bro.”

  “I don’t need any help.” What he needed was for him to get out of here.

  “You could have fooled me,” Victor mumbled loudly.

  “Get outta here before I resort to violence.” Alex took a few steps forward, and Victor retreated toward the door.

  “Okay, I’m going.” He held up his hands in surrender and promised Nicole, “I’ll call you about lunch.”

  “Please do.” She repressed a laugh and returned his wave as he hastily exited.

  “I swear he wasn’t raised in a barn,” Alex vowed once they were alone again, and Nicole laughed at his obvious angst.

  “I love seeing you two together,” she confessed.

  “Why?”

  “Because your interactions are too cute.”

  “Cute?” Alex crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Nicole nodded. “He knows just the right buttons to push to get under your skin, and you pretend to be annoyed, but you’re really not. You’d do anything for him, and he’d do the same for you.”

  “You’ve gleaned all that from our interactions?”

  “Yes.” She watched him closely. “Is my analysis wrong?”

  No, she was right on target. Not only was she beautiful, she was also intuitive, unnerving and completely captivating. Damn, he loved being around her. Why did she have to be his employee, and why was it so easy for him to forget that as such, she was completely off-limits to him?

  “I think we need to plunge the neckline a little lower.” Instead of answering her, Alexander picked up a pencil and proceeded to modify their design. Nicole smiled and sat down beside him.

  “Any lower, it will be at the navel,” she joked.

  “The word is sexy,” Alex informed and continued modifying the sketch. After a few minutes, he was satisfied with the results. “See? Sexy.”

  Nicole glanced at the Grecian-inspired gown and couldn’t help but agree. “Extremely sexy.”

  “Mmm-hmm, very sexy.” His eyes were focused on her instead of the gown, and she gulped at his blatantly hungry gaze. “What color do you think would be best?”

  Nicole studied the sketch, tilted her head from side to side and chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. Alex’s eyes were drawn to her mouth, and he fought valiantly not to cover it with his own.

  “To me it screams black and white,” she finally decided. “More black than white, maybe just white highlights peeking out from the bottom of the skirt.”

  “Excellent choice.” Alex reached back onto his desk and pulled out a sheet of fabric samples to show her. “See, we’re completely in sync.”

  “Absolutely. We work well together.”

  �
�Yes, we do.”

  As she gazed into his warm, appreciative eyes, she wondered if that description would ever apply to them personally. She certainly hoped that it would.

  Chapter 9

  A little after 8:30 that night, Alexander left his office to go home when a movement in the corner of his eye distracted him. From across the partially illuminated room, half-hidden in shadows, Alexander watched Nicole at her desk as she stretched, and an elemental hunger raced through him. It was absurd how much he wanted to kiss her—and he didn’t want to stop with a kiss. Conflicted eyes shifted to her moist, berry-colored lips that called to him without saying a word. Oh, God!

  He feasted on every move she made, and when she set her pencil down, she stretched her arms in front of her and above her head before resting them behind her neck and arching back—a movement that accentuated her round breasts and shot primitive hunger through him.

  She beckoned to him like a cold drink of water would to a thirsty man. There was no denying he was parched and had been for years. Not for casual female companionship; he had been at no shortage for that. He longed for something deeper, more lasting, something he feared Nicole could give him. If he let her.

  He told himself to turn around and leave, but he didn’t. Maybe it was the dim romantic lighting of the half-dark office; maybe it was the gnawing desire in the pit of his stomach that intensified daily. He didn’t know, but his feet, with a will of their own, slowly approached Nicole’s desk instead of turning and walking away as they should have. When he came to within a few feet, she jumped and swiveled around in his direction.

  “It’s just me,” he said when he heard her gasp.

  “Alexander.” She placed a hand to her throat. “I don’t care what you say, you enjoy startling me.”

  “I promise I don’t.” He leaned against her desk. He loved the way that she—unlike everyone else—used his entire first name instead of abbreviating it. “What are you doing here so late?”

  Her hand gestured toward the piece of paper on her desk. “Working on this sketch.”

  “Pack it in until tomorrow,” he ordered.

  “You’re still here,” she softly accused.

  “I’m the boss.”

  “I’m dedicated.”

  “Yes, I know you are, but you’re not going to be any good to me if you work yourself into exhaustion.”

  “I won’t. I just hate to stop now.” She glanced regretfully at her sketch. “I’m almost finished.”

  “It’ll be here tomorrow. Besides, you can’t rush perfection.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with that.” She reached for her jacket and winced in discomfort.

  Alex frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She rubbed her aching shoulder with one hand. “Just stiff muscles. I’ve been working on this sketch for quite a while.”

  “Here.” He walked behind her chair and pushed her hand aside. “Let me.”

  “Alexander...” Her voice trailed off as his strong fingers dug into her tired muscles.

  “Hmm?”

  “Um...” Her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes.

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t stop what you’re doing,” she softly ordered.

  “I won’t,” he promised. “Now sit back.”

  She did as instructed, placing her jacket on her lap and all but melting as his talented fingers kneaded her tense shoulders and neck. His hands slid down her bare arms to her wrists and slowly back up again. Lord, her skin was soft and beckoned his fingers to touch her everywhere.

  “You’re tense.” He concentrated on working out the kinks with difficulty. “I guess that’s my fault for being so demanding.”

  “Don’t be silly.” She fought a moan, and he sensed that perhaps his fingers had created a different type of tension within her. “I love working here.”

  “Good.” The flowery scent of her perfume wafted up to tease his nostrils. She smelled wonderful, and he’d bet she tasted even better.

  “Mmm.” She sighed as his thumbs circled the base of her neck. “Right there.”

  “There?” At her nod, his hands made their way under the sweetheart neckline of her blouse, and he slid his fingers up and down her neck and shoulders.

  The touch of his flesh against hers almost sent him over the edge into madness, but he maintained his sanity somehow. However, when she purred deep in her throat and softly spoke his name on a serrated sigh of desire, that was his undoing.

  Swiveling her chair, he pulled her up out of her seat until her soft body was pressed against his solid one, and without giving her or himself time to think, he fused his lips to hers. Her mouth was opened in a gasp of surprise, which he took full advantage of, slipping his seeking tongue past the barrier of her teeth in search for hers.

  Oh, my Lord! Kissing her, thoroughly and properly, was even better than he had dreamed. Stopping wasn’t an option. Tasting more of her incredible mouth was his only objective, and he carried out that mission with a vengeance.

  Nicole’s hands flexed at his solid shoulders before her arms snaked around his neck, entwining tightly. His hands moved to her back, fingers spread wide, trying to caress as much of her as possible, pressing her tight against the noticeable bulge in his groin, trailing up her sides, before finally moving to the back of her head, anchoring her mouth in place while their lips dueled for supremacy.

  Alexander wanted to rip her blouse apart, followed by the rest of her clothes, needing to feel her naked flesh caressing his. The mere thought sent him into action; anxious fingers moved to her chest, unbuttoning one, two, three buttons and then slipping inside to slide across her warm inviting flesh, dipping purposefully into the valley between her breasts. Nicole shivered, which urged him on.

  Needing to taste the flesh his fingers had uncovered, he reluctantly removed his mouth from hers to rest in the crook of her neck, white teeth biting at her softly scented flesh before trailing down to her collarbone. He placed feverish kisses along the tops of her breasts as they peeked out from her lacy bra.

  He heard her moan invitingly, and her hands went behind his head, holding his mouth closer to her. The breathy moans and sighs she was making, and her complete capitulation, were all driving him wild. Unable to stand not kissing her, his mouth made the quick trip back up her neck until his lips settled against hers again. Amid a series of carnal kisses, he knew he was nearing the point of no return, but he didn’t care. He wanted and needed her, and she wanted him too; that was the simple, complicated truth.

  * * *

  Nicole’s hands burrowed underneath his shirt to touch his muscled chest. She smiled against his wonderfully bruising mouth when he groaned. As her hard nails scraped across his lightly hair-covered chest before moving low on his washboard abs, they moaned in unison. He was so warm and inviting; she longed to strip herself naked, snuggle against his bare flesh and never leave his arms again. She was lost in sensation, where nothing akin to right or wrong or reason existed—only passion, only pleasure.

  Seeking fingers entwined in the hair at Alexander’s nape, holding on for dear life as he destroyed her with one ravaging kiss after another. Her heart was thudding so fiercely, she thought it would break free from her chest—or was it his? She was quickly losing the capacity for rational thought, hedonistic, insane need replacing reason. All she wanted was for Alexander to keep kissing her and never let her go; she wanted to be absorbed by him. She wanted pleasure—pure, insane, lascivious pleasure—and she wanted it now!

  Nicole felt like fainting but didn’t dare. Instead, she pressed tighter against his inflexible strength. He moaned against her mouth in approval, sending delicious vibrations across her lips as their tongues turned from fierce competitors to suave seducers, sliding softly yet urgently together, trying to coax each to their will. Their hands moved
feverishly over each other in an attempt to familiarize and savor their wonderful differences in tone, texture and girth.

  * * *

  There wasn’t a doubt in Alex’s mind that he would have taken her here and now, had not the sound of the cleaning cart being wheeled down the hall pulled him out of his lustful trance. Thankfully, as he half listened, the sound grew fainter, and he knew they were still alone in the room.

  Good God, what was he doing carrying on like this, in the office of all places? He reluctantly, and with difficulty, coaxed his mouth from hers and rested his forehead against hers. They both breathed heavily while fighting to control the inferno still raging within them.

  This was the kiss both had been longing for since their first teasing kiss in her hotel room, and it certainly hadn’t disappointed. The only complaint she had was the fact that their embrace had ended it far too prematurely.

  “I’m sorry, Nicole,” he hoarsely offered when he could articulate again.

  “Sorry?” She opened passion-glazed eyes to stare into his conflicted ones.

  Removing her hands from his stomach, he held on to them tightly, wishing she would stop looking at him like that—as if he was all she wanted. Lord knew at this moment, all he wanted was her. He closed his eyes briefly to block out the entrancing sight of her.

  This was a mistake. Getting involved with his employee was a mistake he wouldn’t make again. The two of them together was wrong, but how could he escape the fact that when he was in her presence, nothing had ever felt so right?

  “I shouldn’t have done that.” He spoke more for his benefit than hers—if only he believed what he said.

  “But Alexander...”

  He released her hands and stepped back. The sexy way she said his name was nearly his undoing.

  “I’m sorry,” he repeated before striding quickly away while he still could. He knew he should give her a ride home, but he didn’t trust himself to be around her for another second without finishing what they had started.

  * * *

  Nicole watched, confused, as he quickly strode from the room, entered the elevator and never looked back. She sank down onto her chair and placed a trembling hand to her-still tingling mouth, while she pulled her gaping blouse closed. In the blink of an eye, everything had suddenly changed for her. Yes, Alexander was her boss, and no, she hadn’t been seeking a romantic relationship with him; however, she could no longer deny the sizzling attraction between them, and she doubted that he would be able to either.