Holding Her Close (Bits and Bytes, Book 0) (Bits & Bytes)

by Lindt, Allyson

  “Strawberry, right?” His question was soft. “So intoxicating.”

  Every sensation was something new to lose herself in, and she wasn’t sure which to give her attention to next. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  He brushed the bottom of her breast. She gasped and pressed closer, temperature rising, and growing wet between her legs at the feeling of his hard cock against her butt.

  He cupped the fleshy mound and gently squeezed until he reached her nipple. He pinched the hard nub through her dress, pressure increasing as her moans grew louder.

  She clenched her skirt when she couldn’t find anything else to grab onto. His free hand moved down her bare arm, rested on her fist, and then continued lower. He inched the fabric up until his fingers brushed the outside of her thigh.

  “You have no idea—” He pushed her skirt higher, nails raking lightly up her skin. “—how hard it was to concentrate at dinner, knowing this was waiting for me.”

  It took focus to form words, but she managed to find her voice. “I have a little bit of an idea.”

  He reached her waist. The air brushed her now-exposed leg, and she shivered at the contrast with his hot touch. He squeezed her tit, the hint of pain mingled with pleasure and a moan tore from her throat. His fingers sought out her mound, rubbing through her panties.

  She shifted her weight to bring herself closer. He kissed along the back of her neck. “Is this what you want?” He pushed the thin, cotton crotch aside. His groan mingled with her gasp when he brushed her slit. “God, you wax? I love these surprises.”

  She didn’t have a reply. All her attention was on his hands, and her breathing was growing shallow.

  His fingers dipped between her folds. “And you’re so wet.”

  Her back arched when he brushed her clit.

  “There?” He placed a finger on either side of the swollen button.

  She nodded. Speaking was the last thing on her mind. His hands worked in rhythm tweaking her nipple and stroking her sex. She wrapped a hand around his left arm, nails digging in the faster he rubbed.

  Her hips bucked against the attention, orgasm tearing through her and stealing her breath.

  She was only vaguely aware of her own cries as she came. She rocked in time with him, pulling away when the touch became too much. He slowed his attentions and then stopped.

  She spun to face him, breathing still heavy, and draped her arms around his neck. Her voice was breathy. “Bedroom?”

  He grinned and brushed his lips over hers. “Damn straight.”

  He slid his fingers up her arms, raising goose bumps, and then grabbed her hands and tugged her toward the doors at the far end of the living room. “Right or left?”

  She veered away from the guest bedroom. “Left.”

  They stopped just short of the bed, and he whirled her back to face him. She loosened his tie, pulled it over his head, and moved to drape it on a nearby chair.

  He grabbed her wrist loosely. “Not so fast. What if we need that?”

  “For..?” She trailed off as his meaning sank in, and a new rush of heat flooded her cheeks. Surrendering that kind of control to him opened up an entirely new wave of doubt. “Oh.”

  He took it from her and set it on the edge of her desk. “Maybe not tonight.” He winked.

  The teasing was enough to make her fumble over the buttons on his shirt, but she managed to undo them without too much trouble. Seconds later he stood in front of her shirtless.

  Damn he looked good. How did someone who spent all their time in an office and on the road have that kind of wiry definition in their chest? She traced her fingers along the muscle, memorizing each line.

  He inhaled sharply and grabbed her wrist. He tugged her closer and moved his other hand to her back, holding her tight.

  She kissed along his skin, a new wave of desire coursing through her when he growled. He brushed her shoulder blade above the line of her dress, and then she felt the fabric pull away when he tugged down the zipper.

  He pushed the straps off her shoulders and the dress dropped to the floor, pooling around her feet. She kicked it aside. Warmth mingled with self-consciousness when he held her at arms-length, gaze devouring her as she stood in front of him in nothing but a hot-pink bra and white, high-cut bikini briefs.

  “Definitely enjoying the view.” His voice was low and heavy. He dipped his head, and his mouth glided along her collarbone.

  She sank back into the moment. Turning her attention to the form in front of her, she kissed along his chest, fingers tweaking his flat, brown nipples. Her hands moved lower. His breathing changed when she found his belt. She managed to undo his slacks without fumbling.

  Please let her hands stay steady for the rest of it. The tremor of enjoyment thrumming through her made it difficult, but she’d figure it out somehow.

  Boxers. Damn that was sexy. She brushed his cock through the thin fabric and he groaned. He was big, she realized as she stroked him teasingly. Her imagination skipped forward a few steps to what it would feel like to be stretched open.

  She dipped her hand inside the remaining clothing, searching out his bare skin. He sank his teeth into her shoulder when she wrapped her fingers around his shaft. At least she wasn’t the only one enjoying the moment. The thought increased her arousal another notch.

  “I want you.” His voice was low and commanding.

  Still caressing his shaft, she kissed him again. He whimpered when she let go and stepped away. His smile returned when she unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. She pushed her panties off next, and then scooted onto the bed.

  She looked alluring, right? The sexy pose felt a little ridiculous but the way his steel eyes traveled up and back down her form erased her doubt.

  He dropped his boxers and bent for a moment, fiddling with his discarded slacks. What the—? Oh, condom. She flushed. At least she’d kept the thought to herself, and at least one of them was still thinking.

  Seconds later he had wrapped himself up. He crawled onto the bed next to her, nudged her onto her back, and kissed her deeply. He cupped her breast as their tongues danced together.

  His hand slid down her arm and he rolled onto his back, tugging. “I want you on top.” He stroked the inside of her thigh. “I want to watch you riding me.”

  The command heated her thoughts. She straddled him, sliding down his hips until his cock hovered at her opening. She cried out when he thrust his hips up, driving deep inside her. So much for teasing.

  They found a fast, frantic rhythm and every time she slid down, he hit something deep inside. His breathing came in short grunts, and his eyes never left her. He rested his hands on her thighs, thumbs stroking the inside flesh, and then moved higher. “Play with your tits for me.”

  The order, combined with the thought of performing, pushed her closer to the edge. She grabbed the soft flesh, kneading, and rolling her nipples between her fingers. His breathing was shallow now. He had to be close.

  She gasped when his thumb found her clit. Each time she bounced, he bumped the swollen button. For the second time that night, orgasm shredded through her. She sank into the moment, pounding against him, pussy clenching around his cock.

  His grunts ran together, his hand tightened around her thigh. He arched his back with a final groan, and then relaxed back against the comforter.

  A euphoric exhaustion sank into her, and she bent at the waist to rest her cheek against his chest. She didn’t know how long they lay like that, trying to catch their breath.

  He trailed his fingers through her hair, not saying anything. She rolled off, resting on his shoulder instead. Her voice was soft. “Do you have to get home?”

  “Mmm…” He grabbed a tissue off the nightstand, stripped off the condom, wrapped it up, and tossed it in the trashcan she kept nearby.

  The vague answer dug deeper than she thought possible. Was he brushing her off? It shouldn’t matter, but she couldn’t ignore the hope he was sticking around. She tried to keep he
r tone light. “That’s not an answer.”

  He trailed his fingers up her spine, drawing her closer with the light touch. “Something wore me out.” The energy was gone from his voice, but the teasing was still there. “I don’t know if I’m good to drive.”

  Relief flitted through her. This was a dangerous line to walk, but if it was only for one night she was grabbing as many pleasant memories as possible. She smiled against his shoulder and kissed along the bare skin. “You’d probably better stay here then. Just to be safe.”

  She shouldn’t be taking it so far. This was a mistake, but the warm body next to her, the strong arm around her, told her she could regret it in the morning.

  ****

  Rae rolled onto her back, still wrapped in sleep. Something didn’t feel right. The thought jolted her toward consciousness. Her eyes opened, locking on the ceiling. What was wrong?

  She reached her arms out to either side. Nothing. Well, blanket, twisted sheets, and a pillow she didn’t usually keep there, but no one else.

  She sighed and closed her eyes again. Of course Zach was already gone. What had she expected? Even though she didn’t make a habit of one-night stands, she’d done it a couple of times. There was sex, sometimes there was sleep in the same bed, and there was never more the next morning.

  At least he’d saved her the trouble of an awkward goodbye. She pushed herself upright, hair falling around her face as she slouched forward. They’d gotten that last regret out of their systems, they could be in the same room together again, and she’d be done with the immature swooning.

  Right. It was closure. It had been incredible, but that chapter of her past was finally finished. She could move on.

  Her phone buzzed on her nightstand and she grabbed it out of habit. She couldn’t hide her smile as she flipped through the messages from Zach.

  Had an early meeting or I would have said goodbye.

  Best closure ever.

  Enjoy your day.

  She pushed out of bed. Why did that make her feel better? Nothing else had changed, but knowing she wasn’t the only one it left an impression on helped. Now she just had to focus on reminding herself an impression was all she needed.

  Shower, work, maybe start digging up her next contract. She’d been single for so long for a reason, and last night wasn’t enough to make her forget long-term relationships consumed souls. Throwing herself into a new project for work should get rid of the lingering traces of something she couldn’t name.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Zach tried to ignore the one-on-one meetings going on in the conference room. Vance was interviewing everyone individually to “get to know his new people better.” Zach didn’t like the sound of it, but hadn’t been able to craft a valid objection.

  He made himself comfortable in the chair across from Scott's desk and waited for acknowledgment. When they had decorated, he’d given Scott crap for the plastic-framed mesh on metal legs. Even though they kind of matched the modern décor everywhere else, the chairs were butt-ugly. Zach had realized over time they were also the most comfortable chairs in the office.

  Framed magazine reviews and industry awards glared at him: black frames against white walls reminded him how much they had poured into the company.

  Scott glanced in his direction, but didn't pull his attention away from the three flat screens between them. “You score?”

  Zach studied him. Had Rae already said something? No. The question was too vague. So why couldn’t he find a frame of reference. “Huh?”

  Scott nodded toward the conference rooms. “Miss bun-so-tight-it-has-to-give-her-a-migraine who was winking at you through the entire evening. I’ll take that as a no.”

  Zach shrugged. That should be his segue. The entire reason he was there. This wasn’t the kind of secret he could keep, and it wasn’t like it was a big deal he’d slept with Rae. They’d both agreed it was an outlet. A means to an end. So why was he hesitating?

  Scott typed a few more things, still not pulling his attention from his work. “Probably smart. Odds are she fucks like a woman who knows she’s attractive.”

  The statement sent an unwelcome rush of images through Zach’s head. Rae’s unique combination of bold seduction and hesitation. The way she slid against him. Her soft curves yielding to his attentions. He shifted in his seat when his cock responded to the memories. This was not the time. “I assume.” He didn’t want to be talking about Selina. Someone else was on his mind. “You could have said something.”

  Scott looked at him for a moment, eyes hard, before turning back to his computer. “You didn’t call that yourself?”

  Scott had to know he was talking about brining Rae to dinner without warning him first. Zach pinched the bridge of his nose. His entire week was going to be filled with political games; he didn’t want to play them with Scott. “I’m not talking about her.”

  Scott shook his head, clicking on something and generating a series of beeps. “I told you I was bringing a friend.”

  Damn it he needed a fix. Stupid indoor anti-smoking laws. Zach sighed. “Really? And it slipped your mind to mention your 'friend' was...” he trailed off, rethinking his sentence so it sounded less emotional. “Her?”

  “Are the two of you on speaking terms, or not?” Scott finally looked at him, mouth twisted in irritation. “Because really, a decade of listening to you not talk about each other has worn on me.”

  “I wouldn’t have guessed.” Zach couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice.

  “So no issues then.” Scott’s tone had shifted to something less casual, and his attention was fully on the conversation now. “You can be in the same room together and no one has to plan around your childish spat.”

  Why was there so much aggravation there? Zach rolled the words over in his head, examining the delivery as much as the meaning. Was that a hint of possession in Scott’s voice? “No issues. She and I are good now.”

  Scott shook his head and turned away. “Glad to hear something that happened in high school hasn’t left you permanently scarred.”

  That was definitely a sneer in his voice. Zach needed to watch his step on this one, though he still wasn’t sure why. He forced his smile to look casual, and kept a teasing tone in his voice. “Like you’re one to talk.”

  Scott’s jaw clenched and he glared at Zach. “You know I’m not stupid, right?”

  That had come out of nowhere. Zach blinked. He shouldn’t slide into this argument, but he hated being on the defensive. “I wonder sometimes, but for the most part, yes.”

  “You go out of your way to avoid each other for the majority of a decade.” Scott spoke through clenched teeth. “The only girl besides Kelly to ever dump you. Suddenly she’s at your house, she’s in your office with the door locked, and she’s texting you in the middle of a fucking business dinner.”

  Zach couldn’t hide his surprise. So that hadn’t gone unnoticed after all, and still he couldn’t bring himself to own up to it. “I was talking to—”

  “Your broker, yeah, I get it. That short little guy who lives at the end of the rainbow because really? You’ve got a broker?”

  Zach had no idea how to regain control of the conversation, putting him more on edge than any of the details of what Scott had to say. “Your point?”

  Scott’s lips drew into a thin line, and he sat straight up, shoulders back. “She’s not a game. This isn’t the woman you tag at a convention because you’re bored.”

  Possessiveness. That’s what that sound was. Zach should have recognized it sooner, but he hadn’t expected it. That answered that question. He wasn’t mentioning last night at all. Since it had only been a one-time deal, there was no reason. Scott was one enemy he never wanted to make. “I get that. You can pretend she’s your little sister all you want. I don’t have any plans to go after her.”

  Even as he spoke he heard the twist of language in his words. It was just habit. That was all. He hadn’t spun it that way to create his own loophole. Never p
romising not to do it, instead just saying he didn’t intend to. Because he didn’t. He and Rae were done. The past was tied off. Even if he was still thinking about the night before. He certainly wasn’t wondering what would have happened if he’d been able to stick around that morning. Talk, joke, find out what other buttons she had that made her moan. That’s what memories were for.

  “Whatever.” Scott shook his head. “I don’t want to do this with you.”

  That made two of them. Maybe a change of subject was the best idea. “At least she’s not the HR director, right?”

  Scott tensed again, and then exhaled. “Good call. You get any good intel?”

  Zach felt the tension leak away and gladly slid into the new topic. “Jordan says he's quitting if they start making the rules. Chloe says they'd better give her a pay raise if she has to put up with their bullshit. Marketing is drooling over DM’s media budget.”

  Scott chuckled. “So, typical day at the office?”

  “Pretty much.” Zach made a mental note not to mention Rae again, and to change the topic if she came up. So nothing new there except his reasons. “I talked to Jim this morning.”

  Jim was their attorney, and had been reviewing their buy-out offers since they’d arrived.

  Scott's posture shifted. His hands fell away from the keyboard and he sat straight up. He pulled his attention completely away from his computer. “And?”

  “They've finished looking everything over. Not really any surprises, just a couple of things they want clarified before we sign.” Zach knew that wasn't the news Scott wanted, but it was all he had.

  Scott folded his arms on his desk and dropped his head into them. The desk muffled his response. “What if I don't want to be bought out?”

  Zach hated this conversation, and the five million times they'd had it in the last six months. It wasn’t that he wanted to sign the paperwork anymore than Scott did. He didn’t like having their company ripped away either, but they didn’t have a choice. He'd given so many replies he wished he just had a randomizer to play one back each time. “Really?”