by Alexis Gold
“Well, you two have a good night,” he said shortly, looking at them in dejection as he turned slightly. He gave one last glance to Mia. “I’ll call you soon. Come by and see me,” he said directly to her, and she did not miss the meaning in his comment; he wanted her for much more than business still, and though she was there with Alexander, he was not giving up on her.
She lifted one corner of her mouth slightly in a near smile, giving him a nod, and then she turned toward Alexander. He looked down at her and chuckled as he handed her a glass of wine.
“So Will Carter is interested in you, is he? I’m not surprised at all,” he said simply, sipping his martini.
She tipped her head to the side a little. “Why aren’t you surprised?” she asked curiously.
“Well,” he said looking down at her face, “you’re a beautiful woman, and he loves beautiful women. You’re also independent, and that makes you a challenge to get, and he likes a challenge.”
She smiled widely at his words. “How do you know him?” Mia tipped her wine glass back and sipped the light honeyed liquid in it. It was sweet. She’d gotten Riesling.
“Oh, just from different business connections here in the city. We know some of the same people and we have worked in overlapping circles before. He’s all right, I guess, but he’s not anyone I would do business with personally, and he’s not anyone I’d ever call a friend,” he admitted honestly.
She was surprised at his bluntness. “Why wouldn’t you do business with him personally?”
He was quiet a moment, taking another sip of his drink. He looked down at the olive in it, and then looked up at her. “I don’t like his character. He isn’t as good a man as he could be, and that’s a conscious choice that he makes.”
Mia heard his words and was amazed again at the deep integrity of the man with her. There was so much more depth to him than she was accustomed to seeing in the many men she spoke with day in and day out. Something about him made her want to know more, and she knew when she discovered more, she would still be hungry to learn everything about him that she didn’t know. It was a strange realization for her.
He gave laugh and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad to hear that he can’t get you to go out with him though. That makes me think even more of you.” He winked at her and she felt a warmth spread throughout her from her core, and she couldn’t resist grinning back at him.
They talked through dinner, with each other and the other guests at the table they shared. They watched the speakers for the event and when the formalities of the evening were over, he turned to her and held out his hand.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
She was completely charmed and delighted as she slipped her hand into his and stood up with him. “I’d love to!”
He walked her out to the dance floor and took her into his arms, drawing her close to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. As he moved her around in the dim light, with the live orchestral music playing and wrapping itself around them like the evening’s cloak, she found herself wishing that time could stand still so that she would be able to be there with him that way for much longer.
Alexander didn’t speak as they danced, rather, he held her close to him and rested his cheek on the side of her head, and they swayed and turned to the music. Mia felt like she was moving through a dream and she didn’t want to wake up, but at some point in the middle of her living reverie, the music paused, and he stepped back from her and smiled down at her.
He took both of her hands in his and brought them slowly to his lips, and gazing into her eyes, he kissed the back of each of her hands slowly and softly, sending shivers of electricity straight to her and making her gasp as her smile spread again. He turned then, letting one of her hands go and tucking the other into the crook of his arm, and he walked her off of the dance floor. It was like waking from the best dream she could remember having in a long time, and she didn’t want it to end. She thought forward toward the minutes and hours to come in their night together, and it was almost the only thing that helped her to leave the serene warmth of his strong and gentle embrace around her on the dance floor.
They were again met by several people as they walked out of the hotel, all of them wanting some of his time, his attention, his regard, his handshake, and she smiled to herself at how personable he was with each one, never passing any of them as if they didn’t matter. It occurred to her at one point that his demeanor with them might very well be the reason why so many people respected and liked him and sought him out.
The limousine was waiting for them, and as they got into it, she knew that the time had come to make her move and get closer to him. They sat by side and she turned toward him, taking his hand in hers. He looked over at her and smiled.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight, it was truly one of the most fun nights I’ve had in a long time,” he told her earnestly. His eyes stayed on hers and she felt as if he was looking right through her again. She took a deep breath and leaned in close to him.
“I had a really wonderful time tonight too. Thank you so much for bringing me along with you.” She smiled slyly at him then and moved forward, pressing her lips to his softly. He didn’t move at first, but she lifted her hand to his cheek and held it gently, and kissed him a little more sensually, and his mouth which had been firm, softened slowly beneath hers; his lips parted and he reached for her and kissed her in return.
The feel of his tongue touching hers and moving in tandem with hers created a heated ball in her belly, and as their kiss grew deeper, the heated ball began to grow swiftly and fill her with desire and need. His kiss became a little more urgent as well; his mouth moving more firmly against hers, and she sighed softly, knowing that the man who was arousing her so easily and deeply would be an incredible lover for her.
She trailed her lips hungrily over his cheek to his ear and whispered softly, closing her eyes in amazement at the feel of his lips on her neck. “Alexander… I know it’s soon for us, but it’s been so perfect tonight… it’s been like a dream, and this feels so incredible with you. I don’t want this night to end. I don’t want to let you go home right away. Will you stay the night with me?” she asked, her heart pounding hard in her chest.
Mia trailed her kisses back to his mouth and kissed him once more on the lips before looking at him. He gazed at her through his thick lashes, his lips parted, his breath ragged and she knew she had him.
He closed his lips and held her face in both of his hands, his eyes moving slowly over her features until he met her gaze again. “Beautiful lady. I am so flattered by your request. I would love nothing more than to spend the night with you.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly once, and then looked down at her again. “But you’re right, that this is early for us, and I wouldn’t want you to look back on this night and regret any part of it. I think it’s best for us both if we abstain from spending the night with each other tonight, as much as I wish we could indulge in what I am sure would be one of the best nights of my life. I appreciate you asking.” He leaned forward and kissed her again, but his kiss was soft and subtle, and then he let her go and his hands fell away from her.
Mia was stunned. She had never been turned down by any man when she had asked. Not in her whole life. She managed a smile and a nod, and realized that the remainder of the ride back to her apartment was going to feel awkward for her. Heat rose to her cheeks and she felt flushed with embarrassment, though she was grateful that the interior of the limousine was mostly dark.
He brought up moments from the evening, making the conversation light, and she answered him back here and there, but she knew that something had gone very wrong at some point in the evening and she was going to have to have another date with him to figure it out and make it work on a second date. She wasn’t about to lose her ticket to Rome.
They arrived at her apartment and he walked her to her door and hugged her there, wrapping his arms s
nugly around her and holding her close for a moment. She was sure she was never going to forget his scent.
He looked down at her then kissed her softly once more; a long, slow, lingering kiss, and for a moment she thought he might have changed his mind, but then he let her go and gave her a smile.
“Thank you again for such a beautiful night. I loved every part of it.” He spoke in a quiet voice. He turned then, and went to the elevators, giving her a last smile over his shoulder as she entered her apartment and closed the door behind her.
Shutting her eyes tight and scowling, she huffed in frustration and then opened her eyes and smiled at the amazing night she had had with him. He was right, she realized, every part of it had been beautiful. Every part except the part where he didn’t come into her apartment with her and make love to her.
She pulled her high heeled shoes off and walked down the hall to her bedroom, a smile on her face as she thought back over the evening. She readied herself for bed and by the time her head was resting on the pillow, it was only a few minutes before she was fast asleep. Her dreams took her right back to the moments she had spent dancing with him, being held in his arms, and kissing him, and in her dreams, he did much more than kiss her.
Chapter4
Mia woke up with Alexander on her mind, and for the next few days following their date, he was all that she could think of. She did everything she could to push him from her thoughts, trying to focus on her work and anything else that she could distract herself with, but he hovered there at the edge of her mind and stayed there.
She met her friends for cocktails the third day after her date, and though she had expected to hear from Liam about it before then, he had been mindful of Ava and Maddie and had not asked her about Alexander, sticking to other subjects in all of his emails and texts. The waiting had made them all anxious; her friends wanted to hear what had happened, and she was on the edge of her seat, ready to tell them.
The moment their cocktails had been brought to them and the waiter left, every eye at the table was on Mia, and she knew exactly what all of them were so anxious to hear.
“Well? I’ve waited ages for this report! Spill! Spill!” Liam gushed excitedly, leaning toward her.
She laughed at him. “You haven’t waited ages! You’ve waited three days!”
He shook his head. “Ages. I’m telling you, it’s been ages!”
They all laughed, and Mia looked shyly at her drink before raising her eyes to meet those of her friends. “Well, we did go out to the formal dinner, and we had a fantastic time.” She tried to keep her thoughts focused on her friends rather than on the blissful feeling that the memory of being in his arms brought to her. “And when the night was over, things got a little heated in the back of his limo.” All the eyes on her grew wide. “And it was amazing, but he thought that it was too soon for us, so… we didn’t get far enough for me to win the challenge.”
The disappointed faces around her matched her own feelings, and for a moment it was quiet at the table, but then Liam perked up and grinned at her. “That’s all right, it just shows that he’s a good man; he’s respecting you. There’s something to be said for that.” He gave her a wink.
“Besides… you’re going to see him again, right?” Maddie asked, giving her a sultry grin.
Mia raised her shoulders and smiled in return. “I certainly hope so!” she said lightly. “I want to go to Rome!”
Ava and Maddie laughed and reached for their drinks, but Liam eyed her closely and tipped his head to the side a little, his expression thoughtful.
They chatted away and talked for a couple of hours about lovers and jobs, shopping and lunch, and then said goodnight to each other, and Liam waited back as Maddie and Ava left them. He pushed his hands down into his pockets and gave her a sidelong look as she waited for a cab.
“Did you and Alexander make any plans for another date?” he asked quietly.
She shook her head and shrugged. “No, but I’m sure he’ll call. When we were kissing in the car, it got hot really fast, and we had such an incredible night… when we danced it was…” she lost herself in thought for a moment and then blinked and smiled up at him. “Well, I just feel like he’ll call soon and then we’ll see about answering that challenge.”
He watched her carefully and quietly and bit his lower lip thoughtfully as his eyes searched hers. “…dancing hmmm?”
She drew in a breath and felt transparent before him for a moment, but she knew that she was safe with him. She knew she could tell him anything, but still, she thought to herself, admitting anything aloud would be more than she was willing to do that point. She didn’t want to say that she had been dreaming about Alexander every night, that she had trouble keeping him out of her thoughts, and that those thoughts and the memory of his kiss took her breath away in intermittent moments throughout the day. If she kept all of it inside of herself, if she didn’t admit it, she felt like it might be just a little less true, and that was all she wanted it to be.
“Well… it was a fun evening. He’s a good dancer.” She gave a small smile and a shrug. “That’s all.”
Liam was quiet as his gaze took her in and he pressed his lips together. “Okay. I’m glad to hear that you had fun. I’m sure he’ll call you and then you can tell us all about it later.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “In the meantime, you have a good night and get some sleep, okay?”
He smiled at her lightly then, and the serious moment she had felt between them passed. He gave her a warm hug and then stepped back and raised his hand up in the air to hail a taxi for her. As it pulled up to the curb a few moments later, he opened the door for her and she leaned up and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you Liam, you’re the best. Good night.” She grinned and he gave her a wink, closed the door, and waved as the cab drove away into the night.
***
The following Wednesday there had still been no word whatsoever from Alexander, and Mia had stopped looking at her phone as much, when he called her and her heart stopped when she saw his name show up.
She took a deep breath and answered it as calmly as she could. “Hello?”
“Mia, good afternoon, this is Alexander. How are you doing today?” He sounded pleasant, just as he had the first time he called her, and she wondered enviously if he ever felt uncertain or unsure when he called her, because he sounded totally unflappable.
“I’m wonderful, thank you. How are you doing?” she asked in return as everything in her began to course faster through her while the pace of her heartbeat picked up. She was surprised at how excited she was to hear from him.
“Very well, thank you. It’s just been busy here at the office, but things are coming along.” He paused a moment and she could hear him smiling as he spoke again. “I feel like I need some downtime. I was thinking that if you aren’t busy on Saturday, I’d like to take you for an outing in Central Park. Are you free?”
She felt her heart begin to beat even faster. She glanced at her calendar and took a deep breath trying to steady the delight and thrill going through her. “Oh that sounds like so much fun! As it happens, I am free on Saturday. I’d love to see you! Thank you for asking.”
She couldn’t stop the spread of a wide smile over her face. She felt a little blush warm her cheeks as she chided herself for being so elated that he had called her. She knew that she shouldn’t feel anywhere near as excited as she did about a second call and a second date from a man she had just met. It was beyond ridiculous as far as she was concerned, and it was certainly not like her at all.
Mia closed her eyes and took another deep breath before opening them and sitting up straight to relax herself as she exhaled.
“I can pick you up at ten. I’m bringing a picnic for us, so we’ll have some fun and a lunch while we’re there. How does that sound?” he asked interestedly, and she could imagine him sitting at his desk, looking out of the window, thinking about the time they would spend together. She felt butter
flies dancing in her belly, and she curled her fingers tighter around the phone in her hand.
“It sounds like probably the most fun Saturday I will have had in a long time,” she replied as she grinned.
He chuckled softly. “Excellent. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Can I bring anything?” she asked curiously.
He paused. “You could bring a blanket for us to sit on, and you might want to bring a sweater or light jacket.”
“I can do that,” she replied happily.
“I’ll see you at ten on Saturday,” he said in a soft voice.
“Thank you, Alexander. I’ll see you then.” Mia hung up the phone and sat back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling with an enormous grin on her face and she could not stop the rush of a thrill that flashed through her. Closing her eyes tightly as she giggled to herself, she tapped her toes on the floor in excitement and then took a deep breath and sighed, gazing out of the window in bliss.
No one could have been more surprised than she was at how much his attention affected her. She had been trying to keep him from her thoughts, trying to keep him from getting to her on any level. She was supposed to be finding out whether or not the rumors about him being amply endowed were true, not developing any kind of emotion toward him, and yet there was something so deep and real about him that she couldn’t help being drawn to him, and the nearer she got to him, the more of her objectivity toward the challenge was lost.
She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but the more she got to know him, the more she wanted to know, and the more he seemed to saturate her thoughts, piquing her interest and her emotions. Mia made up her mind that she was going to have fun with him on Saturday, but that the day would in no way change anything about her from the inside out. She was on a mission; she had one objective and that was all she was going to have. She would seduce him into her bed, then she would report back to her friends, and then she would go to Rome and nothing further would ever happen between them after that.
