Talk? Who was talking? Samantha? Not like she, or anyone else, for that matter, would know anything was going on. “It’s fine,” Joy interrupted. “We’re working things out.”
Working things out. Can’t keep their hands off each other. Want to … Sweat swept up her frame. Overwhelmed, Joy blinked.
“Are you not feeling well?” Natalie asked. “Ms. Reyes said you thought you had a bug.”
So Samantha had mentioned her, but to what extent? It was great to hear an apology, but the thoughts behind it worried her a lot. Was it a warning as well? Her fingers shaking, Joy curled them into her palms. “I think so, yes. My sister got married last weekend …”
“My congratulations.”
“Thanks … but I admit I’m tired. That could be all it is.”
Natalie eyed her. “How about you leave early today then? It’s what …?” Natalie checked her clock. “Four. Go home, get some rest. Perhaps you’ll feel better in the morning.”
Joy bobbed her head, gratitude on her face,
“Oh … how is the planning going?” Natalie asked when she stood. “I wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”
“It’s going … well. We should have things ready to roll by Friday.”
“You can put it in a brief report?”
Joy nodded. She stood in place a moment longer, then made her way out. Back in the main office, her breath escaped. Tense and weary, she headed for her desk, scooped up her purse, and aimed toward the elevator. Inside, the doors shut, she took out her phone.
Going home early. Pink nightie. No panties. She hit “send”.
Her phone buzzed. Leave the door unlocked.
CHAPTER 6
Heath softened the kneading of his fingers and adjusted his grip lower, his mouth dipping to the inside of her knee. Joy was delectable, and he was possessed. Once wasn’t enough, nor twice, he needed her again and again. His tongue darted out, her scent heady, overwhelming, and his mind fuzzed to all but the moment and the flavor of a woman on his tongue.
He’d lied to get free, behavior he wouldn’t condone in anyone else. He risked his job, his sanity, for these moments with her, unable to refuse it, and wondered why it was some souls were so volcanic. Like substances he remembered from science class long ago, one touch, one spark and the whole place was in flames.
Her fingers curled around the sides of his head, she urged him onward, and drunken on their recklessness, he held tight with his lips, aroused by the clench of her thighs, the squeeze of her bottom, and her hard thrusts against him. She cried out her pleasure, and he inhaled it, savoring the moment as she slackened, her limbs loosening.
Heath shifted his position, sliding upward to hang over her. Her gaze was surprisingly clear.
“Heath … Natalie said they were ‘clamping down’ on office romances.” Joy spoke, her voice, thick.
“I read the rules,” he replied, “and I don’t care.”
He was racing toward a cliff, sure to go over the edge, but unable to stop himself from the disaster he knew would happen. Whether it was genetic and, therefore, he couldn’t avoid it, or whether it was simply that same forbidden chemical mix, he’d take whatever happened to him and crash and burn at some point. But today, right now, he had this.
“How are you feeling?”
Samantha’s curious gaze crossed over the dividing wall, and Joy paused in her work, a particular design left displayed on her screen. Where it’d been for the last hour. Unusual for her. But thoughts of Heath kept creeping in and scenes from yesterday afternoon. She was noticeably hot now and shaken.
“Better, I think.” Not better, worse. She wanted to be home … with him. But she had no expectation of it. It’d be best if they held off for at least one day, took time to breathe.
Thinking of that, she tried to focus, wondering what exactly Sam had told Natalie.
“Natalie said you mentioned it yesterday,” she said. No need to hide she knew. But however she thought Sam would react, her fellow employee was remarkably calm.
“It came up. I’m worried about you.”
Was she? They’d never been more than work colleagues, albeit friendly ones until now.
“Don’t. I’m fine, though if I don’t figure out this design right now, I’m toast.”
Samantha took that as the dismissal it was meant to be, and Joy returned to her work. Leaving for lunch an hour later, her phone went off. The erotic image Heath sent coiled around her gut, and all the composure she’d worked to gain vanished. She crept to her car and snapped an equally intimate photo in the front seat. He sent a one word response. Eleven.
Eleven p.m., he showed up at her door, one thing held in his gaze. His mouth met hers, and there, in the hall, his pants around his ankles, he took hold of her. With every pump of his hips, his fingers digging into her curves, her mind singed, and any concrete thoughts she’d had burst into flames. Afterward, suspended on his chest, him beneath her on the couch, she felt distinctly different, almost comfortable, as if he wasn’t here for a short time and wouldn’t go home.
It formed on her lips to say so, but she didn’t.
“Your brother …” she began, searching for any topic they might share.
“Let’s not talk about him,” Heath said.
Not about him or anything else. She tried to get up her nerve to introduce another subject, but the most she managed was a brief mention about the banquet caterer, and at midnight, he walked out the door.
Her regret swam upwards. There had to be more to their time together than sex. Maybe if she tried harder, said the right thing … Joy blew out a frustrated breath. Hadn’t she attempted that tonight? And failed miserably. He’d come and gone before she could barely bat an eye.
She was still bothered by her thoughts on Friday when he showed up at her desk. His fingers slid across hers and his lips curved, flirtatious. “Bought you something.”
“Oh?”
He nodded and dropped a small square box on the desk. She opened it, one eye on his face. Inside was an invitation, decorated with the logo of a high-end hotel. Gripping it between her thumb and forefinger, she scanned the preprinted words then stared upwards.
“We’ve used your place exclusively,” he said. “I thought I’d give us something new, and it comes with dinner.”
“Dinner?”
He nodded. In his next breath, he held up one hand, palm outward. “We’re going to discuss the fundraiser first, make sure we’re on the same page, then I’ve catered in something you’re really going to like. I promise, tonight, we’ll take it slow.”
That gave her hope.
He said he’d pick her up at eight. He’d been gone only a few minutes when Samantha appeared. Her expression said she clearly wanted to know what was up. Joy raised her chin in response, determined to look confident. “We have to talk about the banquet. We keep putting it off. I only hope after all our efforts it goes off well. It’s been a lot of work.”
“I see that,” Samantha replied. “Doesn’t hurt that he’s so handsome.”
Joy couldn’t tell what she meant by that. Was it a simple observation? Or was there an implication behind it? Her head hurt trying to figure it out. Her fingers, on the other hand, were crossed that maybe this time she and Heath would actually talk. Maybe they’d find something more than passion they could hold onto.
Honestly, after their last few encounters, Heath felt badly that he’d used her so much … and not just physically. He’d left so quickly that there’d been no time to strike up any sort of conversation. He hoped tonight to remedy that.
His brother had provided the opportunity. For once, he’d been the one who’d said he wouldn’t be home. In light of that, why shouldn’t he spend those hours with Joy, uninterrupted? He’d rented a suite at a five-star hotel downtown and purchased a high-end lobster dinner. He’d also gotten up his nerve to buy her something sexy to wear, something sheer that’d hide just enough and yet nothing at all.
Picturing it, his pant
s grew tight, and he took a moment to breathe before going to her door.
She answered the doorbell too quickly, her face flushed. Knowing she must’ve been standing there, her impatience fueled his. He gave her an anxious smile.
“You look sexy,” he said. He had to relax.
Joy smiled, tilting her gaze. “I hope this is appropriate.”
Her dress was simple, clinging to her curves. A pair of heels and set of diamond earrings, took the look up a notch.
“Mmm, for now,” he teased.
Her face flashed something worrisome, but cleared just as fast, so he released the thought. He escorted her to the car, holding the door while she sat.
“What’s all this about a room?” she asked.
“Well, I thought this would be different, yet give us privacy.”
She didn’t respond right away, and he questioned himself again. However, several minutes later, she struck up a conversation about the song on the radio, so once more, he let the thought go.
The hotel room had a magnificent view of the city, its lights twinkling in the darkness around them. Joy gave a light gasp and crossed the room, halting in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. “It’s so beautiful.” She glanced behind. “You must have paid a lot for this.”
“I splurged,” he said with a shrug. And it was worth it to see her face.
He glanced to the side where a table had been set, a white cloth draped over top, candles lit in the center. She turned. The golden glow brightened her cheeks.
“I feel guilty for costing you so much.”
He smiled and closed the distance between them. His fingers folded into his palm, he ran his knuckles down her jaw, a soft caress. “Don’t. You’re worth the expense.”
Her doubt re-formed in her eyes. He rushed to reassure her. “Worth every minute we’ve had together. Every minute we’ll spend this evening … But why don’t we go over business first? Then we’ll have dinner,” he said, his voice growing husky. “And dessert.”
Her mouth parted the tiniest bit. He swallowed his excitement and reversed. “I brought the list we discussed ….”
For a half hour, they organized the fundraiser’s entertainment, discussing the seating of important guests and in what order to put the various speakers. Their dinner arrived. A uniformed busboy rolled it into the room. Heath seated Joy at the table and placed a prepared plate in front of her.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell slightly agape. “Heath …” She called his name. “How nice of you. I don’t think I’ve had lobster … ever … leastways, not and known it.”
“Never?” Heath took his own seat. “Interestingly enough, I had it the first time while serving overseas … a little German café run by a woman from Maine.”
“Seriously?”
He nodded. “It was tough being over there, but I made lifelong friends with the guys in the unit and have plenty of good memories.”
He paused. That was probably the most they’d ever shared with each other, next to his story about his dad. She smiled in response.
“I’m not sure how I should start eating it.”
He scooted his chair closer. “Well …”
After a brief instruction, she appeared to get the hang of it, smiling and laughing at her efforts. The mood light, he forgot about his worries, drawn in by the light in her eyes, the soft pucker of her lips. She sat back at the end, her hands folded in her lap, and his thoughts turned over to the gift he’d bought and his remark earlier.
Heath debated with himself. As great as the meal had been, she was how he wanted this night to end. “Stay there,” he said. He walked past her into the bedroom and returned with a decorative bag. “For you.”
She stared upward at him, her expression mixed.
He extended the bag further. “Go ahead.”
Poking one hand inside, she pulled out the lingerie he’d chosen, her cheeks shading red.
He bowed over her shoulder, bringing his mouth to her ear. “I promised dessert. Put it on.”
Trembling, she clutched the lacy fabric to her chest and rose. Silence claimed the room.
Joy reappeared in the bedroom doorway, minutes later, and his gaze unblinking, he crossed over to her. He unpinned her hair. It tumbled free, its glorious red lengths set off by her fair skin. Tiny freckles crossed her shoulders. Another sprinkling danced over the height of her breasts.
“You are the most delectable treat,” he said, crumpling a handful of her hair in his hand. Circling around behind her, he lowered his lips to the length of her neck.
The air between them thickened.
His breath warm on her ear, he slipped his hand downward over her abdomen and beneath her panties. Her warmth spread across his fingertips, he caressed her, his motions drawing out her ardent moan. She swiveled her hips, pushing against him, and he dipped deeper, rocking her in his grasp.
Yet, a measure of guilt settled on his shoulders. He’d given in to his lust again. Bliss spinning from her lips, he was helpless to stop. He’d enjoyed spending time with her – talking, eating, sharing other things. But he craved this satisfaction more, and pressing his arousal against her, pictured what they’d do next.
Reclined on the couch, a tiny throw pillow beneath her head, Joy feared to move and reignite her pains. She wondered, the discomfort hovering on her skin, if they were entirely physical. She’d not had sex this much in … ever, really. And dirty sex. This wasn’t two people sharing their love for each other. This was a torturous burn.
But how much of its lingering effects was also an increasing weight of guilt? The biggest of which was an unexpected result from it – she cared for him. She didn’t remember their first encounter at the restaurant, but the conversations they’d had since then … over lunch, at her sister’s wedding, at the hotel, those had given her a glimpse of someone valuable and worth spending time with.
The problem was, she wanted the time they’d spent in the last seven days to mean something, and that was also surprising. Thinking of her sister, she’d been jealous of her relationship with Grady, of her having someone who understood her, who had let her have a wedding at an 80’s themed dance hall and had not been embarrassed by it.
Drawing a comparison, somewhere beneath his tough exterior, behind Heath’s feelings over his brother, was a guy worth knowing. Yet so far, she limited her time with that man to a few words between orgasms. And those had been great, especially Friday at the hotel. But sex, with them, had become destructive. One of them had to put the brakes on this and seek out something deeper.
Picking up her phone, she called the office and let her boss know she was taking Monday off. She’d known when Heath dropped her off Friday that Saturday would hit her hard. She’d not expected the effect to hang around into Sunday, or to have the malaise she felt today. Surely, before Tuesday, she’d get her act together.
Joy dozed, unwittingly. She awoke to the buzz of her phone, scrambling for it with sleep-ridden fingers.
“Hello? Maeve?” Her mind cloudy, she tried to focus. Her sister was calling? “Wait … slow down.” Ignoring her discomfort, Joy sat up. They’d returned from their honeymoon, but something was really wrong. “Grady’s in the hospital? You sit right there. I’m coming.”
Her mind turning over what might have happened, she sprinted down the hall, tossed on jeans and a t-shirt, and, her hair in a ponytail, fled out the door. Before cranking her car, on impulse, she sent Heath a text. Grady is in surgery at Madison General. He was injured at the airport.
She dropped her phone in her lap and backed out of the drive. At the stop sign, she read Heath’s response.
I’ll come as soon as I can get free.
She stared at it until her phone went dark. That she’d texted him without thinking, that he hadn’t hesitated to respond were more peeks at who they should be. He was a good man, a man worth knowing, worth, maybe, falling in love with … if they could only keep their pants on between now and then.
Joy scanned the hosp
ital waiting room. Spotting her sister, she gathered her in her arms. Guiding her to a padded bench, Joy seated and tucked her to her side, blotting her tears with her thumbs. “What happened?”
“It was all so quick. An elderly driver put her car in reverse instead of drive and backed right into him. He was trapped between bumpers for the longest time. The doctor said he isn’t sure if … if he can save his right leg.”
Joy clung tighter.
Maeve pulled her head back, her brow wrinkled. “Were you at work? You’re not dressed for work.”
“I took the day off. We’ve had so much going on there … what with Valentine’s Day. I needed a break.” She worked up a smile and hoped her explanation would suffice.
“But you feel okay?”
“Of course.” She tried to brighten. “Oh … I told Heath, and he said he’d come when he could.” Her attempt at switching the subject, instead, deepened her sister’s gaze.
Seconds later, Maeve’s eyes spread wide. “You and him. You … you did the horizontal mambo?” When she didn’t respond, Maeve sat up taller. “Oh my God, you did!”
Joy cupped one hand over her sister’s mouth. “Shh. No need to tell the entire hospital, and don’t you dare act like you know when he gets here.”
Maeve leaned in, conspiratorial. “Was it good?” She blew out a breath. “What am I asking? Of course, it was good since you had to take a day off to get over it. Wait …” Her brow furrowed. “You took the day off? Is something wrong?”
The conversation having circled back around, Joy sighed. “Since you’re not going to shut up until I speak, it was amazing. He’s amazing. But …”
“But?”
Joy held silent, and the noises of the hospital took over. Nurses talking, the chatter of visitors strolling the hall, and a mishmash of other beeps and clicks and rattles from various pieces of equipment. “But … I like him.”
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