Business and Pleasure

by Jinni James

“Yeah, but bad shot or no, next time, he might get lucky.” Becca seemed reluctant to let the issue drop.

  “I know, but honestly, I think I’m as safe as I can be, for now. I’m not the least bit worried—not with Alex around.”

  They both get to their feet, and they each take one of my hands.

  “Well, enjoy the time you get to spend with Alex. I can tell how much you two already mean to each other. The way he looks at you…it’s like you’re the only woman in the world.”

  I cannot help sighing at her words. From Nicki’s lips to God’s ears…

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I know I am. Now, did you pack any of that hot lingerie of yours? I can’t imagine a better time to put those flimsy pieces of nothing to good use, can you?”

  “No, I didn’t pack any, but now that you mention it…”

  We all three laugh, and Nicki goes to raid my top dresser drawer, just as Mark steps into the room. Brows raised, I give him a look. What’s he doing up here?

  “Sorry to intrude,” he says. “But I wanted a moment alone with you before you take off with that Prince Charming of yours.”

  “Sure, Mark. What’s up?”

  “Well, first things first, Lizzy. I am so sorry. I should have come by the hospital to see you, but I was under cover and didn’t even find out until yesterday. We’ll find him. I promise you.”

  “Thank you. And really, there’s no reason for you to apologize. I completely understand.”

  Mark put a hand on my uninjured shoulder. “I know you do. You’re one of the most undemanding, understanding women I know. Any other woman I know would be pounding down my door, demanding I do something and ‘do something now, damn it’. But not you. You’ve always understood how things work. You’re also one of the strongest women I know, and while that’s a good thing—and I admire your strength—you have a very worried man downstairs who loves you deeply. You need to let him feel like he’s taking care of you.”

  I wonder what brought this on, and I’m not sure what Alex caring for me has to do with anything. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, come on, Liz. You can’t tell me you don’t know how that man feels about you.”

  “He told me he loves me.”

  Mark’s smile is huge. “He more than loves you; the man would’ve taken that bullet for you, if he’d had the chance. He blames himself. He feels terrible. You need to let him feel like he’s taking care of you, so he can feel like he’s doing something to make up for letting you down.”

  “But that’s silly; it wasn’t his fault.”

  Mark gently placed both his hands on my shoulders. “Doesn’t matter whose fault it was. I wasn’t even there, and yet I blame myself, too. I know how he feels. He loves you, and you clearly love him. I’m so happy you’ve finally found someone.”

  Tears pool in my eyes, threatening to spill over. “Thank you, Mark. I have no idea what I would do without you.”

  “You’ll never have to find out. Even if we aren’t buddies anymore, you’re still my best friend. Always will be…”

  Those threatening tears finally fall, soaking my cheeks and the front of his shirt where I rest against him. He pats me awkwardly, as if unsure what to do or how to comfort me with my injury. Taking pity on him, I step back and brush the wetness from face.

  “I’m only a call away, okay?” he says. “Oh, and by the way, I really like Alex.”

  “Thanks Mark.” I look up at him and sniffle, then offer him a watery smile. He’s such a great guy. If not for Alex…

  Finally, the girls have my bags completely packed, and we all head back downstairs. Alex is waiting patiently by the window in the living room. Mark walks over to him and pats him on the back. A very manly gesture.

  “Alright, man. She’s all packed. Take care of her.”

  Alex extends his hand to Mark, and the two shake, obviously parting as friends.

  “I plan on it. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Oh, and don’t worry; we’ll find that bastard.”

  Alex gently places his arm around me.

  “You better hope you find him first.”

  Mark lets out a laugh. “I don’t know which fate will be worse… I really don’t.”

  I’m amazed we can laugh about any of this, considering the circumstances, but we are, and honestly, I’m grateful to have friends who can make me smile, even when life’s at its bleakest.

  “Elizabeth, make sure you text or call me every day, okay?” Becca’s wearing that worried little frown of hers again.

  “I will, honey. Please don’t stress this so much. I promise I’ll be okay.”

  “Unless you’re, like, too busy doing, like, you know something else…”

  “Nicki!” I cry. Talk about a barely concealed innuendo. “Get your mind out of the gutter, would you?”

  “Ha. Sorry,” she says, but she’s grinning, obviously not ashamed of herself in the least.

  “No…you’re not. But I’ll be in touch.” I take Alex’s hand, and as we head out the front door, I say over my shoulder, “No matter how…busy I am with other…things.”

  Nicki’s giggle echoes from behind me, and I smile. Mark, Alex, and I reach the elevator, and as I’m about to press the call button, Alex squeezes my hand.

  “Wait,” he says, and turns back to Becca and Nicki, who stand in the doorway to our apartment. “Maybe you girls can come by Sunday evening for a bit?”

  The girls start jumping up and down like teenagers at a Justin Bieber concert.

  “Oh, yeah!” Nicki says.

  “We’ll be there!” Becca adds.

  Alex laughs, and I promise to give Becca a call later to cement our plans.

  “That was very sweet of you, Alex,” I say, as the three of us wait for the elevator.

  He takes my hand. The car arrives, we step inside, and Mark presses the button for the ground floor.

  “They love you,” Alex tells me. “And they’re worried about you. If having them over so they can check out the place, make sure you’re going to be okay there and well-taken care of, I’m more than happy to have them come for a visit.”

  Why does he sound like he’s talking about his place as if it’s ours?

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re most welcome, my love. Now, let’s go home.”

  *****

  We make it back to Alex’s place, after a short pit stop at Hamilton. I’d decided I needed my laptop, so I can get a little work done. Plus, I have to make sure I’m on hand via email, just in case Natalie can’t handle every single thing until I get back, which, if I have my way, will be soon.

  I sit down on the long, black sofa, and Alex drags over an ottoman and props up my feet.

  “Honey, you’re very sweet,” I say, “But I didn’t hurt my foot.”

  “No. But this will help you relax.”

  He hands my computer to me, and then heads into the kitchen. I open my email and find at least twenty manuscripts in my inbox, waiting for attention. Wow, am I am ever going to have my work cut out for me while I am here.

  “However long that’s going to be,” I mutter under my breath. We haven’t had a chance to discuss any of the details of my visit, particularly, how long he wants me to stay here. Until I’ve recovered from my injury a bit, obviously…and Alex seems hell-bent on keeping me around until someone nabs Bob. And then, the girls are coming over on Sunday, so I’ll be here until the end of the weekend, at least…

  “Oh, what difference does it make?” I ask myself, “I’ll be here as long as I’ll be here. Meanwhile, I need to get some work done.”

  I open one of the email attachments, ready to dig in to the first manuscript.

  “I brought you some water and your pain medication,” Alex says, returning from the kitchen.

  “But I’m not hurting right now,” I protest, frustration over the amount of work I have piled up making me sound harsher than I intended. All I want is a few hours of peace, so I can accomplish something t
onight. A few uninterrupted hours.

  “Just look at you.” I can hear Nicki’s voice in my head, chastising me for being such a workaholic. “Only you would want to spend the whole night working, instead of cuddling up with a hot man who thinks you’re the next best thing since sliced bread!”

  I shake my head and mutter under my breath. “Shut up, Nicki.”

  “What’s that?” Alex stands there looking at me, holding a bottle of water in one hand and my prescription bottle in the other.

  “Nothing.” Again, I shake my head. “I’m just not in any pain, that’s all.”

  “Which is exactly why you want to take this now, rather than waiting until later. If you take them like they’re prescribed—in your case, every six hours—you’ll manage your pain. If you wait until you’re hurting before you take them, you’ll have to wait twenty or thirty minutes each time, until they take full effect.” He set the water on the ottoman next to my feet, and then twisted the lid off the medicine bottle. He shook two of the pills into his palm and held out his hand. “Here. Take them now, and you won’t feel any pain. Then, maybe you can actually work, which will hopefully improve your mood a little bit. Oh…and make sure you drink plenty of water, too. Helps them dissolve faster.”

  I take the pills and pop them into my mouth before grabbing the water and guzzling half the bottle in one swallow. The cold water helps to cool my heated cheeks.

  “I sounded like an ungrateful, spoiled brat there for a minute, didn’t I?” I duck my head, unable to meet Alex’s gaze. “Sorry.”

  “Elizabeth, there’s absolutely no reason for you to apologize. All things considered, I’d say you’re behaving remarkably well. If I were in your shoes, I’d be biting off the head of anyone who’d dare to speak to me. You, on the other hand, have been incredibly gracious, patient, kind, and, as always, conscientious. Instead of lying in bed, ordering me about, you’re ready to dive into your work. You insisted we stop for your laptop, because you refuse to leave everything to Natalie…not because the woman can’t handle the work, but because you don’t think its fair she should have to do so. Now…” He pauses, leans over, and grabs a throw from the back of the couch, which he proceeds to tuck around my legs. “I want you to get some work done, and I’ll be right down the hall, in my office, doing the same thing. If you need me, just give a shout. Otherwise, I’ll be back to check on you in thirty minutes or so.”

  Throughout all this, I can only sit and listen, absorbing his words, analyzing their deeper meaning. He understands me like no one else I’ve ever known. Not even Becca recognizes the true motives behind my actions, especially when it comes to business. Dear God, I pray silently, how did I ever get so lucky?

  But he’s putting himself out for me, opening up his home, making me his priority. Surely, he has work to do, business to which he must attend?

  “Alex, if you need to go to the office, I completely understand. I can either wait here, or I can go back to my place. I mean, Becca’s there, so she can take care of me, and that way, you don’t have to miss so much work. Honestly, you don’t need to babysit me.”

  “Elizabeth, I can work from anywhere, and I have a fully equipped office right here. I want you where I can take care of you. Now, please, go ahead and work, and then maybe you and I can relax.”

  He doesn’t give me a chance to argue, just turns and walks off, and my gaze goes right to his butt. He has such a perfect ass. Too bad they don’t show so well when he wears a business suit. I am so tempted to forget all about work, get up, follow him right into his office, and... Wait. What am I thinking? I just suffered a gunshot wound, I’m being stalked by at least one maniac, and Alex and I are both behind on work. The last thing I should be thinking about right now is sex. I’m acting like a damn nymphomaniac.

  With effort, I return my attention to the manuscript on my laptop screen. Maybe the book will be good enough to distract me…take my mind off sex, off Alex (somewhat), and off Bob’s crazy ass. Three-hundred and sixty-five pages…definitely enough material to keep me busy for at least the next several days, possibly a week. I begin reading, making notes in the margin with the word processor’s comments feature. The pain meds kick in, the ache in my shoulder eases a little, and before long, I’m lost in the story of boy meets girl…

  *****

  The liquid in the glass Alex just placed on the table beside me looks suspiciously like a Cosmo. I look up from my computer and smile, but I shake my head. No booze. Not for me.

  “Alex,” I say, inserting an apologetic note into my tone, “I can’t—”

  “I know you can’t mix alcohol with your pain medication, but I thought I would make you something that looks like a drink, and you can pretend. Might make you feel better.” His grin is so endearing, like that of a young boy who only wishes to please.

  I giggle at his playful gesture. “Okay. In that case, thank you.”

  As I look around, I realize its dark outside. Talk about losing track of time. Sheesh. But the manuscript is much better than I expected, so I’m not surprised several hours have passed since I began reading. I sigh in appreciation at the view outside Alex’s top-floor windows. The city sure does look beautiful.

  “What time is it, exactly?” I reach for my drink and take a sip.

  Alex’s smile softens. “It’s nine o’clock, love. I came out a little bit ago to check on you, but you were working so hard, I did not have the heart to bother you. You were so absorbed in your reading, you didn’t even notice when I turned on the lights.”

  Sweet, sweet man. Does he have any faults? I have yet to find one.

  “Happens to me all the time,” I tell him. “Especially when I’m lucky enough to find a good submission. I lose myself in the characters and their story. And I appreciate you allowing me to work. I did get a lot done, which is a huge relief, after not working for days. I’ve been stressing…thinking it’d take me weeks to catch up.”

  Alex strolls toward me. He’s wearing a pair of pajama pants…the kind with a little tie at the waist…and a matching shirt, which he hasn’t bothered to button. It hangs open, giving me a lovely view of his muscular chest, six-pack abs, and the top of a treasure trail that runs downward from just below his bellybutton, disappearing below the waistband of his pants. Damn, he’s looking way too sexy. He’s got a drink in his hand, but he sets it on the table, and then he takes my laptop, closes the cover, and places it on the table, as well.

  So much for keeping my mind off sex.

  Alex sits next to me, grabs both my ankles, and places my feet on his lap. As he begins massaging each little toe, my eyes roll back in my head and I moan.

  “Feel good?” he asks.

  “Oh, God, yes.” I look up and find he’s got an evil sparkle in his eye. What’s he up to, now?

  “If you come upstairs with me, I promise I’ll make you feel even better.”

  His voice is low, filled with desire, and I suddenly have a hard time meeting his gaze. My cheeks grow hot, and my hands are shaking. I bury them in the blanket on my lap so he can’t see how nervous I am.

  “Elizabeth, honey, if you’re worried about your shoulder, don’t. I’ll be careful. Very careful. The last thing in the world I’d ever do is hurt you.”

  Before I can tell him it’s not my shoulder I’m worried about; it’s my heart…this man has stolen it, and I’m afraid I might get hurt, I’m in Alex’s arms and he’s carrying me up the stairs. His eyes are filled with hunger. He wants me, and nothing will stop him from taking what he wants right now. In his bedroom, he holds my gaze as he carefully lays me on the big, black bed.

  There’s something different about the way he’s looking at me…something I can’t quite put my finger on, but I recognize there’s a change in him. He lies down on the bed, cuddling up to my good side, and places his hand on my cheek.

  “I thought I lost you. You have no idea frightened I was, how badly I feels, to know I could have lost you in that split second, while I lay right here, only a few f
eet away. When I saw you hit the floor, my heart broke into a million pieces. I never want to feel that way again, Elizabeth. Never.”

  Mark’s words from earlier start running through my head: ‘He blames himself. Let him take care of you.’

  Okay, but what do I say? How do I show him I have a vulnerable side?

  “It’s not your fault, sweetheart,” I tell him, following my instincts. “You have to know that. I won’t allow you to blame yourself for something that…that maniac did to me. The bastard got lucky, but so did I. Lucky he was a terrible shot, that is. We’ll both have to be more careful, that’s all…until they catch him. I don’t want to ever feel that way again, either…believe me.”

  Without warning, Alex leans in and kisses me. Very softly…very gently. He seems stuck somewhere between need and concern. He pulls back and looks at me once more, almost as if he’s asking for permission to keep going.

  “It’s okay,” I tell him. “Make love to me, Alex.”

  Apparently, that’s all the permission he needs, because he starts taking off my clothes—very carefully, of course, so as not to hurt me. He slides my shirt off and down my arms, and then lifts me up gently to release my bra. I sigh at the lack of restrictive clothing. If I were born in the sixties, I’d have been one of those women who burned her bras, no doubt about it! Alex next unbuttons my jeans, using his teeth, of all things, and the entire time, he’s looking up at me, giving me that wicked little grin of his.

  God, this man knows how to get me going.

  My pulse is racing. He slides my jeans down my legs, kissing a trail down each bared thigh. He drops my pants on the floor, and then stands to remove his own clothes. He could stand there all day, and I’d never get bored lying here staring at him. His chest is muscular and defined, and an image of me kissing my way right down the middle of that six pack fills my head. My mouth waters at the thought, but I fight my desires. He needs to feel like he’s taking care of me right now. I have to let him take the lead…this time. Finally, when I think I may not be able to control myself much longer, he climbs on top of me, putting one hand by my head and the other by my arm. We stare into each other’s eyes, and I suddenly know what’s different. We belong to each other. We’re not just making love; we’re making each other an unspoken promise.