Chapter 15
Amara
His arms wrap around me, and I blink in surprise. This man… he’s something else. I look around the moon-lit rose garden, music only just about audible from the ballroom’s balconies. A smile spreads across my face as I place my hands against his chest. I slide my palms up, until my arms are wrapped around his neck, enjoying the feel of his muscles.
He twirls me around, and I laugh. I can’t even remember the last time I felt this happy. Dr. Grant… he’s different from the men I know.
“We could dance in the ballroom, you know?”
He shakes his head and tightens his grip on me. “I doubt your grandfather would be okay with that.”
I pause in his arms, confused. Dr. Grant smiles at me and gently brushes my hair out of my face. “I’ve been told to stay away from you, Amara. Rightfully so, I guess. You don’t seem to realize who you are. You shouldn’t even be out here with me.”
I lock my hands behind his neck, keeping my chest pressed against his, our bodies flush against each other. “Why not? I’m just a girl, Dr. Grant.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “If only,” he murmurs. “You’re my patient, Harold Astor’s granddaughter, and a student at Astor College. The three very things I’ve been told to stay away from.”
I look into his eyes, my heart racing. “And will you… stay away, that is?”
He buries his hand in my hair and cradles my head, his expression making my heart race. “So far I’m not doing a great job at that, am I?”
I smile and shake my head. “Maybe it would help if I’d stop finding trouble.”
“Maybe… but I love being the one that saves you.”
The way he looks at me makes my heart skip a beat. He’s always looked at me this way, as though he sees me. He didn’t approach me in the ballroom, showing off that he knows me, the way so many others do. Instead, he’s dancing with me underneath the stars, just the two of us.
“When I’m with you, I feel a little more human. I might not be just a girl, Dr. Grant… but you make me feel like I am. And that feeling? It’s addictive. You may need to save me yet again, Doctor. I think I’m developing an addiction.”
He chuckles, the sound breaking the silence in the empty rose garden. Despite everything he just reminded me of, despite everything that stands between us… I can’t help but wonder what it’d be like to be with him.
“You always catch me off guard,” he says, smiling down at me. “Some of the things that come out of your mouth… you might not be the only one battling an emerging addiction.”
I smirk at him, unable to help myself. “I’m very good at putting things into my mouth too.”
He chuckles, but I feel the way he hardens against me. There’s no shame in his eyes, though. He’s not trying to hide his desire, he just smiles at me. “You’re incorrigible,” he admonishes.
“You know, Dr. Grant… I’m not always going to be those three things you listed. Once I finish my PhD, I’ll no longer be a student, and I’ll no longer be listed as one of the college clinic’s patients. I might still be an Astor, but if my company succeeds, I won’t be at my grandfather’s mercy.”
He looks into my eyes, and what started as a joke, a challenge… instantly turns into more. His eyes roam over my face, and his hand threads deeper into my hair. “But until then, you’re off-limits to me, Amara. Until then, all I’ll have are these moments where I find myself alone with you when I shouldn’t be.”
I look into his eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. “There will be a few more moments,” I tell him. “I’m addicted, after all… I’m with you right now, but I think I might need another dose of you soon. And you did say that you’d provide me with medical supervision for my experiments, didn’t you?”
Dr. Grant hardens even further, and I swallow hard. He’s big. I knew he was big from the very first time we met, but back then I only felt it briefly. Now? Now it feels like he’s pressing a steel rod against me. A hard thick one, and I can’t help but wonder what it’d feel like inside me.
“I did say that… and I also told your grandfather that I’d never deny a patient my care, not even if it’s you.”
I grin at him. I bet that shocked Grandpa. He’s used to people falling in line when he makes the smallest suggestion, but not Dr. Grant. “I need you to care for me, Dr. Grant.”
He laughs, his eyes dipping down to my lips. “You’re playing with fire, Amara.”
“Maybe I am, but you’re to blame for setting me ablaze.”
He smirks, his eyes dropping to my lips. “Oh baby,” he whispers. “I haven’t done anything yet.”
I’m breathing hard, and so is he. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a man this badly, and he’s barely even touched me.
I rise to my tiptoes, and his breath catches. For a second I think he’s going to pull away, but then he leans in, his lips brushing against mine, once, twice, before he finally kisses me.
I moan as my hands thread through his hair and pull him closer, returning his kiss. His tongue brushes over my lips, and I open up for him, wanting more of what he’s doing to me. Another moan escapes my lips as he deepens the kiss, his hands roaming over my body.
He tries to pull back, but each time he lasts a mere second before his lips are back on mine. I smile against his lips, and Dr. Grant pulls away, his forehead dropping to mine.
“Fuck. I didn’t mean to do that, Amara... but damn it, you’re impossible to resist.”
I giggle and look up at him. Seeing him looking at me like that, his eyes filled with lust and affection... yeah, this salvages my wrecked night.
“Noah,” I whisper. He groans and pulls me back to him, kissing me hard and rough, his touch different to before. I can feel how hard I’m making him, and knowing he wants me that badly drives me crazy.
He pulls away abruptly and turns around, taking a few steps away from me. I stare at him, lost for words as he pulls a hand through his hair.
“Fuck,” he groans. He clears his throat before turning back to me, his eyes filled with regret. “I’m sorry, Amara. I swear to God, I’m not trying to lead you on. I’m not messing with you.”
I nod and walk up to him, placing my hands palms flat on his chest. “I know. I know that, Noah. I know how much there is at stake for you. I know what my grandfather is like. This is just a moment between you and me. It’s just a kiss.”
He walks up to me and cups my cheek, his touch at odds with the way he’s clenching his jaw. “It’s more than that and you know it.” I look away, unable to hold his gaze. “What is it about you, Amara? You captivate me like no one ever has before. I know I need to walk away, but all I want to do is kiss you again. I want to slide my hands down your body and find out if you’re wearing underwear tonight, or if you skipped it again. I want to feel you quiver against my fingers, my name on your lips. I want you in a maddening all-consuming way, and I can’t figure out what it is about you.”
I rise to my tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek, my heart racing. “I’m afraid we suffer from the same affliction, Dr. Grant. It’s an addiction.”
He laughs and brushes my hair out of my face gently. “You’ll be my downfall, Amara Astor. I just know it.”
I look into his eyes, hoping that he’s wrong and knowing that he isn’t. My grandfather wants me with Gregory. He’d never accept Noah. He might be a doctor, but that won’t be enough for Grandpa. If things go further between us and he finds out, Noah will lose out on the future he could have.
I saw the way Grandpa personally introduced him to his friends. He sees something in Noah, and I can’t stand in the way of that.
Chapter 16
Amara
Three days. I’ve been thinking about whether or not to confront my grandfather for three days. Part of me thinks it won’t matter, but a larger part of me is refusing to go down without a fight. I hesitate in front of his office door, but this just isn’t something I can let go.
Grandpa is seated behi
nd his large mahogany desk, the scent of the cigars he loves so much permeating the air. He looks up when I close the door behind me, his expression guarded.
When did he stop smiling when he sees me? When I was a little girl, this was my favorite room in the whole world, because it’s where my granddad always was. He was my hero. I might have grown up without a father, but Grandpa made sure I never felt the loss. He was always there. He attended every ballet performance and every violin recital when I was little, and when I grew older and started to choose science fairs over the dancing and acting classes my mother tried to force me to go to, it was Grandpa that sided with me. He and I were always on the same side, a united front. When did that change?
“You’re sabotaging me.”
He drops his pen and sighs as he looks up at me. The way he looks at me hurts. That expression… it’s like I’m a nuisance, like I’m wasting his time. Maybe I am. It’s highly doubtful he’ll change his mind after all.
“Why would you do that to me? Why would you stop me from finding an investor for my company? I’m not asking you for your support because you’ve made it clear you won’t give me that, and I’m certainly not asking you for money either. So why? Why are you actively trying to sabotage me? I’m your granddaughter. Shouldn’t you want to see me succeed?”
Grandpa crosses his arms over his chest and stares at me in silence, the way he used to when I was throwing a tantrum as a child. Is that what he thinks this is? Does he think my company is my way of rebelling?
I run a hand through my hair and inhale shakily. “I’m trying so hard to stand on my own two feet, Grandpa. I’m trying my best to be independent, to grow a company by myself. I’m trying to chase my dreams and I’m working my ass off to do it. Why would you not want this for me? I get you not supporting me, but why would you try to curb my growth?”
“Amara, how long are you going to keep this up? I worked to grow our business for most of my life, and I’ll be damned if I watch you throw your inheritance away over some silly company. I agree that there’s a lot of money to be made in adult toys, but if that’s what you want to do, you can easily purchase a few existing companies and grow the Astor business that way. You and Adrian are my heirs, Amara. You need to get your shit together and start learning how to run our business, because your cousin has no intention of returning to the States to help you. That little company of yours will not prepare you. I worked for years to grow our business into what it is. I’ve paved a clear path for you and for generations to come. I worked as hard as I did so you don’t have to, Amara. The last thing I want to do is see you struggle the way I did, when there’s a road to success ahead of you that most would kill for.”
“Grandpa… you’ve never asked me what I want to do, you know? You’ve always assumed that I’d naturally learn to fill your shoes, but I can’t. I’m not like you. I’m much more comfortable in a lab, inventing products, utilizing my creativity. I’m not a leader. I never will be, and I’m okay with that. It doesn’t mean that I won’t be successful. It just means I won’t be the next you.”
“Not a leader,” he repeats, looking away in disgust. “You can learn, Amara — and you will. You must. I’ve never asked anything of you but this. You need to learn how to manage the company. Gregory will help you once you’re married.”
I shake my head, wishing there was a way to make him see. “Grandpa, I won’t ever marry Gregory. I won’t. I have dreams of my own that I want to pursue. I’m not asking you to support me, I’m just asking that you don’t stand in my way.”
He stares at me, his disappointment evident. “You’ll give up on those dreams when you realize how hard life really is — but by the time that happens I might not be here anymore, Amara. I won’t be there to teach you all you need to know. Stop this foolishness. I didn’t work myself to the bone only for you to now abandon all we’ve got. You’re not a child anymore and I’m done entertaining you. You want to follow your dreams? You’ll do so without my support, and without those in my network. It won’t take you long to realize that the dreams you have are a luxury, one you can’t afford without me and all I’ve built.”
He picks his pen back up and stares down at his documents, silently dismissing me. I don’t know what I expected when I came in here. I knew he wouldn’t budge, and I knew he’d never even attempt to see things from my point of view.
He won’t let me deviate from the path he thinks I should walk. He’s never going to let me build a future of my own choosing.
Part of me worries that he’s right, that I’ll eventually end up caving. Someday I might find myself sitting behind his desk, and it wouldn’t be a bad life. Far from it. It just wouldn’t be the one I chose for myself, and the thought of that scares me.
I’m not the right person to take over from him. I’m not smart enough, and I’m definitely not a leader. I can’t be his heir. I’m not qualified. I’m not like my cousin Adrian — who doesn’t want the job either. At least he’s well-equipped for it. I’m not.
I can’t command people the way my grandfather does. I’m good at what I do. I’m an excellent researcher and an even better engineer… but a leader? That’s something I’ll never be, and eventually Grandpa will have to face that fact.
Chapter 17
Noah
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated. All I’ve been able to think about lately is Amara. It’s almost like Mr. Astor has some sort of sixth sense, because he’s kept me so busy that I haven’t had a chance to see her since the ball.
I’ve been working myself to the bone. Mr. Astor wasn’t joking when he told me he’d help me with my career. In the last two weeks, I’ve had lunch with him twice, and he’s introduced me to countless people that I’d otherwise never have access to. He seems to be actively working on acquiring existing medical practices to add to his investment portfolio, and he wants me to run them. It’s an insane chance, and I’d be crazy to pass it up.
“Sending in your next patient.”
I glance at the phone on my desk, having developed a love-hate relationship with the intercom feature. I love my job, but man, I’m tired.
The door opens, and I freeze in my seat when Amara walks in. I haven’t seen her since the ball, and it’s been for the best. I’m putting my future at risk by getting involved with her, yet when she’s standing in front of me, I can’t resist her.
I rise from my seat, surprised to see her in my office. I texted her to let her know Gray would meet with her, but I’ve barely spoken to her since. Gray couldn’t commit to anything until his current projects wrap up, and I hope Amara will be able to wait. The thought of her turning to Gregory terrifies me. It isn’t something I should be thinking about at all if I value my career prospects… but I can’t keep her off my mind.
“Amara.”
She nods as she closes the door behind her. “Hi, Dr. Grant.”
“What brings you here today,” I ask, trying my hardest to act professional, when all I can think about is how beautiful she looks in that red flowing summer dress. The way it highlights her breasts, that tiny waist… fuck. Her long red hair flows to her waist, and I can’t tear my eyes away. My eyes drop to her lips, memories flooding me. The way her lips felt against mine, the way she sighed, the way she fit into my arms so perfectly.
She holds up a bag and smiles at me. “I came to return your jacket. I’m sorry it took me so long.” She puts the bag down next to my desk and hesitates before she sits down opposite me. “But I also… well, do you remember when you told me not to test my prototypes without medical supervision?”
I swallow hard and nod. The mere memory of her coming on my hand has my cock hardening. Fucking hell.
“So… I developed something new in anticipation of meeting Grayson Callahan. I wanted to have a full set of toys to show him.”
She grabs her bag and takes out something that can only really be described as a contraption. It looks a bit like a dildo, but there’s a piece sticking out at the front. Interesting.
She glances at me, her cheeks bright red. “Will you help me test it?”
I pull on my tie, suddenly feeling hot. “And how would I assist you, exactly?”
She grins at me, a hint of nervousness in her eyes. “I… well, I’d just test it and you’d just sit here and make sure you can intervene if anything goes wrong. Maybe time orgasms. I’d pay you for your time as though it’s a regular consultation, of course.”
My cock is so fucking hard that it hurts. She wants me to sit here and watch her get off? Amara looks away and bites down on her lip before shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she says, grabbing her toy. “This is a terrible idea. I shouldn’t be doing this. I saw the way my grandfather introduced you to his business partners, and I know what’s at stake for you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I wasn’t really thinking at all. I should ask someone else for help.”
Someone else? A vision of her with Gregory comes to mind, and I rise from my seat, barely able to restrain my sudden anger. Amara pauses halfway to the door and turns to look at me, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and hope.
“Sit,” I tell her, tipping my head toward the patient bed in my office. She looks down at the floor as she walks toward it, and I lock my office door. I need to stay away from her. My future depends on it. But I’ll be damned if I let her walk out now. She’s not testing any of these toys of hers with anyone but me. Over my dead body.
“I told you I’d help you, didn’t I? I’d never turn a patient away, Amara.”
She nods, biting down on her lip as she walks over to the bed in the sectioned-off corner. Her hands tremble as she sticks her dildo device to the leather bed using the suction grip she built into it. What the fuck is this thing? Looks like it’s meant to be ridden.
I walk up to her and study it curiously. “So, what would you like me to do? How can I help?”
Dr. Grant (Off-Limits) Page 7
