Closer To You (Suits in Pursuit)

by Kelley, Lauren H.

  He pulled her close, gripped her behind and kissed her deeply. She could feel herself getting lost in his kiss, and she tore herself away. “Goodbye Axel. I have a lot to catch up on. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She pushed him away playfully.

  “Goodnight baby. Lock your door. You never know who might come knocking in the middle of the night. Don’t forget to bring the panties tomorrow.”

  “I’m not answering my door tonight, especially to sex-hungry lunatic boyfriends. I’ve had quite an active weekend, and I need to recover.” She giggled as she watched him walk back to his car, glancing over his shoulder at her every few steps as he mouthed the words ‘I love you’.

  Later that night when she climbed into bed, she checked her emails. He had already sent her two meeting invitations, each scheduled for an hour and a half long at eleven o’clock and then at five o’clock. They were simply labeled ‘Time Together.’ She laughed, turned off the lamp on her nightstand and fell fast asleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Monday, October 8

  Stepping off the elevator on the eighth floor, Kerrigan caught Megan’s icy glare as they walked past each other in the elevator lobby. Amanda from accounting leaned against the counter in the break room. Staring, Amanda walked out with a huff when Kerrigan entered to make her ritualistic morning coffee. On the way to her office, she caught the wide-eyed gaze of Matthew, one of the account reps, who turned in his seat doing a near 360-degree head spin as she passed by his cubicle. Although difficult, she managed to ignore them all.

  She sat down at her desk, checked her email and learned that a meeting with McBride had been finally scheduled for the following week. Ages had passed since she had thought about the account. She needed to get back into the normal flow of her routine again and pull off a victory with the McBride account, which would not only validate her in the role that she had been promoted to, but would also get certain co-workers to back off.

  At ten o’clock, Ashley peered through the door, and Kerrigan motioned her in. She closed the door and tossed herself into the guest chair.

  “Hey girl! Word on the street is that you and Axel went away together last week, and not just for business. So?”

  She rolled her eyes and huffed. “Ash! How do these people have time to be wrapped up in my personal life! How do they know?”

  “Well, Marie found out that you and Axel would be out of the office last week. Brenda wouldn’t tell anyone where the two of you had gone. The rumor mill was crazy. I heard, at one point, you and Axel ran off together, and he was selling the business.”

  “That’s ridiculously absurd!” She sneered.

  The last couple of weeks had been a whirlwind, and she had avoided thinking about what returning to work would be like. She hadn’t thought to make up a cover story, but perhaps she could improvise.

  “We were conducting research for the McBride account. We held focus groups on fishing products. How does that sound?”

  Ashley pondered it a minute, scratching her temple. “For five days? I don’t know.”

  “McBride is national. We were traveling to obtain regionally based sample data.”

  “Okay, maybe,” Ashley said. Her voice was riddled with hesitation. “I might be able to work with that. Give me a day. I’ll have those piranhas off your back in no time. Okay, so what actually happened? Where did you go? I want to hear everything. Every. Juicy. Detail.” Ashley flexed her eyebrows up and down.

  She shook her head at her friend and laughed. Even though the build-up to this point in their relationship had taken over a year, their relationship was hard to believe. Things between them were on warp speed now.

  “So, are you still a virgin or not? I know he couldn’t keep his hands off you. I want details.”

  She could feel her cheeks begin to heat. Just thinking about Axel made her warm inside. “Not.” She paused, waiting for Ashley’s loud squeal to subside. “My first time with him was … pretty intense. He was very patient and gentle. I’ll just say that the experience was enjoyable.” The corners of her mouth ached. A wide grin stretched across her face, uncontrollable, especially with Ashley’s wild eyes staring her down. “Okay, this is embarrassing. I’m done talking about my days-old sex. We did other things, too.”

  Ashley leaned in closer, her elbows perched on the desk with her chin cradled by her palms. “Skip the other things. You gave your virginity to Axel freaking Christensen, and all you can say is that the experience was enjoyable? I. Want. Details.”

  She knew she was in full blush now. “Okay. Okay. He was unbelievably amazing. The rumors about his size are true, scared the hell out of me. Okay, that’s about all there is to share. I’m not comfortable talking about this with you, so that’s all you’ll get out of me.”

  She told Ashley about the rest of the week she had spent with Axel and their trip to the cabin.

  Ashley let out a shrill. “Kerri, that’s beautiful. I take every rotten thing I’ve said about Axel back—well, almost everything. I’m so happy for the two of you. You know where this is heading, don’t you?”

  “Ash, one day at a time, please. I’m wearing his promise ring. That’s enough for me right now.” She held out her right hand and showed off the ring.

  Ashley cupped her mouth. “He wants to be exclusive with you and he’s already given you a promise ring. Seriously, what are you going to say when he proposes?”

  “I’m still having a hard time believing that he wants a long-term relationship with me. I’m not even about to go there.”

  Just thinking about marriage gave her butterflies. She wanted to get married someday, but she had only thought about being with an average person, and Axel was no ordinary man.

  “Have I been wrong so far?” Ashley asked.

  She buried her face in her hands and mumbled into her hands. “No, but that’s an enormous step. That’s a forever step.”

  Thinking about forever with Axel would be foolish.

  “Well, sounds as if forever might be his next step. This isn’t the first time he’s expressed wanting a future with you. The man introduced you to his parents, the first time he’s ever done that with any woman. Hello! I’m just saying.” She held up her hands in defense.

  “Ash, I still have the most to lose if we don’t work out. I am guarding my heart cautiously. You wouldn’t understand.”

  Ashley shook her head. “I know he’s been patient to this point, but even the most patient man tires out.”

  “Yeah, I know. So, how are you and Sam?” She needed to change the subject.

  “Sam is nice, but he’s not the one. He’s just my flavor of the month. I might try CEO the next time!”

  She rolled her eyes at Ashley before glancing at the clock. Butterflies danced in Kerrigan’s stomach. Almost time to go to Axel’s office for their eleven o’clock meeting. She heeded his warning. She brought a change of panties, but she needed to slip them into her bra, and she couldn’t do that with Ashley sitting in her office. Some things she didn’t share with Ashley. Axel scheduling time on their calendars for intimacy was one of those things she wasn’t going to tell. At ten until the hour, she dismissed Ashley.

  “Well, I’m glad we had the chance to catch up. I have an eleven o’clock, and I need five minutes to prepare for the meeting. Can we chat later? What about lunch tomorrow?”

  “We’ll chat later. I’m glad you’re back. I’ll take care of those rats out there. Lunch tomorrow, definitely.”

  Kerrigan walked into the executive suite, one hesitant step after the next on shaky legs. Brenda greeted her warmly. “Kerrigan, I’m so glad to see you. I hope you enjoyed your trip last week. Mr. Christensen said you had a productive week. You can go on in. He’s expecting you.” Brenda’s highly uncharacteristic chatty mood surprised Kerrigan paused her steps.

  She studied Brenda’s face for a moment. “Thank you Brenda.” She said warily, still wondering what Axel had said about their time out of the office.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t allo
w any interruptions, under any circumstances.” Brenda smiled, nodded her head and returned to her computer.

  Kerrigan didn’t know why her nerves were threatening her sanity. She had been in his office many times before. This time was different, though, knowing what was about to go down.

  She walked into his office and closed the door. Looking around the dark office, she noted that every blind on each set of windows had been drawn. Axel stood to her right, beside a bookshelf next to the door. Kerrigan pressed freshly manicured nails into the doorframe, keeping herself from slinking to the floor, his imposing stare her undoing. He swaggered over easy and casual until he was directly in front of her. Pinning her against the door, her reached around and twisted the locked. He didn’t speak with audible words, but his wanton gaze spoke volumes. His eyes cascaded down her body greedily. She knew he loved to see her in a hip-hugging skirt and stilettos, and she dressed the part today intentionally. On command, her nipples perked up, and she was dripping wet with desire for him.

  He took her into his arms and stared down into her eyes with his intense blue glare. He dipped his head, low to kiss her. He devoured her lips, acting as if he hadn’t seen her in weeks. Whimpering and trembling at his touch, her knees buckled, under his spell. Taking her by the hand, he led her over to his red leather sofa on the other side of the room near his desk. Slowly, sensually, he unbuttoned her blouse, and then his fidgety fingers slinked to the back of her skirt. He smiled when he saw the extra pair of panties tucked neatly into her bra. “Good girl.”

  Unzipping her skirt, the fabric fell to the floor, and she stepped out. Axel leaned down to retrieve the clothing with one hand while his other hand tickled the inside of her leg until he reached the end of her thigh, caressing and stroking her sex through her wet lacy panties.

  Tossing her head back, she whispered softly, “Axel.”

  He groaned into her ear. “Hmm. I want you in every way.”

  He tossed her shirt and skirt on his desk. His gaze combed her body. Perky caramel nipples peeked through a barely there teal lace bra. Like a shark preparing for a delicious delight, Axel circled around her in a seductive dance. His greedy eyes traced her long cocoa legs from the four-inch black patent leather stilettos up to a thin slither of lacy fabric that spanned her waist and descended at the base of her back, disappearing between two luscious, tightly toned cheeks. His tongue swiped across his lips. He couldn’t wait to dive into her. He motioned for her to sit on the sofa and she complied. Axel’s fingers slowly undid the top button on his white dress shirt, and then the next and the next until his shirt fell open, exposing every hard ridge of his tanned chiseled chest and the six-pack on his abdomen. He ripped the shirt away and threw it over his shoulder. Taking a step forward and then another until he stood directly in front of her with his strong, masculine stance, he lifted her hand to his crotch.

  “Strip me.” He commanded, bare-chested, and cock swelled in his black Oxford slacks.

  Dropping to her knees, shaky fingers reached up, unfastened the button of Axel's slacks and then eased to the zipper. He covered her trembling hands with his, pressing her palm against his hard cock. She gasped. Her eyes nervously glided up to his. She gulped hard at the feel of the enormous bulge beneath her hands.

  Axel met her timid eyes with fire behind his own. “This is all of you, baby.”

  Guiding the slacks down his firm thighs until they fell to the floor, he stepped out and then kicked the pants across the room.

  “Sit back down on the sofa, baby.”

  A swift yank and he removed his boxers, stood hard and naked, giving her his nine-inch salute.

  Axel kneeled on the sofa and lowered Kerrigan onto her back. Grabbing her ankles, he spread her legs wide open. Her right stiletto crashed to the floor with a thump. In one quick motion, he shredded her panties. Leaning down, he covered her wet center with his mouth enjoying the delicious nectar of her delicate flower as he sucked, licked and delighted in her sweet honey. She arched her back, involuntarily raising her hips high. Lapping at her juices as she freely flowed for him.

  His hands kneaded her breasts. She was on the brink, but he wouldn’t let her explode, stopping suddenly. He lifted himself and spread her legs wide, then slammed hard and deep into her. She gasped loudly and then covered her mouth with her hand. He smiled at her modesty. He pounded into her harder and harder, then faster and faster until her whole body shuddered. A frenzied hand massaged her swollen clit while his other hand squeezed and pulled at her hard nipples. He loved watching his pale cock disappear between her slick caramel folds and into her treasure. Her breaths fast and feisty, she moaned and whimpered as he continued pounding into her heat.

  He had built-up sexually energy from the night before when he had to sleep alone without her in his bed. He hammered into her so deep and hard, she cried out in both pain and ecstasy.

  “Axel, Axel! Please, no more.”

  He pinned her hands above her head with his. “Want me to stop?” He panted.

  She whimpered, and her eyes rolled back. “Oh, god! Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

  “Tell me what you want baby.”

  “I don’t know how much more I can take.” She moaned. “Ah. So good.”

  Her reprieve, he pulled out temporarily.

  “Baby, bend over. Hands on the back of the sofa.” His voice was commanding but gentle, and she did exactly as he told her.

  He pounded her hard and deep from behind. She could feel each inch of his sinewy apparatus reach the end of her. He moved in and out of her slickness, deeper and deeper until she cried out loudly. He reached around and covered her mouth with his hand to muffle her screams as he continued pounding her hard. He didn’t plan to stop any time soon, and her screams only seemed to egg him on. He continued pounding her hard and deep. She dripped and leaked all over his shaft, down her thighs and onto the leather sofa. His incessant friction and deep penetration was too much for her.

  “Axel, please. I can’t take any more,” she cried out.

  “Baby, I want you to feel every inch of me inside you. Feel my desire for you.”

  He slammed into her harder and harder until no sound could escape her lips. His assault on her had never been so intense. His thick, long cock slid in and out of her, over and over again with such force that her legs shook uncontrollably. With every inch of him buried deep inside her, sweat streamed down her face, and her body convulsed all over. The intense pleasure of the orgasm lingered, not dissipating. Finally, her walls clenched tightly around his steel shaft in pure ecstasy.

  Her legs trembled, and limp, she collapsed over the back of the sofa. Soon after, he exploded his seed deep inside her. He slumped down, his back against the armrest, and pulled her down to sit between his thighs. Her head rested against his heaving chest. He pulled her close, and stroked her hair back while kissing the crook of her neck as she floated back down from the ten-foot ceiling. He glanced at the clock.

  “I guess I underestimated how much time we needed. I’m just getting started with you.” It was already one thirty in the afternoon.

  “Axel, I can’t take any more today. Please.” She panted nearly passed out as she lay back against his hot drenched chest.

  “Kerrigan, did I hurt you?”

  “You were a bit rough. I’m just too sore now.”

  Axel’s brawny arms tightened around her clammy body. “Baby, I’m sorry. Having you here in my office is a fantasy come true. I was carried away. Can I do anything? Get you anything?”

  “I need to recover for a few minutes.”

  “Stay with me for as long as you need. Would a warm shower help?”

  “I think so.”

  “You rest now, and we’ll shower later. I’ll take care of you.” He whispered softly into her ear. “I’m sorry Kerrigan. I never want to hurt you.”

  She tilted her face up to meet the concerned look on his face. “I’m fine. You were intense, but you didn’t hurt me. Every time we’re together, you open me up
to new heights.” In his cradling arms, she rested.

  Twenty minutes later, he eased himself from around her and held out his hand to help her up. She winced in pain as she attempted to move. He must have realized her discomfort.

  “Don’t move. I’ll carry you,” he said.

  Axel lifted her up from the sofa, carried her into the bathroom and then gently put her down on the cold marble floor. Twisting the knob, he turned on the water, and then took her by the hand and led her into the shower. Too weak to stand on her wobbly legs, Axel held her up against his strong body. He washed her gently, admiring her body. She trembled at his touch. Foaming every inch of her soft skin with aromatic luxury body wash, the water flowed over them both, washing the scent of sex away. For several minutes, he cradled her in his arms before turning off the water. Softly, he dried her, gentle fibers of the Turkish towel absorbing the dampness from her flesh.

  Dressed and her hair restyled, the only telltale sign that she had been on a romp with Axel was her missing lipstick. She dreaded walking into the executive suite lobby after being in his office for three and a half hours.

  Preparing, for Kerrigan to leave, they stood near the large suite door. Embracing her from behind, her back against his chest, he leaned down and his mouth grazed the nape of her neck. “Kerrigan, I don’t think this was a good idea.”

  She stiffened. “You didn’t enjoy the sex?”

  “No! That’s not what I meant at all. I hurt you today. I had so much pinned up energy. I couldn’t control myself. We can’t do this in the office. I need you in my bed at night.”

  Kerrigan’s small hand caressed his forearm and tensed at his admission. “I can’t be in your bed every night. We’ll figure out something.” She glanced at the oversized office doors. “Do you think Brenda heard us?” she asked, horrified.

  “I don’t think Brenda heard anything. These walls are supposed to be reinforced and sound-proof.”

  She relaxed her stiff shoulders. “I sure hope so.”