Authors: Alannah Carbonneau
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Erotica, #Romantic Erotica, #Romance
He patted her thigh, dismissing her. "You can leave now."
The girl frowned, but she didn't protest as she slid off his desk and walked from the office. I waited until the door closed before moving across the office to sit in one of the white leather chairs Caleb had positioned before his desk.
"I'm sorry you caught me having breakfast," Caleb's grin didn't falter.
"You knew I was coming. You requested my presence, Caleb." I growled. My annoyance spiked.
"Yes," he shifted in the high-backed chair. "I suppose I did. But I didn't think you would oblige."
"Why not?"
"You have been...irritable as of late." He stared at me intently and I growled under my breath. "Why?"
"If you have nothing important to discuss, then I will be getting back to my office. I have work to do." I stood.
"You still want her." He stated and I froze mid-step. My blood warmed in my veins as I turned to stare intently at Caleb, daring him to speak another word. He did. "Admit it, Jace."
"Now, why would I do that?" I asked. The tone of my voice came out bitterly and I cursed internally. The last thing I needed was Caleb knowing how entirely affected I was by Olivia.
Caleb laughed. "If you want her this bad you should just take her."
"It's more complicated than that." I snapped.
"Well, I suggest you figure it out, Jace." He leaned over his desk, looking at me with challenge in his eyes. "Because, I can't take another day of your shitty ass attitude."
"Screw you." I turned and walked to the door. If I didn't get out of here soon, I would end up throwing a few painful punches at Caleb. It was not that the idea didn't appeal to me, because it did. Caleb was an ass and he deserved a good beating, but when we fought the business suffered. It just was not worth the money we would lose.
"Forget about me Jace, and screw her." Caleb taunted with laughter in his voice. "You know the only reason you can't forget about her is because you have deemed her forbidden fruit."
I let the door fall closed behind me, shutting off the rest of his spiel. I didn't want to hear it. I had already decided if I couldn't forget about her by today, I would make my move. That had not changed. I would approach her today.
And, I was going in for the kill.
"All right, Olivia," Trey shifted his weight onto his right foot as he stood by the door of my soon to be shop, looking unsure. "I'm going to head out for the night."
I nodded tiredly, pushing my hair back from my face as I tore my attention away from my laptop. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah." He opened the door and I bent my head, turning my attention to the screen. "Uh, you want to grab a bite to eat? I know an awesome Italian place just around the corner."
My stomach rumbled. I was hungry, but I didn't want Trey to get the wrong idea, if I agreed. It was already late and the ebony sky was a glowing ember ignited by the glimmer of thousands of street lamps. In my mind, New York at night was one of the most romantic settings in the world, and the last thing I needed was a boyfriend. I already had so much going on in my life, the thought of a boyfriend was just overwhelming and on top of that, I hadn't been able to stop thinking of Jace. I knew it was silly and unrealistic of me, but I wanted him. There was no reason, or logic, behind the burning desire, but none-the-less, it was there.
"I think I'm going to stay here. I have a few contracts to go over for potential distributors." I felt obligated to give an explanation. "I'm sorry."
Trey shrugged, but his eyes dimmed. "No problem. Maybe another time."
"Yeah, maybe." I forced a smile before looking down at the screen of my laptop again. It was late, but I didn't feel like I could just leave now that I told Trey I was staying to go over contracts.
With a sigh, I rubbed my forehead and focused on the words I already read through a dozen times today. This entire process was enjoyable...but at the same time, it was incredibly complex. My nerves were frayed and I was exhausted. I feared I might make a wrong decision that would in turn have devastating consequences. I had never done anything like this before and I knew with my inexperience, starting up a shop in New York might not have been my smartest move. I was well aware of the fact that I may have bitten off more than I could chew, but that was not going to stop me from trying. I had to get away from my home and New York just sounded like a great place to escape to. Everyone who walked these streets had their own baggage to concentrate on. I was sure, because of that, this was the perfect place to let me forget about mine. I knew I was running, but I hoped I could grow roots here. I hoped I could make this my home. I hoped I could find happiness here.
But, happiness always came with risks. I was smart enough to know if I didn't cross the bridge, I would never get to the other side. So, no matter how terrifying it looked, I would just have to take a deep breath and hope I didn't fall. Because not taking the first step would be a thousand times worse than falling to rock bottom.
With a grumbled sigh of defeat, I closed the screen of my laptop before shoving it into its case. I was tired and I had a date with a book, my bed and a steaming cup of white hot chocolate. The thought of much needed relaxation lit a fire under my butt and I stood from the table, reaching for my cardigan from the back of the chair. It was summer, but since I was almost always cold, I tended to carry some sort of jacket. I slid my arms into the sleeves and winced at the discomfort in my upper back. I was still just a little sore from the accident, but it was not too bad and most certainly not something I couldn't live with. When I'd got over meeting Jace, I started asking real questions about the accident...like, how much was my stay in such an elaborate room going to cost me?
I had been shocked, warmed and just a little annoyed to find Jace had paid for everything. Yes, it had been a kind gesture, but I could have paid the bill. I was not so foolish to think paying that hospital bill for a stay so long would be an easy feat, but I could have taken out a loan and paid monthly installments. I hadn't needed him to drain his bank account because of me. Not that it would have even made a dent in his account. The man was richer than God, I thought wryly.
I wanted to see him again. I had questions that were desperately in need of answers and I knew he was the only one who could give them to me. I had grilled Trisha, endlessly, about Jace. Why had he been in the hospital with me? Why was he showering in my room? Why was he so awfully brooding and, why on earth had he promised to make an appearance in my life without following through? She had responded to all of my questions with a shrug. I knew she was over the hype that was Jace...but, I was not. Not yet. I still had questions and I still wished I would see him walk into my life as though he belonged.
The front door swung open and my heart lurched as I thought of the crazies this brilliant city housed. Why hadn't I thought of locking myself in here when Trey left?
"Hello, Olivia." The deep, musical voice that sounded throughout the space soothed my suddenly wired nerves when it should have had the opposite affect. My palms were moist and my heart thundered as I stared at him in awe. I most certainly had not been expecting my next five minutes to go this way.
"Jace," I stuttered, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. "Mr. Rush."
His blue eyes glittered in the dimly lit space. The electrical work had not been completed and we were stuck with the light of an industrial lamp generated by a battery. "Jace will do."
"Oh," I swallowed as I nodded. I couldn't think of a thing to say now that he was here. Of all the questions I had run off on Trisha this past week, why were none of them surfacing now? "What are you doing here?"
He grinned as his eyes settled on mine. They were so intense, I felt as though he were stripping away layers of my very soul with just his eyes. It was uncanny, but at the same time, I didn't want him to stop looking at me. Ever. I would take the risk of him exposing my deepest pains and secrets if he just kept staring at me like that.
"I came to see you, Olivia." Jace stated as though it was obvious, but it was not. There was no reason for him to be here...and this late! It was inappropriate, I thought, before I remembered I was in New York...the city that never sleeps.
I took in a deep breath and tried to act as though his voice didn't affect my body so intimately. "Yes, but why?"
His brow raised. "I promised you when I left the hospital, I would see you again."
Oh, jeez! I was such a fool. He had never been interested in me, for goodness sakes. The sexual tension I'd been entertaining had been entirely one-sided. Maybe I should have taken Trey up on his offer of dinner. It was obvious, by the fact that I was imagining stripping for Jace this very moment I was in need of a man. But, he didn't want me. He wanted me to reimburse him the money he'd paid for my stay at the hospital...and the cruel businessman he was probably wanted interest!
I glared hard at him. "I can pay you whatever you paid the hospital, but I won't pay interest and you will have to take monthly install-,"
"What are you talking about?" Jace growled. One moment he was across the room and the next, there were only inches of space separating us. And those inches were sizzling with electrified energy. If he reached out to touch me, I was certain I would combust.
It took all of my concentration to speak. "That is why you're here? You do want me to pay you back?"
Jace ran a hand viciously through his hair as he scowled down at me and my heart lurched in my chest. He was intimidating. "No. You will not be paying me back, Olivia."
I fisted my hands and his eyes glowed with amusement. "Then, why are you here?"
"I wanted to see you."
My eyes widened. Oh God. This is what I had feared and desired most. Jace wanted to see me. Just me. "Oh,"
His brows furrowed as he shifted his stance. It was really hard to concentrate with him in the same room. His very powerful energy was raw and all consuming. My skin tingled with awareness every time he moved. I knew it was my body's way of begging silently for his touch.
"Oh?" He cocked a half-grin. "That's all you have to say?"
I shrugged, helplessly. "I don't know what else you want me to say."
His blue eyes burned. "Would you say what I wanted you to say, Olivia?"
A frown tugged the corners of my mouth at the reaction my body entertained at his words. My stomach muscles clenched and my core felt uncomfortably warm. "No, I don't suppose I would, Mr. Ru-,"
"I said to call me Jace." He growled and I nodded, abruptly halting my response.
"Jace," I whispered and he stepped closer to me. I scolded myself for my quick need to please him but was distracted by his decadent scent. He smelled...heavenly sinful. He was temptation wrapped in the finest package. God help me, I am weak against him.
"What are you doing tonight, Olivia?" His deep voice rumbled through me, ricocheting through my body, demanding an answer.
"I'm going home. I um," What was I supposed to tell him. I had a date with my cat? Seriously, he would bolt from the shop without ever looking back.
"You um?" he prodded and I blushed. Without warning, Jace lifted his hand. He pressed his knuckles against my flushed skin, swiping gently across my cheek. The action was both innocently affectionate and embarrassingly erotic. I hadn't expected such gentleness to stem from such powerful hands. "You don't know what you do to me when you blush. Your heated skin tempts me to do things you couldn't even begin to imagine. It begs for my touch."
Wow. What was a girl supposed to say to that? His confidence aroused me to an extreme and I was worried if I didn't put some space between us, I would lay down for his taking right here on the plaster dust coated floor. Oh, this was so not the girl I wanted to be...but, I couldn't fathom breaking away from his touch. He was like a drug, and I knew I would be irrefutably hooked at first taste.
"What are you doing tonight?" Jace asked again. His tone was commanding and I found myself answering as though compelled.
"I was going to go home and curl up in bed with white hot chocolate and a book." I murmured as his thumb caressed the delicate skin beneath my eye. His palm cupped my face and I couldn't help but lean into his touch. He made me feel hunted and safe at the same time. My nerves were on high alert, stimulated by his presence alone.
"You were going to go home?" He asked in astonished surprise. "To a bed and a book?"
I nodded meekly. "Don't forget the white hot chocolate."
He frowned. His thumb stilled and he dropped his hand from my face. I wanted to cry out at the broken contact, but I took to wringing my hands instead. I didn't want him to know how ridiculously desperate I was for him. I told myself for the past week I wanted nothing to do with Jace, but it was more than obvious, I had been lying to myself. I wanted everything to do with Jace.
"Is something wrong?" I asked unsurely as he studied me. His lips were tipped in a frown that marred his handsome features and his eyes were hard and sad. I couldn't begin to fathom what had upset him so quickly, but I wanted to make him feel better. I needed to make him feel better. I already missed the glitter that lived in the depths of his deep blue eyes.
"No," He shook his head. "How are you getting home?"
I felt as though I had been slapped by the sudden topic change and my face heated of its own accord. "Um, I'm walking."
Anger flashed in his eyes. "You are not walking."
"Pardon me?" I asked. I was completely taken aback. Who did he think he was to tell me what I was or was not doing?
Jace pulled a key ring from his jacket. "I'll drive you."
I shook my head. "You don't have to. I like the walk."
A shadow crossed his face, daring me to argue. "I told you once, you are not walking. This is New York. It's no place for a young woman to go gallivanting along the streets at night."
My mouth dropped. He might be able to talk this way to his other conquests...or whatever I was to him, but I would not stand for it. I don't give a shit how much money he makes. I'm not going to submit to his ridiculous whims.