A Sticky Situation (Xcite Romance) (2 page)

Chapter Three

SALLY WAS STARVING. FOR three hours, she had chatted, charmed, served champagne, and quite possibly promised to sleep with half the male punters in return for sales with Zelcon. At last, she could slip off the heels and, as the waiter brought her starter, enjoy some much needed solitude after the chaos of the afternoon, before the evening session began in almost an hour.

Her first helping of farmhouse pate was balancing nicely on her fork, when Cameron drew out the chair opposite and, without waiting for an invitation to join her, sat down. His long legs jogged the table as he did so, causing the chutney Sally had scooped on top of the pate, to sail onto her knees with almost predictable certainty.

Biting her lips together, determined not to make a fuss and attract attention to the lump of apple chutney and pink Ardennes that was now nestled in the very centre of the napkin Sally had placed on her dress, she looked up at her uninvited companion enquiringly. ‘Yes?’

Taken aback by her bluntness, after watching her being so friendly with their potential clients, Cameron decided against pointing out the fact she had dropped her food yet again. He was more interested in stopping his groin reacting to his imagination, which was already picturing him kneeling down to lick it off Sally’s pussy. He exhaled slowly, trying not to react to Sally’s rudeness, and the fact she obviously didn’t want him to be there. If he was going to kick this fantasy thing into touch he really was going to have to do something about it.

‘I came to congratulate you.’

‘Why?’ Sally carried on eating, no longer meeting his gaze, for she found when she did, she was still visualising him in the mechanics overalls he had worn when he’d hijacked her solo sex session. She had no intension of letting him see the blush that had been on her cheeks this afternoon, every time they were at close quarters.

‘I came to say that Graham was right; you are doing a very good job. I almost can’t believe it!’

Forgetting that she was ignoring him, Sally’s head jerked up, ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, look at you!’ Cameron waved his hand lazily up and down, somehow encompassing all of her in his gesture.

‘What about me?’ Sally swallowed her mouthful and placed her fork onto the table so she couldn’t be tempted to inflict damage with it.

‘You’re always covered in some sort of stain. You walk into doorframes that have always been there, trip over steps that you pass every day. I’ve seen you swivel your chair and slip off it, and scatter no end of papers. Last week, you accidently cut me off mid phone call because the mobile you had tucked under your chin got dislodged, and you hit the end call button with your shoulder!’

‘I’m a bit clumsy; so what!’

‘A bit clumsy?’ Cameron rolled his brown eyes, ‘I have never seen you clean!’

The waitress choose that moment to come and take Cameron’s order, which he made with barely a glance at the menu, his eyes never leaving Sally’s cross petite face, taking in how cute she was with a furrowed brow, but thinking better of delivering a “you look beautiful when you’re angry” line. After all, he wasn’t feeling suicidal.

As soon as the waitress was out of eavesdropping range, Sally hissed, ‘Am I covered in stains today? Did I drop a single leaflet? Do any of the delegates that came to our table have champagne on their designer gear?’

Cameron’s eyes twinkled with something that looked dangerously as if he might have a sense of humour hidden away under his posh boy features, as he responded, ‘Take a glimpse at your lap, sweetheart.’

‘I am not your sweetheart! And the mess on my napkin was your fault anyway. I didn’t say you could join me.’ Sally felt her pulse rise as she caught a second glimpse of the mischief in his eyes, and privately cursed Carol and her erotic novel for making her associate him with anything other than being her stuck up new boss.

‘Tough, I’m here now.’

Sally, steaming quietly, turned her attention back to her starter, wishing she had only bothered with a main course, for now she was going to have to eat with almost paranoiac care while Cameron watched her every move.

The waitress returned with a plate of Thai fishcakes for Cameron, a bottle of white wine, and two glasses. Pouring Sally a glassful, Cameron deposited it in front of her plate. His tone calmer, he said, ‘I was just trying to congratulate you. It’s only halfway through day one, and yet you have already secured Zelcon two new clients. I’m sorry if I offended you.’

Cameron apologising was such a shock, that Sally glossed over it, snapping back at him, ‘It’s what I do! Marketing – remember?’

‘Oh drink some wine and calm down.’

Aware she was sounding rather like a sulky child, but somehow unable to stop herself, Sally replied, ‘I’m working. I don’t drink when I work.’

‘For goodness sake, woman, I was trying to be nice.’

‘Hard work for you obviously!’

Cameron picked up his own glass and slugged back the contents, banging it back on the table, making Sally jump and the glass of water she had been holding fly from her hand, and fall all over her dress.

Words formed on Sally’s lips, but she was too cross to even begin to utter them. Lifting up her food-spattered napkin, and placing it on the table with exaggerated care, she got up. Flapping away the waitress who had rushed to her aid, asking if she should keep her food warm until her return, Sally stalked from the restaurant with a departing glare at her boss.

Heels crashing against the wooden floor as she dashed towards the lift and the safety of her room, Sally clasped her top to hide the wet T-shirt look, which was noticeably displaying her soaking bra as it adhered to the fabric of her thin dress. Not to mention her nipples beneath, which the coldness of the iced water had seen fit to stiffen.

Sally was just stepping into the lift, when Cameron ran in behind her, startling her for a second time. ‘Will you leave me alone!’ She tried to push him back out of the door, but it was already closing, and Sally was stuck with him for the journey to the fourth floor.

‘I didn’t mean to make you jump. How bloody sensitive are you! You knew I was there; I only banged my glass ‘cause you made me cross!’

Very aware that Cameron’s eye line was level with the water stain, which meant, he was staring directly at her chest, which wasn’t helping lessen the hardness in her nipples any, Sally wrapped her arms around herself even tighter. Taking a step backwards, she wished the lift was larger. ‘If that was you trying to say sorry, then apology accepted. Now go back to your dinner and leave me in peace so I can find a new outfit.’

Cameron sighed. ‘I feel responsible, let me help.’

‘You are responsible!’ Sally threw her arms up in exasperation, before remembering why they had been so fixedly held across her, and re-shielded herself. Not before Cameron had caught a glimpse of the outline of her succulent breasts, causing his dick to stir in a way that was now becoming increasingly frequent in his assistant’s presence.

As the lift came to a halt, Sally stuck one foot out of the door, holding it open. ‘Go and have your dinner, and keep out of my way.’ Then she punched the button that sent the lift back to the ground floor, and shot off before Cameron could follow her.

This was getting ridiculous. Cameron’s pulse was drumming in his neck as if he’d run a marathon; and all he’d done was stand in a confined space with a woman who, against all sanity, he couldn’t stop thinking about. She hates me. He hadn’t cared. He truly hadn’t given a monkey’s what the other office staff thought of him; and Sally was just one of them. The cute girl in the corner he’d imagined getting drunk enough for him to take advantage of at the work Christmas party. He hadn’t expected to feel like this; to actually mind what she thought of him.

It was watching Sally being so professional with their potential customers, seeing her dazzling smile being aimed at everyone else but him that had done it. For him, she reserved her scowls; and boy could she scowl. His cock quivered inside his boxers again, and he slapped his hand to his head. ‘You’re a professional damn it – get a grip!’ Cameron spoke to the empty lift, deciding that he wasn’t going back to the gawping faces of the other diners in the restaurant, and headed to his room on the second floor instead.

Scoffing a packet of peanuts from the mini-bar, he called Reception, explained what had happened, and asked them to have room service bring him his meal, and arranged for Miss Sally Briers to have her food delivered as well.

‘No problem, sir, I’ll arrange all that straightaway.’

‘That’s great, thank you.’ Cameron was about to hang up, when he added, ‘Could you come to my room first? It’ll give Miss Briers a little longer to clean up.’

‘Certainly. We’ll be with you as soon as possible.’

Satisfied, Cameron peeled a piece of paper from the hotel’s complimentary notepad, took his Parker pen from the inside pocket of his grey jacket, and began to write.

Sally seethed when there was a knock at her bedroom door, convinced it would be Cameron again, until she remembered that he didn’t know her room number. Pulling her bathrobe firmly around herself, she opened the door just an inch.

‘Room service, Miss Briers. Your dinner.’

‘Oh, um, thank you.’ Sally opened the door wider, and let the young man in with her meal. The tray held the remains of her starter, her steak and chips, and even her untouched glass of wine.

She was stunned. Who could have arranged this? It surely couldn’t have been Cameron’s idea? He’d need surgery before he was that kind. Deciding it must have been the waitress’s idea, Sally gratefully began to eat.

It wasn’t until she picked up the wine glass, which she felt perfectly able to drink now that Cameron wasn’t observing her, that her gaze strayed around the room, and she noticed the folded up piece of paper that had been slid under the door. ‘Oh, that’s just great! Nice one, Cameron.’ Assuming it was a room service bill, Sally cursed her colleague for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He knew that extras would not be paid for by Zelcon, and, unlike him, she wasn’t made of money!

She almost didn’t read it, but thinking she’d better see how much she’d owe at the end of her stay, she opened the note.

Sally,

You looked amazing today.

I’d like to buy you a drink some time?

Knocking back the remains of the wine, forgetting her, not-drinking-too-much-and-working policy, Sally re-read the note, her heart racing. She got up and dashed to the door, but on opening it, all she was greeted with was an empty corridor, not a potential postman. She read it again; but as it wasn’t signed, and she didn’t recognise the handwriting, she didn’t have a clue who it was from, especially as she hadn’t told anyone her room number. Torn between being excited and nervous at the note’s implications, Sally returned to her meal. There was no way it was from Cameron, even if she’d been wrong and the meal to her room was his idea.

Deciding she’d call Carol, if she had time between eating, dressing, and getting back to the trade stand for the evening session, Sally wondered how her friend would take the doubly shocking news that Cameron bloody James might have actually attempted to be nice, and that she had a secret admirer!

Chapter Four

CAROL’S THEORY ABOUT THE provenance of the note was not what Sally had been expecting.

‘It’s from Cameron. Obviously! I mean who else do you know there?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Cameron can’t stand me – and the feeling is entirely mutual.’

Carol laughed, ‘It’s all a bit Mills and Boon, isn’t it. You know, handsome but arrogant new boss; pretty marketing manageress. Hate at first sight and all that. It probably means you have a happily ever after situation on your hands. He did arrange for you to get your dinner, even though he’d set off one of your “sticky” food disasters.’

Sally couldn’t help but laugh back; somehow Carol always made her feel better. ‘I told you, I don’t think it was him, I think it was the waitress, and he’ll probably just take the credit.’

Her best friend exhaled theatrically. ‘Sal, you aren’t exactly getting anywhere with the hot plumbers you go for, and heaven knows there can’t be an odd job man in the entire county you haven’t checked out! Why not branch out a bit? Give Cameron a break. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has the hots for you. You did say he followed you to the lift to say sorry.’

‘Well, yes he did, but the more I think about it, the more I’m sure he probably just wanted to stare at my tits. Thanks to his dousing, they were unmissable through my dress.’

‘I should think he did! You have fab tits. Wish mine were as big.’

Shocked, Sally said, ‘Honestly, Carol!’

‘Well I do! You really have no idea how gorgeous you are.’ Sally could hear a growing crescendo of voices in the background, as Carol continued, ‘Look, I have to go, honey. The kids are embarking on World War Three, I’m knackered, and some of us have real work to go to in the morning.’

‘Oh ha ha!’ Sally stood up, fishing into her meagre wardrobe for a dry dress, clutching her mobile to her ear. ‘I’ll let you go and sort out your tribe then.’

‘Just promise you’ll cut him a bit of slack. And don’t forget to tell me what happens next.’

‘Nothing is going to “happen next”, except perhaps, I pour water all over him “by accident” to see how he likes it!’

Laughing again, Sally could virtually feel the warmth of Carol’s smile down the phone line. ‘Ever the professional Miss Briers. Now shoo – I have to go and bribe my children so they’ll go to bed before 9 o’clock, so I can watch Sex in the City in peace; preferably with a large glass of red.’

As the shower burnt its jet of water into his head and shoulders, Cameron scrubbed his body furiously with soap, trying to wash away all thoughts of Sally. It had been years since he’d let a woman get to him like this. What worried him most was that he didn’t just want to sleep with her. He actually wanted her to like him. This was new territory for Cameron James. As he stood there, beneath the steaming deluge, he couldn’t stop himself from envisaging exactly what he’d like to do with her.

He saw her bent at the end of his bed, waiting for him to kiss her firm arse.

He visualised her lying on her back, her legs wide open. Sally beaming up at him as he lowered himself onto her; her chest swollen and her nipples hard as he ate them, his thick cock sinking into her moist channel.

Cameron could almost taste her as he felt his dick go rigid where he stood, droplets of water cascading off it as, with eyes firmly closed, her saw his mouth coming to Sally’s indescribably soft mound. In his mind he drank from her, the heated water of the shower combining with her liquid, sending shockwaves of pleasure through them both as she tangled her fingers in his hair. Sally was moaning quietly, one hand leaving his head as she squeezed herself, playing her own fingertips across her beautiful almond tinted nipples.

Steadying one hand on the cubicle wall, Cameron’s fist came to his erection as his thoughts became more graphic, more urgent. He pumped slowly at first, as he saw Sally crouched next to him, the light pressure of her small palms pushing him to his feet so she could wrap her lips around his shaft. At first, she’d simply lick the tip enquiringly, as though she was trying a new flavoured ice cream for the very first time. Then, she’d speed up, lapping him with extended strokes, punctuating each move with a kiss to his balls; her nails discovering each inch of his hips and thighs.

Cameron’s whole frame shuddered, his wrist moving faster and faster along his length, the water almost forgotten as it pounded into his bent neck and ran down his back. Nothing mattered but the images in his head and the action of his hand. Sally had engulfed his cock in her mouth now. Sucking and teasing him out, almost stretching his pole, she was drawing him into her, until he was securely within her throat.

He could feel his orgasm rising, his brain flashing with differing shots of Sally as he wanked, of her lips at his dick, of his face between her legs, or her wet dress, clinging to the outline of her curves so temptingly, of how he’d marvelled at his ability not to grab her in the lift and tell her she was driving him nuts, and that he was a nice guy really. Of him slurping fallen food from her neck, of kissing her mouth, her breasts, her thighs; his hands everywhere as he stared into her beautiful emerald eyes.

As spunk spattered against the side of the shower unit’s tiles, Cameron’s eyes flew back open, his chest letting out a pent up exhalation of air via a guttural groan through his throat. ‘Enough,’ he panted into the small rectangular space. ‘Time to stop dreaming and actually do something about this!’

Freshly attired in a fitting black knee-length dress, the only other work outfit she’d brought with her, Sally had poured her sixth glass of champagne, and passed it to the milling delegates by the time Cameron reappeared. Her perfect poise wavered as she thought about the note she’d received, and her conversation with Carol. He couldn’t really fancy me, could he?

Sally hoped that Cameron hadn’t seen her slop a trickle of alcohol over the wrist of the gentleman before her. Thankfully the delegate in question simply smiled, his brilliant blue eyes laughing kindly as Sally flirted her way out of her carelessness, mopping up the liquid from him, and taking the opportunity of having his full attention to talk about the services Zelcon could offer the university he worked for.

As they spoke, Sally began to wonder if she’d seen him before. He seemed vaguely familiar. His voice was creamily smooth, and Sally detected a hint of Irish brogue. She had always had a bit of a thing for the Irish. Suddenly spilling his drink didn’t seem to have been such a bad thing, after all, when he abruptly stopped talking business.

‘Feel free to shoot me down in flames, and I know it’s a bit cliché, this being a business conference and everything, but I couldn’t buy you a drink later, could I?’

Sally could feel the blush on her cheeks rise. Craning her neck, to take in his height, she began to wonder if this was the bearer of the note. She hoped so. His thickset rugged features were almost her text book type; this guy could easily carry off dirty overalls and manual labour. Just the sound of his voice was doing things to her as his sapphire stare twinkled in her direction; squashing the vision that flashed at the back of her head of Cameron bedecked in dirty clothes when he’d intruded on her private fantasies earlier that day. Grateful she had her heels on, or he’d have dwarfed her even more than Cameron did, she accepted, ‘I’d love to. Thanks, um ...’

‘David. David Riley.’ He presented his hand for her to shake, which she did with a shy giggle.

‘Sally. Sally Briers.’

‘I know. It’s on your name badge.’

She flushed an even brighter pink. ‘Yes, of course. Sorry.’

‘No need to be sorry. I knew your name anyway. You were here last year. I was neck deep in running the conference so I didn’t have the chance to talk to you then. I hoped you’d be here again. I even asked at Reception to make sure you would be.’

Flabbergasted that anyone would remember her, and flattered that she’d been sought out by someone so handsome, Sally stuttered, ‘I can see you in the bar for a drink when I’m done if you like. I might finish quite late though.’

‘That’s great. I’ll see you later.’ David extracted one of the many leaflets from her clenched hand, and stepped away, giving her one more flash of his devastating smile as he went.

Staring into space for a moment, Sally’s heart thudded in her ribcage. It must have been him who sent the note, and asked room service to deliver it. After all, he’d already asked about her at Reception, and she was quite sure they’d never give out her room details without asking permission first. Maybe she’d go and ask the receptionist who the note had come from, and find out for sure. Although the chances of her having two admirers, she had to admit, were remote. Sally had never had much luck with men. They got on just fine until she spilled a drink down them, covered herself in some food or other; or in one best forgotten incident, knocked into a candle in a really posh restaurant, and set the table cloth on fire. The curse of her clumsiness always used to make people smile when she was young. Now it was turning into a major relationship hurdle.

David was back talking to his colleagues near the neighbouring stand when Cameron loomed up behind Sally, ‘I bet he’s telling them about you now. Laughing that he’s managed to score with the gullible woman on the Zelcon stand.’

‘How dare you!’ Sally spoke quietly so the customers didn’t hear, but her tone was clear, ‘You don’t even know him!’

Cameron bit off each word as he spoke, stung that he obviously wasn’t going to be thanked for arranging her dinner to be brought to her room, ‘I do actually, but that’s not important now. What is important, is that right now you are at work, not speed dating!’

Annoyed that on this occasion Cameron was right, Sally swallowed the retort that had formed on the tip of her tongue. Glaring at him instead, regretting her temporary feeling of warmth towards her boss, deciding it could not possibly have been his idea to arrange for her dinner to arrive in her room, and entirely dismissing Carol’s “secret-crush” theory, Sally squared her shoulders and headed back to work.

Cameron cursed. He hadn’t intended his first sentence to come out like that. He had meant to tell her how nice she looked, and how pleased Graham was with them both in the email he’d just sent him, informing Cameron they’d already got new orders based on work from that afternoon’s trade stand. Now he had an even bigger mountain to climb before Sally would even talk to him again, let alone begin to like him.

He hid the sigh that climbed up his throat, and wondered what he should do about David Riley. Unsure if he should tell Sally or not. The chances were she’d never believe him anyway. On the other hand, the idea of Sally spending time alone in the company of David Riley made his flesh creep. The guy had so many marks on his hotel bedposts that the staff probably thought the bed had woodworm. Cameron would have laid bets on him having used his famous “I saw you here last year” line. He had to think fast. No way did he want Sally alone with that man. It had been bad enough seeing her giggling away like a child with David as she wiped the champagne from his sleeve. Of all the people for Sally to be serving when her clumsiness struck, why did it have to be Riley?

Cameron glanced at his watch, it was already gone nine. They weren’t likely to be required for more than another hour; whatever he was going to do to stop Sally seeing David, he would have to do it soon. The problem was that Cameron was sure whatever he did would make Sally think even less of him, rather than more.

Outwardly, both Sally and Cameron worked as an excellent team. They moved around their stand, communicating without really speaking as they chatted and advised their potential customers. When one didn’t know an answer to a question, the other did, and when one noticed the champagne was running low, it was only to find that the other had already seen the situation, and was arranging for more bottles to be iced and ready.

Sally couldn’t help but wish they could operate so well privately; but there was no point in wishing. He’d made it perfectly clear her clumsy nature drove him mad, and that he resented the fact she was so good at her job in spite of it.

Other traders were beginning to close up for the night, and as Sally began to tidy up a pile of prospectuses, she spotted David. He was propped at the bar, at the far end of the hall in which they stood. Drink in hand, he was leaning in close to a tall dark woman, who was playing with her hair as they spoke.

‘He’s a letch, Sally.’ Cameron spoke softly, without a hint of accusation. ‘I know you have no reason or desire to believe me, but the man is notorious.’

Sally bristled, but kept her eyes on David as she replied, too tired for another argument, ‘He’s just talking to her. At least half the people here are women, for goodness sake.’

‘Have it your way, but he’s trouble.’ Cameron walked behind the stand and began to clear up, ‘I just felt I should warn you. That’s all.’

Sally glanced at Cameron as he began to knock together piles of paper, surprised by how genuinely concerned he’d sounded. Carol’s words echoed in her head, “Give him a break honey. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has the hots for you.” No. That was ridiculous. He just didn’t like David. Maybe he’d lost a girl to him in the past. The scientific world was small, and if Carol had understood Graham’s secretary correctly, Cameron had been a scientist himself once upon a time.

Deciding against commenting, Sally went to help him tidy up their stand. Everything needed boxing up and taping closed, so it could be stored safely for the following afternoon’s session.

Although it hadn’t taken long for everything to be stowed beneath the stand, they were still the last traders to be ready to head to the bar. Sally didn’t mind though, for that probably mean that Zelcon had had a more successful day than anyone else.

‘All the champagne’s gone.’ Cameron picked up the empties and headed to the store cupboard at the back of the room, which had been put at the trader’s disposal for the week. That just left the two ice buckets, which, now that the majority of the contents had turned to water, sloshed a little as Sally gingerly poured the contents of one into the other, with no more than minimal splash back, and stacked one bucket into the other. Carrying them with extreme care, she headed to the cupboard.