Catch My Breath (7 page)

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

He stared at me with an unreadable expression, making my insides twist anxiously. At least last week I knew he was staring at me out of lust. This was unnerving.

“Did you have a nice time at your sister’s wedding?”

“Yeah, I did. How was your week?”

“Typical.” He angled his body closer. “Except for the fact that I spent most of it thinking about you.”

He’s a smooth operator, this one
.

“Did you?”

He nodded, running his knuckles along my cheek.

“Anything you want to share?”

Sliding his fingers down my arm, he skimmed them over my hip, settling on my waist. Goosebumps poked out all over my skin. I knocked back the martini like it was a shot. It went down much too easily for such a strong drink. My face was already a bit numb from the previous ones.

He scanned the room quickly before pulling me closer.

“There is a time and a place for sharing,” he said, dipping his head closer to my ear. “This is not one of them.”

A smile evaporated from his face as he backed away from me, leaving a chill in the air between us. Puzzled, I followed his frigid gaze. I saw nothing but people enjoying themselves.

“Is something wrong?”

Alastair didn’t answer right away. His constant scanning of the lounge freaked me out a little. It was too bad that the blonde server hadn’t been by to replenish my martini. I could have used another.

“Everything’s fine,” he finally said. I met his eyes and was floored by the hardness in them. Even his expression was stony.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

There was something about the clipped, almost dismissive way he responded which bugged me. I sat on the velvet stool, swiveling to face the crowd. The room wiggled a bit thanks to my fuzzy martini brain.

“I have to take care of something. I won’t be long.”

“Can it wait?” I asked, turning back to him. He slid his cell phone in his pants pocket.

“No,” he looked at me coolly, “it can’t.”

I watched him disappear down a hallway toward the hotel entrance. Shaking off an unsettled feeling, I ordered another drink and went back to sit at the table.

“Having a good time, Lia?” Darren winked at me.

“Sure.”

“Did Alastair leave?” Stephanie asked, frowning.

“No, he’s taking care of something,” I said, waving my hand.

“How many of those have you had?” She eyed the glass.

“Not nearly enough,” I muttered.

A bunch of other people had joined the table, but I ignored the conversation. I had to know what he was doing. After a beat, I stood up and went to see what the hell was happening.

The hallway was quiet and empty. A handful of administrative offices lined one side. I walked down to the door leading to the hotel and turned around. Angry, I stormed back toward the lounge.
First he’s an hour late, now he disappears. I’m all set, thanks
. Out of nowhere, Alastair appeared, all smoldering and hot. Without saying a word, he pulled me into one of the offices.

“What are you—“

“Are you involved with anyone?” he interrupted.

“This is a really bizarre time for you to be asking me that.”

“Are you?”

I clenched my fists, blood churning through my veins.

“No. Why did you walk off like that?”

“It’s not important.”

He tensed, clearly uncomfortable with my question.

“Alastair, you can’t—“

“Leave it alone, Lia.”

The cold look in his eyes shut me up immediately. A detached, passive expression blanketed his face, rendering any charm or charisma obsolete.
And this is my cue to leave, jackass.
He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk to the door.

“Get your hands off me,” I hissed.

He sucked in a breath, as though he’d woken up from a bad dream. His grip on my arm relaxed but I didn’t leave. His eyes stopped me. They were pleading, apologizing for something far greater than just grabbing me.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” he atoned. “Did I hurt you?”

The culmination of all the martinis I’d had throughout the night paraded through my bloodstream with great fanfare, systematically shutting down my sense of logic and most motor skills. My legs wobbled.

“No. I’m fine. You just took me by surprise.” My face and lips vanished, causing me to speak much slower than normal. At least it felt that way.

“You’re going to pinch those right off.”

He pulled my hand away from my mouth. I’d been tugging my lip without even realizing it.

“They’re numb. You can feel them?"

He gently traced my lips with his thumb. “Yes. I hope you’re not pissed.”

“You think I’m mad at you?” I asked.

He tilted his head, grinning.

“Not mad. Drunk. I thought you said you knew British slang?”

“I do. I just…” I answered, trailing off. I was annoyed that I couldn’t feel my face and probably sounded like a drunken idiot.
I should have just gone back to Darren’s townhouse.

“You really need to stop doing this. I can assure you, they are where they're supposed to be.”

He pulled my hand away from my mouth again.

“I can’t feel them,” I complained. “Stop laughing at me. Now I’m pissed.”

“So now you’re drunk?” He folded his arms, raising an eyebrow.

“What? No. I’m
pissed
. You know what I mean.”

Am I not making sense? Stupid alcohol.

“Oddly enough I do,” he said, stroking my cheek. “Why are you upset with me?”

“For starters, you were late. Then you were snippy with that guy at the bar. And now, this whole walking away with no explanation.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah, I guess—”

He planted a lush, wet kiss squarely on my mouth. It was quick and chaste but enough to set off a spark.

“Good. Want to get out of here?”

“This office?” A noticeable tingle buzzed through the numbness, tickling the outer edges of my lips.

“This place in general. I never liked it here.”

“And go where?”

He shrugged, grabbing my hand. Walking somewhat slower than a sloth in molasses, we made our way toward the lounge.

“You don’t like many things, do you?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you don’t like soccer, but you went to the game. And now, this place. Is there anything you do like?”

He remained quiet until we got back to the table. His only response was a quick squeeze of my hand before pulling out a chair for me to sit.

“Look what we have here,” Brent announced, capturing everyone’s attention. “The elusive Alastair Holden has graced us with his presence this evening for more than his requisite ten minutes.”

I did not like the tone of that guy’s voice. Alastair lowered himself onto the chair next to mine, never taking his eyes off him.

“Center of attention as usual, Garrison?” he responded smoothly.

“Don’t be jealous, Holden. You can’t have all the attention and all the…” he paused, glancing at me, seeming to reconsider his thoughts. “I’ll give my sister your regards when I talk to her this week. She’s looking forward to reuniting with you at your grandfather’s retirement party.”

“I didn’t know she was invited,” he said, in a menacingly calm voice.

“She’s quite excited to see you. Keeps mentioning how much it would mean to her if the two of you—”

“That’s enough, Brent.”

I could feel the anger and tension seeping out of Alastair’s pores. The room no longer had a defined horizon. Everything swayed and rolled as I let Brent’s words snake through my mind. When I looked around the table it hit me that Stephanie wasn’t there. Neither was Darren.
I have to leave. I have to get away from this.

I stood up too quickly, sending the room into a rapid spin.

“Careful,” Alastair said, rising to help steady me. “Let’s go. You okay to walk?”

“I don’t know where Stephanie is. I can’t just leave.”

“She’s over there. Come on.”

I was finally able to make out where Stephanie was standing as we got closer. She was still talking to Cassie. Her face lit up when she saw me.

“Oh my gosh, you’ll never guess,” she exclaimed.

“What?”

“Cassie is the manager of the graphic design team and wants to see some of my work.”

“That’s great, Steph.” Warmth and happiness filled me from seeing her so excited.

“Y’all look like you’re leaving. Where are you off to?”

“Just out for a drive,” Alastair answered. “No need to worry. Have Darren text me when you’re back at his flat and I’ll drop Lia off then.”

Stephanie scrutinized him. Great. She had that over-protective-friend look on her face.

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “Go find out more about this job and fill me in later.”

“Keep your phone on,” she said, raising an eyebrow, before rejoining Cassie.

A blast of chilly night air gave me a brief dose of renewed energy when we walked outside. My brain was still much too cloudy from all the martinis though. I was surprised when Alastair bypassed the valet and went straight for an idling Mercedes SUV.
What are the odds this is the one I practically fell onto last week?

I climbed in as gracefully as I could, settling into the soft, leather seat. Alastair climbed in next to me.

“Paxton, this is Lia.”

The driver turned and smiled at me.
Yep. It’s the same guy from last week.

“Nice to see you, miss. Where to Alastair?”

“The cottage, please.”

Unable to fight off the boozy fatigue, I rested my head on Alastair’s shoulder for what felt like a split second.

He nudged me gently, waking me up. “We’re here.”

I sat up, looking out the window. He got out of the car and offered me his hand. I stepped onto the ground, my heels sinking into the soft earth. It was dark and quiet, with no discernible landscape. But, oh, when I looked up. The sky was a swirl of onyx and fluorite with bright stars dancing through it. I’d never seen anything like it, not even as a child at the science museum. The dark expanse was huge, stretching far and wide. Staring at it filled me with an even greater serenity than I’d felt last night on the terrace.

“Come inside,” Alastair whispered, holding my hand. He led me toward a small, two-story thatched cottage. The dark wooden front door creaked as he opened it. Once inside, I immediately felt at home. Soft lights glowed from the end tables as Alastair walked through, flipping switches.

“Make yourself comfortable.” He pointed to one of the crimson couches. “I’m going to get you some water.”

I kicked off my heels and scrunched my toes in the plush throw rug before sitting down. I heard him moving around in the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. A few moments later he handed me the bottled water.

“Is this where you live?” I asked, watching him settle onto the couch next to me.

“No. It’s just where I come when I want to get away.”

I nodded, sipping the water. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was from all the martinis. My lips were still mysteriously among the missing though. Being in this cottage had a soothing, calming effect on me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it just felt…right.

“What are you thinking about?”

The look in his eyes made me melt. There was no veil, no hard edge, which had been there earlier. They were soft, almost gentle.

“What was all that with Brent before? Why was he being such an ass?”

“That’s just the way he is,” he said, stiffening.

“Are you dating his sister?” I pushed the words out in one rushed breath.

“No.”

He looked me dead in the eye, not flinching. His stare tore through me the same way it always did, only this time I didn’t want it to stop.

Tilting his head, he leaned closer. The parts of me that weren’t numb from alcohol shivered in anticipation. Swallowing hard, he backed away. I unclenched my hands, not even realizing I’d fisted them. He didn’t want to kiss me. I should be relieved.

Keeping my eyes downcast, I fidgeted with my dress. I felt his hand run over my shoulder and down my arm. His touch was incredible but I had to keep a level head. A one-night stand was the last thing I needed, especially after having so many drinks.

The constant touch of his skin on mine did nothing to help convince me otherwise.

“You’ve successfully lured me to your house, Holden. What do you plan to do now?”

Oh no. The alcohol speaks
.

He tilted my chin up so our mouths were just about touching. “Nothing, Amelia. Not this way.”

The logical side of my brain was satisfied with his answer. The drunk part? Not so much. Getting a handle on my breathing was difficult. The fact that he was now stroking my cheek and staring at me with such yearning made it nearly impossible.

That mouth. I wanted it on me.

I’m loaded. This isn’t smart.

“Maybe you should just take me back to Darren’s place. It’s late and I have an early—“

Pressing his mouth to mine, he stopped my rambling. I inhaled his warm breath in shock. Tangling his fingers through my hair, he pulled gently. I leaned my head back, gasping. With stormy restraint, he took advantage and slid his tongue past my lips, kissing me slowly and deeply. My mind went blank. I was lightheaded, unaware of anything but him.

Caressing his face, I ran my fingers over his cheeks and jaw. He groaned, kissing me harder, setting my blood on fire.

Abandoning my trepidations, I straddled his lap. Grasping my lower back, his fingers dug into my skin. I shoved my hands in his hair, pulling it and slanting his head so I could fully taste him. His moan was low and sexy, reverberating through me.

His body stiffened as he fisted his hand in my hair, trying to regain control. I relaxed my grip and surrendered to him.

“We have to stop,” he rasped against my lips.

“Why?”

His chest heaved and fell as he sighed. My mind and sense of logic were wrapped in a boozy blanket, obscuring any distinction between
stop-it-now
and
this-feels-good-keep-going
.

The alcohol won again. I kissed him greedily. He was too good not to. I got a rush from how he savored me with the long slow strokes of his tongue. Lust throbbed ferociously through my body. No man had ever gotten me this hot and bothered with just a kiss.