Chosen Heart (37 page)

“Boring no, V.P. yes.  It
doesn’t appear that you and Mr. James are too keen on each other.  What’s
that about?”  Hopefully Oliver isn’t so tight lipped, because I doubt Alex
would tell me, even if I asked.

“Alex is too political, takes
things too seriously.  I, on the other hand, enjoy myself and make the
most of my time, which would include spending time with beautiful women, such
as yourself.” 

I blush again.  Man he’s cheesy,
isn’t he?  But, I’m a girl, and girls definitely like cheese.  The
horn sounds again and I realize Oliver is still holding my hand.  “Hey,
Barney!”

“Yah yah, I’ll go to table four
for you, Ollie.”

“Thanks man!”  Because I know
he isn’t meaning any harm, this time I don’t try and pry my hand away when he
squeezes it, reassuring me he isn’t going anywhere.  But, as I glance over
at Alex, I see him eyeing me suspiciously.  A knot builds in my
throat. 
This is going to get awkward, real fast. 
I’m
enjoying Oliver’s company, but he’s going to cause Alex to have a coronary by
the look on his face.  And, here I was getting jealous over Ms. Pancakes,
when I’m allowing Oliver to flirt with me. 
Not cool, Ely, not cool.

“Still not moving?” I question.

“Nah, no need!  I know
pretty much everyone here already.  Besides, you’re brand spanking
new.  So shiny, you need breaking in.”

“Well, I think you’re going to
make the facilitator angry by not following the rules.  Plus there’s a shiny
red head at table five who appears to be dying for you to pay her some
attention.”  Oliver slyly looks over, just as the red head quickly looks
away, trying to hide her interests, and failing.

“I’m not really into red
heads.  I prefer brunettes,” he states, matter-of-factly.

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to
disappoint your fans.  Besides, I’m here to actually do business, unlike
some of us who seem to not have a care in the world.” 

“How about you make an honest man
out of me then?  Teach me a lesson.  Here, you can tie me up.” 
Oliver releases my hand and crosses his wrists, showing a gesture of
binding. 
He’s a little too cocky!

“Something tells me you are
untamable.  I’m sure many women have tried and I’m sure they failed
miserably.  Something tells me that you require a lot of attention,
probably more than one woman could ever give you.”

Appearing wounded, Oliver brings
his hands up to his chest.  “Ouch, do I appear that self-absorbed?” 
I nod.  “Well, would you like me to share my observations?”

Crossing my arms, I sit back
waiting for him to dazzle me with his wit.  “Well, you’re smart and
beautiful, confident but not cocky.  You take pride in your work and your
sweet, but you don’t take shit from anybody.  It’s actually a breath of fresh
air.”

“What is?”  I blush at his
long list of compliments.

“That you aren’t like most
women.  You must be my kryptonite.” 
Of course he would reference
a super hero.

“The point of this exercise is to
meet and greet
everyone
, not to get fixated.”  I jump as Alex’s voice
comes from behind me. 
Crap!  He needs to stop doing that. 
Shit!  How long has he been standing there?!

“How can you
not
get
fixated on such a lovely creature, James?”  Oliver continues to sit,
staring Alex down. 
Thank God he let my hand go before Alex came
over. 
I cringe at the thought of another confrontation. 

“Luckily, there are rules to this
little exercise.  Move along, Prescott!  I’m sure there are plenty of
your
women here.  Go and find one of them to harass,” Alex says
sternly.

“One of my women, eh?  Well
from what I’ve learned about our little Elyssa here, she’s turning out to be a
pleasant surprise and might be just what I was looking for.  Plus, you
know I’ve never been one to follow the rules,
Alex
.  But, I
wouldn’t want to get Ms. Elyssa here in trouble.” 

Suddenly, Oliver reaches over
grabbing my right hand.  Bringing it up to his lips, he places a brief
kiss on my knuckles.  I heat knowing that Alex is standing behind me.

“Before I go, Elyssa, I wanted to
ask you if you’d join me for a drink tonight,” Oliver inquires, sweetly. 

Crap!  Crap! 
Crap! 
I
have to play it cool.  I need to let Oliver down gently, not that his ego
would be affected by my mere relationship status.  But this is my chance
to show Alex that I’m still taken as far as I’m concerned.  “Sorry, but my
boyfriend wouldn’t approve of me having a drink with a random guy.” 
I
hope that suffices, Alex.
  I look up at him, but he gives nothing
away.

“I’m not some random guy. 
Remember, I was your first,” he chuckles.  Alex, of course, doesn’t find
humor in his little quip, clearing his throat loudly.  A little too loud.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m
taken in every way imaginable,” I push politely, hoping he gets the hint. 
Maybe in another life, I would have gone for Oliver.  But, having Alex is
the most important thing and I’m not about to ruin it over him.

“Alright, alright, I get
it.  Your boyfriend’s a lucky guy and he must really trust you. 
Letting you come hundreds of miles to San Diego where there are so many sharks
around,” he stands, elaborating each syllable, as he eyes Alex.

“Elyssa….James.”  Oliver
nods in our direction as he stands and ventures towards table four. 

Not wasting another moment and
presumably not ever leaving my side, Alex quickly sits in the vacated
seat.  When the horn is blown again, signaling for the blues to move, he
eyes my facial expression closely, but doesn’t budge or say a word. 
Without any further interferences the rest of the meet and greet goes
smoothly.  Well, as smoothly as one can imagine when both of us are
sitting in awkward silence. 

After another twenty minutes or
so, Ms. Plum’s eager voice announces our morning break and without hesitation,
everyone vacates the room.  I stand, needing to use the restroom. 
Alex, on the other hand, had another idea.  Gently grabbing my elbow, he
leads me out and down the hall.

Once out of ears length, he
explodes, “What in the hell was that all about?”  He’s been marinating in
his anger for the past twenty minutes and it shows, not only in his tone, but
in his distorted face.

I know he’s talking about Oliver,
but that wasn’t my fault.  Is he really going to get mad at me for
something I couldn’t control?  I thought I handled Oliver quite
well. 
I guess Alex thought otherwise.
  “What are you talking
about, Alex?”  

“That shit with Oliver!” he
explains through gritted teeth.

“What about it?  He was
flirtatious but I had it under control.  I do know how to handle myself
around other men.”

“Seems he had you handled. 
You were flirting with him and he was holding your fucking hand.” 
It
was just for a second…wasn’t it?

“Are you serious?  What was
I supposed to do, pull my hand back?  He didn’t know I was taken, but now
he does.  Besides, I could say the same about you and Ms. Pancakes!”

“Ms. Pancakes?” he questions, and
for a second I realize he has no clue what I’m talking about. 
Was that
all in my head?  No…no, it wasn’t!

“You and the brunette who made
your
pancakes
this morning seemed awfully chummy.  You were talking
to her for the longest, all smiles and giggling.”  My mocking tone doesn’t
help the situation any, but I refuse to take the brunt of his anger when this
door swings both ways. 

He laughs.  “Well if you
must know, I asked Ms. Pancakes where I could take my
girlfriend
for a
nice dinner with a view of the ocean.  She gave me a great idea and the
thought of surprising you made me happy.”

My icy stare defrosts as warmth
builds inside me. 
He said girlfriend. 
It takes everything that
I have not to lunge myself at him and wrap my arms around his neck. 
Instead, I fidget with my ring, keeping my fingers busy.  “So, I’m still
your girlfriend?”  I look up at Alex through my long lashes, biting my lip
in uncertainty.

“You are still taken in every way
imaginable, right?” he reaches up, but stops before touching me, bringing his
hand back to his side.

“Yes,” I nod.  “Does this
mean you forgive me?”  A large smile spreads across my lips.  The
realization that we are working towards an amiable reunion puts me at ease.

“This means I’m finally ready to
talk.  But, we have to get through the rest of the day.  Please do me
a favor and try to fend off any unwanted attention.  I really don’t want
to get into any more fights.”  He pauses.  “Then again, I would love
to lay Oliver flat on his ass.”

“No more fighting please,” I
pout. 

I beam at him as we walk down the
hallway.  Leaving me at the restrooms, Alex waits for me before we walk
back into the conference.  With a renewed sense of happiness, the rest of
the day seems like nothing can bring us down.

With his jacket draped over his
shoulder, Alex smirks as he leans against the wall waiting for the elevator to
arrive.  I’m ecstatic over our new beginning this morning.  But, even
though he still wants to be with me, he also said he wants to talk. 
Talks
aren’t usually a good sign. 
Trying to keep my good mood, I begin to
rock from my toes to the balls of my feet as I stare at the numbers above the
elevator. 

Peering over at me, he asks,
“What floor are you on?”

“Fifteenth,” I smile back at him,
hoping that we’re on the same floor.  But, that would be too easy. 

Disappointment touches Alex’s
face, explaining that he’s on the seventeenth floor.  Pursing his lips, a
slow grin spreads across his lips as our eyes meet, “I guess it doesn’t
matter.  I don’t expect you to spend much time in your room
anyways.”  Biting my bottom lip, it’s getting harder and harder to
suppress the urge to reach out...and touch him.  It might be dangerous to
be so close to him right now, alone, in such a closed confined space. 
Especially when he says things like that; words that speak directly to every
part of my flushed body. 

The car arrives and we both step
in.  Pushing the button for the fifteenth floor several times, I grow
impatient waiting for the doors to close. 
Close damn it!
 
Looking over at Alex, he’s always so calm and in control of his desires. 
I, of course, look like the sex crazed freak who’s ten seconds away from
pushing him against the elevator wall and wrapping my legs around his
waist. 

“Impatient?” he muses, as I
blush.  I nod, biting my lip playfully.  If only he knew what I’d
like to do to him right now.   I’ve never craved anyone before, but
my hands are eager to run my fingers along the curvature of his chest and
biceps, to trace his sex lines and explore him thoroughly. 

But, just like clockwork, my
impure thoughts are interrupted by shouting from the distance. 
Why do
we always have bad timing?!
  “Hold the elevator,” a familiar voice yells
from the lobby.  Alex places his hand in the way of the door. 
Instantly, he regrets the favor as Oliver comes bounding in. 
Really,
not even one moment alone with him?

“Hey, thanks James,” he taunts,
sardonically.  Immediately, his attention turns to me, a seductive smile
creeping across his lips.  “Hello again, Elyssa.”  Oliver nods in my
direction as he takes me in.  I’m sure Alex wishes that I’d put my jacket
back on.  Hell, I wish I would put it on.  The plunging neckline and
lacy material of my shirt gives Oliver the perfect view of my goodies and he’s
not shy about his appreciation.  “I guess it was fate that we ended up in
the same elevator.  I think the Gods are telling us something.”  A
small giggle escapes my lips as I shake my head at him.  I’ve never met
anyone so unrelenting before, especially since he knows I’m taken. 

“What floor are you on?” I sigh,
placing my finger near the numbers.  I need to get him on his way. 
My fingers feel antsy as I wait for his answer.  Anymore inappropriate
comments from him and I’m almost positive Alex would reach over and snap his
neck.  Something tells me that Oliver would give Alex a run for his money;
nothing like the ass whooping Alex gave Cole.

“Fifteenth floor.”  Oliver’s
eyes search the already lit up buttons, and with a wolfish grin spreading
across his lips, he continues.  “Now, If I had to guess, I’d go with the
V.P. on the seventeenth, which leaves you on my floor,” he winks at me as he
leans against the elevator wall. 
Does he get any cheesier?

I bite my lip as I avoid looking
in his direction.  I have so much on my plate with Alex already; Oliver is
only making it worse.  Just as I’m about to admit which floor I’m on, Alex
chimes in.

“Guess it’s not your day
Prescott, cause it looks like you and I are sharing a floor.”  I suppress
a smile as I bite the inside of my cheek.  Alex doesn’t handle jealously
well, but he’s doing a remarkable job of keeping Oliver at a distance, without
using his fists to make his point.  Disappointed, Oliver pouts as he turns
to face the elevator door, leaving me to sneak my room key to Alex. 
Palming the card in my hand, I reach out as his fingers brush against my
wrist.  We exchange cards, my eyes closing at his heated touch.