Operation Foreplay (7 page)

“No idea. No card. I found it in my desk.”

Raising his eyebrow, he gave me the look. The look that said I wasn’t facing facts. He put the box down and shoved his hands in the pockets of his slim-fit khakis. Tilting his head, he looked at me and sighed. “You know who this is from. Probably from the same person who sent you a dozen red roses.”

Taking the card from the bouquet, he read it out loud.

M~ I am so sorry. I was wrong to blow you off. Please accept my apology. ~Z

“Why would he buy me jewelry?” I chewed on my nail until the polish chipped away.

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” He eyed the watch I wore every day.

I flopped down in the armchair next to the window and looked at the cars below. My fingers reached for the diamond-studded watch I always wore. It was the first gift Zachary had ever given me.

“Did you even open it?”

“No. Not yet.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t know. You open it.”

“Since when did you become such a pussy?” Berk laughed.

“Every now and then. You should have seen the ridiculous tantrum I pulled for some guitar player named Nick. Care and Sarah call him Nick the Dick.”

“Well, I am sure he was an interesting guy. With a nickname like that, how could he not be? Come on, put on your big girl panties and open the damn box.”

“I forgot them at home.”

“Then you can borrow mine.”

“I’d rather go commando.”

“Of course you would.”

Berk picked the box back up and walked over to be before dropping it in my lap and pulling my thumbnail from my mouth. “You’re going to ruin your manicure. It wouldn’t do for you to make this messy. Open it. Then return it.”

“I guess.” I pulled the white ribbon, letting it fall to the floor, and lifted the lid of the box. “Wow.”

“What is it?” Berk moved behind me and looked at the necklace over my shoulder. “Holy crap. Either this guy spends money like it’s his business—”

“It is his business.”

He waved off my interruption. “Or he’s got it bad for you, girl!”

I lifted the dainty chain from the box and held the diamond-encrusted musical note in the palm of my hand.

“There’s a note!” Berk snatched it and read it out loud.
“For my Melody. ~Z”

“I can’t keep this!”

“Then give it back.” He picked up the box and held it out so I could drop the necklace back in.

“I don’t want to.” Cupping my hands over the pendant, I pulled my hands in close.

“Then keep it.” Berk dropped the box back into my lap and walked over to the window and lifted the shades. “You really do have a great view.”

“He’s married.” I chewed my lip and stared at the gift.

“Almost divorced,” he said over his shoulder, “as you keep telling us.”

“I guess.”

“Sweets, I have to run. I get a narb every time I walk in this place.” He adjusted his crotch. Very un-Berk-like.

“A narb?” I raised my eyebrows at him.

“A no apparent reason boner.”

“You sound like a frat boy.”

“Don’t tell David.” He winked.

“Ahh. Understood. I told you, anytime you want to give notice at Blackwell and Dardston, you have a job here. Even if I have to make one up for you.”

“That’s because you love me. I’ll keep that in mind.” He checked his watch. “Really have to go. Meeting David for dinner and I’d rather not walk in with a semi in my pants.”

“Yeah? At least your semi is bigger than the hardened disappointment from last guy I banged.” I stood and placed the necklace back in the box. “Gonna tell him to shove his superiority up his ass?”

“We’ll see. I’m just going to tell him I expect an apology and if he can’t take me for who I am, then that’s it.”

“I hope it works out for you, sweetie.” I kissed him on the cheek. “Drinks tomorrow?”

“Yes, it’s a must. Murphy’s. Seven o’clock. Good luck at your meeting and good luck with the necklace.”

Berk left the office and closed the door behind him. Checking the clock I saw I had fifteen minutes before the meeting started. I knew I made the right decision by keeping on my suit. The suit gave me lady balls and I was going to need them if I was going to return Zac’s gift.

It was six on the dot when I entered the conference room but there was no one there. Standing at the far end of the large conference table, I was scrolling through the e-mails on my phone to be sure I had the right place and time when Zac walked in.

For a moment, I lost my mind. Wearing dark jeans, he folded up the sleeves of an untucked crisp, white button-down as he approached me with his signature smirk. His dark eyes blazed in the dim light and his hair was damp, which told me he’d just come from the gym shower. The scent of his coconut shampoo wafted toward me as he walked in. It was my favorite smell in the world. A warm heat spread through my center and I thought I’d climax from sheer proximity. I had to take a step back and shake him out of my head.

“Where is everyone?”

“Nice to see you, too. A whole week of avoiding me and all I get is a ‘Where is everyone?’ That’s
not
my usual greeting.” Instead of stepping toward me, he sat in one of the leather chairs that surrounded the large oak table and crossed his ankle over his knee. His stare unnerved me. It usually did.

“Well, that’s not something we should be discussing on company time.” I pulled out my leather portfolio and placed it on the table. Anything to distract me from actually looking at him.

“Oh, right. Company time.” I felt like his voice turned to silk and caressed my body. I knew my knees would buckle if I didn’t find myself a seat.

I walked around the chair and took up my spot as far from him as I could. I needed space. Distance. I was losing my resolve quickly.

“Did you get the flowers I sent you?”

“Yes. Thank you, they are beautiful. You really didn’t have to.” I rifled through my briefcase and busied myself with organizing paperwork and legal pads.

“I don’t have to do a lot of things. Are you nervous?”

“What?” I sat up straight. He was resting his chin on his hand with his finger curled around his lips. The lips that tasted like cherry lip balm. With the world at his disposal, he relied on something as mundane as drugstore-variety cherry-flavored balm to keep his lips smooth.

Moist.

I was sure if I checked his left pocket, I’d find it.

The sound of my phone hitting the floor echoed in the quiet space.

“Where is everyone else? I thought there was a meeting?”

“There is and by my count, the gang’s all here.”

“But I thought—”

“Well, my dear Melody, I had to come up with some way to get you to talk to me. You won’t take my calls, you won’t come to my office when I ask you to. You always send your assistant, Julie—”

“Jenny.”

“What?”

“Her name is Jenny.”

He waved away my response. “Right. Well, as I was saying, I did what I had to in order to get face time with you. You’re lucky I like you. Others may have seen your behavior over the past week as insubordination.”

His words hit me like a brick wall. “Insubordination! How dare—”

“Relax. It was a joke.”

“You never were very funny.” I was losing the battle. I white knuckled the arms of the chair and crossed my ankles to force myself from getting up and walking over to him.

“Maybe not. But you don’t really want me for my comedic talent, now do you?”

“You’re arrogant.” I pretended to be uninterested and examined my chipped manicure, hoping that letting go of the chair wasn’t a mistake.

“I am. And you’re sexy as hell. Look at you over there. You aren’t wearing your usual evening meeting attire. Do you want me to find out what’s under that skirt? I’d bet you a thousand bucks that you’re having a hard time not touching me right now.”

“I’d say you owe me a thousand bucks. And for the record”—I borrowed Berk’s line—“I am wearing my big girl panties.”

“I’d love to rip those off with my teeth.”

“And I’d love it if you gave me that thousand dollars.”

“Let’s put this to the test, shall we?” Casually, he stood, walked to the other side of the table, and pulled out the seat next to me. “I’m going to touch you and I would like to see if you can resist. Prove to me that you don’t want to put your hands all over me.”

“Zac—”

“If you can resist, then I’ll leave you alone. If you can’t, well then, let’s hope this table is sturdy.” He pushed on the top of the table.

Again with the smirk. Without his even me touching me, my skin tingled and I felt warm. The familiarity of his presence sent my groin into overdrive. I was already wet, an automatic reaction to what I knew he could accomplish with the mouth that held that sexy smirk in place.

As much as I told myself I didn’t want him, I knew I did. And I knew what was about to happen. I wouldn’t fight it because I didn’t want to.

While running his fingers along the top of my hand he asked, “Is this okay?”

I could only nod.

Reaching under the table, he grabbed my leg and lifted my foot into his lap.

“New shoes?”

“No.”

“Should we keep them on?”

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

He took off the shoe and tossed it aside before kneading his thumbs into the ball of my foot.

My head fell back but I quickly righted it and plastered what I hoped was a stoic, uninterested look on my face. In truth, I was about five minutes from my “O” face. With Zac it was only a matter of time. Never an if, always a when.

His hands slowly moved up my calf, slowly kneading the muscles that were suddenly very tense. He bit his lower lip when I let out a small moan. He knew he was getting to me.

Damn him.

Damn me.

Jesus, someone open a window
.

Still, I kept my hands to myself. But I was wavering. Zachary Waterman may just very well have been my kryptonite.

“Your skin is so soft. Do you like this? The way I am touching you?” His voice was barely a whisper.

“It’s, it’s…fine.”

“Fine? Fine won’t do.” He slid his hands up my skirt and massaged my thigh. “Is this
fine
?”

I said nothing but closed my eyes and let out a long breath.

I knew he could feel the moisture between my legs. I knew he knew I was ready and wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. By the strain in the fabric of his pants, he was more than ready. But still he continued along with his game by quickly removing his hands from under my skirt and standing behind me. He wrapped my hair in his hand and gently tugged before whispering in my ear, “Are you still just
fine
?”

“Zachary, we can’t do this.”

He let go of my hair, spun my chair around, and knelt down to my eye level. “We can.”

“But you’re marr—”

He placed his fingers on my lips. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll walk away. I won’t want to but I’ll do it because you want me to. Jesus, Mel. I’m falling in love with you. You can’t see that?”

“You’re what?” My lips were still pressed on his finger.

“You heard me. Now tell me you don’t want this and I’ll walk away, no strings.” He leaned back on his heels.

My heart beat so hard I could swear it was the only sound I could hear.
He loved me?

I always said I didn’t want to be a relationship girl.

I always said I wasn’t girlfriend material.

I always said I didn’t want to be bothered.

I always lied.

I couldn’t respond with words. Instead, I leaned forward and began unbuttoning his shirt. He didn’t make a move to stop me, help me. He just sat back on his heels, eyes locked with mine. He was waiting for me to say the words back. Words I’d never said before. Words that had me running for the hills whenever they were uttered in my direction. Words that scared the living shit out of me. And he wanted me to say them.

Instead, I pushed my hands into his open shirt, feeling the tight muscles of his chest before slowly removing the shirt from his broad shoulders.

“Melody.” He grabbed my hands and held them together in my lap, his eyes searching mine.

“Touch me.” I finally said before leaning in and nipping his bottom lip between my teeth.

Zac needed no more prodding as his hand moved the back of my head and pulled me in closer, his mouth taking mine. His tongue found its way inside my mouth and I closed my lips around it, sucking until he moaned. He pulled me to his lap, securing my legs on either side of him.

Tugging the sleeves of his shirt until I tossed it to the floor, I paused and took him in. His body never ceased to amaze me. His other hand pushed my skirt up higher on my thigh before slipping between my legs. His fingers trailed along my inner thighs before he slid my panties over. Slowly, he allowed a finger to explore inside me as his thumb rubbed me softly. I closed my eyes, ready for the explosion.