Sawyer, Rita - Her Mr. Wrong [What Are Friends For 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (5 page)

He took another bite of his steak, enjoying the rich flavor this time. Elias glanced back and forth between him and the ladies, but kept any speculation to himself. Slade didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was watching her every move. When she glanced over her shoulder at him, he outright laughed at her scowling expression. His sprite was happy to see him, that was for sure. She said something to her friends, as she scooted her chair back and stood up. Halfway to the door, she looked at him and tilted her head.

Her invitation—more like demand—to follow her didn’t have to be issued twice. “You’ll have to excuse me for a couple of minutes.”

“Take your time,” Elias smiled at him. “But before you go, I’d like your permission to ask your sister out.”

Slade nodded as he got to his feet. “Yeah, okay.”

“My office is on the right at the top of the stairs.” Elias’s offer would hopefully give Slade and Amy the privacy they’d need.

“Thanks.” Slade strode away from the table.

Amy stood just outside the door, ignoring the looks the maitre d’ was giving her. Slade finally walked into the hall, looking so damn sexy and smug she wanted to slap him. She grabbed a fistful of his sleeve, careful not to touch him, and tugged him down the hall. Once they were far enough away that the guy couldn’t overhear them, she let go and took a few steps away from him. She told herself the space wasn’t because she was afraid to be close, but because she was protecting him. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if she’d end up kissing him again or kicking him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, but we probably both have the same answer.” He smiled at her. “I’m having dinner with a friend.”

“So us both being at the same restaurant is just a coincidence?”

“If you’re accusing me of stalking you, I’d like to point out I was already here when you arrived.” He paused and winked at her. “Perhaps you’re the one following me?”

“Listen, you…” She couldn’t call him what she wanted to in public, so she clamped her lips shut tight.

“Let’s take this somewhere more private.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the nearby staircase.

“Where are you taking me?” She followed him up the stairs, knowing she should be refusing.

“Some place where we won’t be disturbed.” He stopped in front of the first door and shoved it open. “After you.”

“Maybe you’re already disturbed. I’m not going in there alone with you.”

She let out a squeak as he reached forward and lifted her off her feet. He carried her inside and kicked the door shut behind them.

“You can put me down now.”

Slade jostled her a bit, and she threw her arms around his neck to keep from falling to the floor. “I kind of like you right where you are.”

Amy growled and squirmed until he let her go. “How did you find out I was going to be here? I didn’t even know until twenty minutes ago.”

“I’m not going to tell you again that us both showing up here tonight was just a happy twist of fate.”

“And the wine?”

“I can’t help it if Elias wanted to make sure a reporter in his new establishment received the best possible service.”

“So it was sent for Sadie’s benefit, not mine?” It seemed possible she just might have overreacted a little bit.

“Was it delivered to you? If I want you to have something, I’ll give it to you myself, not have it delivered to your friends.” No wonder his sister gave him such a hard time if he used that cocky tone of voice when he talked to her.

“You won’t be giving me anything.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Okay, that may not have come out the way I intended. What I meant was I’m not the type of guy who has to send other people to do things for him.” He stepped toward her, and she retreated.

“Good, now that that’s settled, I’ll be getting back to my friends.” She moved for the door, but he was quicker.

He pressed the palm of his hand at the top of the door and leaned against it. The move kept her trapped for two simple reasons. First being, he was bigger. Second, he was stronger. That didn’t mean she couldn’t get out of there if she wanted to.

“Oh no, pixie, you’ve been avoiding me all week, and I want to know, why?” His question wasn’t unreasonable, and it was very easy to answer.

Amy knew there was only one thing to do. Lie. “I’m not a pixie, and I’ve been busy.”

“Too busy to return a phone call. Even a quick text would have sufficed. I think there’s another reason.” The cocky tone was back, but this time he had the right to use it.

There was no reason for him to know it, though. Between Amy and her friends, they had dated enough guys to know how to turn just about any situation in their favor. She guessed he thought she was afraid of what she felt for him, and to a point, he was right. She had a few choices. Turning the tables wouldn’t work on him, but a sting to his pride might.

“Actually there was. I felt guilty for what happened the other night at the shop. I was curious to see if I’d feel that same zing I felt when you kissed me at Lainey’s wedding. So when you where sitting there so close and trying so hard to charm me, I figured, why not.” She shrugged her shoulders for emphasis.

“And?” he asked with a smile.

“Well, it was nice, but I guess I just built that first kiss up in my mind.” She turned away and ran her finger along the top of the big, wooden bookshelf that took up most of one wall and let out a little sigh. “Maybe it could have been the alcohol.”

He frowned. “You weren’t drunk. Are you saying my…our kiss didn’t reach your standards?”

Oh, he was playing right into her hands. “Like I said, it was okay.”

“Amy, look at me.” It wasn’t a request, and she knew it, but chose to ignore it anyway.

“You’re right, though, I wasn’t drunk the first time you kissed me. I wasn’t drunk Wednesday, either. Still, it just wasn’t the same.”

His hand closed over her arm and spun her around. He caught her gasp of surprise with his mouth as it covered hers. She hadn’t heard him coming. Unprepared, there was no way to hold back. He kissed her until they were both breathless and still didn’t let her go. His lips moved along her cheek to her neck and up to her ear where his hot, moist breath tickled her senses. He lifted her off the floor and carried her over to the desk. When her ass connected with the cold, hard wood, she realized her skirt was bunched around her hips.

She didn’t care. She tugged at his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders. He pulled her closer to the edge of the desk as she fought to unbutton his shirt. Slade lifted her ass with one hand, as he used the other to strip her of her panties. She knew she should stop him, but he dropped into the chair and pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh.

He placed her feet on the arms of the chair. “Don’t move.”

As if she could, she thought. His hands pushed her thighs further apart, and then slowly she felt him slide them upward. His fingers brushed over her curls, teasing her, but she held still as she was told. Her breath caught as he opened her to him. He ran one finger along her soft, pink lips. Over her ragged breathing, she heard him moan.

“For someone so unaffected, you’re awfully wet.” His head dipped, and she felt his breath blow across the sensitive area before his mouth was there.

He licked and teased, bringing her higher and higher. His thumb rubbed her clit with enough pressure to make her want more. She wanted to beg, but she knew if she did he’d give her just what she wanted. She knew it was perverse to let herself ache for what he was more than willing to give her. Asking for more would mean giving in, and though he was giving in, too, she wasn’t ready to admit she wanted so much more than this from him when she’d known all along this was all she could ever have with him. The tears in her eyes were from the pleasure he was giving her, and the pain of knowing it was all she’d ever get from him.

Suddenly his mouth was gone. She watched him stand up and look down at her, and knew she’d lost this battle. “We’ll finish this when you come to me.”

He grabbed his coat and strode to the door without looking back. He left, slamming the door behind him. Amy released a pitiful- sounding laugh as she hopped off the desk onto her rubbery legs. She tugged her skirt down and dropped into the chair. She’d seriously underestimated him. That wouldn’t happen again.

* * * *

His cock pulsed, and his breathing was rough and ragged, yet Slade stood outside the door until he heard her moving around inside. He couldn’t believe he’d done that. She’d asked for it, but still he shouldn’t have treated her like that. He hated game playing, but he was man enough to stand up for himself and give as good as he got. She needed to learn that right away if they were going to have any chance at a real relationship. Unable to return to the dining room in the state he was in, he ducked into the men’s room. One look at his disheveled appearance in the mirror had him groaning. He took his time and straightened and cleaned himself up. Anyone who looked at him would never be able to tell what he’d just done.

There wasn’t a doubt in his mind he was never going to forget it. She’d looked so damn hot in that little skirt. Even better with it up around her hips. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He needed to get the fuck out of there before he went back for a second helping. He yanked the pen out of his coat pocket and wrote a quick message to Elias, explaining that something had come up and he had to leave. He looked down at his crotch and assured himself he wasn’t lying.

He peeked into the hall and found it clear. Calmly and with his jacket placed strategically in front of him, he made his way down the stairs. He stopped a waiter in the hall and asked him to deliver the card to Elias. It was hard, but he avoided glancing into the dining room as he passed. Amy would be back with her friends, and though he was curious to know if she told them what had just happened, he wasn’t sticking around to find out.

* * * *

Amy made a mad dash from the office to the bathroom at the bottom of the stairs. She fixed herself up as best she could sans panties—she’d been unable to find the little buggers—and looked at herself in the mirror. Other than a little extra pink in her cheeks, she looked presentable. She closed her eyes and told herself no one was going to be able to tell anything happened. When she opened them again, she knew she was lying. Her friends were going to take one look at her and see something was off.

Hiding in the bathroom wasn’t going to change that. She turned and walked out of the room, ready to face whatever came next, including the smug look she expected to see on Slade’s face. Only when she walked into the dining room and dared to glance in his direction, he wasn’t there. She made her way to her table, wondering where the hell he was. With each step, her stomach tightened until she thought she was going cry. She couldn’t believe the bastard really left.

“Where the hell did you disappear to?” Sadie demanded to know before Amy even sat down.

“I…um…” She glanced over her shoulder and watched the guy—she thought Slade said his name was Elias—get up and leave the room.

Lainey leaned over and put her hand on Amy’s arm, drawing her attention, and whispered, “Slade never came back.”

“Amy, drink this.” Karen stuffed a glass of red wine into her hands. “Honey, you don’t have to tell us what happened. We already ordered, but we can leave if you want to.”

She took a sip, ignoring the way her hands shook. No, she would let the son of a bitch win. He’d played his hand, and the next move was up to her, but she was going to need some help figuring out just what that should be.

“I just almost had sex in that guy’s office.” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder in the direction where Slade and Elias had been sitting.

Dianne and Jillian laughed loud enough to turn a few heads in their direction, while Sadie and Lainey stared at her with their mouths hanging open, but it was Karen who spoke. “Almost. How far is almost?”