The Boardroom (New Adult Contemporary Romance) (5 page)

“I see,” she said. “That must be very interesting. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of crazy things.”

“I have,” he agreed, anxious to change the subject. “You’re a very good dancer.”

“I had hoped to dance professionally… but I’m not sure that’s possible now,” she said, her voice filled with sadness.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He wanted to ask why, find out more about her. The song was ending but he couldn’t risk losing her. “Would you like to join me at a table for a drink and conversation?”

“Sure. I’d like that very much.”

They made their way to a nearby table and Avery ordered each of them a drink. He had worried they might not have much to say to one another, that the chemistry he felt on the dance floor would be shattered once they sat down, but talking with Peyton was smooth and effortless, as if they had known each other forever. Her infectious smile and the sparkle in her eyes made him feel as if he were floating, and he couldn’t help but smile himself whenever she laughed. It was a sound of pure happiness.

Trixie stopped by and said hello but didn’t linger very long. He would have to thank her and see what her policies were. He wanted to take Peyton on a real date but didn’t want to cause her any trouble at work.

“Avery, would you excuse me for a moment?” she asked sweetly.

“Sure. Take all the time you need, Sweetness.” He liked the way she blushed at the nickname.

Within a few minutes of Peyton leaving the table, Trixie appeared again. “What do you think?” she asked

“She’s amazing,” Avery said, still unable to believe Trixie had done what he had thought would be impossible. “I was wondering if it would be okay to date her outside the club.”

Trixie nodded. “Absolutely. Of course, she has to agree… and what happens is completely up to her,” she said plainly.

“I understand.” Should he ask her out on a date tonight or wait to spend more time with her at the club? Her beauty rocked him to his core. He could think of nothing but her and the emptiness that consumed him when she left him at the table, and she had only been gone for a few minutes. It was as if the air had been sucked from the room, his ability to take a breath gone. He had only just met her but she affected him in ways that he had never been affected by a woman before.

“I must have her, Trixie,” he said. “She’s special.”

“I see the passion in your eyes for her, Avery, but be gentle with her. She’s young and inexperienced, and she’s had a rough year from what she’s told me. She’s both beautiful and delicate, like a flower,” Trixie said, placing a hand on Avery’s. “I see passion in her, though; a need to appreciate and experience life. You’ll do well to provide her with that.” She patted Avery’s hand and stood up. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your drink, Avery… and the young flower.”

“Thank you,” he said, with a slight nod. Trixie disappeared as quickly as she had arrived. The woman had given him a chance at happiness, and for that he was grateful.

Chapter Twelve -- Peyton

Her first full night at The Boardroom was magical. Peyton had danced more that night than she had in the past year, feeling like she was walking on a cloud as the gentlemen twirled her about the dance floor. Here, she wasn’t a struggling college student. She was a princess, with many handsome suitors vying for her attention. The nerves that had consumed her when she first arrived had all but disappeared, leaving her bathed in what she could only describe as ecstasy.

She hadn’t seen the handsome young man approach her and her latest dance partner, but she had felt her heart skip a beat when she turned and looked into his eyes. She had also noticed how he looked at her, his eyes gazing upon her in a hungry way. It made her skin tingle in a strange and pleasurable way. No man had ever looked at her with such desire. The moment their hands touched, a spark fluttered between them, causing her heart to skip another beat.

In his arms, she felt safe and desired… but she also felt a little scared. She wasn’t used to having a man hold her so close, to look at her with such intensity, to make her feel the things she was feeling. The willingness to allow this man to possess her in such a way concerned her. She could feel the strength his body possessed with every movement he made, the ripple of his muscles inciting thoughts of his body naked, pressing against hers.

The thought of him naked – this sexy Adonis of a man – made her nipples pebble beneath the thin black fabric of her dress. She could imagine him pinching her nipples between his strong fingers as his mouth nibbled, sucked, and licked her other breast. Her feminine core began to heat at the thought of him ravaging her body. It had been so long, and she was suddenly in need of a man to extinguish the flame of desire building within her.

She had excused herself from their table to calm herself in the restroom. She needed to get a hold of herself before she did something reckless that could get her fired. She wanted Avery more than she had wanted any other man. She could tell he was older – more experienced – just by the confident way he held her, the certainty of his moves, and the look in his eyes as they traveled slowly over her entire body. She could melt into his embrace, if only given the chance. She could love a man as gentle as he seemed to be.

Her clit throbbed as she continued to imagine his hands upon her body, his fingers slipping through her moist folds. She shuddered as the moisture seeped from her, dampening her panties, deciding in that moment she had to have him. But not here. Not at the club.

A knock sounded on the bathroom door, forcing Peyton back to reality. “Peyton, are you alright?” Ashley asked. She must have seen Peyton leave the main area and wondered if she was okay since this was her first night.

“I’m... I’m fine. I just...” Peyton stumbled over her words, unsure of what to say. She opened the door, coming face to face with Ashley.

A concerned frown became a smile. “Oh! You like him, don’t you?” Ashley asked.

“I... I don’t want to get fired. I need this job so bad.” Peyton said, her cheeks blushing crimson.

“It’s okay,” Ashley said. “Trixie won’t care. It happens all the time. Does he like you too?”

“I don’t know. He’s gorgeous. There’s something about him that makes me want... more than a ...dance.” she said

Ashley laughed softly. “I can understand that. He’s hot… and I hear he’s a very wealthy man. He seems sweet, too. All the other girls have noticed he only has eyes for you.” She looked at Peyton in the mirror as she primped her hair and applied more lip-gloss. “What are you waiting for? Go to him.”

“Okay.” Peyton said, flashing a smile at her new friend. She hurried back to Avery’s table, but noticed Trixie sitting with him when she re-entered the bar. She immediately slowed her return, admiring the man who had swept her off her feet in one night.

His smile lit up the dimly lit room. There was something unique and wonderful about him, making her want to know more about him, made her want to bare her soul to him. The thought rocked her. She had always kept her life secret – safe – not wanting to share too much with the wrong person.

As Trixie stood and disappeared into the crowd of club patrons, Peyton watched Avery intently as she approached the table. His eyes met hers and she could immediately see the hunger in his gaze. It was then she knew that he felt the same as she did. He stood and reached for her, placing his large, strong hand at the base of her spine, guiding her towards the table. As she sat, he eased in beside her and took her hand in his.

“I would like to take you on a date, Peyton,” Avery said, his thumb seductively stroking her hand. “There’s something about you that fascinates me.” He looked at her, his need for her shining in his eyes. “Please do me the honor of joining me for dinner.”

“I’d love to, Avery.” She blushed at the thought of him finding her fascinating. Life had been hectic recently, but it hadn’t always been. She’d had time for fun and adventure once before. She hadn’t been a virgin for many years, and she was eager to show Avery just how fascinating she could be.

“Wonderful,” Avery said, smiling. “Shall we go now or would another night be better?”

“Now would be okay with me. I’d like to know more about you,” she said as she looked into his eyes, noticing the twinkle within.

Avery stood and took her hand, gently easing her from her seat. The electric charge once again amped up her desire to remain skin to skin with him, and she could tell he felt the same way. Their hands stayed fastened together, the club music becoming fainter as they made their way away out of the club and to the parking lot. Peyton quickly took notice of a man leaning against an exquisite black limo and tensed up.

“Is something wrong?” Avery asked, concern in his voice.

“No. It’s just... that man. Who is he? Why is he hanging around the parking lot?”

Avery laughed softly and squeezed her hand. “Oh! That’s my driver. I can assure you, he’s harmless.” He released her hand and put his arm around her. She leaned into his embrace, enjoying the solid feel of his body.

The driver nodded at Avery and moved to open the door for them. Peyton glanced shyly at the driver, embarrassed for thinking he might be a mugger or something. She wasn’t used to people having drivers. She eased into the backseat, sliding over to make room for Avery, the coolness of the seat doing nothing to decrease the heat radiating from her body.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Since it’s so late, I thought I’d take you to my home for a private dinner. Is that okay?”

Peyton nodded. A private dinner sounded perfect… and maybe a private dessert afterwards.

Lowering the tinted window dividing them from the driver, Avery instructed his driver to take them to his home. The glass partition eased back into place.

She wondered if they would be alone at his home. She wanted to ask but couldn’t bring herself to do so. “Had you always wanted to be a lawyer?” she asked, wanting to break the silence, needing to take her mind off the fact that he was so close to her.

“No. My father was an attorney, and his father before him. It wasn’t something I chose. However, the order of things appeals to me… and I do love to win.” He smiled at her. “I guess you could say I’ve grown to enjoy it. What about you?”

“I’ve always wanted to dance professionally, to be a ballet dancer in New York, to travel the world, dancing in different shows.”

“I think you would steal the show,” Avery said. “When you dance like tonight, you hypnotize the audience. It’s... You’re breathtaking.”

The car slowed, then turned down a long driveway. A large gate slowly eased open, allowing their passage before closing again behind them. Just ahead, she saw a large mansion come into view and gasped.

“This is your… house?” Peyton stared, wide-eyed. ‘House’ didn’t really fit this place. “Oh, my God. It’s so big.”

“It is,” Avery said. “I’ll show you around, if you’d like.” He smiled down at her nestled beside him, pulling her close.

“It’s beautiful,” she said.

Chapter Thirteen -- Avery

My dreams have come true.

As Avery opened the front door to his home, the voice inside his head that constantly reminded him of how lonely he was finally changed its tune. Now all he could hear was the beating of his own heart; a heart that, until a few hours ago, seemed to barely beat enough to keep him alive.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of Peyton, watching the graceful movements of her slim body as she took in her surroundings. A drunken feeling washed over him as he devoured her with his eyes, wanting so badly to devour her with his mouth, his hands, his cock. His hands itched to run along her thighs, spreading her pussy open so he could flick his tongue across her swollen clit.

Avery imagined hoisting her into his arms and carrying her to his king-sized bed, the image in his mind so vivid and clear his heart beat rapidly as if it was really happening, his cock growing hard. Soon, if he was lucky, he wouldn’t just be imagining it.

He led her into the living room. “Would you like something to drink? Wine, tea or a cola?”

“A glass of wine would be wonderful.” she responded, taking a seat on the couch.

“I’ll be right back and then we’ll take a tour of the house.” Avery said before retreating from the room. He entered the kitchen, selected a bottle of wine, and grabbed two long-stemmed wine glasses from the cabinet. He asked his housekeeper, Adele, to prepare a meal for them. He didn’t ask for anything specific. Adele always seemed to know what to make and he had learned over the years that it was best to just let her do her own thing in the kitchen.

Avery stepped back into the living room, enjoying the sight of such a beauty on his sofa. He couldn’t believe his dream had finally become a reality.

“Are you ready for the tour?” he asked, breaking the silence. Peyton jumped from surprise.

“Of course.” She took the glass of wine he offered her.

Avery wasn’t much of a tour guide and he knew it. He had never brought a woman to his home before. As thrilling as it was to have her here and wanting desperately to make her feel comfortable, he didn’t quite know where to begin. He took a sip of wine. Maybe the pool would be a good place to start.

He led her to the pool area outside, the full moon shining bright in the night sky, reflected in the pool’s surface. The pool lighting, combined with the moonlight, gave the water a violet hue. He smiled; enjoying Peyton’s pleased reaction to her surroundings.

Avery had taken great pride in designing his home. He had wanted the pool to feel like an oasis and he had succeeded. The area was surrounded by tall hedges, providing complete privacy. Each layer of the pool was surrounded by large rock formations. In the center of the main pool was a small island with large tree in the center. It was his escape from hectic workdays when he needed a little R & R.

Surrounding the pool were several large wood-framed hideaways with thin white fabric billowing in the breeze. Two of them had a picnic table design with white padded bench seats on either side. The one in the center was like a luxurious bed, with dozens of pillows in a variety of sizes spread over it. A fire pit and gas-lit, candle-like lamps were spread out around each of the structures, creating a peaceful – and hopefully romantic – setting.