The One: The Complete One Series Collection (9 page)

“Olivia!” William had better balance than me and it didn’t take him long to catch up. “Just give me two minutes, please.”

“What? What are you going to say that will make this okay?” I turned to him and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Holly isn’t pregnant,” he blurted it out through chattering teeth. Unlike me, he hadn’t bothered to grab his coat. “A friend of mine saw her out at a bar a couple of days ago, drinking everything in sight. I confronted her about it and she admitted that she made the whole thing up. She was trying to get me to take her back.”

“William-”

He stopped me. “Livy, I was never going to take her back. Even if it had been true. I would’ve done anything and everything for the baby, but I was never getting back together with Holly. She’s a miserable human being, and even if she wasn’t, it was never going to happen.”

“Why not?” I bit at my lip to keep it from trembling.

“Because she’s not you.” William held his hands helplessly away from his sides. “I don’t want to be with anyone but you. Not now, not ever.”

I was shaking now, and not from the cold. “I have to go,” I whispered. “I can’t do this.”

“Why not?” William followed me down the sidewalk and I furiously tried to hail a cab. It was a nearly impossible feat on New Year’s Eve.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” I yelled at him. “It was supposed to be one night. And then it was just supposed to be some random fun. You weren’t supposed to develop feelings for me and I certainly wasn’t supposed to fall for you.”

I saw a thrill of delight in his eyes. “I knew it.”

“Stop. Just stop.” A miracle happened when a cab saw my hand waving in distress. I tore open the door and dove inside.

“Don’t do this, Olivia.” William leaned in the open cab window.

“I’m sorry, William. I have to go.” I pushed the button to roll up the window. William backed away slowly, his halting breaths sending bursts of clouded air into the night sky.

CHAPTER FOUR

The next morning I had a giant hangover, and an even worse realization. In exactly one day, I would be boarding a plane to fly to D.C. for a business trip with William, Tara and another coworker, Dan. If I hadn’t already felt sick, that would’ve been enough to make me throw up.

By strategically planning my arrival at the airport, I was able to avoid running into William until I boarded the plane. He was seated in business class when stepped aboard. He caught my eye as I walked past but neither of us said anything.

My stomach churned during the flight. Tara was seated on my left and she kept shooting worried glances in my direction. I took my time departing the plane, hurrying only when Tara started to shove me forward. Just as I suspected, William was waiting.

“Did you have a nice flight?” he asked all of us, but his eyes lingered on me.

“Not as nice as yours, I’m sure.” I smiled as I said it but I was certain everyone detected the bitterness in my voice.

William went out of his way to make the rest of the day as uncomfortable as possible for me. He made sure to sit next to me on our cab ride, stood too close to me on the elevator, bumped against me as we walked to our client’s office and sat across from me at lunch, tapping his foot against mine repeatedly.

“You have to stop it,” I said as we walked back to the hotel. Tara and Dan were walking several yards ahead of us discussing the next action to keep bad press away from our client, Palmroil, the world’s leading oil supplier that had just suffered a disastrous oil spill. William and I should’ve been right there with them, developing a strategy, but instead William kept brushing his hand against mine and I kept moving further away from him.

“I’m not doing anything, Livy.” William brushed against me again. “You can’t stay away from me forever. You tried it before and you failed miserably.”

Tara and Dan made it across the street before the light changed but William and I were forced to stop. Now we no longer had to be careful about what we did and said. This time when his hand touched mine, I slapped it away.

“Olivia, seriously, stop it.” He grabbed my hand. “I made a mistake not telling you about Holly. I know it must have been awful finding out that way. But I didn’t want to upset you unnecessarily.”

“This isn’t about Holly,” I said, jerking my hand back. “My anger isn’t about your mistake. It’s about mine.”

“What do you mean?” The light had changed again and everyone around us began to cross the street but neither of us moved.

“What happened at your parents’ house… everything that was said…,” I shook my head as I remembered it all. “It was just proof that this thing between you and me was never going to last.”

“Says who? My parents? They have the most wretched marriage on the planet. I wouldn’t trust them to give relationship advice.” William grabbed both of my hands this
time. “I’m not going to beg, Livy. I want you. I want to be with you. I know you want the same thing, but I can’t wait around forever. So the ball is in your court. You know where to find me.”

He dropped my hands and stepped into the crosswalk. His strides were long and purposeful and I wasn’t the only one watching him. William was a man that drew attention wherever he went. Especially among the ladies. If I refused him, another woman would gladly take my place. That bothered me more than I cared to admit.

The CEO of Palmroil, Mark Deston, insisted on taking us to dinner. Over steak and scotch, we laid out a detailed plan for minimizing the fallout on his company. An oil spill was never going to be acceptable, but if they followed our advice, they could reduce the public outcry and potential loss in revenue.

Mark was seated to my right and I carefully explained his legal obligations as well as additional steps he should take to protect the company. William was seated across from us, swirling a glass of scotch. Dan jumped in with his public relations strategy and I took the opportunity to sip my own scotch. It was rich and smooth, not unlike the man seated across from me.

The waitress came with new drinks and she leaned close to William, her ample breasts pushing against his shoulder. William stared straight ahead, his eyes on mine. I felt a familiar tightening inside me and I wanted to jump across the table and throw myself on him. I did the next best thing given the circumstances.

After taking a slow, deliberate sip of scotch, I licked my lips while slipping my foot from my red pumps. William’s pupils dilated as he anticipated what would happen next.
Fortunately, the table was intimate and William’s legs were only inches away from my own. I found his leg, and hooked my foot under the hem of his pants. I slid the tender skin on the arch of my foot up his leg. I took another drink from my glass and again licked my lips, this time looking up at William through my lashes. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on his glass and he drew in a sharp breath.

“I’m not sure. What do you think, Connor?” Mark turned in our direction and I continued to rub my foot against his leg, inching it higher and higher.

“I think there’s no way you come out of this looking good. But if you listen to us, you can at least not look like a complete asshole,” William said through tight lips. I was impressed by his ability to multitask.

“That’s all we can ask for at this point.” Mark raised his glass. “To not looking like a complete asshole.”

We all tapped glasses and I finished my drink. “I apologize, Mark, but I’m not feeling very well. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll head back to the hotel.”

“Of course, Olivia. I hope you feel better.” Mark stood and shook my hand.

“I actually have some emails I need to answer. I’ll walk you back.” William slid smoothly from his seat. No one at the table but me suspected ulterior motives. “Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning, Mark.”

William waited until we had rounded the corner and had no way of being seen by anyone inside the restaurant before he pushed me up against the wall. “What you did back there was very bold.”

“It was.” I tilted my head up so that I was looking him in the eye and then I reached down and grabbed his crotch. “So is this.”

William actually growled and his mouthed closed over mine hungrily. I tasted the scotch on his lips and opened my mouth to allow him entrance. His tongue danced over mine, pulsing in a rhythm I knew all too well.

“Hotel,” I managed to say when we pulled away for air.

William winked and pinched my ass. “I love it when you take charge.”

“Then I’d say you are in for a spectacular night.”

The hotel was less than three blocks away, but the walk felt like an eternity to me. Since meeting William Connor, I found it impossible to be near him and not want to be even closer. He must have been feeling the same way because his long strides grew hurried and I struggled to keep up.

“Mine or yours?” William said when we got on the elevator.

“Mine. Your room is next to Dan’s.”

William’s slender finger punched the button for the fifth floor. That same finger had punched my very personal buttons on more than one occasion. With the elevator doors closed, I was free to act on my desires. I had William pinned to the wall in seconds. This time it was my tongue that led the assault but he was quick to fight back. Our kissing had never been this passionate.

I felt something vibrating against my upper thigh and it took a minute to register that it was William’s cell phone. The elevator doors opened on my floor, and he checked his phone while I led us down the hall.

“I need to get this,” he said. I unlocked the door and held it open for him.

“Connor.”

Very quietly, I shut the door behind us. William’s face was intense and focused. It was definitely a business call.

“I thought we had an agreement. You don’t have time to negotiate this.”

Watching him pace my hotel room in his perfectly fitted suit, sounding strong and confident, I had a hard time controlling myself. William’s eyes flitted to me and he knew exactly what I was thinking. I sat on the bed and crossed my legs, letting the hem of my skirt slide up in the process. A small smile played at the corners of his lips.

“Mark, we can discuss this in the morning. I advise you to spend some time deciding what you want from this partnership. We can’t perform miracles.” His face softened at something Mark said.

“Sure. I’ll make sure Olivia heads the effort.” I raised a surprised eyebrow when I heard my name.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mark.”

William frowned slightly as he hung up the phone. He looked at it for a second and then set it on the desk.

“Mark mentioned me?” I asked.

He nodded. “He said you’re a smart woman and he wants you close to this.”

“Do you need me to do anything tonight?” Sometimes when I was with William, I managed to forget that he was my boss. Regardless of what happened between us in the bedroom, I still had a job to do.

“Mark can wait until tomorrow.” William’s smile returned and he slid out of his suit coat. “But I am going to need you to do some things for me tonight.”

“I don’t mind putting in long hours,” I said, adding, “I’m here to please.”

“Indeed.” William removed his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. I stayed seated, enjoying the strip show. His blue dress shirt fell to the floor and he pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his perfectly chiseled body. His gray pants hung low on his hips and I wanted desperately to yank them down.

Very slowly, he removed his shoes, socks and belt. “Were you planning on joining me anytime soon?” he asked, pointing out that I was still fully dressed. He stepped closer to the bed.

“All in good time. You still have some work to do.”

If William wasn’t already the CEO of his own company, he could have a great career as a male stripper. He removed a familiar foil packet from his pocket and placed it on the bed. The languid way he unbuttoned his pants and let them drop was insanely hot. His boxer briefs strained to keep his erection in check. Now it was my turn.

I stayed on the bed as I unbuttoned my own dress shirt. When I slipped it from my shoulders I revealed the black lace bra underneath. Next, very skillfully, I slipped out of my skirt, keeping on my heels, fishnet thigh-highs and lace panties complete with garters. William was practically salivating.

“I get the feeling you knew our night would end this way,” he said, lowering himself over me as I lay back on the bed. His lips hovered just over my skin and I could feel his warm breath tickling my exposed neck.

“All of my nights with you end this way,” I pointed out.

William blew cool air along the length of my neck, sending a delicious shiver through my body. “I want you very badly, Olivia Harris. I’m not sure I have the patience to finish neatly undressing you.”

“So don’t,” I said. “Take me now.”

It was the only encouragement William needed. He ripped the garters away, and tore the panties from my body. The rest of my clothing remained, including my heels. It took him even less time to remove his own underwear, allowing him to spring free at last. He was even bigger than I remember. I wanted him inside me.

William had more restraint than me. He moved his hand down my thigh and I parted my legs farther, granting him easy access. I sucked in a sharp breath when his finger slipped over my clitoris, dancing a slow circle. My pelvis moved against him and his hand moved again. He parted my lips, and slipped a finger inside. His finger continued in a steady back and forth, lingering near the top to circle again before moving down once more.

“You’re ready,” he said, pleased. I could have told him I was already wet with desire. The entire evening had been all the foreplay I needed.

“I thought I already told you. Take me.” I grabbed for him, guiding him to my slick opening. I felt him jump in my hand and slowly I guided him in. He took over, sliding in slowly, a little at a time, so that it almost felt as if my body were doing the work. It was like I was pulling him in deeper until our bodies met, all the way in.

William moved exquisitely slow. A long stroke in and out- a dreadful tease. He repeated this process several times, each time my body eagerly pressing against him for more. Then he
changed pace- shorter movements, one right after another. The pulsing was steady and firm and I could feel myself begin to ripple around him. I grabbed at his back as my insides clutched him in violent spasms. I reached for his face and kissed him and William started moving again. He still moved slowly and with no urgency. We had all night, after all.

He may not have been in a hurry, but I was dying to feel him release inside of me. I moved my body faster, hurrying him. My hands slipped lower on his back until I was grabbing his ass, clasping at him and pushing him even deeper. With each thrust, I circled my hips until I felt him let go at the same time as me, our bodies jerking and shuddering together as I held him against me.

William collapsed on top of me from the exertion but now he rolled off me, pulling me with him so that I lay on his chest. He combed his hands through my hair repeatedly as we both waited for our hearts to settle and our breathing to calm.

“I can’t stay away from you,” I confessed. “I try. I tell myself that it will be better for both of us. But my body won’t listen. It’s like I’m drawn to you.”