“So, you see, there is a progressive change in the stats from last year to this year. It isn’t drastic but it’s there,” Dante said as he leaned over my shoulder. He’d inched his way closer and closer to me over the week until finally he was right behind me as I sat at my desk.

I could feel his breath on the back of my neck but I pretended like it was nothing troubling. Like I barely noticed. Until today. The day I was supposed to meet Alex on the second floor of the parking garage.

“I’m glad your door is closed,” Dante whispered.

“Oh, yeah? Why?” I muttered.

“Because I need to tell you something and I don’t want anyone to interrupt.”

“That sounds serious,” I replied.

“Stand up,” he ordered, still standing behind me. I did as I was told. He made me feel like a rabbit caught in a fox’s line of vision. “Now turn around.”

Before I could do anything, he stooped down and kissed me. He pressed his lips against mine hard.

“Open your mouth,” he whispered forcefully. “Open it.”

Again, I was helpless to say no. His tongue slipped between my lips and my heart jumped at the shock of it. But still, I didn’t pull away. His hands slid up and down my body, cupping my breasts, kneading them before he slipped a hand up my skirt and between my legs. My breath caught in my throat and finally I pulled back.

“Dante,” I panted.

“I’m sorry,” he replied but when I looked in his eyes, I could see the anticipation. He was waiting to see if I wanted him to continue. “I’m so sorry.”

He adjusted himself and stepped around my desk, smoothing back his hair.

“I don’t know what to say,” I stuttered.

“Please, don’t say anything,” he pleaded. “I’m just a mess. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s just that since my step-son returned, my wife’s condition has worsened. She’s not doing well at all. I guess, I just thought I could turn to you. Like I said, I find you so easy to talk to and you’re so understanding. And…I’m afraid I’ve become very attracted to you.”

“Oh?” I said nonchalantly. Alex’s warning came crashing over me. I had to see him.

“I know it’s wrong. I’m just being honest with you, Nova. I’ll always tell you the truth. That I can promise.”

“I appreciate that.” I tried to sound as if I believed him. My legs were still feeling weak from when he’d touched my private place, and whether or not I wanted to admit it, he’d ignited a flame in me. But it wasn’t for him.

“Can we pretend this didn’t happen?” He looked so sincere.

“Of course,” I soothed and patted his arm.

“Look, we’ve done enough of this for today,” he said, pointing to my computer. “I’m going to go home for lunch and check on Florentine and you, give yourself an extra hour at lunch to do a little shopping or something.”

I acted as if it was a great idea and that nothing had happened that was anywhere close to being unprofessional. Just a simple mix-up.

“You’re the boss. If you say so,” I tittered, hoping he wouldn’t see through me.

“You really are something, Nova. I’m glad I hired you.”

Without another word, he left to his office using the adjoining door, closing it behind him. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding and put my hand over my stomach. Without waiting for anything else to happen I grabbed my purse and hustled out the door. I quickly got to the elevator hoping I wouldn’t run into Dante along the way.

Once I reached the lobby, I took the stairs to the second level of the underground parking garage. It was spooky down there.

All parking garages are scary. Every footstep echoes for miles. There are hundreds of places for a person to hide and I was sure that not every security camera was in operation. I clutched my purse as I walked, wondering where Alex was and what he was going to want from me.

“Miss? Do you need some help?” I turned around to see the unfamiliar face of a man in blue jeans and a flannel shirt.

“No, I’m good.”

“Are you sure? Would you like me to walk you to your car.” He started to advance on me as I was walking backwards.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I said, trying to sound confident.

“Come on. I won’t hurt you.”

“Who says that except someone who wants to hurt you?” I muttered. Before I could start screaming, I’d backed into the broad chest of the man I was looking for.

“She said she doesn’t need any help,” Alex said as he slipped his arm around my shoulder.

The other man raised his hands in the surrender pose and backed off, eventually getting into a car and pulling out of the driveway.

“Where did you come from?” I panted.

“I was waiting for you. Are you all right?” Alex asked.

“That’s the second guy who tried to take advantage of me today. Not very lucky, I suppose. Except that at least you showed up.” Those words tumbled out of my mouth.

“What do you mean, second time?” Alex asked.

“I guess you were right about Dante. He…tried to seduce me today and…”

“He what?”

I explained everything to Alex and told him what had happened. With every word his face became graver.

“But I’m here now and you’re here. I want to know what you meant by this note and…” Before I could finish my sentence, Alex was stomping off toward the elevators. “Wait. Where are you going?”

“I told you what Dante was like. I’m going to teach him some manners.”

“You can’t!”

“Like hell I can’t!” Alex shouted. “I’d like to see someone try and stop me.”

I dashed in front of Alex and blocked his path.

“That’s exactly what Dante wants. He doesn’t know that you and I are speaking. If you go up there now to rearrange his face, he’ll know and I’ll get fired; you’ll have broken parole and then who will help your mother?”

“I don’t care. I’ll go back to jail.”

“No!” I said and grabbed hold of his arm. I yanked him down toward me and kissed his lips. Without thinking, I pressed my body into his, letting my fingers on one hand comb through his short hair while my other hand slipped beneath his muscular arm.

I could tell I’d surprised him. He stood motionless for a second as his brain seemed to catch up with what was happening to his body. But before I could stop him, he had both arms around me. I felt safe and protected as he squeezed the breath out of me while our lips wrestled together.

Without hesitating, he pulled me behind a row of cars into a dark corner.

“He won’t have you first,” Alex hissed in my ear.

“No. Never,” I panted as he pushed his body against mine. He wedged his leg between my thighs, forcing me to acknowledge the heat that was coming from that private place. No one had ever made me feel so alive. My brain wasn’t thinking. It was just my body responding to Alex’s touch. His lips were hot against my neck.

Just then the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching.

Alex and I held our breath.

A man was walking to his car. He couldn’t see us in the shadows. And although I froze hoping we wouldn’t be discovered, Alex didn’t. He used this opportunity to find my most vulnerable spots and exploit them.

“He doesn’t see us,” he whispered. “If you stay quiet, he won’t know we are here.” He slipped his fingers beneath my blouse to tease my nipple. It was like a lightning bolt had shot through me, making me weak but wanting more.

My body didn’t belong to me anymore. It belonged to Alex. The more he played with my body the more I was willing to give up to him. He sensed my desire. How could he not when I was arching my back and offering myself up to him?

Already I was feeling these sensations I’d only seen in movies or read about in books. I’d never felt this before. When he slid his hands up my skirt and pulled my panties aside, I was terrified. Terrified I was going to cry out, alert that man and anyone else to where we were and what we were doing. Instead, I bit my lip and looked at Alex.

He was staring at me. I couldn’t look away as his hand brushed against the valley between my legs. My entire body tingled as he stroked that special place. I felt my heart pounding in my chest as my breathing quickened.

“He won’t have you,” he whispered. “Unless you want him to.”

“No, no,” I pleaded. “I don’t want him. You know that. I want you. You’ve known from the minute I first saw you in the elevator. Don’t say you didn’t.”

“I hoped.” He smiled at me as he kissed my lips, still rubbing my bud, pulling my hips back and forth. “Do you promise you’ll be mine? Only mine?”

He stopped. Every nerve in my body ached for more. I took hold of his belt loops and pulled him to me.

“I promise,” I whimpered. “Please don’t stop.”

“Shhh.” He pressed his body against me, pushing me into the wall. I was part of the shadow, the darkness, and no one could see me but Alex. Quickly, he found that place again and slow, tender strokes began to work me over until my body shook with pleasure.

The man looking for his car was wandering around pressing his alarm and waiting for a honk that never came.

I didn’t care anymore if he saw us. I let Alex play my body as if he were stroking the strings of a guitar. The faster he petted me, the more I wanted until finally he hit that spot that made wave after wave of ecstasy crash over me. I sunk my hands deep into his hair as we kissed.

When he pulled away from me, my skirt was up over my hips and my blouse was hanging open.

“Are you all right?” he asked tenderly.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I feel a little embarrassed.”

“No,” he demanded. “Don’t say that. Don’t be embarrassed. If anything, I’m the one who should be embarrassed. I wanted you to meet me here and now I can’t remember what for.”

“You remember.”

“I guess I do.” He stepped up, hiding me in his shadow. “But it can wait,” he said as he tenderly started to button my blouse as I adjusted my panties and pulled my skirt down.

“Wait for what?”

“A surprise,” he said as he took my hand, kissed it, and pulled me through the garage to the street level where he’d parked his car in an alley.

“I love surprises,” I admitted shyly as he opened the passenger side of the door for me and I slid right in.