God, my skin still heated up at the memory of that night.

Heated up like that time when my father took me hiking up the grand canyon and the baking sun seared my skin.

I survived the weekend. Barely.

Saturday morning was weird. Alex gave me that cat watching a goldfish waiting for the right moment to pounce look of his, but thankfully Eilesh saved me with an invite to an open air cinema showing of Thelma and Louise.

Since the movie finished late and I was closer to her place I stayed over. That took care of most of Sunday day time

Last night however was a different story. I got the look again when I tried to talk to him and I wasn’t sure what was worse. Alex staring at me, undressing me with his eyes, or him being flirtatious.

Whichever was too much.

It didn’t help too that I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.

I couldn’t focus on anything else and my damn mind had been consumed with contemplating this offer of his.

I was crazy. Had to be.

This was so unlike me, but could this be what I needed?

Kayla came into my office with a broad smile on her face. I loved the lipstick she wore today. It was a bright orange red color that looked amazing on her dark skin.

It matched the flowers on her halter neck top.

“Hey, a bunch of us are going to check out the new nail bar at lunch. Do you want to come along?” She beamed.

“I’d love to.” I agreed.

“Cool, and there’s a really neat Japanese restaurant near by too. We could grab lunch there.” She looked excited, but then gave me a mischievous smile that held a hint of suspicion. “Unless if you need to get back to Alex.”

“No, I’m good. I have some time later where I’m not needed.”

This was the beginning of my third week at work.

The first time that I stepped in the building I knew it was the kind of place where people would be nice, professional as expected in a law firm, but they took note of certain things and loved gossip.

I’d heard all about Preston on my third day here, knew who was sleeping with who, who’d cheated on their spouses, whose husbands had left them and all manner of other things.

Since I was the newbie, working for Alex, who I heard was the object of many women’s affection in here that left me with eyes all over my actions.

When you had a boss/man who wanted to own you and make you his, who didn’t care what people thought, that just fanned the flames of gossip.

When I’d walked anywhere with Alex, his hand was always placed at the small of my back, or around me, or touching me somehow.

Then there was the way that he looked at me. If people didn’t see the touch, I figured they’d be able to guess from the look that something was going on between us.

“Okay, just checking. I’m glad you like working for him.” Kayla cooed. “He’s a nice guy.” She nodded.

“Thanks for the endorsement.” That deep, sexy voice that filled my dreams and waking thoughts filtered into the room.

I looked over to the door and found Alex leaning against the frame, eyes fixed on me.

Kayla rolled her eyes at him as he stepped away and walked into the office.

“I might say you were really nice if you came clean and told Mrs. Jefferson that we don’t have a legal aid department.” Kayla shot back.

“I’m not saying anything.” Alex shook his head.

“You can’t keep playing St. Alex to people, you’ll never make any money.”

“I don’t need money.”

“I’m over here.” Kayla waved her hand in front of him because he was still looking at me, then she turned and gave me a quick wide eyed glance. “Don’t scare her away again.”

People still thought Alex had scared me away that first day.

Alex looked at her and gave her a big ol’ smile. “Yes Kayla, I can see you.”

“Whatever,” she shook her head. “I invited Summer out for a long lunch, is that okay?”

“This woman is the boss of me. She can do whatever she wants.” He answered and turned back to focus on me.

I seriously felt like I’d taken a turn somewhere and walked into an alternate dimension, where I’d found this gorgeous man who’d placed me so high on some pedestal that I had to look several levels below heaven to see what was happening on earth.

Again Kayla shot me a suspicious look, but was clearly amused by him . “Okay, I will note that for future reference.” She laughed. “See you guys

later.”

She sauntered away, leaving us alone. The minute the door closed that desire filled tension surrounded us.

I got up and walked around to join him.

“You left before me this morning.” He pointed out.

I purposely left super early.

It was going to be a busy day. That was one reason, but not the first. I kind of just wanted to start the day without tension, so I’d have a clearer mind.

“I wanted to get a head start.”

“Oh really?” A muscle quivered at his jaw. His gray eyes beheld me sharp and assessing, but with a sheen of purpose.

“Yes.”

“So you aren’t avoiding me?”

“I don’t think I can.” That was probably the most I’d ever said in line with this thing we seemed to have going between us.

Alex seemed happy with that answer. He stepped closer into the sunlight that spilled through the window. It reflected off his eyes making them so much lighter. I allowed myself the moment to appreciate his beauty.

His large hands took my face, holding it gently and he drew near. Close enough to kiss if I dared and he did.

I moved back out of his reach and smiled. “You can’t kiss me here.”

“Here? Be more specific, angel. If you don’t want your lips to be kissed I can kiss you somewhere else.” His eyes roamed over my body and landed on my crotch.

Jesus the man was impossible.

“Alex.” I chided.

Liquid silver darkened his eyes with desire. “Summer.”

I shook my head and laughed. “I mean here at the office.”

“Do that again?” he looked intrigued.

“Do what?”

“Laugh.”

I smiled instead. “You are so silly. People don’t just laugh for no reason. Okay maybe some do.”

He answered with a smile of his own. “You have the most beautiful laugh. I like hearing it.”

Yup, I’d definitely walked into that alternate dimension. My theory was this was still a few weeks ago and I was actually still at the club drinking Angels on Sex.

I must have drank too much and ended up in a coma whereby I’d made up this crazy world and created the man before me.

“Thank you.”

“Kiss me.”

“No, the door is open and people could walk by and see us in here kissing, and what if one of them happens to be your father. Or, your brother.” I hadn’t met Preston yet but I heard he was a tough cookie to crack. Also, Eilesh said he was a prick.

“Come here.” He reached for me and I moved away.

This felt like that time in tenth grade when Billy Gillman tried to kiss me , except he had chicken pox and I ran like hell away from him for fear of catching the virus.

Alex caught up with me and took me into his arms, planting a kiss on my cheek while I giggled.

“Alex, you are crazy.”

“Maybe.” He placed more kisses along my neck. “I’m just showing you all the benefits of my offer. Should I go through it again with you? Or maybe I could show you what you get in return.” He pulled me closer and pressed his distinct erection into my ass.

Shit, I felt myself grow wet.

I had to move again. This time he just gave me that grin.

“You are too much, Mister.”

“Okay, I won’t shock you anymore for today.”

Good, because my head felt like it might explode.

“Thank you. Tell me about this legal aid.” This was my thing now, changing the subject.

“Legal aid is me.” He smiled.

“What do you mean.”

“I help people who need legal advice. There’s a community center on the east side. They run a program for families who are going through a tough time. I leave my cards there and sometimes I get a few people who need me. Mrs. Johnson is one of them.”

“You do this for free?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged.

I felt that force that drew me to him working its magic. Every day I saw more of his personality and more things to like about him. First Clarissa, and this, and I guess there was me too. I was the damsel in literal distress.

In my mind he became less and less some guy I picked up in a club and had a one night stand with.

“See I’m not so bad.” He said that just like he did the other day.

“You aren’t bad.”

“Only when it comes to wanting you.”

Of course my cheeks flushed at the confession.

“Offer’s on the table angel, waiting for you to sign the dotted line.” He added. “Don’t torture yourself by waiting longer than you need to. Have fun with the girls.”

“I will.”

He crooked his finger and beckoned me to come to him. I did.

He leaned forward for a quick kiss that felt like a taste to me, then left.

Giddiness took over. The kind that made my heart flutter and fill me with warmth.

I was liking this guy way too much, and the attention.

Maybe I could do this.

Accept his offer, and lose myself in him. I’d never met a man like him before. One that came with his own rules.

His rules of attraction. He talked about it like it was an actual thing and reeled me in with each rule. I knew there were laws of attraction, and something scientific to do with attraction, but Alex had given his take on relationships a whole other meaning.

I gathered my bag just in time to hear the phone buzzing. I hoped it was Eilesh. I left her a message earlier.

Retrieving it my eyes widened and I nearly dropped the phone when I looked at the caller ID and saw who was calling.

It was Tom!

My breath caught in my throat and my chest tightened.

The phone buzzed on in my hands and I watched it wondering if I should actually answer.

I couldn’t imagine what he would be calling me for.

What did he want? There was nothing left that needed to be said.

I looked at the phone in my hands buzzing away and remembered how I always answered on the first ring. I always felt excited when he called and had that nervous excitement too when I spoke to him. it didn’t matter that we’d been together for so long. That was simply how I was.

I watch the buzz fade and the phone stilled. Moments later it buzzed again but this time with a voicemail notification of a message.

The anxious side of me took over and pressed the button to access my voice messages.

I pressed the phone to my ear and within seconds Tom’s voice came across the line. I hadn’t heard his voice in so long that it felt strange to listen to it now.

“Hi Summer. It’s me, Tom. I really wanted to speak to you. I know you must have gotten the wedding invite by now and I just…”

His voice trailed off for a few seconds and I heard him sigh.

“This wasn’t the way that I wanted to talk to you, and I get it if you saw that it was me calling and didn’t answer. I deserve that. Summer, I made a mistake. I made a mistake with us and I really need to talk to you. The um, wedding is off. Please call me. I love you.”

Shock flew through me and my entire body stiffened.