Crew

I spent my day in a meeting with the manager of the Matiz store in Vegas followed by five hours on a plane that had run dry of whiskey, beer and anything harder than a non-alcoholic white wine. The only redeeming part of that flight was the man sitting next to me. He owns a shopping complex in Boston. I've been scouting the city looking for a space for our newest Matiz boutique.

I'll fly there next week and buy him lunch. Fate does shine her bright light on me occasionally.

"I'll have someone bring your bags up, sir." The driver I occasionally use smiles as he opens the car door so I can exit. "It won't be more than ten minutes."

It better not be. I want a hot shower and a scotch. I'll have to squeeze a shave in there somewhere. My five o'clock shadow has grown into a light beard over the past few days.

I made the decision to come back to Manhattan as soon as Lucia stomped out of my suite with an impressive trail of curse words falling from her lips. I called the airline myself, since rousing my assistant from bed at three in the morning would earn me a shitty attitude from her once I showed back up in the office. I didn't see the need to wake the woman up in the middle of the night to handle a call I'm perfectly capable of taking on myself.

I should have risked the blowback and called Nancy.

The airline booked me on a connecting flight through Atlanta first thing in the morning. I was packed, ready and eager to board when the flight was cancelled.

Shit happens so I got the gate agent to rebook me on a flight an hour later. It had two connections and an empty seat in coach so I was on board, until I wasn't.

I was bumped onto the standby list for the next flight and by then, Nancy was at her desk in New York. I called her. She took care of it and got me on a direct in the afternoon. That gave me time to revisit the manager of the Matiz store in Vegas to talk about the launch of the fall line of products that will hit stores before summer is half over.

For a day that started out in hell, it's ending in heaven.

I'm home.

I reach in my pocket and pull out a hundred to tip the driver. I'm not an overly generous guy but he's one of the good ones. He kept quiet so I could close my eyes on the drive from LaGuardia.

"Thank you, sir." He bows when I hand him the bill.

I catch him by his shoulder. "I'm not a fucking prince, Bill. Don't hurt your back for a hundred. You need to drop the sir shit too or your next tip is a dollar. It's Crew, not sir. I told you that last time."

"Yes, Crew." He pockets the cash. "I'll get those bags sent right up. Enjoy your night, sir."

I huff out a laugh as I turn to walk into the building. "A dollar, Bill. One fucking dollar next time."

***

Jesus.

Fate isn't just shining her bright light on me tonight, she's handing me every dream I've ever had and then some.

I'm in my apartment. It's dark, the only light illuminating the main room is the flicker from the television.

I knew something was up as soon as I opened the door, walked into the foyer and heard voices. It didn't take but a beat for me to realize it was the television. It wouldn't have been the first time I've come home to find it on. The woman who stops by twice a week to tidy up the place is notorious for leaving it blaring once she's done her work and left.

Tonight is different.

I stalked across the room to turn it off, but I stopped in place when I noticed an open laptop, a smartphone, a half-eaten bowl of microwave popcorn and an empty soda can on my coffee table. I stock that brand of soda in my fridge for just one person.

I looked toward the guest room but the door was wide open and the lights were off. That's when I rounded the leather couch and came close to dropping to my knees.

Adley York is fast asleep on my couch.

I can't help but stare. My cock can't help but swell.

Her blonde hair is splayed out on the pillow beneath her head. Her lips are parted slightly and her body is more than I ever could have imagined.

One arm is bent above her head. The other is resting on her stomach; her bare stomach.

Beautiful Adley is nude from the waist up. Her breasts are round and full with nipples I'm dying to suck into pebbled peaks.

The only thing covering her body is a small pair of sheer white panties that provide just a tease of a smooth pink cunt underneath them.

She looks like a sinful angel.

I run my hand over the front of my black pants. I'm hard as stone. My erection is pulsing with need.

The dirty part of me wants to fist it, waking her with a grunt and a pinch of her nipple before I shoot my hot release all over that flawless skin.

I shake my head. What the fuck am I doing?

I back away, my eyes never leaving her body. This may very well be the only chance I get to see this in my lifetime and I want to implant it in my mind so later tonight when I'm in the shower, or a year or ten from now, I can jerk off to the memory of the sight of her tits and pussy.

Fuck, I want a taste of that.

My breathing labors as I quietly move back to the foyer. I can't let the doorman pound on the door the way he usually does when he brings up my bags. It may startle her enough that she'll wake and then she'll be horrified that I saw her wearing nothing but a pair of panties that I wish I could have so I can smell her scent whenever I want. 

For fuck's sake. I need to get a grip.

I pick up my briefcase and exit the apartment with a soft click of the door.

I know she's a heavy sleeper. I saw it the night she slept over during a snow storm. I had to practically kick in the guest room door to get her out of bed to have breakfast with me.

I hear the ding of the service elevator in the distance which means the doorman is about to drop a suitcase and a wardrobe bag at my feet.

I fish my phone from the inner pocket of my suit jacket. I pull up Adley's contact information and hit the call button.  The annoying song she has pinned as her ringtone when she's on call starts up behind the closed door. It's loud as hell and for good reason. It's the only thing that will get her out of bed and to the clinic.

It continues unanswered until it goes to voicemail.

Shit.

I set out down the corridor at a quick pace passing the semi-private elevator I just exited before I round the corner as the service elevator's doors shut behind the doorman.

I call her again, hoping that the incessant music will jar her awake. By some miracle she answers on the third ring, her voice soft and groggy. "Yes. Hi."

I stalk toward the elevator and the stunned doorman. I don't want Adley to know how close I am. I want to give her at least a two minute warning before I open the apartment door again. "Ad, it's me. What are you up to tonight?"

The doorman shoots me a puzzled look. I half-shrug as I drop my briefcase and lean a hand on his shoulder to catch my breath. 

"Crew?" She says my name and my dick twitches again. It hasn't calmed since I saw her half-naked. Her voice brings it back to full mast. "Where are you?"

"I just got to my building. I'm heading up to my apartment." I arch a brow at the doorman. "I wanted to see if you're in the mood for a burger at your favorite place."

I hear the distinctive sound of rustling. "What? You're in New York? You're not coming home for another few days."

"I'm back early. Can I swing by and pick you up after I shower?"

"Actually," she begins on a small, soft laugh." Sydney is having a party tonight. I'm at your place. I needed the peace and quiet. I hope that's okay."

It's perfect.

"I'm about to walk through the door. I hope you're decent." I shoot the doorman a wide grin. The look of confusion on his face is pure gold.

She exhales deeply. It's breathy, light, and fuck is it sexy. "I am."

"I'll see you in less than a minute."

"Crew?"

My heart stops at the sound of my name from her lips. There's a need in her voice I've never heard before. "Yes?"

"I'm glad you're back."

"Me too," I say quietly in return before I start back toward my apartment, ready to face the woman I'm going to fantasize about every fucking day until I draw my last breath.