THE NEXT THIRTY minutes were the longest of my life. Sitting so close was a clever ploy on Nate’s part, because I spent the entire meeting trying to remain professional and answer questions whilst discreetly restraining his wandering hand beneath the table.
Forecasts and variances had never sounded so sexy when they were being discussed by the influential male beside me with a voice dripping of sex. Not content with only massaging my knee, he’d tried progressively moving his roaming hand further up my thigh, getting the surprise of his life when he discovered what I was wearing.
I flushed with relief when the blonde interrupted the meeting and Nate had to leave to take an urgent call. It took him a moment to stand, and for the first time, I saw a slightly flustered side to the man normally so held together.
Michael was telling me of his dinner plans for his wife’s birthday when the blondes soft drawl interrupted our conversation as we passed reception. “Excuse me, Miss Collins?”
“Yes?” I expected her to continue, but she said nothing else, preferring to tidy up instead. “I’ll catch up with you later,” I told an equally flummoxed Michael when the lift arrived.
He hesitated, before giving me a “Sure” and stepping in.
The blonde had a small elfin face, her edgy pixie cut suiting her perfectly. She smiled kindly though her grey eyes seemed bemused. “Mr Blake wants to see you in his office.”
Oh? I touched my cheek as the blush started creeping from my chest.
“Go straight in, no need to knock.” She pointed to his office, nodding her head in encouragement.
“Er…thanks.” All too aware of my tremulous voice, I walked towards the closed door of Nate’s office. By the time I reached it I was breathless with expectation.
He was in the middle of a heated conversation when I entered, reclining in his executive chair with his back to me. One arm stretched behind him, rubbing his neck, the other tapped the knee of his crossed leg. He spun around when the door latching shut alerted him to my presence. “I believe we’re done here,” he said evenly into the handsfree earpiece.
Slowly, he rose to his feet.
“Kara.” Nate tossed the earpiece onto the desk and prowled towards me, loosening his tie and undoing the top button of his shirt. He stepped me away from the door, taking a moment to lock it. Lust clouded the determination in his eyes as they stayed on me.
“Hi.” A low hum of excitement swirled in my belly and down between my legs.
Removing the tablet from my hands and tossing it on the sofa behind me, Nate cupped my face and covered my mouth with his. I savoured the sweet taste of his tongue against mine, each stroke reminding me how much I’d missed him. How much I’d missed the reality of him, as I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my body closer.
“That last hour has been torture,” he said roughly. “I’ve been desperate to do that since I touched you outside the meeting room.”
Suddenly, I was in his arms. “What are you doing?” I yelped with a laugh.
Nate carried me to his desk and carefully lowered me onto the edge, pushing aside papers littering the polished surface. He sank into his chair and positioned it between my open legs. “This,” he said, sounding breathless.
I watched in silence as his eyes drifted ravenously over my legs, his hands curving above my knees then sliding higher beneath the hem of my fluted pencil skirt.
“Stopping me earlier,” he murmured, massaging my thighs as he glanced up through impossibly long lashes. “I lost concentration, picturing your legs in these glorious silky stockings, fantasising about how good you’d look spread across that boardroom table wearing them and very little else.”
Nate shoved my skirt up my thighs and sucked in a breath. He traced the lacy edge of each thigh-high, eyes fixed on every move his dexterous fingers made.
This time, I didn’t stop him from exploring.
He dipped his head and nipped the bare flesh above the stocking, shooting a signal directly to the now damp spot between my legs.
“Now,” I whimpered, as he moved to the other leg and did it again, “you get an idea. That persistence paid off again.”
Nate lifted his head, pure lust blazing in his dark eyes. His mouth opened to speak, then his lips curled into a salacious grin. “Lucky me.”
I wanted him badly. But we couldn’t do anything here, not in his office with the blonde outside. I shut my eyes to banish the excruciating vulnerability washing over me when Nate spread my legs further. His face was so close to me it was unbearable. Every nip, each titillating lick was weakening me.
“Hmm, your arousal is intoxicating,” he groaned, sliding his nose over my lace panties.
“Oh, God,” I panted, gripping the edge of the desk until my knuckles turned white.
“If you didn’t have to be decent the rest of the day, I’d rip this skirt off. I’m dying to taste you again.” Nate pushed up my skirt until it bunched around my waist like a belt. He fisted my panties. “I’ll settle for these.”
The sound of them shredding made me gasp. A low rumble of yearning shuddered through Nate as he cupped my bare arse and slid me to the edge of his desk.
“Nate…no.” I tried, weakly, to stop him, but I was too late. Leaning back on my hands for support, I shuddered as Nate licked up to my clit. “Fuck!”
“I want you, Kara. Don’t try and resist me.” His tongue was insistent, his hands pressing against my inner thighs, holding me open, immobilising any attempt I made to close them. He moaned appreciatively against my wet flesh, making my stomach clench and sending a wave of shivers through me.
“We’re at work.” I fought desperately to cling to the last bit of reason I had, but it was useless. My head fell back as I gave in, lifting my hips, offering more of myself to him. This man knew no bounds when it came to his accomplished oral skills, working me into a frenzy as skilfully, he brought me closer to the brink.
“I’m growing addicted to your sweet taste, baby,” he murmured before gently sucking.
Spread wide on his desk, I was utterly defenceless. Desperate for some resistance, I pressed the soles of my Mary-Jane’s against the armrests of his chair and pushed hard against his mouth when his tongue dipped inside. “God…”
Nate tasted me, licking, teasing me in the most intimate place. I shoved a hand in his hair, gripping tight, both of us moaning in unrestrained ecstasy.
Two hands came around my lower back for support, revealing Nate’s intimate, and accurate, knowledge of my body as I teetered on the edge of an explosive orgasm. The sight of him between my legs was all I needed to detonate around him.
“Fuck!” I panted between stifled cries. “Nate.”
His grip tightened, urging me closer, taking it all like he couldn’t get enough, groaning wildly. My legs shook as the lone arm supporting me buckled, all my limbs weakened by the orgasm engulfing my body.
Dazed, I grew aware of Nate standing and folded into his soothing embrace. As I nestled against his chest, his heart raced, pounding loudly in my ear. Cocooned in his arms, my exhilaration was gradually replaced with content as I came down from my high.
Nate tipped my head back. His hair was ruffled, slightly damp at the roots, and his clean-shaven cheeks flushed a pale pink. “How’s that for an apology?”
I lifted a shoulder coyly. “Not bad.”
A smile threatened his lips as he traced a finger along mine. “For such an exquisite mouth, it can be extremely crude sometimes.”
I bit my lip shyly, ashamed by my cries of pleasure. Apparently I swore aloud when I was mindlessly turned on as well.
“It’s kinda sexy”—he lowered his voice—“as are these.” He removed the glasses from the top of my head and carefully put them on me. “Why, only now, am I discovering you wear these?”
Embarrassed, I shrugged and placed them on the desk beside me. “I only wear them for computer work and watching TV. Sometimes driving if I’m tired.”
Nate licked his lips and his concentration wavered slightly. When he let out a small murmur, I realised he was tasting me still. His head tilted. “Stockings, glasses, and not much else…”
Laughing, I hugged him. That’s when I discovered he was hard. Very hard.
“Need some help with this?” I asked, worried about his response. Purposely, I licked my lips as I moved my hands from his back to cup him.
Nate’s eyes flashed to my mouth, turning hot with want. “You have no idea how desperate I am to fuck that delicious mouth of yours.”
Warmth flooded me. I took a deep breath before swallowing to moisten my dry mouth. Nate had no understanding of how reassuring those words were. Just as I reached for his belt, a timid voice crackled through the speakerphone on his desk behind me. “Mr Blake…um, sorry but, um…your next appointment is here.”
“Fuck!” Nate raked a hand through his hair then pressed a button to answer. “I’ll be out shortly, Riley.” He stilled my hand over his zip. “I’m going to have to wait for that treat, baby.”
I was disappointed, but the promise of tasting him, hearing he wanted me to, made me salivate.
“Here,” Nate said, helping me off the desk, “come freshen up.” He smoothed down my skirt and straightened my blouse.
He led me to a private bathroom off his office, complete with shower and closet, and left me alone. Floor to ceiling glossy white tiled walls, broken by a vertical strip of black tile running down the centre of the shower that wasn’t massive, but definitely big enough for two.
My skirt wasn’t too crumpled, and after adjusting my stockings I was reasonably presentable, but my hair was a mess. Behind me was a tall black shelving unit stacked with fluffy white towels and toiletries. I found a comb and hastily pulled it through my hair before tying it into a simple ponytail.
I shouted for Nate to come in when he knocked at the door. He eyed me curiously, with some amusement. “Got everything you need?”
“Um…sort of.” I’d managed to restore my appearance, but it was my nakedness beneath my skirt I was more concerned with. I stepped out of his way to let him splash his face with cold water.
“What do you need?” he asked, taking the towel I handed him and patting his face dry.
With my back to the large silver ornate mirror hanging over the vanity, I set about unbuttoning his waistcoat so I could straighten his tie. Placing both hands on his hips, he let me dress him, watching fondly as I did.
“I don’t suppose you have any spare underwear?” I asked. Nate’s mouth curved the same time as my own. He let me finish then went into the closet.
“These do?” He wiggled his brows, shaking a pair of black Ralph Lauren boxer briefs in front of me.
I snatched them from him and shooed him to the door. “Out!” I smacked his perfectly rounded arse as he passed, laughing. Basking for a moment in this elation, I was happy and it showed. My body language was different. I stood taller, more confidently, and my eyes and skin were luminous. I glanced at the closed door, thinking of the man on the other side.
Nate had really got my head in a spin. Being with him made me feel things I thought I’d never feel again. Like a drug I was gradually becoming hooked on, I craved him when he wasn’t there. I was falling far too quickly.
And that scared the hell out of me.
“All done?” Nate asked, striding to meet me when I joined him in his office.
“Yes, thank you.” I took my belongings from him. “I should get back. You have no idea what I’m going to face when I get back downstairs.” Mai would be filling her head with lewd ideas, having no idea how close to the mark she’d be.
“One more kiss before you go.” He tugged my hand and pulled me into an embrace. As we said goodbye, I shoved a treat into his trouser pocket, then dashed to the door. “What the—?”
I peeked over my shoulder with amusement when I reached it.
“Kara,” Nate groaned, scrunching the boxer briefs in his fist, “you’re going to kill me.”
I winked and left the office, walking triumphantly to the lift with the silliest grin on my face.
ON my return, I found Mai in the kitchen. “What have you been doing?” she asked, raising a curious brow as she inspected me. She stood on tiptoe to get another mug from the cupboard, but I still saw the smirk.
“Nothing.” I fussed with the Peter-Pan collar of my blouse, checking it was straight. I leant into the unit and folded my arms, hoping to appear casual.
“That’s a new word for it. Michael came searching for you half hour ago, so I know you’ve been alone with the Adonis.” Mai noticed my fretful expression and said, “Don’t worry, I covered. Your secret’s still safe.”
“Thanks, Mai.” I touched her arm in appreciation and returned the milk carton to the refrigerator. “I had to answer some questions, that’s all.”
Mai sneered her disbelief and glanced up at my hair. “Next time, try remembering what hairstyle you came to work with.” She spooned some sugar into her latte. “Pretty sure it wasn’t like that.”
I sifted my fingers through my ponytail. Crap.
“If I’m gonna cover your ass while the God in the suit screws your brains out,” she said, handing me my mug, “I expect details when you get back.”
“We didn’t have sex!” I protested, lowering my voice as we exited the kitchen, passing some colleagues. “We only—”
What exactly had we done? Okay, there was no actual intercourse, but Nate had still gone down on me in his office. Not giving Mai the chance to probe further, I shook my head and hurried to my desk. “I’ve got work to do.”
NATE called just before 5 p.m. I was surprised it had taken him so long to follow up from our encounter.
“Hello,” I answered my desk phone with a smile.
“Baby.” His breathy tone stirred the butterflies in my belly. “I’m going out of my mind up here.”
“Why?” I feigned ignorance as I sank lower into my chair and crossed my legs.
“You know exactly what you’re doing to me. It’s taking all of my willpower not to come get you and drag your bare ass back up here to finish what you’ve started.”
My mouth parted to accommodate a gasp, and my free hand trailed over my chest, coming to rest on the flat of my fluttering stomach.
“You’re lucky I don’t know where you sit,” he said gruffly, giving away his own desire.
I scanned the office outside, checking our conversation wasn’t being overheard, and lowered my voice anyway. “I’m sure you could locate me—if you really wanted to. It is your building, after all.”
“Do you want me to?”
I closed my eyes to block everything out so I could concentrate solely on Nate’s sensual voice and the wetness between my legs.
“Excuse me, Kara.” Something distracted him, voices muffling in the background. The interruption brought me out of my reverie and back to reality with an unwelcome reminder. I straightened and gathered myself together.
“Sorry about that. Where were we?” Nate asked.
I cleared my throat. “You were about to say why you were calling.”
“You sure,” he teased, “because I’m pretty uncomfortable and won’t be able to stand for a while.”
“Nate! God, I hope the phones in this place aren’t tapped.”
He laughed. “Only telling the truth, sweetheart.”
He was, albeit entirely inappropriately given our location, and I had to respect him for that. Nate wasn’t afraid to express his feelings, and was more than willing to let me know what I did to him. It was a refreshing change compared to things of late. “Are you still free tomorrow night?”
I rubbed my brow, missing something. “I thought you had a function?”
“I do. Wanna walk that red carpet with me?” he asked, his tone playful and flirtatious.
My heartbeat ramped up. “I—We’ve barely defined what we’re doing ourselves. I’m not ready to face the media for them to tear us apart.” I’d seen gorgeous women cruelly ripped to pieces, judgement passed on everything—what they wore, what physical shape they were in—all because they didn’t fit into a particular stereotype.
One man had made my life hell in much the same way. I wasn’t ready for strangers to do it again.
“I knew that would be your response, which is why I scored two more invites.” He understood, but disappointment laced his voice. “Bring a friend and we’ll meet inside, it’ll be more private.”
Nate had no idea of the internal battle I faced in deciding whether to introduce him to my friends. Mai would kill to go to this type of event, and I knew if I turned him down, I’d be the one dead. When I saw her strolling happily back to her workstation without a care, I caved. “I’d love to, thank you.”
“I told you I’d find a way to spend time with you. Our meeting earlier was a welcome prelude to our next date. It was a pleasant surprise to see you.”
“You arranged that on purpose,” I accused, recalling how I’d told him I was working on that project.
“I did,” he admitted without shame. “What I hadn’t planned on was being tempted by every businessman’s fantasy brought to life. I couldn’t resist you.”
I knew he was smiling, and asked, “What do you mean?” with a smile of my own.
“In that outfit? Those stockings, and your hair piled sexily on top of your head? You rocked the naughty secretary look.” There was a short pause, then he murmured, “Those glasses tipped me over the edge.”
“Naughty secretary?” I laughed out loud. “In your dreams.”
“Baby, every thought I have of you is like a dream. I’ve asked myself many times if you’re real or simply a figment of my imagination.”
“A mind-blowing orgasm on your desk felt very real.”
“Yeah,” he laughed, “think you pulled half my hair out.”
Embarrassment flushed my skin. I tried to reply but my throat clammed up, leaving me unable to form any words.
“I had to see you,” Nate continued, more serious. “I’m determined to show you just how much I want this relationship, and I’ll keep making amends until you understand what it means to me—what you mean to me. I won’t let you down again, Kara.”
“That isn’t necessary. Just…” I didn’t know what to say. I wanted a relationship, but one with Nate frightened me. I’d fall too deep, deeper than he ever would, and it would break me when he realised that.
“I have to go, my car’s waiting downstairs. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Enjoy your evening,” I said softly and ended the call.