Chapter Two
Monday morning, after calling to check on her father, Kellie went into Leblanc & Love’s offices. The staff would have to be told about her father’s condition and that Kellie and Alex would be stepping in to fill his very big shoes.
When she walked in, Alex was already addressing everyone, and her eyes narrowed. Acting without her involvement was a clear sign of disrespect on his part. She strolled right up to him and stood beside him as he finished up. He gave her a glance and, with a huff, continued on. “Kellie and I will be covering for David. If you have anything important, bring it to me. Otherwise, let Kellie handle it.”
So that’s how he wanted to play this? Give her a hard time at every turn? He was just acting so childish and he was at least forty years old. This was exactly why Kellie was still a virgin—men just weren’t grown up men anymore.
She was content to be on her own until she met a man who could overwhelm her, who could sweep her off her feet the way her father had with her mom. She didn’t see that happening anytime soon.
Kellie pasted a smile on her face. This line of thinking was getting her nowhere. “If any of you have any questions about my dad or you’d like to send him your love, just come see me. I’ll be working out of his office.”
Alex turned to her. “Do you have anything else you want to add?”
“I’d like to see you in my dad’s office, please.”
“Sure.” He held out a hand, gesturing down the hall to David’s office.
She walked in front of him, struggling to control her temper. She would not blow up at him, she wouldn’t do it. Shutting the door behind them, she turned on him. “What the hell was that?”
“What?”
“You know exactly what. You started that meeting without me, you completely undermined me. Can you tell me what the point of that was?”
He advanced on her and Kellie took a step back. Damn it, she hadn’t meant to do that, to give him any ground, but… it was just a gut reaction.
“You are here to ‘watch’ me, correct?”
“I suppose so.”
“Then do what you were asked to do, help out where you can, but don’t, for a minute, think that you’re going to come in here, throw my experience out the window, and act like we’re on common ground. Are we clear?”
Childish. This was a pissing contest, that’s all there was to it. And she wouldn’t get involved in one with him. “Tell me what you’ve got planned for the next few days so I can plan my calendar around that.”
“There’s a party tonight. I’m courting a huge client. I don’t need you there. I’ve got this in the bag.”
“Mm-hmm. I’m going with you. Where’s it at?” She crossed her arms and plopped down in her father’s chair. She studied Alex while he obviously mentally cycled through his options of ways to convince her not to go.
He had light brown hair, and commanding lips. That’s the only way to describe them. His whole face, really. And, she had to admit, he had beautiful brown eyes. A woman could get lost in eyes like that. And he was absolutely infuriating. “Well?”
Alex came over and flopped down across from her. “It’s at Chase Valentine’s house.”
“Shut up. Are you serious? That would be such a boon for this company.”
“Exactly.” He crossed his legs and sat back. “See why I don’t need your help?”
“Not at all. I’m going to make sure Chase doesn’t catch you upstairs, in some linen closet, hooking up with the caterer.”
His lips pursed and he quirked them from side to side. “You’re really going through with this.”
“I really am. Given my education, you might as well think of me as an untapped resource.”
His mouth turned up in a wicked grin. “Untapped resource. I like that.”
“I-I’m glad. See? We can work together.”
“Oh, sure. We’ll have a great time.” He stood up and examined her openly. “You’ll need that cocktail dress I mentioned Saturday.”
“You were serious.” Kellie touched her face, sure there must be something on it. Why was he staring at her that way?
“I’ll pick you up at seven. Give Gayle your address.”
“I don’t trust you to pick me up. Why don’t you give me Chase’s address?”
“Because you’re not the one with an invite. You’re going to have to trust me, honey.” He walked to the door and gave her another perusal. “I can’t wait to see what you wear.”
“Why? I know how to dress for a party.” Was he really insulting her taste in clothes now?
“Because you’re gorgeous, and I’m a red-blooded man.” With that, he left, shutting the door behind him.
Kellie sat there, her mouth open for several seconds. Did he just say he found her attractive? Wait, no… that’s not exactly what he said. He called her gorgeous, but he didn’t say that he personally found her attractive. He must’ve just been saying it in a general way.
***
Alex rapped on Kellie’s door at 7:15. Let her wait and wonder if he’d ditched her. It wasn’t her, so much as… her effect on him. Did she have to be damned perfect to look at?
When she opened the door, Alex could only stare. He couldn’t believe how much more beautiful she was in the gold sheath dress. It clung to her delectable curves and ended mid-thigh. The men would be ogling her all night. “You can’t wear that.”
“Excuse me?”
“You should go change. That dress is too…” He gestured with his hands, trying to come up with a description. “Short.”
“This is a pop star’s party. I will be dressed conservatively compared to some. Certainly compared to whoever you slept with to get us invited.”
“What?” He managed to stammer out. How did she know?
“Let’s just go, Alex. We’re already running late.” She clutched a small, shiny gold purse in her hand and pulled the door shut behind her.
Downstairs, he opened the door for her and couldn’t look away at the expanse of leg that she flashed climbing in. He shut her door, then closed his eyes. He had to get his shit together—he couldn’t keep thinking of that hot little body or those full lips.
He went around and got into the car, started it up, and pulled out onto the street.
“You’re acting weird.”
“How am I acting weird?”
“I don’t know… just strange. You’re giving me looks.” She twisted in her seat to face him, but he kept his eyes on the traffic in front of him. He probably was giving her looks, because he fucking wanted her more than he’d wanted anyone in a really long time. He wanted to capture her wrists in his hands and make her writhe beneath him, beg for release.
He ground his teeth together, working to put the image out of his mind. Kellie was off limits. “What kind of ‘looks’?”
“I don’t know how to describe them. It’s like… do you… Never mind.” She turned and faced forward, dropping the subject.
Did he what? Did he want her? Was she feeling this pull the same way he was? Jesus, if she wanted him, too… if she gave him any kind of a sign that she was interested in sleeping with him then he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. He’d have her, or die trying.
***
Kellie stood in the expansive living room, as pop music played in the background, listening to a man drone on about music videos. From her location, she could see Alex talking to Chase Valentine. She nodded and smiled at the man before her, and tilted her head.
Alex was childish and annoying, but… She sighed. He was hot. She could admit that she felt an attraction to him. She was a grown woman, and even if she had no intention of acting on it, she could look at the man objectively and think, “Hot damn.”
She’d caught herself watching him stalk across the room, like a predator, twice tonight. He looked so fine in that black suit. His chest was muscled, his ass tight, and his mouth made her think things she was not comfortable thinking about Alex Leblanc.
Their gazes locked and she could swear the air around her crackled. “Excuse me,” she muttered to the man who had continued to talk long after she stopped paying attention.
Kellie walked away, making her way toward Alex. She wanted to ask him again about those looks he was giving her, like right now he looked like he wanted to devour her. And, God help her, she wanted to let him. But she couldn’t ask because she’d been eyeing him herself all night.
Didn’t matter. Alex would be like any other man. He’d kiss her, and she’d feel absolutely nothing. Sometimes, she wondered if there was something wrong with her.
If that was the case, that no man could sweep her off her feet, then she’d die a virgin and not regret it. She wanted everything or she wanted nothing.
Finally, she reached Alex and Chase Valentine. “Introduce us,” she said without breaking eye contact with Alex. The man had such magnetism about him. Finally, she dragged her gaze away and looked at Chase Valentine.
“This is Kellie Love. Kellie, Chase Valentine.”
“Your name is apt,” Chase Valentine said to her.
“In what way?” She offered him a polite smile. He was a troublemaker and she didn’t want to give the impression of anything beyond professional interest.
“Because you’re so love-ly.”
Oh, my God, that was a pickup line she’d heard a time or two. She wanted to yawn in his face, but she couldn’t because Alex was courting him. “That’s very kind of you.”
Valentine turned toward her, and away from Alex, and lowered his voice. “Would you like a tour of the house?”
Kellie opened her mouth to speak, but Alex beat her to it. “No, she wouldn’t,” he said. “We have another party to attend. Are you ready to go, Kellie?”
“Um, I suppose so?”
They had no other party to her knowledge. What was going on with Alex?
***
Aidan led Kellie to the door and she followed compliantly enough. He’d heard enough times about how Chase Valentine’s “house tours” ended to know he had no intention of letting Kellie go on one. The man had never heard the word “no.”
He told himself it was because it would put Kellie in an awkward position, but the real problem was, what would he do if Kellie didn’t say no? What if she slept with Valentine? He couldn’t stomach the idea, and so he’d decided they should leave. He’d met Valentine, developed a rapport with the man. He’d follow up with him tomorrow.
Outside, they stopped to wait on a valet to bring his car around. Kellie gave him a sideways glance. “We’re going to another party?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I’d love to hear how.”
Just then, the car pulled up and the valet hopped out. Alex put his hand on the small of Kellie’s bare back and the touch jolted down his arm and body, straight to his cock. She gave him a look of surprise then shook her head.
In the car, she turned to face him. “Well?”
“I’ve heard things about Valentine. I didn’t want to leave you alone with him.”
“Feeling protective? I didn’t even think you liked me.”
He pulled out onto the winding road that would lead him out of the hills and glanced at her. “My feelings about you are… complex. It’s like wine—there are different aspects to it.”
It was playing with fire, even having this discussion. He didn’t know if he intended to tease her or torture himself.
“I’m… intrigued. Tell me more.”
“Kellie, you’re a grown woman and I know you feel there’s something happening here. I can tell by the way you can’t look away from me.” He glanced at her, their gazes locking. “Like now.”
Her throat worked and she touched a hand to her neck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Without a second thought, because fuck that, he whipped the car off the road. “You want me to stop, you say so, and I will. I’ll drive you home and see you to your door. I won’t ask why and I won’t try again.”
“Try what?” Her voice was low, sultry, nearly a whisper.
He unbuckled the seatbelt and leaned across the expanse between their bucket seats. With heat bouncing back and forth between them, he took her jaw in his hands and held her in place. Guiding her mouth to his, he claimed her mouth in a kiss. Every nerve in his body shot to attention. He wanted her to beg for more. Licking and nibbling at her lips, he assaulted her senses until she opened her mouth to him.
With a gasp, she pulled back. He searched her face for a moment, waiting for her to tell him he’d made a mistake, misunderstood the tension between them.
“Don’t stop.” She leaned closer, grabbing at his jacket lapels.
He moved his head back but carved his fingers into her hair. “Put your arms up, hands behind the head rest.”
“Why?”
Tugging on her hair, he pulled her head back. “Because I told you to, Kellie.”
Uncertainty clear in her green eyes, she lifted her arms ever-so-slowly then bent them so her hands rested behind the headrest.
“Good girl.” Alex plundered her mouth again, but this time he stroked her legs. Soft at first, his touch became more insistent. When he began to tease her inner thighs, Kellie’s knees widened, inch by idle inch. He was in no hurry.
They were both panting like animals as he pushed her panties aside and let his fingers slip between her folds to circle the bundle of nerves at her center.
“Oh!” she cried, then began to moan.
He moved his mouth to her ear, licked it, then whispered, “That’s it, Kellie. Come for me.”
He had what he wanted; she writhed beneath his ministration, hands clutching the headrest now. Leaning down to sink his teeth into the place where her shoulder met her neck, he stuck a finger inside of her. God, she was so fucking tight. He wanted her, wanted to bury himself in her right now, but first, he wanted to give her a taste of what he had to offer.
When her walls began to milk his finger, he added another inside, teasing her with his thumb, and she came, crying out with release.
She let her arms drop and covered her face with her hands as Alex leaned back into his seat. He licked her sweet juice from his fingertips while she watched between her fingers.
“Let’s go home,” she said, her voice shaky.
“Yours or mine?”
“Don’t care.”
He buckled his seatbelt, smiling with satisfaction as he gunned the engine to life and pulled back out onto the road.