Chapter 5: Closer

 

Russell wasn’t a man prone to using foul language. His mother and father had raised him to be a gentleman and he was ever tied to those parameters. He liked to think that in all his dealings – both with women and business – that he was as polite as it was humanly possible to be.

Or, at least, he had before meeting Alice Tate.

Now, at least in his mind, Russell cursed far too bloody often for his own good.

Had it always been this way, he wondered when he took on a new client? He could swear that Melanie was one of the most difficult women he’d ever dealt with –and he’d certainly dealt with a lot of women.

In the past few years, he hadn’t taken on many new clients. Russell’s clientele was such that he could make a very good living from those people he was already close to. Amelia, Regina, and stars of their ilk were commonplace for him, and he recently told himself that the headache of adjusting to a new personality was beyond him in his ripe old age.

Taking Melanie was a favor he owed his half-sister – though he had no idea how Margaret could call someone like the egotistical blonde her friend. Margaret insisted that she could sing like an angel and only needed a chance to be represented by someone with connections.

And when his sister asked him for something, Russell always inevitably gave in.

Now, however, he was regretting his soft-heartedness. Melanie had been nothing but trouble from the day he signed her – and every time he looked at her, all he could see was the hurt on Alice’s face at her blustering insults.

Was he a complete and total cad?

Perhaps he was, and this was the punishment that was coming to him.

Russell was currently in a British sound studio listening to Melanie record her first album. He supposed that she wasn’t horrible, but she hardly had the voice of an angel. It was this skepticism that had led him to take her to Britain to record, lest someone hear of her less than stellar performance in the US before her album was released. Russell wondered how on earth he’d gotten himself into this position. He loved his job – even when it came to dealing with difficult clients. He enjoyed knowing that he had the prowess to handle difficult cases.

He wasn’t enjoying working with Melanie at all – and part of that, he supposed, came from admitting to himself that he’d taken her on as a reason for avoiding travel with Alice.

He had to be the most indecisive man in the entire cosmos.

One moment he was allowing himself to go out with her – even imagining what it might be like to have her curvy, decadent form in his arms. When she had insinuated that they might end up in bed together, despite his best intentions, Russell wanted nothing more than to carry her back to his condo and have his wicked way with her. The prospect was enough to make him forget that he was only allowing himself to get to know her, and brought out his basest instincts.

And so, of course, he’d backtracked. Even knowing she would be staying in his apartment –that he would see her almost every day on set. He had done the cowardly thing and taken a step back.

He and his bloody guilt.

Russell couldn’t remember ever being so indecisive concerning a woman…not since the first woman to ever hold his heart.

And that had been so dreadfully long ago.

Russell had managed to get through the past few months by pushing the more painful memories to the back of his mind. But here, now, faced with the product of his own avoidance, he couldn’t stop a few of them from seeping to the forefront.

Of course, being in London didn’t hurt either. Every time he came home, he was forced to recall his past in vivid color. And though many of those memories were lovely – there were a few that, sometimes, he wished he could forget.

Her hair had been red.

He could let himself remember that much, couldn’t he? Her hair was red and her eyes were such a deep, vivid blue that they took his breath away the first time he saw her. His first love had been wild and untamed – had moved much too fast and without reserve.

But it was still love.

Which meant he was all the more devastated when it was taken from him.

“Russell?” He was snapped back to the present when he realized that Melanie was calling his name through the mike. He looked up to see her scowling at him. He’d never met a woman who could move so quickly between sweetness and the ultimate evil. It had to be a God-given talent.

“What’s up, Melanie?” He answered her with his characteristic thousand – kilowatt smile. How could he react any other way?

“Can you please go get me an organic green smoothie? I need it for my vocal cords.” She made a great show of stroking her pitifully overworked throat. “I’m absolutely parched.”

Usually, a client asked him if he could get a runner to get them specific items – but it made a bizarre sort of sense that a newbie like Melanie would have no idea how rude she was being. Pressing the button that turned on his own mike, he answered her diplomatically. “Of course. I’ll get a runner to get it for you.”

From sweet to evil in a flash.

Melanie’s eyes narrowed as she stared at him through the glass partition, obviously displeased. “But I need you to get it for me, Russell. I don’t trust anyone besides you! What if they don’t get organic? It could damage my vocal chords. You don’t want your investment to go to waste, do you?”

What an absolute ninny.

And coming from Russell, that was quite the insult. He loved and respected women of all shapes, sizes and creeds, but he could say, without a doubt, that he disliked Melanie immensely. She was rude, thought entirely too highly of herself, and didn’t consider what other people might think of her behavior. Of course, it wasn’t Russell himself who had endorsed her career. That had been Margaret’s doing – and her brother found himself on the cusp of calling and telling her how useless her investment was. In his opinion, Melanie could sing like a diva and it wouldn’t make her career succeed.

She was an insufferable brat.

Nothing at all like Alice.

Despite this, Russell had every intention of remaining cordial. When he pressed the button to reply to her, however, Mike, the sound mixer, merely gave him an imperious look before answering for him. Russell had worked with Mike many times before, and the man was known for his no-nonsense attitude towards the artists he worked with.

“Look, Mel. That’s not his job. He’s here to make sure that you get what you need, but Russell’s not your babysitter. Don’t act like a diva before your album even drops, hon. We’ll get your smoothie.”

The blonde’s face turned bright red, and if looks could kill, Mike would no doubt be flopping around on the floor. Russell could see that, for a split second, Melanie considered rebutting. It would be very unwise of her, but she wasn’t the most intelligent person he’d ever had the pleasure of working with, so that was no surprise.

But she wasn’t completely stupid. Melanie realized that she risked pissing off the man who was doing the mixing on her album and another who was only representing her out of obligation. Russell supposed there was only so much crazy that could be contained in a single person, as Melanie seemed to force herself to cool down.

“Fine.” He hid a smile at her forced grin. “Please and thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Mike barked, before turning to roll his eyes obtrusively at Russell. “She’s a piece of work, this one. Why are you repping her again?”

Russell sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Favor to Margaret. I owe her several.”

“Ah.” Mike grunted. He had the pleasure of meeting Russell’s imposing younger half-sister several times in the past, and he could understand the respect she commanded. Margaret was a real gem – even if she was terrifying in her own right. “That explains it.”

“I suppose that means you don’t think she’ll be very good?”

Mike snorted. “Miracles happen, I suppose.” With that, Russell rose, off to find a runner who somehow knew of an organic smoothie shop somewhere nearby.

No matter how much he disliked her, he couldn’t have his newest client bad-mouthing him when he had a stellar reputation to uphold.

Thankfully, stepping outside the studio gave him a much-needed break from the woman in question. After sending a runner for her smoothie, Russell settled in a plush armchair, waiting for the news errantly on one of the many TV screens in the lobby.

Well, he wasn’t watching the news, per say. Rather, it was playing in the background as Russell fought to keep from remembering that Alice Tate was in the same city as him, somewhere, doing God knew what.

He should have travelled with her when she asked. Christ, he should have taken her to bed before she could change her mind. Instead, he was sure he had ruined things for good. He was surprised Alice hadn’t contacted him asking to break her lease. He deserved no less.

But was it really his fault that the young woman so consumed him? When Russell was around Alice, he had no idea what to do. She got under his skin in a way few women did, and even when he wasn’t with her, her memory lingered.

Particularly how much he’d bollocksed things up with her when they’d seen one another a week ago.

By this point, he knew, Alice’s holiday was almost over. He himself had spent the last seven days trying to get as many people to like Melanie as he could – and failing on most fronts. Meanwhile, the tabloids couldn’t get enough of the Tate-Lithgall family. Though there weren’t many pictures of Lord Michael Tate’s newborn baby, there was tons of speculation. Of course, it wasn’t helped by numerous images of both the child’s mother and Alice, her aunt, out shopping for her. It seemed that all the media could talk about was the newest member of British high society.

Which meant that Russell couldn’t escape Alice.

She seemed to be everywhere he looked – the papers, the television – she was even on several British billboards promoting her brand.

And in every image he saw of her, she was more and more lovely.

He missed her.

It had hardly been a week since he last saw her, and he wanted to see her again.

He must have lost his mind.

Russell contemplated heading out to get his own drink when a flash news report caught his eye, tempting him back to one of the televisions in the lobby.

“This just in: New sightings of Alice Tate with one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors: Harvey Wells.”

All at once, Russell’s stomach clenched as a fuzzy image popped up on the screen.

He recognized Alice instantly. He would have known that glorious fall of Raven hair anywhere, even if the picture quality was bad. It wasn’t the young woman herself, however, that made his stomach turn. Rather, it was the man holding her hand – leading her into a high street shop.

Russell didn’t know who the hell he was, but he instantly abhorred him. He didn’t think he’d ever heard the name Harvey Wells before, and he didn’t too much care for it. For a long moment, he stared at the TV screen, wondering why on earth it suddenly felt like his insides were going up in flames. He didn’t want to look at images of Alice with another man, but somehow, he couldn’t look away. The longer he looked, the worse the feeling in his gut grew.

And then, all at once, Russell realized what he was experiencing.

It was jealousy. Pure, unadulterated jealousy.

Quite the novel feeling for him. In the years that he’d been dating since he left England, Russell always told himself that if he reached the point of jealousy it was time to move on – this was for both his welfare as well as the woman he dated.

But just now, he didn’t feel like distancing himself from Alice anymore. He wanted to find her and whoever this idiot was and force them apart. Alice belonged with him and no one else – and the sight of her with another man was enough to make him feel emotions he hadn’t been sure he was capable of feeling.

Whatever he was trying to avoid, Russell had obviously failed.

He wanted Alice, but his own insecurities had driven her away, and now he had to watch her enjoy the company of another man. Russell didn’t know which was worse: that he’d have to face her when they both went back to the United States or that he would have to endure a few more days of watching her flit happily around London with another man?

The decision that he made was instant and unexpected. He would go out and make sure that the runner getting Melanie’s juice did their job properly – just to check on him. Russell was sure that he was somewhere downtown – possibly close to the high street.

Which was where Alice was with her new beau.

He would just take a short trip down to check – after all, he wouldn’t want Melanie to be upset with him.

After sending Mike a quick text to let him know his intentions, Russell grabbed his coat and set out. It was a short walk from the studio to the high street, but once he reached it, he didn’t immediately look for the brilliant bleached blonde hair of Mike’s assistant and runner, Amy. Instead, he searched for the crush of paparazzi he knew would also be present. If they were documenting the Tates every move, then it stood to reason that there would be a Tate wherever they were.

It was a Friday afternoon and, naturally, the high street was packed full of both British residents and tourists. The moment he arrived, Russell realized that his goal would be slightly harder to achieve than he’d imagined.

Nonetheless, Russell plunged into his plan with gusto, burning anger fueling his intent. Was Alice with Harvey right now, he wondered? Had they started dating the moment she returned to London? He supposed he couldn’t blame her. Considering Melanie’s behavior in the airport and his own disregard for Alice’s feelings, it wasn’t shocking that she would consider him off the table.

All he had to do now was get back on it.

Despite what people might think, the high street was not actually a single street, but a series of streets lined with numerous shops, boutiques and restaurants. Which meant that finding one or two people would be no small feat. In addition to the throng, however, there also seemed to be several sets of reporters milling around, covering different sections of the shopping district. He had to wonder if they were waiting for Tates, or if it was another issue entirely that lured them out.

Russell wound his way through the shops, trying to appear casual just in case he did run into Amy. The last thing he wanted was for the runner to go rushing back and report to Mike. Of course, with the huge crowds milling about, he found it highly unlikely that such a thing would happen, but he couldn’t be too careful. He’d only just admitted to himself how he felt about Alice – explaining it to someone else promised complications.

For a good half hour, Russell checked the shops he believed Alice might gravitate towards – windows with designer gowns of the highest quality in the front windows, or jewelry shops filled with elegant, understated pieces like the ones she liked to wear. He was just beginning to think perhaps he should give it up and get back to the studio when he spotted a familiar gleaming ebony mane.

Somehow, he knew it was Alice on sight. Of course, it helped that there were no less than six reporters swarming around the restaurant where she sat – along with quite a few tourists who had stopped to see what all the fuss was about.

Of course, the biggest giveaway, however, was that the young woman was sitting across from none other than Harvey Wells. Though Russell had only seen him once, he recognized him immediately.

Intense dislike immediately snaked through him and forced himself to, instead, focus on the woman across from the man. The moment, he did, Russell felt a strong pang of desire and had to force himself to swallow it. It wouldn’t do for him to lose his composure in such a public place. Casually, he made his way to the shop next to the Italian bistro and busied himself looking occupied inside as he watched the couple.

Harvey was utterly enamored – that much was clear from the utterly lustful expression on his face anytime Alice said a single word. He held her hands over the table, his gaze never leaving hers, and Russell struggled not to tear from the shop and beat the man utterly senseless. He knew that he himself had no license to feel so possessive, but he couldn’t help it. Alice was his. They worked together, she lived in the apartment he owned, and he felt as if he were the only man who could make her smile and laugh as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

As if to prove evidence to his claim, even now, Alice wasn’t smiling. She was doing her best, Russell noted, to seem vaguely amused by Harvey’s conversation. But her mouth didn’t curve into that alluring grin that so enchanted him. She didn’t look to be flirting or even, indeed, enjoying herself. Her expression was that of a woman who was tolerating bad company, and upon realizing that she wasn’t, in fact, as in love as celebrity gossip rags portended, Russell allowed himself to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

He still had a chance.

If only he played his cards right, perhaps he could win his way back into Alice’s good graces.

As he inspected a row of shearling winter scarves, Russell allowed himself to bask in the glow of her mere presence. She might not know he was present, but it was almost as if he could sense her. She was utterly breathtaking that day in a lovely camel colored fall dress and a navy sunhat. Gleaming black waves cascaded over her shoulders and halfway down her back, and her lips were painted a vibrant wine color that had him aching to kiss him.

His guilt be damned, it had been far too long since he kissed her – and when he had the opportunity to do so, he hadn’t done it nearly enough. For a split second, he allowed himself to imagine that he sat where Harvey did. Russell was sure that if that were the case, Alice would be a lot happier.

If he somehow got her to agree to see him again, Russell swore that he would choose his words more tactfully. There might be a barrier that prevented him from giving his heart to her, but that didn’t mean he had to act like a complete and total rat bastard.

Thankfully, the couple didn’t stay long at the restaurant. They looked as if they had just stopped in for coffee and dessert. When they were ready to leave, Harvey hurried around the opposite end of the table to pull Alice’s chair out for her. The cameras flashed eagerly – no doubt the reporters were losing their minds.  Alice managed a thin smile as Harvey helped her up, though she released his hand as soon as she was standing properly. As they left, they were flanked by bodyguards, no doubt sent after them to keep reporters from utterly crushing them. The bulky men did their jobs well and ushered Alice and Harvey into a car waiting nearby before the vehicle drove quickly away.

The moment it disappeared, Russell found he felt oddly bereft. Though he wanted, more than anything else, to get back into Alice’s good graces, there was no guarantee that he could. Which meant that he might not ever get to see her smile again.

The notion was enough to give him firm resolve. Even if the odds might be against him, he had to find a way. If he didn’t he’d lose the one woman who made him truly feel anything since…well, since April.

It was hard, even now, to think her name, and Russell paused the moment he realized he’d done it, a dark scarf in one hand.

April.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before replacing the scarf on the rack.

He supposed that now it was just a waiting game until they returned to the US. In the few days that remained, he would have to wrangle his newest client, fight his own guilt, and hope that everything came together in the end.

He could only be so lucky, after all.

 

**

 

Alice was loathed to go back to work, but all good things came to an end. When Rose and her brother drove her to the airport, she found herself shedding tears as she bid her tiny niece goodbye.

Perhaps it was just that she was emotionally overwhelmed by the goings on around her – or apprehensive about returning to the States. Either way, she embarrassed herself horribly, prompting Michael to take her aside before she went through security and ask her if she was going to be alright.

“I’m fine.” She couldn’t remember the last time she had cried so spontaneously. It wasn’t as if she was never going to see Victoria again.

Though now, she regretted all the time she wasted with Harvey Wells and his insufferable talk about himself and real estate. Certainly, the man was attractive. That was, in reality, the reason why she agreed to go out with him in the first place. But then, he had disappointed her like every man she met since Russell had disappointed her, and Alice found herself somewhat depressed.

What on earth was wrong with her? It was like since she met Russell she was physically and mentally incapable of giving another man a chance. Her brain shut down and she refused to believe that anyone could compare to him – which was ridiculous, considering the way the man treated her.

She could do better than him – that seemed to be the consensus of almost everyone she told about Russell. It was unfortunate that, somehow, she couldn’t seem to take their advice to heart.

“As long as you’re sure.” Michael eyed her skeptically. “If you like, Rose, Victoria and I could come visit you. Just to make sure everything is on the up and up.”

“Please.” Alice scowled. “Don’t worry about me, Michael. I’ll be fine. I just need some chocolate and a hot bath.”

Her brother chuckled in amusement at her answer. “Well, see to it that you get both of them in spades then.”

“I will.” Wrapping his arms around her, the immense man squeezed her so tightly he almost lifted her off the ground, coaxing a laugh from the young woman. “For heaven’s sake, put me down you bloody git!”

Complying Michael winked at her. “Safe flight, Ali. Call me when you get in.”

“Of course.”

Picking up her carry-on, Alice kissed both Victoria and Rose goodbye one last time before she headed towards the security line. Michael needed the jet for Vicki’s first family vacation, and so she was flying first class back to California.

Though she had resolved not to preemptively dwell on her troubles until she actually returned to the States, Alice couldn’t help but think of Russell the moment she was settled on the plane. The man had all but discarded her and still, she couldn’t forget him. Perhaps it was because Harvey had been so unlike him that it was almost painful. Alice tried to absorb herself in his ramblings about house prices in Northern London and all the properties he owned, but she just couldn’t find any interest in them. Despite this, she’d gone out on no less than three dates with the man in four days. She was trying to give him a chance, as she promised both Michael and Elias she would.

She had even let the man kiss her for heaven’s sake.

It was awful. His breath was overly sweet and the moment he touched her, he tried to grope her. That had been it for Alice. She made up some middling excuse and fled, deleting his number from her phone.

Perhaps this was a sign, she mused. Maybe she simply shouldn’t date at all. She should focus on being herself – finding herself and becoming more secure in her own allure.

That was complete bullocks. Alice knew full well that she was gorgeous, successful and clever. She loved what she did, and she loved her life. The idea of finding someone to share it with merely seemed impossible. Of course, it made no sense that the only man she was even remotely interested in was as hot and cold as seasons at the poles.

The best thing for her to do would be to act professionally. Pretend that she and Russell had never kissed and that there was no romantic interest between them. She was working for Lemmy, and that’s all there was to it. This was a work opportunity and nothing more. She could deal with Russell when she had to and leave it at that.

All the while, fantasizing about what he might do to her if she ever got him alone again.

Bloody hell, how long had it been since she was with a man? Five months? Six? She was getting antsy. Before Russell, Alice had seen sex as something that relieved stress. Now, she couldn’t fathom being with anyone else except him.

He was ruining her sex drive, even as he stimulated it.

It just made her all the more frustrated.

Scowling, Alice put on her headphones and tried to relax, sipping at the champagne that the stewardess brought her.  She needed sleep and to get her mind off her troubles.  If she couldn’t do that during an eight-hour flight she was going to feel like absolute shit by the time she got off the plane.

And that couldn’t be good for her composure.

She had only a twenty-four-hour window in which to get ready to face Russell again, and she didn’t want to spend the entire period dealing with jet lag. If that meant that she had to get rip-roaring drunk then, so be it.

It took approximately five glasses of champagne before she was drowsy enough to fall asleep; and of course, when she did, she dreamed of Russell Darwell.

 

By the time the designer actually returned to her apartment she was both groggy and hung over. She could do little more than sling her bags onto the living room before collapsing on her bed, where she remained unconscious until noon the next day.

The moment she woke up, Alice worked herself into a frenzy. In a few hours, Tom would return as well with designs for her new line for her to look over. Before that evening, she had to send Lemmy the most recent drafts of his costumes as well as assure her brother that her plane hadn’t crashed. She suddenly had a mountain of work before her and she’d never been so grateful for it.

Her to-do list occupied her for the entirety of that evening, late into the night. She allowed herself a three a.m. coffee run, convinced that staying up for the rest of the day would end her jetlag. Her choice, of course, only resulted in her being absolutely haggard by dawn and wanting, more than anything else, to drag herself to bed.

But then, unexpectedly, a knock came on her door close to seven am.

Alice had been nodding at her desk, and jerked to attention at the sound. Who the bloody hell could be looking for her so early? Most of the city wasn’t even awake yet. Slowly, she rose from her chair and trudged to the door to take a look at the video screen next to the intercom.

And froze.

Russell was there. Standing outside her door, looking impeccably delicious despite the ungodly hour.

Someone must truly be trying to punish her.

For a long moment, Alice watched him. He raised his hand to knock again, and even though the image was in black and white, she could tell that something had him nervous. The discovery gave her a little thrill of satisfaction. Obviously, if he was here so early, it must be for an unexpected reason.

Which meant that she had the upper hand.

Alice was sure that she looked an absolute fright, but she straightened her nightgown, tugged the belt on her robe tight and did her best to smooth her hair into place. Then, after taking a deep breath, the opened the door.

Even though she thought she’d been prepared, Alice realized that nothing could ready her for the jolt of pure want that slammed through her every time she came face to face with Russell. It was unfair that a man should look so amazing so early in the morning, and for the hundredth time since meeting him, Alice was forced to applaud his fashion sense. He was, she noticed, oddly, wearing her scarf once more.

Which meant he either didn’t know that she designed it or that he was wearing it purposefully.

Alice gave him a long once over but said nothing. What on earth could she say? The man had obviously proved that he wanted nothing more to do with her – and even if he did, she wouldn’t give in. Not after the way he’d treated her. No sane woman would let him back into her life.

“Alice.” When he said her name, her knees went weak and she hated herself for it.

“Yes?” Running a hand through her hair, she gazed up at him expectantly.

“Alice, I…I came by to let you know about the change in filming location.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. What change in filming location? She’d been in contact with Lemmy several times since she came back, and he hadn’t mentioned anything to her.

“What are you talking about? Lemmy didn’t tell me anything about a location change.”

“I surmised that he hadn’t.” Russell answered quickly. “He’s been so busy trying to get everything organized that I’m surprised he even answered your e-mails.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as she leaned against the doorframe. It wasn’t that she believed that Russell would sink as low as to lie to get her to go somewhere with him, but she could think of no other reason a director would forget to tell his costume designer about such an important change.

“So, we’re not filming in LA anymore?”

“We’re going to Aruba for two weeks to film a series of scenes and then we’ll be back.”

Alice only continued to stare at him. Aruba, huh? She read the script for the film and she supposed that made sense. There were a few exotic location scenes in it. What she didn’t understand was why she specifically had to go. At this point, she had two assistants who she trusted with her work, provided that they kept in close correspondence to her. If the filming was only moving for two weeks, it would be much easier for her to remain in LA. She’d just come back from England for God’s sake.

“Aruba, is it? Well, I’m sure my assistants can handle all the important duties. I’ll make certain they have my direct contact and e-mail so that I can be reached if there are any emergencies.”, she arched a brow at his disappointed expression. “Was there anything else?”

For almost a full minute, silence stretched between them. Alice fully expected him to turn and leave now that his business was finished. Instead, Russell’s expression turned to one of determination. In a trice, he had stepped into her apartment and closed the door behind them, shutting them in together.

Alice immediately took a defensive step back, her heart in her throat.

“W-hat…I don’t want visitors right now, Russell. I have to ask you to leave!”

Why the hell was her heart beating so fast? She didn’t actually think that Russell would hurt her, did she? As much as he might have pissed her off, he wasn’t a violent man. She couldn’t picture it!

But then, his hands were on her shoulders – firm but not harsh- and he was yanking her forward into his embrace.

And then he was kissing her.

Alice froze, shocked beyond words. She should break away from him – slap him and shove him out of the apartment. But, somehow, she couldn’t. Instead, she found herself melting against him, her hands going to his shoulders after she reveled in the way he tasted after what seemed like an eternity. His arms kept her from collapsing completely, and as his tongue tangled with hers, Alice wondered if there was any better feeling in the entire cosmos.

Russell lifted her clear from the floor, his tongue sliding deftly against her lower lip before he tugged at it with his teeth, making her light-headed. By that juncture, she was all but clinging to him, drugged with his taste. God, nothing felt like kissing this man.

Despite the almost two weeks she’d taken to try and build her immunity to him, all of that faded away in a mere five minutes. By the time Russell broke away from her, Alice was on the cusp of dragging him into her bedroom and demanding that he assuage the fire he’d started.

She swallowed thickly, her thighs clenching at the obvious lust in the man’s eyes as he gazed down at her. Only a few minutes ago she’d been angry with him – furious, even. Now, try as she might, she could only barely cling to that irritation.

“Alice,” Russell breathed, visibly struggling to keep his composure, “Please allow me to apologize. I know I don’t deserve it, but I was an absolute arse and it wasn’t my intention. But if you let me see you again…if you come on this trip…I swear to you, you won’t regret it.” Alice didn’t think she’d ever heard the man speak with such intensity.

If she were sane, she’d refuse him. Tell him to piss off and get on with her life. After all, it was only inevitable that an unattainable man like Russell would hurt her again. She couldn’t stick around for that, could she? It would be the death of her.

Then why did she want so badly to say yes?

Taking a deep breath, Alice reached up to cup his face, stroking his chin, where she could feel a hint of rough stubble. She decided that she liked it. Despite Russell’s clean-cut exterior, she liked imagining that he was a bit of a bad boy underneath. She’d certainly seen that aspect of him when she inferred she’d be ready to sleep with him – and every time it came out, a thrill of nervous arousal shot through her. If she went on this trip, did that mean she would finally be able to see if he did, indeed, want to be that intimate with her? Would she let herself, considering how the man had ruined her pride?

“I’ll come.” She made the decision before she could really think about it, and hoped she wouldn’t come to regret the repercussions. “But I’m warning you, Russell, pull another stunt like that and I won’t hesitate to come back to LA –don’t think I won’t.”

His face lit to an extent that she’d never seen before and then he was kissing her again – sweetly and lingeringly. It was a wonder each and every one of those kisses didn’t make her lose her mind. It certainly wasn’t easy for her to keep her wits about her when Russell was so near.

By the time he finished, Alice wasn’t sure she could stand on her own two feet, a combination of her own exhaustion and the hunger coursing through her proved to make the feat very difficult indeed. When her face went pallid, however, Russell was immediately concerned.

“Are you alright? You’re a little pale.” Without asking her, he lifted her into his arms to carry over to the couch and Alice couldn’t help but be impressed by his obvious strength. Nonetheless, when he reached down to test the temperature of her forehead, she brushed him off embarrassedly.

“I’m fine. Just jet-lagged. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Well then, you’ll have to sleep on the plane.” He cast her a winning smile before looking at the bag from England she had yet to unpack. “Is that the bag you’re taking?”

Alice made a face. “Oh God, no. Those all need to be laundered.”

“Ah. In that case,” Russell brought the bag close to her before setting it on the floor and unzipping it. “I’ll help you pack.” Alice immediately flushed deeply. The last thing she wanted at that particular moment was for Russell to go through her dirty clothes, but he seemed to have adopted a commanding air that she wasn’t too certain she disliked. So, she bore it while he extracted her dresses, shoes, and even her underwear, doing her best to keep a straight face.

“Where’s the bin?”

The designer glared at him. “What bin? Those need to be dry-cleaned – every single one of them.”

Realizing his mistake, Russell chuckled softly – good-naturedly. “My apologies. I should have known.” With that, he rose to spirit her pile of clothing down the hall and towards her bedroom. Alice only wondered how he knew where she slept a moment before remembering it was his bloody apartment.

Did that mean the man fantasized about her sleeping in the master suite every night?

It was a tantalizing thought.

Russell was gone for long enough that Alice wondered what on earth he was doing in her bedroom. It was only fatigue that kept her from following him in after a good twenty minutes had passed. When she finally sat up, ready to pursue the man, he reappeared, striding down the hall with a carefully arranged pile of clothing in hand.

Alice stared at him, dumbfounded, as he took a seat on the couch next to her, his expression tentative.

“I took the liberty of going through your wardrobe and selecting a few pieces. Of course, I won’t pack anything without your approval…” That said, he held up a deep crimson sundress that was one of her favorites along with a pair of Stuart Weitzman lace-up sandals that she absolutely adored.

“Yes.” She answered without any hesitation whatsoever. “Definitely yes.”

Russell smiled. “Lovely.” He folded the dress with the utmost care – care, Alice realized, that no other man had ever taken with her clothing. For the entire length of her career, men had been dismissing her. They didn’t think that fashion was really a job, or could be an actual passion. Most of them saw it as a frivolity, but as Russell went through the outfits he’d picked, Alice realized instantly how very different he was.

He had chosen a number of her favorite swimsuits – not that she would find the time to wear them, but she appreciated the sentiment. Out of her seven favorite sundresses, he picked three, along with an amalgamation of breezy tops, shorts and blouses. And the shoes…the man had amazing taste in shoes. Silently, Alice was awed by how similar their tastes seemed to be, but she couldn’t tell him that.

In just under half an hour, she was all packed, thanks to Russell, and Alice managed to drag herself to her feet for long enough to splash some water on her face and get cleaned up. Though she would never be seen in what most people referred to as “lounging clothes” she did have a pair of designer sweatpants along with a Celine T-shirt that she knew would be quite comfortable on another long plane ride.

She was surprised when she emerged from the bathroom to smell a tantalizing meal cooking, and she couldn’t help but arch a brow in surprise. The man could cook too? Was there nothing he couldn’t do?

Russell had to know how dangerous he was – she was certainly aware of it.

When she emerged into the kitchen, the man immediately pressed a cup of steaming coffee into her hands, and Alice was surprised to see its color already muddled with cream.

“Vanilla creamer and two sugars, right?” By now, she was all but gaping at him. How the hell did he know all of this? They had only seen one another a handful of times. He couldn’t have remembered all of this, could he?

How ridiculously adept of him.

“…yes.” She answered cautiously, taking a sip of the brew to find it delicious.

“Please, sit.” Russell pulled out a chair for her, his expression apologetic. “I don’t mean to rush you but I found out Lemmy didn’t tell you at the last possible moment. We have to be at the airport in the next two hours.”

Alice swallowed the curse that rose to her lips. She felt like strangling Lemmy at that particular moment, no matter how kind he might be. Even as Russell set a plate of decadent looking French toast before her, Alice felt she might collapse face down atop it.

“Damn him.”

Russell chuckled, sitting down next to her before digging into his breakfast. “I’m sure he feels the sentiment. A man like him can’t fail to realize how scatter-brained he is.”

Groaning very unbecomingly, Alice forced herself to take several bites of the first meal she’d had in several hours. Even though she expected it to be good, the fare was unexpectedly delicious. Closing her eyes, Alice let out a hum of pure satisfaction. When she opened them, Russell was watching her with rapt attention – so much so that Alice felt her cheeks warming.

What had happened? His behavior had changed quite a bit since the last time she saw him. It was almost as if he was in an all-fired rush to claim her when he’d been playing things incredibly safe before. This man confused the hell out of her, and Alice knew she had to be some sort of masochist to be so interested in him.

Though Alice wouldn’t have imagined she had such a hearty appetite, she ended up finishing everything on her plate. Her full belly, however, only made her more tired than she had been when Russell arrived. She was grateful that he took charge, cleaning up the kitchen before carrying her bag down to the car that was waiting for them.

The moment she was inside, Alice found herself snuggling up next to him, letting his scent and the heat of his body envelop her. Even if this man was bad for her, he smelled of heaven – and Alice felt so comfortable lying against him that she soon drifted off.

When she woke, they were outside the Los Angeles airport and Russell was shaking her gently. Groggily, the young woman forced herself from the car, and even managed to argue with Russell that she could handle her own bag. The protest only earned her a reproachful stare that quieted her, and she fell into step behind him, following him through security. 

For Alice, it was almost like a dream – a dream in which Russell acted like the attentive, almost overbearing boyfriend she’d always wanted. He ushered her past the guards and took her purse while she went through security. When she drifted off again at the gate, he didn’t leave her side. Not even to make a trip to the men’s room.

The flight was much the same – not that she was conscious for most of it. Of course, Alice found herself slightly surprised to find that they were flying on Russell’s own private jet instead of a commercial airliner. She shouldn’t have been so shocked, she supposed. She knew the man was moneyed, but had almost never seen him flaunt it the way her family did.

“We’ve missed the crew commercial flights,” he provided, buckling her carefully into one of the plush chairs before sitting next to her. “It will be faster and more comfortable this way.” He wasn’t trying to impress her, she realized. He might actually be a bit embarrassed about having to use his own jet – for what reasons she didn’t know. The cabin was even more luxuriously appointed than her brother’s aircraft without being ostentatious. Alice wished she had more time to enjoy it before she drifted off, but she could hardly go against the will of her fatigued body.

Though she fell asleep in the seat as the plane was taxiing, Alice awoke in the bedroom of the lavish jet, tucked firmly beneath the blankets in her own small corner of heaven. The moment she was fully conscious, she immediately looked for Russell, but found he was nowhere in the room. A quick check of her watch told her she’d slept for a little over four hours – which meant they would only be aboard the plane for one or two hours more.

She was wondering if she should look for Russell when he suddenly emerged from the small bathroom adjoining the bedroom.

Wearing next to nothing.

Alice stared unabashedly.

A towel was slung around the man’s waist, and he was still damp from the shower he’d taken – further tantalizing her. Alice had suspected that Russell was very well built beneath his clothes, and she wasn’t wrong. The man was chiseled from his neck all the way down to his calves – deliciously toned in a way that could only come from frequent working out and the minutest bit of vanity that led all attractive people to stay healthy. Almost hungrily, Alice’s eyes devoured him from well-formed pectorals to the small sprinkling of hair that trailed down his sculpted abdomen to disappear beneath the towel.

He was magnificent – even more so than she’d imagined.

Alice was so absorbed in him that when he looked up to discover her staring, she still couldn’t tear her gaze away.

For a long beat, blue met blue and Alice was sure she was going to melt into a messy puddle on the bed spread. Sure, she remembered the time she’d been intoxicated and Russell saw her in her underwear, but that was completely different. He wasn’t wearing anything beneath that towel, and the fact was painfully obvious the longer he stared at her.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake.” He finally broke the silence, his gaze never leaving hers.

Alice, however, finally came to her senses. She looked away, her cheeks flaming. Bloody hell, she’d been all but devouring the man with her eyes. “I…yes, sorry. I’ll just go so you can get dressed.”

“Don’t bother.” He replied succinctly, without the slightest trace of embarrassment. “I’ll just throw something on and then we can get some lunch into you.”

Before Alice could protest, the man turned from her and dropped his towel, offering her a prime view of his glorious behind. Indeed, Alice didn’t think she’d ever seen one so fine. She watched, transfixed, as he bent over to retrieve a set of clothing from a set of drawers built into the wall.

As he pulled on a pair of jet black boxer briefs, he said something, but Alice didn’t hear a single word.

“Pardon?”

Russell smirked at her over his shoulder – actually smirked, damn him. He knew precisely what effect he was having on her, and it wasn’t gentlemanly at all.

But Alice adored it. “I asked if you wanted to change as well.”

If possible, Alice flushed even darker. Was that a thinly veiled invitation to get into bed with him? If so, it was unbelievably direct of him – but Alice hardly wanted to be in bed with him when she hadn’t showered in a good twenty-four hours. “I’ll change before we get to Aruba.”

“Of course.”

She tried not to watch as he tugged a pair of fitted cotton slacks up his legs, but could only think about how fine his bare arse had been. Then came a t-shirt and a short-sleeved silk shirt over that. Lastly, the man smoothed his dark hair back from his face and rubbed thoughtfully at the stubble on his chin. Alice spoke before she could stop herself.

“Don’t shave.”

Russell turned to face her, and for a moment, she was sorry she hadn’t taken him up on his probable offer. “Don’t shave?”

God, she was like some young, besotted ninny.

“I…I like your stubble,” she managed, somewhat embarrassedly. “I think it makes you look rather dashing.”

He arched a brow in surprise a moment before the man’s expression became rather mischievous. Alice let out a small squeak of terror as he rounded the bed to lean over her. Instead of kissing her, however, the man only scraped his bristly chin over the sensitive skin of her jaw and bosom, eliciting an almost violent shudder of sensation from her. Alice didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to handle him being so downright erotic without jumping his bones. He was certainly asking for it.

“Dashing, am I?”

Alice could barely manage an answer. “Yes. Quite.”

“Good to know.” With that, he placed a brief but very heated kiss just above her collarbone, and Alice bit back a moan of raw desire. He was obviously trying to kill her.

However, instead of crawling over her like she would have liked, Russell instead straightened, reaching out to take her hand and help her to her feet. “Shall we feed you then?”

She wanted to eat him…. but Alice supposed she’d settle for lunch.

She followed Russell back to the main cabin of the plane where a delicious lunch had already been laid out for them. While they enjoyed the grilled salmon and vegetables with wine, Alice did her best to recover from the fire the man had set in her loins. Thankfully, their conversation was rather companionable, and instead of trying to further seduce her, Russell instead filled her in on the new schedule shooting and showed her some preliminary shots of the first costumes her assistants had completed.

Alice pronounced them perfect, knowing she would have to congratulate the ladies when she landed. She’d known they were great talents before she took them on, but this was just confirmation of their dedication to the project. She wouldn’t be able to do it without them.

True to her word, Alice took a quick shower and freshened up, changing into more climate appropriate clothing before they disembarked. A naughty part of her hoped that Russell walked in on her changing so they could continue their dialogue from earlier, but she wasn’t so lucky. Instead, she made her way back to her seat for the landing, and within half an hour, they disembarked out into glorious Aruba sunlight.

Alice had visited the island a few times before, but she couldn’t recall the last time she’d actually been to the beach. She’d been so busy with work lately that finding time to get there was close to impossible.

Of course, she was in Aruba for work as well – that much was made apparent the moment they got off the plane. Lemmy was at the airport making sure that all his crew made it in ok, and Alice was glad that he at least had the decency to look abashed at having forgotten to tell her about the relocation.

“Alice, so glad you could make it.” He wrung her hand so hard Alice thought he might be trying to have it off, until Russell came between them with a winning smile.

“Almost left her in the dust, Lemmy. No gratitude needed.”

“Yeah, sorry about that Russell. It won’t be the first time you’ve saved my ass.” With a guilty grin, he took Alice’s arm firmly to lead her through the airport. “You guys are the last to arrive, so you’ll be the first to get the overview.”

Alice was gladder than ever that she slept on the plane. It looked like she wasn’t even going to get a moment’s reprieve.

Lemmy began to talk on their way to the front entrance and didn’t stop until they arrived at the shooting location more than an hour later. It was, Alice realized, a very nice setup. They had rented out the entirety of an exclusive resort for the two-week time frame, and everyone got their own room. Of course, the president suite was given to the main actors, who had the nicest suites, but her accommodations weren’t bad either. Though Lemmy had requested her presence at a meeting for all the department heads in the lobby, she couldn’t help but take a moment to revel in the luxury of her room.

She had a beachfront suite, with its own kitchenette, sitting room, and lovely bathroom with a large soaking tub. But the best part, without question, was the view. From the small balcony outside the third-floor room, she could see the ocean stretched out before her. Though she knew she would be fairly busy working, Alice couldn’t help but hope that she got to use the swimsuits Russell packed for her at least once.

She slipped into a pair of sandals and put her hair up before getting ready to leave the calm oasis of her room. Once she slipped outside, however, she almost immediately ran into Russell. Alice jumped, startled by his presence in the hallway, and he chuckled softly.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you, Alice.”

He almost certainly did, and putting her hands on her ample hips, Alice merely shot him a skeptical look. “You could have just knocked.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you.”

As far as Alice was concerned, he was welcome to disturb her anytime he liked – but she wouldn’t tell him that literally. “Are you going to the meeting in the lobby?” She decided, instead, to change the subject. After all, the last thing she wanted at this juncture was to arrive at the meeting with uncomfortably slick panties.

“I’m attending in Regina’s place. She’s professing she needs to get at least a few hours of beauty sleep before they start shooting this afternoon.”

Alice merely rolled her eyes. “How do you deal with all that diva behavior? I’d have slapped the dickens out of some of them by now.”

Russell merely smiled charmingly. “They’re my livelihood. I think I can deal with a few tantrums when I take that into consideration.”

She supposed he had a point. “You’re more patient than I give you credit for.” With that, she turned to begin down the hall, trusting that Russell would follow her.

And he did – without question. He had certainly done a one-eighty while they’d been away. Alice only made it about ten steps when Russell twined his arm around hers, curbing her pace slightly. “In a rush to get to one of Lemmy’s notoriously boring meetings?”

Alice hid her smile. “You, more than anyone else, should understand the need for professionalism here, Russell. It’s my first film. I’m not an old hat like you.”

He arched a brow almost imperiously. “Are you calling me old?”

This time, Alice couldn’t hide her coy grin. “Well you are, what? Eleven years older than me?”

To her surprise, the man growled – actually growled- in reproach “There are some situations in which that eleven years makes all the difference, I assure you.”

Bloody fucking hell.

She was going to embarrass herself at the meeting. Alice gave the man a sideways look of warning. “You are being forward today, Mr. Darwell. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

In response, Russell simply tugged her more flush against his side, murmuring lowly in her ear. “I missed you.”

Alice’s knees went shaky and she had to break out of his embrace before she lost her footing entirely. Giving the man a warning look, she hurried in front of him. Even so, she could all but feel him grinning at the roundness of her behind. Good lord, he was suddenly lecherous and she had to tell herself that being affronted would do absolutely no good.

Especially when she liked this side of him.

Somehow, they managed to reach the lobby without incident, but then Alice had to deal with Russell taking the empty seat beside her. She did her best to pay attention to Lemmy’s long winded explanation of how he wanted the individual cogs of the production crew to work together. However, all she could feel was Russell’s fingers brushing over her unusually sensitive forearm. He wasn’t touching her anywhere overtly sensual, but she still felt as if he might as well have had his hand down the front of her dress.

Thankfully, Lemmy didn’t go into anything he hadn’t briefed them on in the car, and as soon as he was finished, Alice all but fled, declining to listen to the dialogue that followed. Russell watched her leave, his expression oddly longing, and Alice found herself grateful that she would be working for the next twelve hours straight. Heaven forbid that she found herself in some compromising position with Russell when she was supposed to be working. She didn’t know if she could bear the embarrassment.

Damn the man for suddenly tempting her on a level he never had.

Alice hurried to the conference room that had been designated for costumes, and was greeted by her assistants Sophie and Mariah, who were overjoyed to see her. Alice didn’t waste any time in praising them for the amazing job they’d done when she was in England before they began working on some of the more elaborate pieces for later shooting.

Once she had fabric in her hand and a sewing machine whirring, Alice completely lost all track of time. She, Sophie and Mariah were working off designs she completed before she left for the UK, and with assistants like hers, the work went by in a snap. In a few hours, they were piecing together gorgeous dresses as well as working with approved designs from Lemmy’s black book for when they returned to LA. Sophie put on music and proceeded to put on a show, dancing around the room as she worked. All in all, they had a very productive afternoon, and only stopped working when they realized that it was past eight o’clock.

Once they put all their supplies away and handed all the costumes they’d competed over to wardrobe and makeup, they went to one of the hotels three fine dining facilities and had an excellent dinner with two bottles of wine between the three of them. Alice ended up feeling suitably happy, but nowhere near completely intoxicated. She made her way back to her room with a smile on her face, letting herself in. She was determined to take a long, relaxing bath and work on some correspondence for her brand before she got to sleep. She could only hope that traveling again right after she’d returned did at least a little to alleviate her jetlag. When Alice turned on the light, however, she bit back a yelp of surprise.

Russell was sitting in an armchair in the sitting area, obviously waiting for her, and she immediately scowled at him. “What the bloody hell are you doing in here?”

At her obvious reservation, his expression turned to one of concern. “The maid let me in. I meant no affront.” Before she could begin to protest, he stood. “I can leave if you’re busy.”

Goddamn him.

“No, don’t.” Alice caught him by the arm before he could get far, and he looked down at her in inquiry, making her blush. “I mean…it’s fine. You just startled me is all. For the second time today.” She released him quickly, making her way to the minibar to pour herself a cranberry juice. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“Just water, please.”

Alice poured it for him, slipping off the sweater she’d been wearing since the evening turned cool. “I’m going to run a bath. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.”

She sipped at her cranberry juice, considering her collection of nightgowns until Russell’s reply nearly made her choke.

“I suppose there’s no way I could convince you to let me join you.”

He probably expected her to splutter, bluster and glare at him again, but Alice decided that she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Instead, she merely retained her composure, taking another sip of her juice with a jovial smile. She was, perhaps, just tipsy enough that she didn’t think Russell could overwhelm her anymore. “You should be so lucky.”

With a wink, she slung her nightgown over her shoulder and flounced into the bathroom. For a moment, she couldn’t help but admire the large Jacuzzi tub that served as the centerpiece. Then, she began to run the water, adding some dried rose petals she’d brought with her along with some of the resort’s body wash.

As she waited for the tub to fill, she washed her face clean of any vestige of makeup that hadn’t faded through the day and brushed the tangles from her hair before pinning it up once more. By the time she was done with her beauty routine, the water was steaming and perfect. Alice slipped out of her clothes and into the bath with a long sigh of contentment. There was nothing she enjoyed quite so much as a hot bath with bubbles up to her neck. It was the perfect way to unwind after a long day.

She had left the door to the bathroom cracked and, considering Russell’s silence, Alice wondered if he might have fallen asleep in his chair. They had a very long day and she herself was slightly drowsy – but then again, that might be the three glasses of wine talking. Alice had nearly dozed off herself when the sound of the bathroom door creaking open caught her attention. She came upright slowly – just in time to see Russell making his way across the bathroom to the tub. She was sure she looked completely and totally flummoxed, and the man merely chuckled lowly.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be getting in with you. No means no.” That said, he sat on the edge of the tub, giving her a long once-over that heated her better than the bath ever could. “Long day?”

Did he expect her to be able to bathe when he was staring at her like that? Thankfully, the mass of bubbles on the surface of the water shielded all her delicate bits from his view, but the bubbles weren’t permanent. They would eventually dissipate, and when they did…well…Alice wasn’t too sure she would be as upset as she’d like.

“Terribly.” She was smiling. She couldn’t help it. It had been ages since she’d played such an alluring game of cat and mouse. “You?”

“Something like that.” He ran a hand through his glorious mane before sighing. “Regina was insufferable. And David decided to pop in and dump his complaints on me as well, even though there was little I could do. I’m inclined to believe that his agent merely sits on her arse all day.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Not everyone is as patient as you.” Alice shifted in the bath, crossing her arms somewhat self-consciously over her bare breasts.

Noticing, Russell arched a brow. “If you’d like me to leave-”

“I wouldn’t,” Alice cut him off quickly, aware that her face was flushed. It wasn’t like her to be embarrassed about her body; but having seen Russell’s, she couldn’t help but wonder what he might think of her wobbly bits. She wasn’t a large girl by any stretch of the imagination, but she wasn’t perfectly tight and toned either. Not like him. “You know…you’re suddenly incredibly forward.” In her own defense, she abruptly changed the subject. “Before I thought you were a gentleman of the highest caliber. Now, I’m not so sure.”

At her comment, Russell’s smile was slow and positively wicked. “Miss Tate, I assure you that I won’t do anything you don’t absolutely approve of. All you have to do is say the word.”

Alice frowned. Despite the fact that this behavior had gone on all day, she was still having trouble comprehending it. Or, for that matter, why Russell had changed so abruptly. Certainly, he’d told her he missed her, but was just missing her an excuse for tempting her so?

Alice was just inebriated enough to ask him.

“What on earth has gotten into you all of a sudden?” Cocking her head, she stared up at him boldly. “Until I left, you couldn’t decide whether you wanted me or not and now, all of a sudden, there’s this overt desire. Do you know how much you’ve tortured me over the last few months?” Not that she was saying too much, but for the life of her, Alice couldn’t silence herself. “You’re hot and cold, then all over the place. You insult me, you praise me, and you make me feel…outside of myself. I’m drawn to you, but you’re so bloody detached.”

Russell merely looked down at her raptly, clearly listening, and she continued.  “Maybe...” Alice laughed as she spilled to both herself and the man beside her. “Maybe that’s why I like you. You put yourself apart from everything and everyone – a loner. I’m a bit of a loner myself. No matter what I do, I simply don’t seem to be interested in any man put before me. I might last a few weeks at the very most, but ultimately, I find myself running away. I’m far more comfortable in my office or at a family function than I am out with men…. I’m pathetic.” To her embarrassment, Alice found herself tearing up slightly. “Why is it so damned hard for me? My brother is happily settled down -  a new father with a wife and daughter he adores. Even his ridiculously insufferable best mate got hitched almost two years ago. His wife is they only one who can make him behave and I swear to God, every time I see her smile at him, my heart swells and I’m so bloody envious. Everything came so naturally for them and I’m going to end up a bloody spinster!”

Finally, she fell silent, caught between embarrassment and completely unnecessary self-pity. While it felt good to vent the issues that had been plaguing her for what seemed like an eternity, Alice knew she was an idiot for doing so in front of Russell. If anything, he would think her off her rocker and go running for the hills.

Or so she thought.

As of yet, Russell hadn’t moved. Instead, he was gazing at her with an oddly sympathetic look. Alice immediately dashed her tears away from under his scrutiny, trying to regain her composure. “Oh, never mind. Don’t look at me like that, Russell Darwell,” she warned him, her voice trembling slightly. “Don’t you dare.”

When he unexpectedly reached for her, Alice flinched slightly. Russell, however, only used his thumb to wipe away the tears tracking down her cheeks. His blue eyes were filled with empathy, and Alice’s breath caught in her throat at one of the only true flashes of emotion she’d seen from him. “Alice, you have utterly no reason to be disheartened.” Her eyes immediately shot wide at his low but firm profession. “You’re a gorgeously beautiful, successful woman with her entire life ahead of her.” His hand shifted slightly to stroke a few stray strands of dark hair from where they had escaped her loose updo.

“If no man can keep your interest, it’s because he’s not worthy of you. If you don’t want to spend time around him, he’s not what you need. No doubt you will love more than one man in your life, but a woman as sure as herself as you can’t give her heart to just anyone. Of course, that means a lot of waiting. But in my opinion, women are like fine wine: they only get better with age. I can imagine that will be especially true of you, darling.” As he stroked over her jaw, Alice swallowed thickly. It wasn’t fair that he knew exactly what to say to soothe her. He spoke of her like she was a paradigm of femininity, but in reality, Alice still felt like a child sometimes. The only things she could be truly serious about were her work and her family.  When it came to anything else, she felt hopelessly inept.

How on earth could Russell think so much of her? And how the bloody hell was it possible to want one man so much?

Of course, he kissed her. Despite the fact that she was soaked, Alice clung to him desperately. His mouth was like nirvana, and the moment his tongue slid against the seam of her lips, she allowed him entry. What else could she do?

Alice drowned on him, taking no notice when her hair tumbled down into the bathwater. In fact, she might not have noticed if the hotel started crumbling around them. She was completely absorbed in the man that held her. In fact, she only relinquished his mouth when he moved downward to begin kissing and sucking intoxicatingly over her throat. Alice whimpered softly, her hands wetting his shirt clean through until the man did something utterly crazy.

He climbed into the tub, shirt, slacks, socks and all. Alice found herself laughing breathlessly as water splashed messily over the edges of the tub to coat the floor. “Russell! You’ll ruin your clothes!”

“I don’t give a damn.” He murmured huskily against her collarbone before his tongue dipped into the hollow of her throat to stroke there torturously. Alice gasped, and her bare legs seemed to wrap around the man’s waist of their own accord. Russell’s hands slid slickly over her sides until they curled into the ample curve of her behind, and when he pressed her against him, Alice felt the unmistakable ridge of his arousal. Alice all but writhed, wanting nothing between them but skin as quickly as humanly possible.

When Russell kissed her again, however, she tasted soap and realized – not for the first time – that the man was still entirely clothed. And covered with bubbles to boot.

“Russell, we’re making a mess!”

In reply, Russell merely lowered his mouth to one of her breasts, his eyes never leaving hers as he took its peak into his mouth to tug at deliciously with his teeth,

She arched into the heat of his lips reflexively, shuddering as pleasure coursed through her, it had been an eternity since a man touched her – since she had even touched herself. If they made a mess, then they made a fucking mess, the young woman suddenly cared little. Russell, however, simply toyed with her nipple for a few minutes before releasing it to straighten. “I suppose we should take this where there’s more space.” With little ceremony, he lifted her into his arms before stepping from the tub.

Naturally, water dripped everywhere, but Russell took no heed, merely carrying her back to the next room to toss on the bed. Alice supposed she would have to worry about ruining the sheets later. At that particular moment, she was too absorbed in the way Russell was shedding his clothing. If she thought his naked form was glorious the first time she’d seen it, being sluiced with water only improved his allure.

First, he took off his shirt, unbuttoning it before dropping it to the floor with a wet smack. His t-shirt came next, exposing the glorious network of muscles that made up his chest. By the time he finally dropped his trousers, Alice was almost salivating.

The man was perfect – a work of art. Well-proportioned from the trim waist and broad shoulders to muscular thighs and one of the most decadent looking erections she’d ever seen. If she’d felt self-conscious before, it was impossible now. Russell was looking at her as if she were the only thing in the world that he could see.

Alice didn’t think any man had ever looked at her like that before.

In a trice, Russell had taken firm hold of her thighs to drag her to the edge of the bed. Then, he was spreading her legs to settle in between, and at the feel of his rock-hard cock pressing against her bare belly, Alice moaned into the kiss he gave her. Her arms slid around his neck and she arched against him, her nipples drawn into almost painfully hard peaks. The dark-haired young woman rubbed herself against him unabashedly, uncaring that the sheets were already soaked through. She wasn’t cold. It wasn’t possible to be cold with Russell’s body pressed against hers.

His hands slid around the back of her thighs, cupping her just beneath her behind, and Russell groaned as his mouth dropped from hers to her aching breasts. He hitched her higher in his arms until her nipples were at eye level before sucking one hungrily.

“Dear God, Russell…” Her hands tunneled through his hair, mussing it beyond repair. “Yes…”

“I’ve wanted this from the first moment I saw you.” He groaned, his words reverberating through her so she trembled. “I fucking dream of being inside you, Alice.”

She was more than ready to oblige him at that very second. The only thing that stopped her was the fact that Russell had a very firm hold on her-  and she was enjoying the slide of his cock against her skin too much to make a terrible fuss.

Russell switched from one breast to the other and then back again, obviously ravenous for her. Alice felt her orgasm building low in her stomach – the man had hardly touched her and she was about to fall apart. She rubbed against him needily, trying to nudge his erection into the place she needed it most.

Russell, of course, noticed her squirming almost immediately, and lifted his mouth from her chest with only extreme reluctance. “So impatient.”

Of course, she was impatient. Alice had been fantasizing about the man for nigh on half a year by this point. “Russell, please…. just do it.”

“What is it that you want me to do?” The man returned huskily. “This?” He lowered his head to her breasts once more, nipping sharply at her nipple so she jerked.

“N-no.”

“This, then, perhaps?” He began kissing her neck with agonizing slowness as his fingers trekked down her belly to draw slow circles just above the aching bud of her clit.

“No…” Alice groaned – though she was tempted to let him linger there for a while.

“This?” Russell suddenly shifted her in his arms so the rounded tip of his erection was pressed against her slick lower folds. When he began to rub back and forth, Alice whimpered, rotating her hips in an attempt to have him inside her. When he didn’t assuage her, she all but growled in frustration.

“Just fuck me already.”

To her shock, Russell actually released her onto the bed so he was looming over her like a predator. That done, he leaned down to kiss her forehead, her nose, and then her lips in a surprisingly intimate gesture. “That’s quite the mouth you have.”

Alice flushed dark red. She was hardly the one who needed to be embarrassed, considering how much he had teased her in the last twenty-four hours. “I’ll oblige you – but only for a moment. I intend to take my time with you. Fucking is only part of it.”

That word sounded so delicious coming from his usually refined mouth. Alice thought she would have to drive him to expletives more often. With his proclamation, Russell parted her thighs once more, settling between as he stroked himself almost leisurely. It was a gorgeous sight. Alice watched with bated breath as he rubbed himself against her, arching her hips in an attempt to try and take him inside her. She needn’t have bothered, however. In a trice, Russell lifted one of her legs over his thigh and slid into her in one swift stroke.

Alice cried out at the sudden fullness, grasping at the coverlet beneath her head. He was big – far larger than any man she’d had before – and he filled her perfectly. Gasping, she writhed against him until he groaned lowly, his grip tightening. “You feel divine, Alice.” He withdrew only slightly before thrusting into her again, and the young woman moaned almost deliriously.  The rhythm Russell set was quick enough to leave her breathless. Indeed, what he was doing to her could be called nothing other than fucking and she reveled in it. Each thrust filled her completely, so she clung to his hips and begged him wordlessly for more.

But as quickly as it had started, it was over. When Russell pulled out of her, Alice actually whined in disappointment. She reached for him almost desperately only to have him take her hands and kiss each of her palms lingeringly. Alice noticed that she wasn’t the only one breathing heavily, and was pleased to see she had affected Russell at least as much as he affected her.

“Only a little, darling.” Dropping her hands, Russell moved to her flat stomach, lavishing it with kisses and caresses “You must be patient.” Of course, that was the last thing Alice wanted to be, especially considering that she was still trembling at the memory of what he felt like inside her.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have long to dwell on the matter. Before she knew it, Russell’s head was between her legs, his breath tantalizing her slick lower folds. Alice made to move away from him – she didn’t think she could stand the stimulation of his mouth just now – but Russell merely dragged her back by her calf before his lips closed over her and she shrieked in pleasure.

Alice was already so worked up that it took her only a little under two minutes to come undone beneath Russell’s eager tongue. The man held absolutely nothing back, kissing and licking at the most delicate parts of her until her thighs were quivering powerfully. When he slid two long, dexterous fingers inside her and sucked gently at her clit, Alice came so hard stars burst to life before her vision. The pleasure rolled over her in endless waves as she arched like a bowstring, clutching at the root of Russell’s hair in vain.

It seemed to go on and on until Alice could finally breathe once more, and she went limp against the damp bedspread, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Bloody hell.

Bloody hell.

She was faintly aware of Russell kissing gently at her inner thighs, and then in a slow, sensuous circle around her belly button. The sight of his disheveled hair and gleaming lips made her bite her lip as new fire flared to life inside her. She hadn’t even known that it was possible to be aroused so soon after a single orgasm. She could only let Russell toy with her for another moment or two before she was wriggling beneath him, urging him upward with a firm grip on his shoulders. Russell’s body slid deliciously up the length of hers, and when their mouths connected, Alice could taste herself.

It was divine.

When Russell broke the kiss to slip her onto her stomach, she groaned. “You can’t possibly torture me all night.”

His hands slid possessively over her back down to the twin globes of her behind to squeeze reverently. “Can’t I?”

His teeth scraped over one of her buttocks and Alice jerked at the familiar sensation. “Considering how long I’ve had to plan what I’m going to do to you, I’d say I’m completely within my rights to take several nights re-enacting my fantasies.’

Alice shuddered violently in anticipation at the prospect. If that was the way things were, Russell might very well kill her.

“But I need you,” she groaned, wiggling her hips alluringly in invitation. “Right now. You can take all the time you want later but I need you inside me.”

“Later?” Russell murmured hotly against the back of her neck. “Is that your way of inviting me to stay the night, Alice?”

The young woman burst into breathless laughter. “I suppose so. Tonight and any other night you’d like, only please-”

Before she had even finished speaking, Russell had straddled her thighs and slid deeply into her from behind. Alice moaned his name, pressing her behind back against him to take him even deeper. Russell bit at the back of her neck hungrily. “You owe me, Miss Tate.”

With that, he withdrew almost completely before snapping his hips forward so Alice cried out, burying her face in the coverlet. Her lover kept a firm hold of her hips, penetrating her again and again until her toes were curled and Alice was begging for succor. Somehow, Russell knew how to hit that spot inside her that made her breathless with every single motion. He was intensely concentrated on her pleasure as well as his own, and Alice found herself wishing she could feel him like this for the rest of eternity.

Her body, however, had other plans.

She was already over-sensitized from the man’s previous ministrations, and now every thrust made her hips waved as she felt herself hurtling towards another climax. She reached back to take hold of Russell’s hip, urging him onward, drugged by his low moans and grunts of unadulterated pleasure. 

When his rhythm dissolved into ragged bucks of his hips, she knew he was close. Alice shuddered, expecting his body to stiffen in completion – but Russell wasn’t quite done yet. The man reached down, slipping a hand between her legs to rub in firm circular motions over her throbbing clit.

At his first touch, Alice felt herself falling. Her third orgasm of the night came with no less intensity than the first two, leaving her trembling and boneless in its wake. Russell murmured her name shakily against the nape of her neck before the convulsions of her lower muscles tipped him over the edge as well. Alice felt the warm gush of him within her and trembled, aftershocks zipping through her.

Holy hell.

She had never known that sex could be like that. That you could be so hot for another person that you became completely engrossed in them, and they in you. Before, she had considered sex as merely a means to an end. If she was lucky, she could maneuver herself in such a way that she eventually got off. With Russell, her orgasms were a given. She had never had three in one go, and now she found herself thoroughly exhausted. She barely managed to keep her eyes open as both she and her lover’s breathing evened out.

The bedspread would need to be thoroughly dried, but she didn’t know if she had the strength to get up and change the sheets. Instead, she merely sighed as Russell slipped from her, rolling onto her side to watch him pad into the bathroom on bare feet. His arse was truly magnificent. The next time she had him, she’d have to remember to grab it and hold on tightly.

Russell returned within a minute with a warm, wet washcloth. Alice was oddly touched when he used it to clean her gently between the legs before offering her the cranberry juice she hadn’t finished with a slow, sensual smile. “Thirsty?”

How the devil could he make her want him again when she was sure she could barely walk? The man was the absolute devil.

Alice merely eyed him. “How on earth can you move?”

His expression immediately turned concerned as he set the juice aside. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Before she could answer him, he began to run his hands gently – firmly – over her bare body to check for bruises. Alice could only let out an embarrassed, low moan as his touch only further stimulated her. Weakly, she smacked his hand away.

“Give me a moment, Russell. I need to recover!”

At that, the dark-haired man merely grinned, sliding back into bed with her and tugging the coverlet – the only dry part of the bed – over them. Alice sighed, nestling against him as he drew her back against his chest. Already, he was half hard once more and Alice realized she would have to work on her stamina to keep up with him. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

At Russell’s low murmur between lingering kisses to her shoulder blade, Alice merely sighed contentedly. “I don’t think you could if you tried, Russell. That was delightful.”

Reaching up, she stroked his jaw fondly, reveling in the feel of the rough stubble there. “But I think I need a nap before we continue.” Even as she said it, she began do drift off. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so content. Russell’s strong arm around her waist was supportive and reassuring, his breath against her shoulder comforting.

Was it so wrong, she wondered, that this felt so right?