Part 106 (1/2)
My attempt to put behind us the events in the pub isn't happening anytime soon because the same energy surrounds us. We're here again. Walls down, eyes open.
”I want to see you again,” he says and settles himself between my legs. ”Like we discussed.”
”Yes. I think. It's just...”
”You think?”
”I mean, yes. We can if you like. See how we go.”
Not happening. I s.h.i.+ver as he runs his fingers along my cheek. ”I missed you, Riley.”
”After two days?”
”I missed the feel-good I get from being with you.” He places his lips on mine. ”And you always feel good.”
A hand runs up my leg, beneath the short dress and along my inner thigh. I clamp my thighs together so he can't move any higher, and as Nate leans in to kiss me, I close my eyes and know I'm lost.
For a man who says he doesn't kiss, he has talent. Our tongues battle for control the way we always do, and I match his urgent touch and grip. I relent first and drag his T-s.h.i.+rt upwards, running my palms against his hard back. My skirt hitches higher and Nate nudges my thighs apart with his knee.
My office phone rings, the shrill sound dragging me back to where I am.
”Nate.” Pus.h.i.+ng him away, I stand and straighten my clothes and glance at the door. ”This isn't appropriate.”
He fights a smile. ”I love it when you're formal with me. Not appropriate? Because I'm a client?”
”And because we're in my office. Can you imagine the fallout if somebody walked in?”
”True. Wouldn't be very secret, then.” Nate slides both hands up my legs again, hitching my dress upwards so he reaches my panties. ”There's something f.u.c.king hot about the professional Riley who p.i.s.sed me off now letting me put my hands on her. Come on. Play.”
I grab his hands as he slips a finger through the edge of the lace. ”This was supposed to be secret; you shouldn't have come here.”
”I didn't come just to see you; one of your minions wants to talk to me. I said no, but she keeps ha.s.sling me. Think they want some kind of press release on what happened.” He steps back and straightens my skirt, brus.h.i.+ng his hand between my legs as he does and the sensation trips lightning through. Jesus Christ. At this rate, I'll be on my knees. ”Should I tell them the full story?”
I swallow down the disappointment and delusion Nate couldn't keep away and had to see me. He came for a meeting. I'm an afterthought; someone he'd try his luck with before his meeting ”You know d.a.m.n well you can't.”
Nate rubs his mouth with his fingers and something unreadable pa.s.ses his eyes. ”True. Things would get complicated again.”
”They would.”
”But I still want to see how we go. However you want to do this.”
”Slowly.”
His mouth tips into a smile. ”However you like it, Riley.”
”Only if you play by the rules.”
Nate rubs a hand across his mouth. ”If you play by mine.”
”One month remember. No s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g other girls.”
”Hey!” He places a hand over his heart. ”I was with Sophia for weeks and didn't touch anybody else. I can stay faithful when I want to.”
I snort. ”Faithful.”
He frowns. ”Why the doubt?”
”You're Nate Campbell.”
”And you're Riley Sawyer. How about you and your random hook-ups? Don't you remember what you were doing when we first met? Meeting guys in bars for s.e.x?”
”Hypocrite. Anyway, I'm more selective than you.”
”Of course. You won't want anyone else anyway.” He runs a rough finger across my lips. ”I bet you can't stop after a month.”
”Try me.”
”Oh, I will.”
Nate pulls my hair back into a ponytail, snaps the band around, and tucks a loose strand behind my ear. ”Catch you next week, Smiley.”
He staggers backwards as I thump him in the chest. ”Not if you call me that.”
His eyes glint and he draws me to him, placing his mouth on mine. I put my hands on his chest, desperate to be pulled back into a kiss, but needing him to move away.
Somebody knocks at the door, and we spring apart as Jenna steps into the room.
”Ah. Sorry.” Jenna eyes us, taking a brief glance at our clothes, which are thankfully intact. ”Mitch.e.l.l wants to see you.”
”Is it ten already?”
”No, he wants to chat to you before the meeting.”
”He's out there?” I smooth my hair as she stares at Nate. Nate flashes her his grin.
”Yes. I can keep him entertained, if you like,” she says with a small smile.
”All good, I'm leaving.” Nate walks to the door and Jenna steps out of the way.
I follow Nate across the room to where a tall man sits on one of the low, winged armchairs my clients use when waiting for me. He jumps to his feet and holds out a hand. This guy is taller than Nate, but slimmer built, his well-cut suit and neat appearance at odds with my rock star lover. Why the girls at the agency swoon over him is apparent; he has the clean cut look and eyes a shade of green I've never seen before. Perfect teeth and sculpted face, plus no air of arrogance; if he was my type, I'd find crossing the line between private and professional difficult too.
”Riley! Finally. How are you? Mitch.e.l.l Simmons.” I shake his smooth hand and pull away from his firm grip. Mitch.e.l.l switches his attention to Nate and holds his hand out. ”Mitch.e.l.l. Nate Campbell?”
Nate doesn't accept and rubs his nose instead. ”Yeah.”
Unperturbed, Mitch.e.l.l looks back to me. He gestures at my office. ”Do you have ten minutes to run through the agenda? Cole's manager decided she wanted to sit in, and we'll need to have everything covered. She's awkward.”