“But we work together,” I state simply. “It will be awkward.”
“It will only be awkward if we make it that way,” he answers firmly. “But how about this--go on a date with me. Let’s see how we get along outside of the realm of work or business. And then, if we still feel the same way, we’ll discuss all of these issues. There is no sense in worrying about it right now. We haven’t even been on a date.”
I stare at him.
“I think we’ll still feel the same,” I tell him softly, watching his lips. All I can do when I’m around him, apparently, is think of him sexually. It’s crazy. I’m an adult, not a teenager.
But you’re a dirty, dirty woman, BB reminds me. I ignore her. BB is a wanton tramp. What does she know?
“I think so too,” Alex answers, taking another step toward me. I only have a brief second to inhale before his lips are covering mine again. My hands are on his back, which is muscular and broad, and I am melting into him. He tastes like mint and smells like man. His lips are soft and his arms are strong. And his penis is hard. I know it right now…I’m in serious trouble.
“This date you speak of,” I say as he finally pulls away and I adjust my clothing. “When and where?”
Alex grins, an alarmingly breathtaking smile. He seems oblivious to the fact that his penis is so hard that it almost impaled my leg a second ago.
“Tonight. There’s a little Italian restaurant on twenty-first street. Manini’s. Do you know it?”
I stare at him in shock. It’s the very same place I had suggested when Brainy Brian couldn’t make a decision. It’s too ironic.
“Yes. I love that place,” I answer.
He smiles again, pleased. “Good. Why don’t I pick you up at 7:00?”
I swallow. “Okay.”
He closes in on me once again, crushing me to him. Once again, his rock-hard penis is against my hip. BB whimpers.
“Or we could make it a lunch date,” he suggests in my ear. He smells so good and feels so amazing pressed against me that I can hardly think straight.
“Okay,” I agree, without even thinking about what it would look like. I take a breath and pull away. “Wait. This is what I’m talking about. This is why it is complicated since we work together. People will see us leave. They’ll know what we’re doing.”
He stares at me. “Do you care what people think?”
“Not usually,” I admit. “But when they are my staff, I do care if they think I’m being unprofessional. Because then I won’t have a leg to stand on if I have to reprimand them for the same thing at any given point.”
“You’re their boss,” he reminds me. “You’ll never have to reprimand them for leaving in the middle of the morning to have a date with their boss. Because you’re their boss. And I’m pretty sure that you’re going to be dating me.”
I suck in breath. I love that he is so decisive.
“But we haven’t even gone on a real date yet,” I tell him. “You can’t possibly know that.”
He smiles. “I’ve got great intuition. Get your purse.”
I’m frozen now as I look at him. “But it’s only 10:00 am.”
Alex nods. “I’ve changed my mind. We’re going to brunch.”
I have to chuckle, but I do as he says. I grab my purse. We walk nonchalantly out of my office and I stop to tell Taylor that Alex and I have a meeting outside of the building. Since she keeps my calendar, she knows that there is no such meeting.
But to her credit (and for once in her lifetime) she doesn’t say anything. She just nods. Colby looks up from his cubicle knowingly, but he doesn’t say anything, either, although I see a little smirk on his face as I pass by.
Alex and I make our way through the parking garage and honest-to-god we barely get into the car before we are practically attacking each other in the front seat.
Alex’s hands are everywhere, his mouth is on my neck, on my lips. My hand finds its way to his crotch which is rock hard and straining against his pants. He groans when I touch him.
“You’re making me crazy,” he whispers. And I suddenly feel oh-so-powerful. This important man is groaning beneath my fingertips? It’s a heady feeling. I kiss him hard.
His hand finds my breast, his fingers long and strong through the thin silk.
“We need to leave here,” I tell him. We are surrounded by the dark, cement walls of the parking garage, but anyone could walk past and see into his car. And then we could get led away in handcuffs for indecent exposure or something. That would not be good.
“Yes,” Alex agrees stiltedly. He shifts into Drive and my hand never leaves his crotch. In fact, as he drives out of the building, I am leaning over and unzipping his pants, the skin of my hand sliding across the skin of his penis. He sucks in his breath.
“Are you testing my concentration?” he asks feverishly. I glance at him, at the way his mouth has pulled tight and I laugh.
“Are you having trouble concentrating?” I ask innocently. He glances at me for a split second before he swerves over to the side of the road and parks, practically crushing me against the passenger seat as he kisses me.
“You’re going to have to behave,” he tells me. “Until we get to where we’re going.”
“And where is that?” I ask against his lips.
“Our date,” he reminds me. “We’re playing hooky today. We’re got a theory to test out. Now, you sit over there and be good. I’ll drive.”
He looks at me, his eyebrow raised. I nod.
“Fine,” I answer. “If you can’t multi-task, then I’ll behave.” Alex practically growls as he pulls back into the road and I have to laugh.
He drives us straight to the Stratosphere Hotel. It’s a staple in the Las Vegas landscape and to be honest, since I’m a local, I’ve never actually stayed in the hotel.
“Why are we here?” I ask as he parks the car.
“We have a date,” he growls.
He guides my elbow as we check in. I press myself discreetly against him as he signs the registration form and he gives me a sidelong gaze. I step away and return his gaze innocently. When he returns his attention to the form, I press myself against him again. He sighs.