Chapter 23

Beth shakes her legs under the conference room table in an attempt to loosen her cramped muscles.

The meeting with the board of advisors has been going on for over two hours and they still have another hour to go before a quick break. The app is set to launch in a few days and the meeting is the final step of formality. Martha called in sick and Beth was appointed to stand in as the representative of the Marketing Department at the meeting. So she has to get her wits about her and concentrate. With the last of her dwindling willpower, Beth focuses on the words of the advisory board Chair even though her stomach roars its impatience.

But when she hears Adrian’s voice from a few seats ahead of hers, every muscle in her body jerks awake. It’s been two weeks since he’d come banging on her door begging her forgiveness then ending up in her bed.

Sinclair, the Chair turns to Adrian. “So what is the predicted marketing outlook and financial profitability for the proposed marketing campaign?”

Beth immediately understands that the question is indirectly meant for her to address. She risks a look over to Adrian, who happens to look over at her at the same time. He nods his head in reassurance. She straightens in her seat. She answers the question all the while still locked in sync with Adrian. They’d just spent the last minute in silent conversation. She knows what he’s saying. He’s said it to her before.

I’ve got you.

He tilts his head slightly up, his gaze heavy but wearing a delectable smirk as it watches her. He returns his focus to Sinclair and explains a few more things.

“Well, I think we’re all set,” Sinclair says.

With that, he presses his gnarled hands onto the table’s shining mahogany surface and pushes himself up. He shakes hands with Adrian and the rest of the board members follow him in a single file out of the conference room.

When they’re gone, Adrian congratulates everyone left in the room for a successful meeting and all the work done in preparation for the launch.

Then he gives Beth that sexy nod to indicate “my office.” Her heartbeat quickens as she follows him out of the conference room. They walk in silence down the hallway toward his office.

She bites her lip as he leads her into his office door, unsure what to expect.

Adrian takes his place in his seat and eyes her. Her cheeks feel warm, and from the way his eyes crinkle with amusement, it’s clear that he’s noticed.

“What?” she whispers, her voice bouncing off the walls of the quiet room.

He drops his voice. “That was oddly arousing.”

“What was?”

“You taking control. I can only imagine how good you look on top.”

Beth smiles despite her blushing. “We can find out tonight. That is if you’re interested.”

“I think you know at this point that I’m interested,” he murmurs, his eyes gleaming.

Her gaze follows him as he stands up and pushes his chair back, circling the desk and settling his hips into it a mere foot in front of her. He crosses his feet at the ankles and clasps his hands together in front of his thighs.

“I’ll admit. My thoughts about you in that meeting weren’t exactly appropriate. I imagined undressing you,” he says, unclasping his hands and leaning toward her. “I pictured you naked.” He reaches for her hair. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers. With the side of his thumb, he gently strokes the swell of her breast and the lace of her white satin bra.

Her breath catches in my throat. She opens her mouth to tell him to stop, but no words come out.

His hands find her bra’s front clasp, and as efficiently as he unbuttoned her blouse, he’s released her from my bra, which hangs limply from my shoulders. His groan is low and needful and desperately arousing. She wants nothing more than to close her eyes and surrender.

“Adrian we can’t do this.”

“Why not?”

His lips move from her ear to her jaw, then to the sensitive, toe-curling spot on her neck. His teeth just barely scrape at the pulsing vein, and a shiver rolls down her spine. She struggles to remember all the reasons why this is a bad idea.

Get it together, Beth.

“Because someone could walk in and find us going at each other like a couple of horny teenagers,” she says, her breathing sounding ragged, heart pounding inside her chest.

“Don’t worry,” he whispers against her skin. “I won’t let this get out of hand.”

But he doesn’t disentangle himself from her. He does the complete opposite. He lifts her from her seat, positioning her between his legs. He deepens his kiss, delving deep enough to brand her, while their tongues tangle in a knot of want and need and crazy desire. Sliding a hand up underneath her blouse, he brushes his thumb across her nipple. She moans into his mouth, biting at his bottom lip.

“Fuck,” he breathes, still cupping her breast.

She struggles to swallow the moan threatening to spill from her lips.

“You’re driving me wild.” His hand covers hers, moving it down to cup him through his slacks. “I want you so fucking bad.” When he pulls away, they’re both panting. His eyes gleam mischievously. “What were you saying something about finding out how good you look on top?”

She can’t hide her smile. “You’re trouble. Big fat fucking trouble.”

His hands disappear under her skirt and grip her ass. She leans into him, savouring the feel of his cock pressed against her thighs. “So that’s a ‘yes’?”

She shoves at his chest and proceeds to remove herself from between his legs. Straightening her clothes and fixing her bra, she glances down at his dishevelled attire. Her crimson lips are branded across his face and neck.

“You should probably clean up. You look like some woman was in here mauling you with red lipstick.”

He stands, flashing that sexy smirk of his while she removes her lipstick smudges with her fingers. She adjusts his tie and pats him on the chest. She turns for the door but he grabs her before she can take a step, pulling her toward him, her back against his chest. She turns in his arms, gazing up at him.

She loves seeing this side of him. The all-business, Armani-suited CEO getting messy and wild, with her. His reserved side morphing into a man possessed by passion and desire. She feels possessive, wanting to be the only woman who can affect him this way. The adorable grin cresting his mouth has her smiling in return.

His breath is warm on her neck when he speaks. “I’m not letting you out of this office until you agree to another date. This Saturday. What do you say?”

She doesn’t answer right away. The idea excites her as much as it intimidates her. Is she even equipped to go out with someone like Adrian Dane?

“Adrian—”

“No,” he interrupts. “Don’t say no.”

She smiles as she tilts her head to the side just slightly. “I wasn’t going to.”

“Good,” he breathes in relief.

A notification sounds from Adrian’s desktop. Reality creeps back as Beth takes in her surroundings. She fixes Adrian with a look and voices the thought marinating in her brain. “But I need to know what exactly is going on here… between us.”

It’s easy to ignore the reality of their situation when she’s wrapped in his arms. But she needs to know. How would a relationship between them work? What would happen when her co-workers start noticing their lingering gazes or start whispering about how often they are in one another’s offices?

He releases her and runs his hand through his hair. “I meant it when I told you, I want to be with you. A part of me wants to push to define this thing between us and set expectations before getting involved. But I don’t know if I can do that. All I know is I don’t want to miss the opportunity to continue what we’ve started.”

She feels her heart jump in her chest. “Good God,” she mutters to herself, smiling wholeheartedly, with nothing held back.

He takes her hands and pulls her back into him. “And don’t worry about work. Whatever happens between me and you, Adrian and Beth, is a completely separate entity from what happens between Mr. Dane and Ms. Parsons. I can promise you that I won’t be a prick.”

He raises a brow. “Is that good enough?”

She swings toward him on instinct, wrapping her arms over his shoulders. “It is.”