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And my heart liked to imagine all the wonderful scenarios with every attractive stranger I came across. But Mike wasn’t a stranger, not anymore, not with the way he looked at me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. Not with the way he had touched me and taken control of my mouth and mind, and how he had laughed quietly, brushing his fingers along mine during dinner with a fleeting touch that promised pleasure.
Until that dark look crossed his eyes, and I knew he was capable of the best sort of power.
Making up some bogus excuse about having a medical appointment, I left the office for the day, heading straight to my father’s office. I’d discarded my tie and untucked my shirt from my pants before I even arrived at his office, and Dad’s expression was a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Smirking at him, I tucked my shirt back in, holding my arms out as if to askis that good enough?Dad handed me the cardboard roll containing the latest plans and sent me on my way.
I knew he had mistaken my agreement as interest in the work, but I had been psyching myself up on the way over, getting ready to see Mike. Because I wanted to stand tall and stand my ground, and I wanted him to feel uncomfortable with what he had done. I had no reason to be embarrassed, so why should I? But it was difficult because whenever I would picture him staring down at me with those gray eyes, my mind would turn into a blank fog, and all I could think about was peeling his shirt back and finally getting my lips and tongue on his skin.
Stepping into the elevator to take me to Mike’s office, I was somewhat curious to meet the infamous Frank and wondered if I’d have a chance to come across him. Mike tended to look after the repeat customers, the high-enders, while Frank focused on expanding the business, apparently able to talk his way into anyone’s plans.
It took me a moment too long to realize when the elevator stopped on level three, the figure entering paused before coming to stand next to me, and the scent of him flared up the already scandalous thoughts I was having.
Mike stared at me. His eyes flickered from the roll I held back to my face as I returned the look. I desperately wanted to break the silence that permeated the air between us, but I wanted him to break first because something told me he wasn’t often the one to do precisely that.
But his gray eyes simply studied me, and I started drumming my fingers against the cardboard roll, the slight tapping sound the only thing other than the smooth mechanical whir of the elevator as it ascended.
I broke first.
“Hi,” I said.
“Dropping off my plans, I see.” Mike again eyed the roll in my hand and held his out to take it. “I’ll take it now if you like.”
“Don’t you want tobend me over right here and take me?”
Mike’s eyes widened, and his hand dropped back to his side. I resisted the urge to slap a hand over my mouth, having thrown his words back at him from the other night. Mike looked around the elevator car to check just in case someone had materialized since he stepped in and we were alone before he looked back at me. I wasn’t usually quite so bold, although sometimes I wish I were, then perhaps I could have had the talk with my father about my career years ago. But there was something about Mike that called me to challenge him. I’d had a peek at the vulnerability underneath his suave demeanor, and I wanted to pick at it until he opened up to me again.
Maybe he was used to people dropping at his feet and doing as they were told, and while I’d be more than happy to partake in that level of submission with him in the bedroom, right here and now, I decided he needed someone like me to call him out on his shit.
Because you couldn’t be sweet and kind and so fucking perfect on a date and then treat someone like shit because of some past thing you hadn’t yet dealt with.
The elevator car felt like it was shrinking around us as he continued to stare at me, his expression hardened and his eyes boring into mine. The space around me closed in even more when Mike took one large stride forward, forcing me to back up against the wall. The cardboard roll hit the floor with a muffled thunk when Mike stretched his arm out, slapping the emergency stop on the elevator and bringing it to an abrupt halt between floors.
“Are you here just to be disrespectful, or do you have something to say?” Mike’s voice rumbled out in what was almost a growl, and he boxed me into the space with his arms, placing a palm on either side of my head and leaning in until we were almost face to face.
“You were the one who was disrespectful, remember? Dad asked me to drop off the plans, and I agreed.”
“You really need to talk to him about your career plans,” Mike said.
I frowned. “What I do with my life isn’t your business.” But my words were shaky because his proximity was driving me crazy. His shirt, buttoned up to the top button and tucked so neatly under a crimson-colored tie, was screaming to be yanked undone. Everything I had wanted to say just slipped from my mind. All the practiced conversations where I leave this building feeling better about the man in front of me and what happened on our date, and perhaps, who knows? Another date organized, maybe.
Gone.
But all my best-laid plans weren’t worth anything when the heat from his body was begging me to touch and be touched by him.
Mike seemed to be going through an internal battle, his expression shifting subtly as he fought himself, never taking his eyes from mine.
“What if I want it to be my business?” he finally said.
I shook my head. “I don’t understand you. This is already too complicated, and we’ve only been on one date.”
“I know.” He turned his head away from me, keeping his arms in place, allowing me a moment to study the stubble on his chin and jawline. “I’m sorry.”
“For?”
He looked at me again, and my breath was knocked from my lungs.
“For how I treated you and for making things complicated.”
“Why do you fight so hard? We had a connection, didn’t we? At least something worth exploring with another date or two. We didn’t have to get physical so quickly. I was only responding to your cues, you know. Not that I’m complaining…” I trailed off. The righteousness I had felt drained away when the conflict was so clearly displayed on his face.
