He releases my arm, taking a step back as he runs a hand through his tousled hair. He tilts his head toward the ceiling, a long breath leaving his lips before he looks at me again and begins to speak. “I know. I’m sorry. It wasn’t meant to be sneaky, or even a trick. The last thing I ever expected was to be so attracted to you. Or you to me.”
I snort. “Really?” I wave my hand up and down the length of his body with a dramatic flair. “How could anyone not be attracted to that?”
“Not this again.” He bows his head, a small smile playing at his lips. “Listen, there is no one that is better for this job than you. It’s yours. On a silver platter.” He steps over to the table and leans against it. “Chloe, the bottom line is the company wants you. To be honest, your job and any direct interaction you’d have with me will be minimal at best. You deal with Ross. Ross deals with the partners and clients. If this were a conflict of interest for me, I wouldn’t even broach it.”
“It, being your attraction to me?” I wonder out loud.
“I think it’s pretty mutual, but yes,” he concedes.
“This doesn’t feel right. I feel like I’m getting the job for all the wrong reasons.” I move to stand in front of him.
He grips my shoulders with a gentle touch and stares down at me. “You’re getting this job because you are the best choice. Ross hired you, not me. I’m giving my partner approval. Sex free. No influence.”
“I need to know that you have no authority or say in my job. That it’s all Ross. I don’t want my integrity comprised by anything happening between us,” I plead, my desire to explore what I’m feeling for Fin obvious. This is a job offer of a lifetime, but, let’s face it; men come and go.
Sensing my internal struggle, he continues to argue, “Chloe, the only thing you need to worry about where I’m concerned is to make sure I look good to the public and the clients. That’s it.” He steps into me then, pulling my body flush. His face just inches above mine as he looks down at me. “Anything else that happens is between you and me. No one else.”
I lick my lips, wanting to kiss him, to wrap my arms around his waist, but know this isn’t the time or the place. Instead, I back out of his hold and peer back at him. “Okay, I need some time to think and review the offer Ross presented.” A wave of shyness sweeps over me as I continue. “And to think about you.”
“Fair enough.” He walks to the table to grab the folder Ross presented me with earlier and hands it to me. I retrieve my bag off the floor beside the table and start for the door.
“I’ll ask Gina to call a car for you.” He pulls the door open for me and allows me to walk ahead of him.
“Actually, I’d rather walk. It’s not that far, and I could use the time to think.” I turn, extending my hand to him. “Thank you for everything, Mr. Harrison.”
5
Final Destination
Strangest day ever. I push the contract and job terms across the table and stride over to the mini-bar. It’s after five, and I am so ready for a damn drink. I grab one of the little bottles of white wine, twist the cap off, and drink straight from bottle. Sometimes, a girl just has to do what a girl has to do. And, screw it, this is all getting billed to my new company anyway.
“Cheers to me.” I lift the wine in the air, even though no one is there, and bring it to my lips again for another gulp. I freeze when there’s a loud knock on the door. I set the small bottle down on the table as I pass, and push down on the handle to pull the door open.
“Griffin,” I exclaim, unable to mask my surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“We have dinner plans.” His eyes roam over me, his brow creasing as he does. I’m still in my skirt and shirt from earlier. The jacket was thrown onto the back of the couch hours ago, leaving my shirt tucked and unruly at my waist.
“Oh, I didn’t think we were still doing that.”
“I was hoping we still were.” His eyes meet mine as he holds up a bottle of Dom Perignon. “And, I promised you this, win or lose.”
“Come in. You look silly standing out in the hallway.” I roll my eyes then wave my hand to enter, his ocean scent wafting up into my nostrils when he breezes by me. He’s still wearing the dark suit pants and the clean white shirt he had on earlier, but the tie and jacket are now gone. “Trying to sway me with champagne?”
He sets the bottle on the table beside my paperwork, then sweeps me into his arms. Gasping, I blink up at him in surprise. “More like, trying to seduce you.”
“You don’t need champagne for that,” I whisper, his lips brushing against mine as I complete my sentence. His hand snakes through my hair to grasp onto the back of my head, and I arch my body into his, our mouths crushing together, our desire finally snapping as we fuse against each other.
My hands slide around his neck as his fingers skim up the outside of my thighs, dragging my skirt with them, my legs wrapping around his waist as he lifts and carries me to the bed. Our kiss deepens, his tongue sweeping against mine, him growling in hunger as his body lays over me. He shoves my skirt higher and thrusts his hips into my center, his hard length sliding against the silk of my panties, the friction eliciting a moan from me.
Hot, full lips deliver a fluttering trail of wet kisses over my chin, down my throat, and into the cleavage of my blouse as he begins to work the buttons. My fingers mimic his actions on the shirt he’s wearing, but before I can complete the task, he pulls abruptly away, yanking it over his head, exposing his bare chest to me. I gaze up at him, his eyes locked on mine as he jerks my shirt open. I gasp, my teeth catching my lip as my fingers graze down the downy plane of his chest and then glide lower over the sculpted ridges of his abdomen.
“You’re too perfect,” I murmur, any legible words I was going to utter silenced when I feel the heat of his mouth around my nipple. My nails sink into the flesh of his back as his pelvis shoves against me, a silent O shaping my lips as I toss my head back. I feel the clip on my bra release, and lift myself off the bed slightly as Fin strips my torso bare.
“You’re so beautiful,” he professes, caressing the hair back from my face, dropping kisses down my body until he reaches the waist of my skirt. He grasps the hem with both hands, then tugs it down my legs until I’m completely naked. His gaze is feral as he unbuttons his slacks, kicking them off as they hit the floor. His cock juts hard against his waist as he slides a condom on.
I spread my legs as he crawls over me, his mouth crushing against mine as he lines himself against my center, both of us groaning as he enters me in one thrust. I don’t think either one of us could wait another second for this, and it feels so utterly perfect when he begins to move.
“Oh my God, so good, Fin.” I rake my hands down his back until they’re gripping his ass, pressing him harder, faster, even deeper inside of me. He lifts himself onto his elbows, bracing himself over me, then surges forward, his cock plundering into me again and again. “Yes, yes, yes.” I cry, my eyes clenched as my head rocks back and forth, my orgasm already beginning to crest.