What the hell did he think he was doing? “Dinner? Pfft,” she mumbled and rushed to the office she used while in town. No way. Not going.
Her fingers still tingled from where his soft lips had kissed them. Why in God’s name had she reached and adjusted his tie? Her heart thudded in her ears and she stepped into her temporary office, closing the door behind her.
The man was relentless.
The aroma of clean soap with a slight hint of cologne had funneled through her airway and deep into her lungs when he’d stepped close. Without giving her body permission, she breathed in, taking in his scent, and then held it tight in her lungs as she stared into his sparkling eyes. He looked at her with complete longing, like he wanted her. Reallywanted her.
Decisions, decisions. She glanced at the motivational print hanging on the opposite wall. A man stood, rock-climbing gear loaded on his body, staring at a huge mountain in the distance. The quote read, “Don’t let fear keep you from accomplishing your dreams . ”
She pressed her hand to her pounding chest. The universe was turning against her. “Jesus, I need a cigarette.” Work. It was time for work, not time to smoke. Grabbing her notepad and pencil, she exited her office and headed for the conference room. She had a whole hour to stare at him across the table and contemplate her next move.
On her way down the corridor, Jodi fell in beside her. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey, Jodi. Ready?”
“Yes, ma’am, let— Whoa, are you okay?” Jodi put her hand on Maiya’s arm, halting their forward motion.
Maiya blinked. “Fine. Why?”
“Uh, uh. You are so not fine. Your cheeks are flushed and you look a little frazzled.”
“Come on. We’re going to be late.” Maiya walked forward.
Jodi kept pace while still holding Maiya’s arm. “Did something happen with Ryan?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Something happened. I knew it.” Jodi let out a squeal. “When were you going to tell me?”
“I do not want to talk about it.” Maiya clamped her mouth closed, gritting her teeth.
“Oh my God. Did you have sex with him?”
They approached the conference room door, and Maiya stopped short, shooting her friend a glare. “Jodi!”
“What? Come on, Maiya. Promise me you’ll tell me after the meeting. We’ll go downstairs, get a coffee and smoke.” Jodi’s face beamed with excitement and she bounced into the conference room, pulling Maiya with her.
“Maybe,” Maiya muttered and they took their seats.
And there he was. Ryan sat opposite from her and met her gaze the second her butt landed in the chair. Maiya swallowed past the bowling-ball-sized lump in her throat and tried to focus. Nervous energy thrummed through her body.
She spent the first thirty minutes doodling on her notepad. Every time she dared to glance his way, her heart raced and she couldn’t keep her feet still. The high-heel of her shoe started a tap, tap, tap on the carpet, ignoring her mind’s orders to quit. Shifting in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs, she was desperate to keep one foot planted on the ground.
Jodi rested her hand on Maiya’s leg, stilling its bounce. Maiya knocked her hand away and Jodi smothered a giggle behind her palm.
Ryan spoke, relaying the causes of how the campaign suffered a flaw in the designs, and what solutions were being put in place to execute a fix. His words were a muffled blur in her ears because his mouth was the only thing she focused on. She knew how his lips felt on her skin and breasts. Her nipples hardened and she shifted again in her seat, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. The fire she’d prayed had died ignited again. Dammit. Who was she kidding? It was hopeless. She was hopeless, and may as well give in.
“Care to add anything, Maiya?” Ryan asked.
“Hmm? Oh! Um, yes.” For God’s sake, she was too distracted. “Thanks, Ryan.” She straightened in her seat and added a few comments to the mix. The meeting
Her fingers still tingled from where his soft lips had kissed them. Why in God’s name had she reached and adjusted his tie? Her heart thudded in her ears and she stepped into her temporary office, closing the door behind her.
The man was relentless.
The aroma of clean soap with a slight hint of cologne had funneled through her airway and deep into her lungs when he’d stepped close. Without giving her body permission, she breathed in, taking in his scent, and then held it tight in her lungs as she stared into his sparkling eyes. He looked at her with complete longing, like he wanted her. Reallywanted her.
Decisions, decisions. She glanced at the motivational print hanging on the opposite wall. A man stood, rock-climbing gear loaded on his body, staring at a huge mountain in the distance. The quote read, “Don’t let fear keep you from accomplishing your dreams . ”
She pressed her hand to her pounding chest. The universe was turning against her. “Jesus, I need a cigarette.” Work. It was time for work, not time to smoke. Grabbing her notepad and pencil, she exited her office and headed for the conference room. She had a whole hour to stare at him across the table and contemplate her next move.
On her way down the corridor, Jodi fell in beside her. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey, Jodi. Ready?”
“Yes, ma’am, let— Whoa, are you okay?” Jodi put her hand on Maiya’s arm, halting their forward motion.
Maiya blinked. “Fine. Why?”
“Uh, uh. You are so not fine. Your cheeks are flushed and you look a little frazzled.”
“Come on. We’re going to be late.” Maiya walked forward.
Jodi kept pace while still holding Maiya’s arm. “Did something happen with Ryan?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Something happened. I knew it.” Jodi let out a squeal. “When were you going to tell me?”
“I do not want to talk about it.” Maiya clamped her mouth closed, gritting her teeth.
“Oh my God. Did you have sex with him?”
They approached the conference room door, and Maiya stopped short, shooting her friend a glare. “Jodi!”
“What? Come on, Maiya. Promise me you’ll tell me after the meeting. We’ll go downstairs, get a coffee and smoke.” Jodi’s face beamed with excitement and she bounced into the conference room, pulling Maiya with her.
“Maybe,” Maiya muttered and they took their seats.
And there he was. Ryan sat opposite from her and met her gaze the second her butt landed in the chair. Maiya swallowed past the bowling-ball-sized lump in her throat and tried to focus. Nervous energy thrummed through her body.
She spent the first thirty minutes doodling on her notepad. Every time she dared to glance his way, her heart raced and she couldn’t keep her feet still. The high-heel of her shoe started a tap, tap, tap on the carpet, ignoring her mind’s orders to quit. Shifting in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs, she was desperate to keep one foot planted on the ground.
Jodi rested her hand on Maiya’s leg, stilling its bounce. Maiya knocked her hand away and Jodi smothered a giggle behind her palm.
Ryan spoke, relaying the causes of how the campaign suffered a flaw in the designs, and what solutions were being put in place to execute a fix. His words were a muffled blur in her ears because his mouth was the only thing she focused on. She knew how his lips felt on her skin and breasts. Her nipples hardened and she shifted again in her seat, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. The fire she’d prayed had died ignited again. Dammit. Who was she kidding? It was hopeless. She was hopeless, and may as well give in.
“Care to add anything, Maiya?” Ryan asked.
“Hmm? Oh! Um, yes.” For God’s sake, she was too distracted. “Thanks, Ryan.” She straightened in her seat and added a few comments to the mix. The meeting
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