Hi guys and girls. So this is my very first fic ever. And this chapter and parts of chapter 2 have been rewritten. I originally wrote this story to be an M rating but changed the general flow of the story and I decided to change and tone down the sexual nature of the first chapter. There is still a sex scene but it's milder and not smutty like the original one was.

All major plots are still the same; Lucas inherited a multi million-dollar corporation after Dan died. He's lonely and bitter and Peyton's the young office assistant who comes into his life and melts his heart. Brooke, Haley and Nathan will all appear in the story but you'll have to keep reading to see how.

Anyway I hope you like it. Kelly.

Summary

It started off as a casual affair; an office romance between a lonely girl and her equally lonely and unobtainable boss. Before she knew it she found herself needing him and counting on him more than she'd ever envisioned possible.

Searching for Something More

Chapter One

Peyton Sawyer stood in a far corner of the large function room in the Plaza Hotel with an empty champagne glass between her fingers. She watched as her colleagues and business associates talked and mingled with one another and felt completely out of place. She knew that everyone at this party was amongst the who's who of the music world of L.A. She'd come tonight with the hopes of charming some young and up and coming executive into signing on the newest band she'd spotted playing in a downtown local club.

She sighed heavily. Her feet hurt in the heels that her best friend had supplied her with, and she was tired from being up and working since sunrise. She'd rather be at home right now, curled up with a gallon of Cherry Garcia and watching Casablanca. Though the very thought that old movies were her only source of romance made her feel sad and a little pathetic.

With that thought to accompany her, she sashayed through the crowd and made her way to the bar. She took the glass of champagne from the bar tender and couldn't help but notice how his eyes wandered over her slender frame. She narrowed her eyes in irritation but smiled all the same as she took the drink and moved from the crowded space and into the refuge of the hotel's lobby.

Her heels sounded on the polished floor of the vast, lavish reception area and she brought her hand up to her tousled curls. Now at twenty years old this wasn't exactly how she'd pictured her life. Lonely in Los Angeles and struggling to make it in the music industry.

She wandered to the exit, she just needed some air. Once outside in the cool night air she felt a little better. She breathed in the salty taste of the coast as she moved across the grassy grounds. She passed by a small, intimate balcony and stopped.

She saw him before he'd noticed her. Her boss was sitting and drinking alone. His eyes were sad and lost. Normally she wasn't one to pry but he looked sad and she approached him slowly.

"Mr Scott?" Peyton said softly.

"Peyton." His voice sounded deep and distant and she stood motionless.

"Is everything okay sir?" She eyed his half empty bottle of bourbon and the glass resting beside him.

"Everything's fine," he smiled. "I just needed some time alone from the vultures."

Peyton nodded and didn't speak a word. She understood, too many people she'd met in L.A were false. And she knew the very reason that this party was being hosted tonight was in the memory of Lucas's father, Dan Scott.

"You not having fun either?" he asked then.

"Not really." She shook her long curls and he smiled.

"Well then, why don't you come and sit and have a drink with me." He patted the unoccupied space beside him.

She gave a small smile and she moved to sit down beside him and smoothed out the silk of her dress. He took her now empty champagne glass and tipped in some of his own liqueur, she felt her brow creased slightly but she took the drink nonetheless.

"So what are we drinking too?"

"My dear old dad," the blonde haired man answered bringing his glass to his lips.

"I'm sorry for your loss Mr. Scott," she offered gently. She'd heard from the girls at the company that Lucas Scott had inherited the company from his father who'd died of heart failure suddenly. She knew Lucas hadn't even graduated college before he had a company to run.

"Thank you Peyton and please call me Lucas." He couldn't get used to people calling him Mr Scott, it made him feel old.

"Okay Lucas." She raised her glass to clink with his, before taking a sip of alcohol. She almost spat out the contents; the harsh, bitter tang was a little too much for her. She brought her hand up to her mouth self-consciously.

Lucas smiled as she flushed with embarrassment. "So how long have you been in L.A, Peyton?"

"Six months," she answered. She'd come to L.A straight from High School. She'd got an internship with Sire Records but after her disastrous summer of coffee runs and enduring harassment by John her former "boss", she'd come to work for Lucas in his PR team. She was doing well, it wasn't the job she'd dreamed of but at least she was respected for it.

"Where are you from?" he asked filling up his own glass and glanced at her own, which remained untouched after her first sip.

"Tree Hill, North Carolina."

"You don't say," he chuckled lightly. "My mom lives there. Miss Karen Roe."

"Really? Karen's your mom?" she grinned broadly. "We used to go to her café. We'd hang out there after school every day."

She couldn't help but think what a small world it was. Here she was talking with one of the most eligible bachelors in Los Angeles and she'd known his mother without realising it. His mother had even given her relationship advice on several occasions.

"She's a wonderful woman," she remarked with a sweet smile. She'd grown up to see Karen a little as a mother figure as offered Peyton a shoulder to cry on on several occasions. "Are you close with her?"

"Not really." He took another gulp of his liqueur. "But then my family's a little messed up."

Peyton nodded her acknowledgement and didn't really know what to say to him then. She took another sip of her drink and watched as he sat contently downing his own.

"You look really beautiful tonight," Lucas said boldly after while of just silence. The alcohol may have had an impact in his sudden courage. She always looked good to him. She dressed well, her eyes mesmerised him and he thought he was addicted to those loose silky blonde curls of hers.

"Yeah?" Peyton giggled flirtatiously. "Well thank you." She had always found him attractive and if he wasn't her boss who knew what would have happened between them.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" His head was swimming, he felt slightly tipsy and a lot more inclined to be bold with the pretty girl who'd made his evening a whole lot more interesting.

"I don't think it's appropriate that you ask that."

Lucas smirked. Her words may have been sure and stern but she crossed her legs somewhat provocatively.

"It isn't?"

"No. Not really. I mean you're my boss."

Lucas smiled. She was a good girl and a sweet girl. Not like the girls he spent most of his time with and he guessed thats why he was flirting with her right now. "You're right. I'm sorry. So do you?" He could get away with it. He knew he was a charmer.

Peyton shook her head looking at him from under her long fluttering lashes. She was flirting with him unashamedly now.

"How could that possibly be?" he enquired. He moved closer to her so their noses were almost touching. He wanted to kiss her but he also wanted to tease her just a little more.

"I- Well how come you don't have a girlfriend?"

"Because I'm a work-aholic. I'm controlling and arrogant."

"A real catch then." Her retort may have been sarcastic but she swallowed hard. She thought her chest might just give out as he held her so close to his body, his lips hovered mere centimetres from hers and yet he wouldn't just give in and kiss her. If he was controlling then she guessed he would play her until she made the first move. And she wasn't about to give him that satisfaction.

"So come on Miss Sawyer, tell me. How come you are seeing anyone?" It really surprised him that she wasn't. She was beautiful and smart. He'd watched her in meetings and he knew she could be so passionate and feisty with her beliefs. The fact that she could be so out spoken one minute and then shy and unsure of herself made her so alluring to him.

"I'm-," She stopped to focus on the words she wanted to come out of her mouth. He was toying with her and she didn't want to voice her story of the girl who'd lost her mother away to someone she knew only from work. And whom she knew as a womaniser.

"I'm just not good at letting people in. Commitment issues, I guess." She smiled lightly, satisfied that that was enough to numb his curiosity.

"I get that," he murmured honestly. "Though you are far too beautiful to be spending all your nights cooped up in my offices working late."

She lowered her eyes, she worked harder than anyone else at his company but she didn't think anyone noticed her efforts. Least of all her boss.

"Thank you sir," she managed, wanting more than anything to give in and kiss him.

"Call me Luke." His lips was so close to her own now, she could feel his breath tickling at her skin.

"Okay, Luke." She smiled in spite of herself that he would let her use the shortened, sweeter version of his name.

"Kiss me."

"I can't."

His hand stroked through her hair. "Why not? You don't find me attractive?"

"It isn't that-" She found him very attractive. He was the first descent guy to give her any form of attention. "You're my boss. And that complicates things."

"Okay, but lets pretend just for now that I'm not you're boss." He took her glass from her and set it down on the table in front of them. He moved over to where she sat and pushed her impossibly close to his body.

"I don't know-" He let his lips brush against her own and she forgot whatever she was going to say. He kissed her softly, not a full on kiss but he'd been the one to cross that first line.

"For tonight lets just pretend we're two people at the most boring party of the year. That we're both just two lost and lonely souls looking for something more."

It was a tempting offer. With his perfect face and masculine frame he was definitely tempting.

At his words Peyton felt every fibre of her being reaching out for him. She was lost and lonely in the city of angels. She liked this man and she found him unbelievably attractive. She shouldn't but she couldn't help but like him in that way. She let her lips crash against his as she acted upon hungry and impulsive desires.

They kissed furiously and she felt a little light-headed from all the feelings rising up within her. They broke apart after the feverish kiss and she brought a hand up to her bruised lips. She almost couldn't believe what she'd just done.

"Maybe I should go," she uttered. She wanted to blame the hard liqueur for her actions and the swirling sensation in her body. She'd come to the party straight from work and had been drinking on an empty stomach. She stood up on slightly weakened knees.

Lucas stood up and caught her by the waist. He pulled her back to him.

"Or you could stay." He didn't want her to go. Her blonde curls and that sexy, black dress had been driving him crazy all evening. "I have a room upstairs."

"I don't know." She knew, especially after his proposition, what staying with him would lead to. And she wasn't that girl. They shouldn't do this. She shouldn't do this. It would be completely unprofessional of her.

"Come on. Please." His voice was but a husky whisper.

She wanted to stay; she knew that she probably shouldn't and that she might regret her actions. But looking into those beautiful blue eyes, she really didn't think she'd even have the strength to say no.

Peyton gripped his silk tie between her fingers; she pulled him back into a deep kiss and he grinned mischievously against her lips at her unspoken answer.

They moved quickly and unseen by the rest of Lucas's guests. Once in the safety of the elevator Peyton melted back into his arms. She kissed him with more urgency as her passions got the better of her. She shouldn't be doing this, her head told her one thing but her body was acting upon the attraction she'd felt since she'd very first met Lucas. He was young, attractive and successful but that wasn't what drew her to him. It wasn't until tonight that she'd realised they were maybe more alike than she'd thought.

At some point during their furious kissing Lucas must have backed her up against the elevator wall. His tongue traced lightly against her lower lip, requesting entrance. She opened her mouth and moaned in appreciation as he deepened their kiss.

"So maybe you are a little bit of a naughty girl huh Miss Sawyer?"

"Maybe." She smiled broadly and she pushed her body back against the hardness of his own. "Or maybe I just want you," she whispered against the shell of his ear.

"I'm going to do the most amazing things to you," he promised. His palm trailed down to brush against her thigh whilst his other hand pushed aside her mane of golden curls so he could kiss her throat.

Her eyelids fluttered half shut at his feather like touches, and she breathed him in. The scent of his tangy, spicy cologne and the special attention he was lavishing upon her was driving her crazy in the most exciting of ways.

The elevator doors pinged open and the couple broke apart reluctantly as they staggered across the hall. Lucas fumbled with the key card to his room before he let them both in.

"Would you like a drink?" he offered just in case Peyton's sense of rationality had returned.

She shook her pretty blonde curls and she wrapped her arms back around his neck.

Lucas led them to the bedroom and lowered them both to lie on the mattress. "Are you okay sweetheart?"

"I'm more than okay." She smirked at her own admission. She'd always found herself attracted to Lucas Scott. Her best friend would put it down to the fact that Peyton liked bad boys but Peyton herself believed it was deeper than that. Innate maybe. She just didn't know why she felt so drawn to him. But she wanted to find out.

Using her little hands to push against his firm torso she moved herself to sit up. She needed to regain some control over the situation. She pressed her kisses to his luscious lips as she loosened the knot of his tie. Lucas was used to taking the lead with girls but he found her

She was aching for more and she brought her slightly shaking hands up to his shirt. Her fingers fumbled slightly on the buttons and he only tortured her more with kisses to her face and throat.

"Lucas," she whined. He wasn't making her task easy as each and every one of his tender caresses sent shivers down her spine.

Soon enough she'd removed his jacket and shirt and had tossed them down onto the carpet. She brought her lips to his skin and it was his turn to groan with pleasure. She grazed over the taut muscles of his abdomen and his chest. He breathed in deeply at the sensation before she began to tug at his pants. She ripped them off swiftly before she began to make her way back up to his mouth.

She grinned at him brightly before taking his bottom lip between her teeth and she bit down. He let out the sexiest growl she thought she'd ever heard.

"I'm feeling a little under dressed here," he joked. He pulled her back to him so he could kiss her again. He needed to focus on the fiery intensity he was feeling right now as they touched. He unzipped her dress and pulled it down from her slender frame.

Lucas's fingers brushed against those killer legs. His eyes darkened with lustful intentions as he saw her underwear and she bit her lip shyly.

"Very beautiful and so very sexy," he uttered and her blush only intensified.

Her choice of dirty girl lingerie did surprise him a little. She was unbelievably gorgeous, he couldn't deny that, but she always seemed more cautious and unsure of herself. But then she'd always been somewhat of a riddle to him and maybe that was why he was with her tonight. He had his pick of beautiful girls in the city, and yet this young woman held a mystery that just captivated him. She made him forget all about the sordid anniversary of his father's death. He laid her down again, stroking his fingers against the silky skin of her legs.

The last item of clothing between them was Peyton's own sexy panties. Lucas hooked his fingers at her waistband and pulled the garment from her in one tantalizingly slow motion. The sight of her caused his mouth to become dry.

With the blonde now naked Lucas put his hand between her thighs and groaned at her silky wetness. Peyton's breathy moans sounded in the otherwise quiet room.

"You are so sexy," he muttered.

He was inside her mere seconds later and she cried out at the long sought over contact. She pressed her lips to his chest, kissing at his bronzed, salty skin in an effort to quieten her desperate groans.

"Are you okay?" he whispered. He may not have really known this girl, but he wanted to please and pleasure her.

She nodded in a wordless reply. She wrapped her legs at his waist wanting to deepen and intensify the sensation.

Peyton held on to the crumpled bed sheets with her fingertips as she attempted to alleviate some of her pent up desires. She matched his own fluid motions with the rocking of her hips.

"Luke," she breathed out the shortened version of his name and he felt the glimmer of a smile tugging across his lips. He liked how she whispered his name in her breathy tones. Her nails raked along his back and she mimicked his deepening strokes.

Lucas indulged the beautiful girl as he quickened his motions. She closed her eyes, arching her throat. With a devilish smirk he let his thumb trail to the very spot that he knew would tip her over the edge.

Peyton's long lashes fluttered open to lock with those very blue eyes that had always captivated her during meetings. Her stomach tightened at that tell tale reality of satisfaction.

As her lovely legs wrapped tighter around his torso, and her soft, sexy moans intensified, he felt himself being pushed over the edge.

Lucas felt his climax burst through his veins and his body shook. He braced himself above the still shuddering Peyton as he grinned broadly at her. She returned his smile and brought her hand up to his stubbly jaw.

To be continued….