Christian leaves Callahan's office reeling from the information surge. The CEO had dropped a bomb and handed him a project that could be a million dollar deal if it went through as planned. In the same breath he had apologized for pushing such a high profile project on him with such short notice, but as he had repeatedly told him, he knew Christian could pull it off.
The men had been supposed to do the initial meeting with the client together, but plans had changed as Callahan's wife had been in an accident and needed for him to fly back home immediately.
"I'm leaving to LA at three," Callahan had said with a hefty amount of irritation evident in his voice, "If you've got any questions, send me email or go through Judy."
"Sure, no problem. I'll get right to it." Christian had said before he left the office, his step lighter than on the way there. This would be the ultimate proof, for him, for the company, for the world, that he hadn't lost his touch. The setback of the last many years was just a bump in the road on his way to success.
He is so excited with the project, that he almost forgets that he is supposed to meet with Anastasia later on. Almost.
Coming back to his office, he closes his eyes as he opens the door, hoping that she'll still be there. Of course she is not. The pad she had been writing on, as he had walked in on her before, is empty.
He checks his phone, and reads her reply.
Ok, c u at 6 - A
His heart does a backflip, and his dick springs alive, the inevitable hard on that happens every time he thinks of her, already straining against his trousers.
The project at hand has to go first though, so at least during work he tries to keep his focus strictly on the project, and not on the countless ways he could have her at his place, on the bed, in the tub, hell, maybe he'd even fuck her against the window overlooking the Seattle sunset. Shaking his head to rid it of errant thoughts he plunges into work, setting up a timeframe and finding out who he'll be working with. So, his first day at Tech Inc Seattle, swooshes by, with him only having to adjust his dick twice, when he got distracted by the memory of Anastasia's lips against his.
At five o'clock sharp, he starts the engine of the Audi and heads home.
Making good time, he goes to pick up a few bottles of wine, rum and a six pack of Coke. Hoping for a walk down memory lane, he plans on getting her tipsy, drinking from one shared glass, just like on the beach. He downloads that song they'd danced to that night. The contents of the king-sized box of condoms is discreetly spread around his apartment. He'll be prepared this time. Boy scouts have nothing on him.
The last minutes seem to crawl, and as the clock hits six sharp, it feels like time stops moving totally. Uncertainty creeps up his spine, the uncomfortable thought of her standing him up, spreading like a thick fog around him. For the umpteenth time, he checks his phone, just to find that there is still not a word from her.
Pacing back and forth between the couch and the bedroom he almost trips on his feet, as she finally knocks on the door.
Breathing deeply he opens the door, just to have his breath knocked out of him by the sight of her. She gives him a nervous smile, the nervous look in her blue eyes render him speechless, and he barely manages to wave her in. Words have deserted him. It takes all his self-control not to just kiss her like he did earlier at the office. There's no doubt in his mind, that if he will kiss her, they will never talk. The sexual tension rises, by the mere brush of her arm against his as she passes him. Her loose black dress drapes over her curves, and he takes in the sight of her hips swaying as she walks towards the living room. Oh, how he loves a woman in heels.
"Welcome to casa de Christian." He finally manages to say and immediately wants to punch himself for saying it. "It's good to see you again." He tries for a casual approach.
"You too... Quite the place you've got here. I love the view." She walks to the large windows in the living room.
"Yeah. It's not too shabby... But as you know I just moved in yesterday. I haven't really made it a home yet."
"Oh, I know what you mean... I've been here for a while and my place still doesn't feel like home." There's a heavy pause after her words.
"What do you want to eat?" He chickens out, the question about her leaving LA is almost on his tongue, but he doesn't want to go there yet.
"From where are you ordering?" She asks and he grabs the pile of different take out menus, and spreads them out on the counter.
"You pick the place, I'll eat anything." He'd rather eat her anyway.
She walks over to him, standing beside him, her leg brushing against his. She leans over to study the menus, giving him a perfect view of her cleavage. The sight of her perfect breasts already have him at half-mast and she's been there less than five minutes. Fuck. I'm not going to make it through the night, he groans inwardly. He knows her breasts are pure perfection from that night in paradise, but now they look even fuller, perfectly on display in her dress from his point of view. His mouth waters at the thought of sucking on them, watching those perk nipples pebble beneath his touch.
"I can't decide... Hm. I'll just go for the pizza, vegetarian." She says with a shrug. Food is the last thing on his mind, maybe hers too, so pizza, any pizza sounds good.
Putting a bit of distance between them, he picks up the phone and places their order.
"So can I fix you a drink? Maybe a Cuba libre?" He winks as he asks her, she replies with a cheeky smile but shakes her head.
"I'm driving, so I'll just have a Coke, if you have some?"
Damn. There went his plan.
"Sure. Own glass this time?"
She giggles at the memory of their first encounter. "Is it safe?"
Grinning he takes a tall glass from the cupboard, and pours it full. Her eyes sparkle with amusement.
"You can never be too sure, right?" He takes a sip before giving the glass to her. Involuntarily, he licks his lips as he watches her lift the glass and drink, leaving a perfect lipstick imprint on the glass.
"So. You said we needed to talk." He says, trying to get his mind away from all the places he would want her to leave her lipstick mark. Ignoring the throb in his cock, he tries to be a gentleman as he leads her to the couch where they sit facing each other, their knees touching.
"I have... Um. That night on the island..." She knots her fingers trying to find her words. "I have been thinking about it a lot."
"Yeah... Me too." Although he has been thinking about what he saw at the airport almost as much. He frowns at the memory.
"I don't regret it. If that's what you're thinking... It's just not something I usually do. You know? I don't go hit on random guys at bars... I can't explain it. I was drawn to you, ever since I laid my eyes on you sitting by the bar, alone..."
"Were you alone on the island?" He cuts her off, careful of how he places his words.
She sighs and closes her eyes. "That day, yes. I was alone."
"Where were your friends?" He is clinging on to the last thread of hope.
"My friend, had to leave early. I stayed until the end of the vacation."
He pushes his hand through his hair.
"Are we talking about the same friend that met you at LAX?" He tries to keep his voice neutral.
She jolts, almost as if he had slapped her. Then she hides her face with her hands, rubbing her temples.
"You saw us?" Her question is quiet and broken.
"I did." Stay calm, stay the fuck calm, Grey. This could go either way.
"Yes, it was the same friend." Her voice is barely audible.
He stands up, walks to the kitchen, and pours himself a hefty shot of rum. Counting to twenty he tries to reign his rampant emotions. He walks back to her, but doesn't sit down.
"So this friend." He emphasizes the word friend. "Is he still around?"
She chews on her lip, looks up at him with her big blue eyes and shakes her head.
"Please tell me, Anastasia. I need to hear it."
"It's over between him and me."
"Because of me?"
"It's really complicated…" She sighs and closes her eyes.
"What do you mean complicated?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." She says, but doesn't continue as the doorbell rings.
He stares at the door, and then he looks at her, as if he is trying to decide whether to wait for her to continue or open the door for the pizza delivery. There's an angry knock on the door, and Anastasia gets up off the couch and goes to open. Finally snapping to life, he goes to pay for the pizza while she carries the box to the kitchen.
They take a break from the discussion, casually setting the table together. The fact that she said it's over between that guy and her, has lifted a weight off his shoulders. He had decided to pursue her no matter what, but still, knowing that he won't be stepping on anyone's toes makes him breathe easier.
"The napkins are in there." He points to the last door by the window.
She walks over, opens the door and shakes her head.
"Christian..?"
"Yes?"
"I can't reach them."
He chuckles, walks up behind her and stretches to take the package from the upper shelf. His front presses into her back, innocently enough, but still making his blood rush south at the physical contact.
"There you go, Shorty." He grins as he hands her the pack.
"Oh, ha ha." She says sarcastically, but her eyes are sparkling with amusement.
Once the table is set, meaning that the pizza box is opened and placed in the middle of the small table, they sit on opposite sides to eat. His knee brushes against hers, and the electricity in the room rises.
"So what happened to your hand?" She asks, between bites of pizza.
He shakes his head and blushes. "I hit the car."
"The car? Why would you do that?"
"Well... There was this woman..." He starts, and watches her fold her arms in front of her chest, and if his eyes don't deceive him, pout.
"The prettiest woman I've ever seen, to be exact. She said she'd call, but I always seemed to miss her calls." He continues, smirking as her facial expression softens when she realizes he's talking about her.
"Then when I finally get her on the phone, the call gets cut again. Long story short, it pissed me off, and the car just happened to be the nearest thing to hit. Didn't think I'd fracture it though."
She lays her hand on the cast, her thumb stroking over his fingers.
"I'm sorry."
"Why did you drop that call? I heard a commotion and then nothing. It freaked me the fuck out." He catches her hand in his, and for a moment they sit in silence, which is broken only by their breaths hitching as desire sparked by the skin on skin contact, unfurls inside them.
"That too is complicated." She whispers her voice now husky.
"There seems to be a lot of that with you..." He gasps as her foot touches his leg. She must've taken off her shoes, he realizes.
"I'm really not that complicated." She slides her foot up his leg, onto his crotch. Her eyebrows pop up and she tilts her head, as she feels his erection beneath the fabric. "It's just the situations that are complicated." She massages him with her foot.
He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. Fuck - that feels good. Abruptly he pushes his chair back, gets up, and with two strides he is by her chair, lifting her up in his arms while crashing his lips onto hers.
His tongue twists and twirls with hers; her nails are digging into his neck as she meets his attack by her own.
He places her on the counter as he continues kissing her, his hands now roaming over her body, groping her breasts before sliding down her body to her legs, now wrapped around his waist.
He slides his hands up, pushing the hem of her loose dress higher, until his hands connect with the lace of her thong.
She gasps and arches her back as he pushes his hand between her legs and circles her clit with his fingers, through the now moist lace. He continues rubbing and kissing, at times feasting on her neck making her moan and his dick hard as a rock in reaction to her.
Before he knows it, her hands have moved from his neck, to his belt buckle, and then into his pants.
"Oh fuck." He groans as she wraps her fingers around his dick.
"Yes… That." She pants, as he pushes two fingers inside her. "Oh... God..." He presses on her clit with his thumb. She grinds her hips to meet the movements of his fingers.
"What do you want?" He manages to ask, his own control unraveling at a worrying speed.
"I want you... To... Ah... Fuck me." She pleads, her hand gripping his cock tighter, her legs pushing him closer to her.
"Protection?" He remembers, but she doesn't let go of him, nor does he want her to.
"I'm clean." She pants.
"Me too." And with that he pushes her thong to the side and thrusts deep inside her.
She moans loudly as he pulls out and pushes back in. He kneads her breast through her dress, leaning against the wall with the hand in the cast. She lifts one leg up on his shoulder and he runs his teeth along her smooth skin. Holding her other leg up from beneath the knee, he leans over and kisses her deeply, his rhythm quickening by the second. She writes beneath him, her pussy clenching around him as she chases the release. His balls are slapping against her skin, and when he lets go of her leg, and slides his fingers onto her clit, she detonates around him. Her orgasm pushes him over the brink and with a few hard thrusts he comes inside her with such intensity that his vision blurs and he sees nothing but stars for a minute.
That was even better than I remembered it to be, he thinks as he kisses her softly. Her eyes are closed as she hums sated, her cheeks glowing, her dress wrinkled.
Carefully, she wiggles to get her legs down. He pulls himself out of her, returning the thongs to their rightful place. Yeah right, like that flimsy piece of lace would keep his semen from running down her legs as she stands up.
He shows her to the bathroom, where she much to his surprise catches the hem of her dress and pulls is up over her head. Dumbfounded, he takes the dress and hangs in on a hook, his eyes never leaving her figure. She's gorgeous, maybe a bit rounder than he remembered but damn, the combination of her round hips, and her breasts perfectly displayed in the lace bra, has his dick twitching. To be honest, he's just can't take his eyes off her boobs. She reaches behind her back and opens the hooks of her bra, dropping it to the floor, next to the discarded lace thong. Sweet mother of all that's holy. Those breasts. That ass. Those eyes. The whole fucking package. The woman he has been dreaming of for the last few months is standing butt naked in his bathroom, crooking her finger, summoning him to join her in the shower. Within seconds, his clothes are in a pile on the floor and he joins her in the shower, his dick almost fully erect, again.
The second round is a lot softer, as they indulge in each other beneath the warm water streaming down. They finally end up in bed, facing each other beneath the covers.
"You know? I've dreamt of this." He says, trailing his fingers over her skin.
"Me too."
"Sometimes it was more of a nightmare though. You always ended up with him."
"I told you… It's over between me and Ja... him."
They lie in silence for a moment, as he tries to figure out how he should ask her about it. She beats him to it though.
"He found out." She says, her voice small and weak.
"About me?"
"Yes and no. He found out I had been with someone, but he doesn't know with whom."
"You told him?"
"No. Well, not at first. I thought it was just a holiday fling a one night stand or whatever, although I've never really had a one night stand, not really my cup of tea, you know? I didn't know that I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about you. I thought I could forget you and continue whatever it was I had with James." She brings her hand over her mouth as she realizes she said his name.
James, so the bastard has a name. Something clicks deep within and he realizes that he knows exactly who James is.
"Callahan?"
"Oh god. Oh god… I didn't want you to know that it was him."
"I fucking saw you together at the airport!" He raises his voice, but manages to control his feelings as he sees her shiver beneath the cover. "I never saw his face though, didn't connect the dots before now." He says, more to himself than to her. After a moment of silence, he asks, "So you had him transfer you to Seattle?"
"Well… Yes and no. I knew I had to see you again… and at the same time James wanted to end things between us." She cringes at the memory.
"Because of you cheating on him." He almost spits the word cheating and his subconscious is screaming Hypocrite to him.
"I'm not even going there Christian. What James and I had… Was complicated. But it's not like we were exclusive or anything… at least he wasn't." She frowns and pulls the duvet tighter around her body.
"You still have feelings for him?"
"No… I don't know." She sighs. "I just know I haven't been able to get you off my mind. The thought of never seeing you again… was awful. I just know that I don't feel the same about James, not anymore… I probably never did." She frowns.
"You do know he's married, right?"
She closes her eyes and nods, pursing her lips before she talks.
"She's an alcoholic. Their marriage has been on the rocks for years, they're just keeping up appearances."
A heavy silence falls upon them. After a while Christian huffs, sits up and pulls on a pair of boxers. "Hell. I need a drink. Do you want one?"
"Just water, please."
As he goes to the kitchen and pours himself some more rum, his head is spinning with all the stuff she just told him. On one hand he's happy that she hasn't managed to stop thinking about him, but on the other hand she is the mistress, well ex-mistress, of his boss. Fuck. This could end badly.
Pouring one more stiff drink, he enjoys the warmth spreading through his body. We can get through this, somehow, he decides. It might be the alcohol talking, but slowly, he starts to feel surer of himself. Fuck the office policy that forbids affairs, hell, even the CEO has broken that rule. We'll just keep our relationship away from work. Yeah, that's it. We work on different floors even, so there shouldn't be a problem.
Getting her a glass of water, he returns to the bedroom, finding her asleep. Her hair is fanned over the pillow, and for a moment he just stares at her. She's perfection to the t.
AN: Thank you all for reading and reviewing!
You guys rock!
H xx
