Her words and sweet gesture all the encouragement he needed, he increased his pace, his o.r.g.a.s.m already barreling down. She dropped her hand from his face and curled her fingers into his shoulders as she anch.o.r.ed herself to him. Her long, s.e.xy legs wrapped around his hips, sending him deeper and he groaned her name.
He slid in and out of her, faster and faster, his grunts and groans met by her own high breathless moans. His skin tightened, he knew it wouldn"t take much more for him to fall over that particularly delicious edge and when she began to shudder and writhe beneath him, he let go.
And came so hard he saw stars.
122.
Chapter Ten.
"Have you talked to Tessa?"
Alex turned away from the thinning crowd of people that swarmed around him, lowering his voice as he spoke into his cell. "No. I haven"t had a chance yet."
Hunter snorted. "I have a hard time believing that." Irritation filled him. Since when did he have to answer to his brother? "I haven"t been able to ask her about the computer usage but I will," Alex said firmly, striding through the London store. "I swear it." He felt on top of the world today. Not only had the relaunch gone off without a hitch but he"d just gone over the initial paperwork for the new London acquisition. The location was prime, the square footage ample and it enabled Worth to open a flagship store solely focused on the younger generations by featuring their new accessories and limited clothing line.
After months of constant back and forth negotiations that had almost fallen through not once but twice, the relief, the absolute joy that filled him over the acquisition could hardly be contained.
And then there was Tessa.
Pride filled his chest. He felt like he"d conquered the enemy"s castle and won the princess.
Glancing over his shoulder, he caught her watching him. She dropped her gaze, a secret smile curling her lips, her cheeks a pretty shade of pink. He loved that he made her blush. Enjoyed it even more she acted the demure, professional woman by day and was a wicked wildcat in his bed by night. All for him.
Three nights of nonstop s.e.x and little sleep, he still felt on top of the world.
Nothing could bring him down.
Not even his nagging brother.
"You"ll be in the office Monday." Hunter sighed, sounding resigned. "We"ll talk to her then."
Alex frowned. "Who"s this we?"
"Well, I thought it would be best if not only I questioned her, but have the human resources manager in there as well." Hunter paused. "Becky requested that I conduct all questioning regarding this matter by the book."
"Of course." Alex paused and glanced about the room before lowering his voice. "I want to be there."
"That"s not a good idea."
"Why the h.e.l.l not?"
"You"re her direct boss. I don"t want you involved," Hunter explained, sounding impatient. "Trust me on this, Alex. I wouldn"t screw you over or upset your sweet little piece about this."
Alex ignored the rude comment. "You"re not going to question her too harshly are you?" He knew Hunter could be a real ruthless b.a.s.t.a.r.d when he set his mind to it. It was a strong family trait. "It"s not necessary you know. I trust her implicitly."
"You do?" Hunter sounded surprised. "I didn"t realize you-knew her that well."
Alex wasn"t about to fall into that trap. He knew what his brother was doing.
"She"s been my a.s.sistant for almost seven months. I think I know her fairly well.
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Besides that, she worked at a few Worth store locations prior to her coming to us.
Why do you insist she can"t be trusted?"
"I don"t. But just because you think you know someone doesn"t mean you can always trust them. Look at Rhett."
Alex signed. He hadn"t heard any recent updates in regards to his troublesome brother. "How is he, by the way?"
"He went to court this morning. His lawyer got most of the charges dropped against him. Lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d," Hunter muttered, sarcasm heavy in his tone.
Relief flooded Alex. Hunter believed a little time in jail and a hefty fine would do wonders for Rhett"s reckless behavior, maybe even curing him instantly. Alex, on the other hand, could hardly stand the idea of Rhett being locked up, even for a month, two weeks, whatever. The guilt at letting his baby brother down would overwhelm him.
When it came to Rhett, he had an inexplicably soft heart.
"That"s good." Alex watched a rush of people exit the store, Tessa lingering by the cash wrap counter speaking with the store manager. She looked amazing, clad in all black, ropes of silver chains dangling from her neck at intermittent lengths. Emphasizing the curve of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, of which he"d caressed intimately only a few hours before.
Morning s.e.x. Another bonus of having Tessa in his bed, she"d ridden him hard, her enthusiasm contagious. Invigorating. How many o.r.g.a.s.ms had he experienced since that first amazing night with her?
He could hardly count fast enough to keep up with their numerous encounters.
"You"re not even listening to me." Hunter chuckled though Alex caught a note of frustration. "We"ll talk first thing Monday. And I plan on interviewing 125.
your secretary by the end of the day but don"t tell her. I don"t want to give her an advantage so she can prepare."
"What the h.e.l.l do you mean by that?"
"I mean that I don"t want her to prep her answers. This interview has to come as a complete surprise, and I want her to answer straight from the gut, versus a bunch of rote c.r.a.p she memorized."
His reasoning was sound but still Alex was protective of Tessa. "She"s done nothing wrong, Hunter. You"re like a dog with a bone over this, but I"m telling you she"s not the spy."
"Your faith is all well and good but it doesn"t mean s.h.i.t to me, bro. She needs to be questioned. Just think about this." Hunter paused for effect before he launched back in with it. "There has been no suspect inquiries on any computers within this building since the two of you left. Not a single one." Dread slithered down Alex"s spine, and he fought to ignore it. "You could accuse me just as much as you accuse her. I"m out of the office as well."
"Like you"d destroy and sabotage your own family"s company after you worked so hard to build it. Think about it, Alex. Consider what I just said. Maybe you"ll change your mind." Hunter hung up, not even bothering to say goodbye.
Alex shoved his cell into his trouser pockets and slowly turned, watching Tessa unabashedly. She was beautiful, her hair down and slightly wild, cascading past her shoulders in loose waves. Giant silver hoop earrings hung from her ears, emphasizing her striking features and he found himself speechless for a brief moment, just...staring at her.
Had he ever felt this way about another woman? Ever? He didn"t believe so.
Yet it was d.a.m.n hard to think about wanting to be with her, really be with her, with the sabotage bulls.h.i.t hanging over their heads.
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Well, more like just over his head. He hadn"t let her in on much of what was happening. No need to worry her especially because she wasn"t involved.
s.h.i.t. He hoped she wasn"t involved. How he hated that he even had a sliver of doubt. But there it was. The seed planted by his b.a.s.t.a.r.d brother, already taking root.
"Is everything all right?" The sound of her gentle voice coming from behind made him turn around.
Tessa stood before him, big brown eyes wide, concern written all over her pretty face. He smiled, wanted to rea.s.sure her, really wanting to yank her in his arms and kiss the worry right out of her but he restrained himself.
"Business call," he said vaguely, dismissing it. "Are we ready to go?" She nodded eagerly, casting her gaze first to the left, then the right before she stepped closer, a devilish smile curving her lips. "I"m ready to go back to the hotel room."
"This is our last night in London. Wouldn"t you like to go out?" Not that he wanted to. Not when he had the opportunity to keep her in his room, naked in his bed, for the rest of the evening.
Yet he didn"t want her to miss the sights either.
"I"d rather be with you. Alone," she confessed softly.
His c.o.c.k stiffened and he tried to ignore it. "I should at least take you to dinner."
She shrugged. "Room service works for me just as well." Christ, she was tempting. It would be easy to give in and agree, take her back to the hotel and make love to her continuously for the rest of the night.
She made him feel like a feral beast, ready to take her any way he could get her. So completely out of control he didn"t know if he was coming or going, she had him so tied up in knots.
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Knots he"d gladly stayed wrapped up in as long as he had Tessa by his side.
"We"ve ate nothing but room service for the last two nights. I"m taking you out," he said firmly, ignoring the flicker of disappointment in her gaze.
It didn"t matter. She wouldn"t be disappointed when he took her to one of the best restaurants in all of London. She wouldn"t be disappointed either when he finally did take her back to his suite and made excruciatingly slow love to her.
He wanted to watch her fall apart, wanted to taste her, take her, lose himself in her...
"Where are you taking me to dinner then?"
"Ah, now that"s a surprise." He tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger. "All I ask is that you dress nice."
"Like this?" She spread her arms wide and turned this way and that.
"A bit more formal," he suggested, temptation making his throat run dry. He wanted to take her now. Push her against the wall and push inside her. Kiss her, wind his arms around her as he thrust his c.o.c.k inside her tight yet welcoming body. She was always welcoming, always up for anything he wanted to do to her s.e.xually and so giving She"d fallen on her knees before him last night, sucking his c.o.c.k deep inside her eager mouth, licking and stroking him into oblivion. Untried in her ministrations, she"d asked him constantly if he liked what she was doing.
He"d lost all control at her innocent questions, contrasted with the wicked way her eyes lit, as she circled the head of his erection with her tongue. He"d answered her with an agonizing groan, coming down her throat like a thoughtless a.s.s. She hadn"t minded, licking up every last drop like it was her duty to do so.
She was d.a.m.ned refreshing, so unlike the other calculating women he"d taken into his bed.
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If he wasn"t too careful, it would be easy to fall in love with her.
"I don"t have anything "a bit more formal"." She shook her head. "And I just can"t wander off and go shopping for something more appropriate." He pulled her close, leaning in so his mouth was level with her ear. "Go into the back stockroom. There are sample pieces from the exclusive new women"s line. Perhaps you can find something to wear this evening." She reared her head back, resting her hand on his chest briefly. Her touch burned through his suit jacket and shirt. "I couldn"t."
"You will. I insist." He reluctantly moved away from her, already missing her warmth, the vitality that vibrated from deep within her.
"B-but, those clothes aren"t even available on the market yet."
"Then you shall create quite the buzz if you wear items from the new women"s Worth line while you"re out tonight, won"t you?" Her eyes lit and she smiled giddily. "I"ll go look at everything. It"s been kept so under wraps I have no idea what any of it looks like." She practically bounced on her heels like an eager child. "I hope I find something. I hope it will fit." His gaze ran over her curvy body, lingering on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. That would be the only problem she might run into. She was voluptuous, and he appreciated every one of those delicious curves. "It"ll fit, sweetheart. Now go. Find something beautiful."
Tessa felt as if she were living in a fairy tale.
First there was London. The historic buildings when they first arrived, the sight of them brought forth a flood of teenage dreams, traveling the world and settling in this most majestic city. She"d held her breath and pressed her nose to the cold window of the car when they pa.s.sed Buckingham Palace, dazzled by its beauty, recalling her other even more foolish childhood fantasies. Of meeting a 129.
handsome prince and having him whisk her away on his gallant horse to a castle in the clouds.
She sat across from her fantasy prince now, mesmerized by the heat smoldering in his gray-blue gaze, gorgeous as always in a beautifully cut suit.
The restaurant he"d brought her to vast, every table filled with people dressed to absolute perfection. They sat close to a wall of windows, which offered a glittering view of the city, their table rather intimate despite the crush of people nearby.
The dress she wore was beautiful in its simplicity. Black with three-quarter length sleeves and a straight neckline that covered her to her collarbone, it lay open in the back, all the way to the base of her spine, exposing her so completely she couldn"t wear a bra.
She wore no panties either, not that Alex knew that. Yet.
Her appet.i.te came and went, the smells coming from the kitchen enticing her taste buds. Yet the man before her enticed her even more. He would reach beneath the table and rest his hand on her thigh, his fingers slipping beneath the hem of her dress so he could touch bare flesh. All thoughts of food would leave her in an instant, her mind filled with images of what he might do to her later.
He had mastered her body completely. She was so utterly tuned into him, so willing to give him whatever he wanted, do whatever he desired. He had no idea just how far gone she was over him.
"That dress is driving me insane," he murmured, the light from the candle on their table giving his eyes a wicked gleam.
She glanced down at her front. "I"m completely covered up."
"It"s positively sinful." He paused, taking a sip from his winegla.s.s before he murmured, "You"re not wearing a bra."
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Her nipples tightened to hard little beads at his comment, and he chuckled though his expression was pained. "And I can see your nipples," he whispered hoa.r.s.ely.
Tessa squirmed in her seat, his words enflaming her. Her appet.i.te disappeared, just like that, even with the server appearing beside the table, setting their plates before them with a flourish. Tessa avoided eye contact, afraid the woman would be able to see just how aroused she was. She admired Alex"s unflappable demeanor, the way he nodded politely at the waitress and sent her away.
Why could no one else see just how s.e.xy his commanding presence was? She was surprised the women in the restaurant weren"t all lining up to admire him.
Her every fantasy had finally become a reality, and she wasn"t quite sure what to do.
"Aren"t you going to eat, Tessa?" he asked after a few quiet moments in which he"d already started.
Slowly she shook her head. Watching him eat hypnotized her. His strong hands wielding the utensils, the way his lips wrapped around the tines of the fork. "I"m not very hungry."
He set his fork on the side of his plate, his dark brows lowered. "Are you not feeling well?"
If being sick with arousal was a true illness then yes indeed, she wasn"t feeling well. At all. "I"ll be fine."