I apologize for my clumsiness feeling even more foolish when he gives me a pained look of annoyance. I blush hotly at how attractive I find his surly attitude. Maybe writing damaged heroes for a living has skewed my feelings toward the opposite sex. My body has never had such a visceral reaction to a man before.
Despite my humiliation, I find myself giving him a once-over. Noting the strong cut of his jaw under his perfectly maintained facial hair, his perfectly straight, almost aristocratic nose, and hazel eyes. His hair is slightly too long for his polished look. That one flaw just makes him more attractive. I glance back over myshoulder at Rita and make note of her amused expression. Such an odd reaction to a humiliating experience.
“Sorry.” I apologize to the broody man once again and then run. Okay, I don’t run, but I definitely speed walk my ass out of there. Of course, the elevator takes forever to help me make my escape. I swear I don’t take a single breath until I’m safely in a cab and on my way home.
I shake my head at myself. I’ve never been so tongue-tied in my whole life. Not for the first time, I wish I had the kind of attitude my best friend has. Zoe doesn’t put up with anyone’s shit. I can imagine her putting the handsome jerk in his place for giving her the same look.
Oh well, at least I’ll never have to see the man again. That’s a small bright side to the situation. I won’t think about the disappointment I feel at knowing I won’t see him again. It’s official, I’ve lost my damn mind.
CHAPTER
FOUR
HARRISON
I can’t takemy eyes off the curvy temptation as she escapes my grasp. I may have pushed her away, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want her touching me. I didn’t want her to feel how much I want her. I may have only gotten a brief glance at her as I left Rita’s office, but that glance was enough to distract me from getting any work done while my driver circled the block for an hour.
I don’t remember the last time anything distracted me from my work. My cock aches in my trousers as I watch the sexy sway of her hips as she practically runs away from me. She glances once over her shoulder as she enters the elevator. When she sees me staring after her, she quickly averts her gaze.
Fuck, she’s gorgeous. I love the pink blush on her cheeks. Her honeysuckle perfume lingers around me, causing my cock to throb and my mouth to water. I can only imagine how she’d taste on my tongue, and I have a damn good imagination.
I wrote her off as a love-seeking fool, but now I’m feeling like a fool. A man obsessed after just one glance. A man possessed by her after only one brief touch. I’ve never wanted someone so much, and she’s completely out of my reach. She’s looking for love, and I’m incapable of giving that to her.
Rita clears her throat, drawing my attention to where she’s standing, taking in the situation. “She’s quite lovely, isn’t she?”
I swallow thickly, thinking about her soft curves against my body—a brief moment of heaven. Lovely doesn’t even describe it. I shake myself. “She’s clumsy.”
Rita snorts. “Is that all?” she asks with a knowing glint in her eye, one that spells trouble. Thank God I won’t ever see the beautiful creature again. Soon enough, she’ll be nothing but a memory, out of sight, out of mind.
Turns out, out of sight is not out of mind. I’m in the elevator on the way to my weekly brunch date with my aunt, and all I can think about is the beauty from last week. It’s foolish of me to hope I might bump into her again. And I do mean bump. I’d give just about anything to feel her curves against me again, only this time, pushing her away would be impossible.
I’m distracted as I exit the elevator and walk straight into the person waiting for the elevator. My arms instinctively wrap around the much smaller frame of the woman I nearly knocked over. I close my eyes as I’m surrounded by the sweet smell of honeysuckle. My eyes pop open, and I look down at my obsession.
She wriggles in my arms, pushing away from me. My cock instantly hardens. A problem I’ve had every time I’ve thought of the woman. I’ve jerked off so much to the thought of her, I’m surprised my cock isn’t raw.
The beauty in my arms gasps when she feels my erection and instantly stops her movement. Instead, she pushes closer to me by an infinitesimal amount. Her hands are fisted in my shirt as she looks up at me with incredulous blue eyes. My own bore intoher, searching for her thoughts. Does she feel this connection between us? Has she been as crazed for another moment together as I’ve been?
“Harrison, my boy, so good to see you.” My girl gasps and jumps away from me as if she’s been scalded by my touch at Rita’s voice behind her. My arms are still outstretched, missing her curvy weight against me already. “I see you’ve met Olive,” she says with a sly smile.
“Yes… we’ve become… acquainted,” I say, drawing out my words as I look down at a blushing Olive.
“Olive, this is my nephew Harrison,” Rita introduces.
Olive swallows and takes a deep breath before turning those fathomless blue eyes on me. “Nice to meet you, Harrison,” she says, her voice clear as a bell despite the shy blush on her face. I could live with nothing but the sound of my name on her lips for the rest of my days and be a happy man.
I reach out and grab the hand she hasn’t offered and pull her knuckles up to my lips. I brush them along the back of her hand, and she lets out a little moan. “It’s my pleasure, Olive.”
Rita looks back and forth between us with a self-satisfied look. I can’t help but wonder if this is a setup. Any other time and I’d be annoyed at her meddling ways, but with this beauty within arm’s reach, I can’t think of anything but getting her under me.
Olive clears her throat and pulls her hand away. Cradling it in her other hand like she is treasuring my kiss. I’m tempted to pull her against my chest and kiss those cupid’s bow lips, but I manage to control myself.
“Well, I should be going…” she says quickly. “Lots of work to do…”
She leans past me and pushes the down button. The doors instantly slide open, and I’m silently cursing the fact that no one called the elevator. I would do anything for another moment with her. She scoots past me and into the elevator. With thedistance between us, she seems emboldened. Her eyes meet mine, and in them, I see the same desire I feel reflected back at me. Knowing she is just as affected by me is enough to satisfy me… for now.
“What was she doing here again?” I ask Rita suspiciously.
Rita waves an envelope between us. “Just dropping off her first letter for her match.”
