Page 12 of Pure Abandon

My senses are heightened. My eyes trying to block out his square chin and strong jaw line. My nose blocking out the sensual smell of his cologne. My ears trying to ignore the sound of my breath speeding up, and my touch trying not to cause my knees to fold at the mere feeling of his hand on my back. I pray he can’t tell how unnerved I am.

He leans down and softly hums into my ear, “Ms. Grayson, how do you like your coffee?” He sounds sensual, as if he’s asking me to go to bed with him.

“Um, strong and black.” I quiver, swallowing… hard.

“Good answer.” He says, releasing me in the process. I didn’t realize he had pulled me farther into him until I miss the heat of his body.

The elevator door swings open. Trish, the redhead at reception, greets us with an awesome smile. “Good morning, Mr. Asher!”

Asher?

“Morning, Patricia,” Alex says and heads down the hallway. “We’ll need two coffees… black. Ms. Grayson and I have a meeting. We’ll take them in her office.”

I stop in my tracks.

Stunned.

Holy shit.

That is Alexander Asher.

Asher!

I am so embarrassed.

No, I’m pissed.

No, I am FURIOUS!

“Who do you think you are?” I stamp into my office, stopping just past the doorway, with my wet head.

Alexander Asher is standing in front of me looking as innocent as a lamb. “Excuse me?” His voice shows how amused he is.

“Did you know you had a meeting with me? When I said my name and the building… you knew exactly who I was!” I can’t control myself. My hand has made its way in front of my face and my pointer finger is waving dramatically in the air. “And that move in the elevator. Do you realize you are my boss? That is so wrong on so many levels!”

Asher walks toward me with a determined look, his eyes intense on mine. He inches closer. The weight of his body leans into me as he swings his hand around my body and slams the door closed.

His hand is resting on the door with his arm enclosing my head. “I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation for the entire office to hear. Do you, Ms. Grayson?”

This is not the ten-year-old brat I imagined. This is a man. A very arrogant man.

“Will you explain to me just how I ended up in your car?”

“Pure coincidence.” He withdraws and walks toward my desk, taking in the room. His presence dominates the small space. My tiny office feels even smaller with him in it.

“I am many things, but a liar I am not,” he says, taking a seat behind my desk. “Or you can believe I have a very skilled driver who purposefully plows into potholes on rainy days just so I can pick up beautiful women.”

Beautiful? Does he see what I look like? I’m soggy and damp. My hair is a mess of curls and matted ends, but he is staring at me like I’m crème brûlée waiting to be devoured. I feel my ears turning red. Why does this mystery man have such an effect on me?

Well, he’s not a mystery anymore. He’s Alexander Asher, billionaire mega-mogul philanthropist and my boss. I must be getting hot. I take off my trench coat and hang it on the door.

Asher leans his weight back, causing the chair to recline. He draws his hands up in front of his body and rubs the pads of his fingers against each other. He’s wearing an impish grin and looks beyond comfortable sitting in my seat. “I am very sorry if you were mislead, Ms. Grayson, but this is all simply a misunderstanding. I like to think of myself as your knight in shining armor who rescued you from the perils of the rain, which at this moment seems to be giving me my just reward.”

Confused, I follow his eyes, which are no longer holding mine, but are staring down at my chest.

My chest!

My trench coat must have soaked through to my white blouse that is now completely see-through! My breasts exposed through my bra, my nipples rock hard from the cold air. I grab my trench and hold it against my chest.