Page 128 of Dream Chaser

She looked up at me, beaming. “Happy New Year to you too. What is this for?”

“For letting me stay with you. You helped me a lot, so this is my little thank you.”

“You didn’t have to give me anything. I loved having you with me. This is…” She peeked into the bag. “Nova, I love this perfume brand.”

I winked. “My friend’s family owns the company. There’s a discount voucher inside too.” Perfume was personal, and I didn’t want to give Eleanor one without knowing she liked the scent, so Scarlett suggested an assortment of soaps and body washes, along with a scented candle. The awed look on Eleanor’s face told me we’d made the right choice.

“Well, I’m going to try them tonight and use the discount for sure. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, heading for my desk. As soon as I turned on my laptop and opened the inbox, the barrage of unread emails made my head spin. Clearly, Asher’s sponsors didn’t take time off.

Tucked between an invitation to a racing gear brand’s event and a communication from Aeterno was an email from Alejandro.

I opened it first.

As I read, my chest filled with tenderness. His emails were always concise, each word measured and deliberate. This was chaotic and unfiltered, a raw version of yesterday’s confession he’d sent right after Christmas Day.

“Buenos días y feliz año.” As if summoned, he entered the office with his usual confident strides.

“Happy New Year,” Eleanor said as he hung his coat on the brass tree by the door. “How was your vacation?”

“Remarkable.” He glanced at me, then went to his desk. “What about yours?”

“Lots of family time, lots of rest. So, thank you.”

“Not at all.” He gripped the back of the chair, but before he could sit, I blurted, “Mr. Guerrero.”

His green eyes darkened. “Yes, Nova?”

“I need to discuss something with you. An email I received.”

Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Okay. I haven’t grabbed coffee yet. Eleanor, would you like one?”

“A latte, if it’s not a bother,” she said, frowning at the spreadsheet on her screen.

“Done. Come on, Nova.”

I followed him out of the office and into the elevator. As soon as the heavy door closed, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face down to mine.

“Just needed this,” I whispered, pressing my lips to his.

He cupped my ass, hauling me against his hard body as his tongue plunged into my mouth. The groan rumbling in his throat as he kissed me sent a wave of heat to my core.

It clenched with every flick of his tongue, every squeeze of his hands, distracting me from the fact we weren’t moving.

I panted, breaking the kiss for a second. “Ale. The elevator.”

“I stopped it.” Alejandro gave my neck a soft bite. “And now I have two problems.”

“What problems?” I managed to say despite the haze of lust.

“Having another coffee when I’ve already had two.” He cupped my breast, eliciting a needy whimper from me. “And”—another kiss below my ear, slow, deliberate—“spending all morning and probably part of the afternoon with a hard-on, thinking about this kiss.”

I kissed his throat. “Sorry.”

“You should be.”

I glanced up at his face. Wide pupils. Flushed cheeks. And a smile. The soft kind he always gave me.