Authors: Lena Black
A
t
eight on the dot Sunday morning my cell goes off, waking me from my beer induced sleep.
Damn, I was actually hoping to sleep in today.
I answer my phone half-asleep, not thinking to check the caller ID.
“Hello?” I yawn out.
“Good morning,
Gabrielle
.” Hunt’s smooth voice nuzzles against my ear and I shoot up, wide-awake.
“Good morning,” I reply cheerfully.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. I tried to wait until it was a reasonable time for you. How is your weekend thus far? Well I hope.”
“Yeah, it’s going. How’s your trip?”
“It’s going. Thank you for asking. I’m calling to let you know I will be coming back on schedule, and I would like to have lunch with you tomorrow. Will you join me for lunch?”
I’m so excited he’s on the phone, I don’t hear more than lunch and tomorrow.
“Yes, I’ll have lunch with you.”
“Good. I’
ll pick you up at noon. Be ready and waiting at your desk. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”
“Yes, tomorrow,” I murmur.
“Gabrielle?”
“Yes, Damian?”
“I’ve thought of nothing but you since our last encounter.”
He hangs up, leaving me to stare wide-eyed out into spa
ce. My heart’s in my throat. I can’t breathe. I’m frozen in place.
O
nce I regain my wits, I inhale deeply
.
I, Gabrielle Sophia Hyde, mortal being, will be having lunch with Damian Hunt, Adonis, and he’s thinking of me, too.
Grinning from ear to ear,
I throw myself back onto the bed and have a total freak out. I giggle and flail my limbs like some crush stricken teenager.
I jump out of bed and bolt for my closet, sifting through my clothes
, to find an outfit and figure a hairdo to do with it. I’m not someone who’s big into clothes and things of that sort. In fact, the less time I spend on it, the better.
I can be a girly
girl with a decent sense of style, but I can also be a tomboy. I don’t believe I’ve ever actually planned an ensemble for a man, but this guy is worth looking my best for and spending a little extra time to do it. The rest of the day, I spend lounging around, thinking of Hunt and his piercing green eyes.
M
onday couldn’t come soon enough. I wake before my alarm and run to the bathroom to start getting ready. I straighten my hair, choosing to leave it down, and apply mascara, liner, and clear lip-gloss. I selected a dark purple dress with a square neckline and capped sleeves. It’s body-hugging on top, widening a bit in the hip area and tapering into a pencil skirt, amping up and accentuating my curvy form. I pair it with nude, round toed, leather pumps. It’s professional with a bit of sex appeal. It’s perfect.
The morning seems to drag.
Olivia’s out of town, which doesn’t leave much for me to do other than answer the phone and respond to emails. I type out a handful of letters she needs transcribed, long before lunch, and make sure messages are checked regularly. I keep glancing at the clock on my desk and find myself disappointed. Only a few moments passed since the last time I peeked at it. I check my emails to see if there’s anything from my mom or Damian. A big, fat nada.
I
often find myself slipping into a daydream state, imagining how our lunch might go. It could go well, or…I don’t want to think of the possibility it won’t work out.
“I thought you would be ready when I arrived.” My eyes shoot up to
Hunt’s and stare silently. He returns my gaze for a moment. “Are you going to gather your things or gawk at me all day?”
Can’t I
do both? I am a very good multi-tasker.
He’s standing at
the entrance, leaning on the doorframe, studying me with an alert, penetrating gaze. He’s wearing a black suit, white shirt, and dark green tie, which enhance his incredible eyes. I know I’m staring a little too long, but he’s staggering.
I manage to get myself together, grab my bag, and walk over to him.
He remains composed while I’m in shambles. I’m actually trembling. I had forgotten how intimidating he could be. I don’t know why he makes me nervous. It’s most likely the reason he presumes I’m innocent. I constantly gape down, suck on my lip, or behave timidly around him. It’s impossible not to, when that’s how he makes me feel. He’s unlike any man I’ve met, and I don’t know how to act.
“Shall we?” he asks.
Hunt turns, offering me an elbow, and I link my arm with his, admiring the well-defined muscles under the sleeve of his jacket. He guides me out, leading us through the office. I can’t help noticing all the ogling from my co-workers, watching as we stroll arm-in-arm, like a young couple courting one another from an age long past, lost in time.
I sneak a glimpse up at him to reassure myself he is actually beside me. I admire his nose, perfect as it appears at first glance, with a closer look it reveals he’s gotten into a few fights in his day. His strong lips and square jaw are extremely masculine. I want to run my tongue along the rough stubble lightly blanketing it, along those sultry lips before forcing mine against them.
My reveries are interrupted by Damian’s deeply sexual voice.
“Don’t you have a coat?” he asks, turning back to me once
we’re at the front lobby doors. The day has turned overcast and appears to be quite chilly. I look up at him from under my lashes.
“No. It wasn’t gloomy earlier.”
He gives me a stern look and takes off his black, wool coat, holding it open for me to put on. I slide my arms through. The silk lining still holds the scent and warmth of his body. It’s long in the arms and hangs about mid-calf on me, where it only goes down to the back of his knees. He takes the cuff of the coat, folding it for a better fit.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
“You’re extremely welcome, Gabrielle. I wouldn’t want you to catch a virus and become ill.”
“What about you? Won’t you get cold?”
“I’m a big boy. I think I can handle it.”
Yes, you are.
I admire his size as he says this.
Yes, big is an excellent word to describe him, not only his physical appearance but personality and life. Hunt grabs my hand and rushes us out the door.
On the street, he walks to a black Land Rover, opening the passenger door for me. I climb in, and he buckles my restraint, leaning over me, so I can smell the scent of his delicious, expensive shampoo.
He turns his lovely face to mine, so close, the tips of our noses graze and our silky breaths blow gently across one another’s parted, waiting lips. He inhales sharply, breathing my breath into him, pilfering it from my lungs.
He shuts his eyes and pulls away, lingering for a moment before shutting my door and heading around the front of the sleek, black SUV. He opens his door and slides into the driver’s seat with a few swift, graceful motions.
“How far is the restaurant?” I ask, dazed.
“It’s just around the corner. I would walk, but I don’t want you to get a cold.”
He buckles up, starts the engine, and takes off. We turn the corner on Van Ness, and five minutes later, we’re parked a few blocks from my building, close to the bar. He gets out and goes around, opening my door. He holds his hand out for me, and I take it happily. We walk across the street to the Chinese restaurant I order from on Sundays, my weekly ritual.
“Do you like Chinese food?” Hun
t inquires, gazing down at me.
“Yes, I love this place. I prefer something else though, I had this yesterday.”
“You ate
here
yesterday?”
“Yeah, it’s a Sunday ritual…You know if you’re cold, I can go grab a jacket from my apartment. It’s not far from here.”
“You live around here, do you?”
“Yeah, like you don’t know where I live.
I didn’t give you my number, yet you managed to get your hands on that.”
An arrogant smile spreads across his magnificent face. He studies me, trying to gauge my feelings about it. “You’re very perceptive. Yes, I know you live around here. I hope you aren’t offended.”
“I’m not thrilled about it, but I expected it.”
He gets close to me, where I can smell his mouthwatering scent of sex, fresh laundry, and musky cologne. It makes the hairs on my arms stand at attention. It makes everything stand at attention.
“If you expected me to know, why mention you live around here?”
“I wasn’t going it to invite you up. I was simply letting you know, I don’t need your coat if you’re cold.”
“Maybe, subconsciously you want me to come up.”
“There’s that cocky attitude of yours. You seem utterly full of yourself.”
He appears stunned for a moment but recovers easily.
“It’s only cocky if you don’t possess the skill to validate your mouth.” He lets out an exaggerated breath. “I realize I’m forward. I told you, when I desire something, I obtain it,” he declares with a stern tone.
I have no doubt he’s telling the truth. When he speaks again, his voice is softer, considerate, “Since you don’t want to take me to your place, and you don’t want Chinese, why don’t you pick where we go.”
I think about it for a second and then snatch his hand in mine.
“Follow me,” I command.
I lead him toward this burger spot I love so much, I eat there twice a week for lunch with
Chase. I sense his gaze on me, and when I glance back at him that’s what he’s doing. He has a sexy, crooked smile, appearing amused by something. It causes my heart to skip a beat.
That’s it. I’m a goner.
He catches up with my brisk pace effortlessly, and we stride hand-in-hand. I shake my head, casting a shy smile, and his mouth goes slack as he inhales sharply.
I notice the way my little hand feels in his large grasp, our fingers entwined, gripping tight. It feels right,
comfortable even. It shouldn’t. I don’t know him from a hill of beans, but it does.
“We’re here,” I announce.
His eyes float to where I’m pointing. “Burgers? That sounds good.”
“They’re out of this world!” I exclaim.
“No. A burger is tasty.
You
are out of this world. You’re far better than ground beef, Gabrielle.”
“Why are you interested in me?
If
you even are interested in me.”
“Why don’t we grab a burger to go and find a less public location where we can talk?” He scans his eyes around at the pedestrians walking by, surveying him intently. No, wait, us. That guy just gave me an awkward side glance.
W
e grab our burgers and walk out quickly, eager to find a private place to talk. He stops outside and says, “Where can we go for privacy? Somewhere nearby.”
His face has that trying-to-think-hard expression on it, and I can’t stop myself from laughing. It doesn’t seem
like him. He’s usually so dour. But not now, not with me, and I like it. He doesn’t interact with others without the shield he puts in front of him.
“I know I’m going to regret this. Would you like to come to my place for
lunch?
”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He offers me his arm, and we walk swiftly back toward my place. He doesn’t ask where, he just leads us there. When we arrive, he remarks, “I’m surprised you’re inviting me to come up.”
I dart him a mocking suspicious glare. “Yes, well, Chase knows I’m with you.”
“The whole city probably knows by now,” he replies dryly.
Ben opens the door for us. “Thank you, Ben. Say hi to Sheila for me.”
“I will, Miss Hyde.”
I turn back to Hunt to ask, “How would the whole city know?”
“It has eyes,” he replies.
We stroll up to the elevators, where two young women are already waiting. When they notice Damian, they start giggling and ogling him unashamedly. I catch their eye, giving them a hint of a smile.
It’s not as if he were mine. What can I do about it?
As I ponder this, Hunt casually slopes an arm around my shoulder and glances out the corner of his eye, his lips slightly curved. He was ignoring them, or so I thought. I lean into his side, allowing him to nestle me. I cannot believe he is being affectionate with me. I never imagined feeling this way for someone I barely know.
The elevator arrives, and we allow them to enter first and take our place
in front of them. They giggle and whisper quietly in the corner. But they don’t matter, not when the closeness of Hunt’s body is sending waves of arousal running ramped through me, making my legs tremble. He shifts next to me, letting me know he feels it, too.
The girls
make a quiet comment about his cute ass, which I must say, I totally agree with. His ass is quite delectable. Hunt must’ve heard them because the next thing I know, he’s firmly planting his strong hand on mine. It startles me, and the giggly girls gasp.