Temptation (The Temptation Series) (18 page)

“I’m losing, I can’t fight it
anymore. The thing is I can’t lose either, I can’t destroy my family, that is
not an option.” She got up and helped me up also.

“I can’t tell you what to do
but what I can tell you is my brother isn’t playing. I have never seen him like
this before and when I saw him running to you on the news footage with that
look of terror on his face, it told me one thing. He is absolutely and
undoubtedly in love with you.”

Those last few words stuck in
my mind for the rest of the day,
He is absolutely and undoubtedly in love
with you.
What the hell was I going to do? I knew without a shadow of a
doubt that we had very strong feelings for each other and the more time we
spent together the stronger they became. I also believed him when he said that
if I spend one week with him I would discover that I could possibly be falling
in love with him too. The issue was, what the fuck do I do with all these
revelations? My head started spinning, I really need to get away, I grabbed my
phone and texted Tash.

Hey Hun, Are we on
for the weekend? -Alexis

Yep, just waiting on
Jade but it’s definitely a goer! - Tash

Yay, I’m counting
down the minutes, thanks lovely you’re an angel xo - Alexis

xoxo ☺ xoxo -
Tash

Just the thought of sitting
in ‘our barrel’ with a glass of bubbles sent waves of relief right through me. That
moment soon faded, when Gareth stepped into the foyer.

“Good afternoon Gareth, Bryce
is not in, he’s out with Dale going over some security checks.”

“Oh bugger, I needed to have
a quick word to him about a new proposal, never mind.” He came over to my desk
and sat on the corner.
Ok, you’re encroaching on my personal space, this is
slightly awkward.
I rolled my chair in the opposite direction just enough
to give me some distance, he swivelled around and closed the newly created gap.

“So how are you feeling
Alexis? That was some bump you took this morning by the looks of your car and
the fact Bryce had to carry you off the road.”
Shit, has everyone seen it?
What is this prick insinuating?

“I’m fine thanks, it looked worse
than it actually was, Bryce was good enough to come down and see if I was ok,
it was very kind of him.”

“Oh come on Mrs Summers, you
and I both know he didn’t just come down to see how you were, that’s going just
a bit far and beyond the expectations of an employer.” I stood up to get the
higher ground and suggest that he did not intimidate me.

“What are you getting at
Gareth?”

“Feisty, I can see why he
likes you. Are you feisty between the sheets too?” I slapped him across the face
as hard as humanly possible.

“How dare you?” I went to
leave and he grabbed the back of my head.

“Listen here you little
whore, you just keep spreading your legs for Bryce, because you are doing me a
favour, you want to know why?” I didn’t answer.

“The board won’t be too
impressed that he is fucking a married woman, it doesn’t look good for the
company.” He licked his lips and placed his free hand on my breast.

“You are a sexy whore, I’ll
give him that.” I swung my right arm as hard as I could hitting him in the
elbow and releasing his hold of my head. I jammed my thumb into his eye socket
and kneed him in the balls, he doubled over in pain.
I must thank Bryce for
those moves.

“You Bitch, you’ll fucking
pay for that.” He started to straighten up and that’s when Bryce grabbed him
from behind, he must’ve come up in his private elevator and through his office.
He flung Gareth into the wall, then picked him up by his collar and punched him
in the ribs, he then swung an upper-cut into Gareth’s jaw. Gareth fell to the
ground and Bryce kicked him in the stomach.

“Bryce stop.” He looked up at
me and the fury in his eyes was immense, he looked back down at Gareth and
stepped away.

“Get the fuck out of my
building, now you piece of shit.” Gareth slowly got up, he laughed
sarcastically and spat the blood in his mouth at Bryce’s feet, the look they
exchanged was terrifying.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Bryce’s burning gaze towards
Gareth remained even after the doors slid shut, for a brief moment I thought he
was going to turn green and rip his shirt apart. I walked in between him and
the elevator blocking his view of the doors and forcing his focus to turn to
me.

“Bryce, are you alright?” I
spoke softly, he definitely seemed fragile.

“Bryce, show me your hand.” The
rage he was harbouring began to subside, bowing his head without making eye
contact he raised his hand.

“Did he hurt you Alexis?” I
tilted his head up with my finger and looked deep into his eyes.

“No, this guy I know taught
me some pretty handy Self-Defence.” He smiled wearily.

“This guy I know, he’s
incredibly hot and infuriating but he knows his shit. Did you see the eye gouge
he taught me? He managed a mild laugh.

“Infuriating hey?”

“And incredibly hot!” I
grabbed his hand, his knuckles were bleeding.

“Come on Mr Clark, you need
some assistance from Nurse Summers.” His eyebrows lifted.

“I’m liking the sound of
that.”

“Settle down tiger, it’s not
what you think.” I led him to the sofa in his office and sat him down, I
grabbed some ice from the mini bar and wrapped it in a napkin, then took a seat
on the coffee table opposite him, remembering to keep my legs closed, as from
memory I was without underwear.

“Here, give me your hand.” Taking
his hand in mine, I rested the ice on his knuckles.

“So where’s the Nurse
costume?”

“Nurse Summers doesn’t wear a
costume, she sings.” He seemed intrigued.

“Well, let’s hear it!” I
giggled to myself and began the ‘Ouchie Song’.

“Ouchie Ouchie Ouchie
A, make the boo boo go away.

Ouchie Ouchie Ouchie
I, kiss the baby wipe the eye.

But as long as
flowers grow, bumps and bruises come and go.

That is what my
Mummy’d say, when she kissed the hurt away.”

As I sang the final words I
picked up his hand and kissed it. He grabbed my other hand and pulled me
forward; standing above him he began to move my skirt up my legs.
Stop him
Alexis, before it’s too late.
I was about to stop his hands from moving any
higher and exposing the very part of me that wanted him the most when he
stopped himself, he had hiked up my skirt just enough for me to open my legs
and climb onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and placed his head on my
chest.

“You have a nice voice, Nurse
Summers.”

“It’s the best medicine Mr
Clark.”

“Alexis, if he had hurt you,
I, I would’ve killed him.” He buried his face in my breasts.

“He didn’t Bryce but what are
you going to do about him?” I pulled his head away from my breasts.

“Let him calm down for a few
days and remind him whose boss.”

“You’re not going to fire his
arse? He’s trying to have you disgraced by the board.” He sat back and put both
hands through his hair.
Fuck I wish I was riding him right now, I really
should get off.

“It’s not that simple, I can’t
fire him. It’s a long story but the short of it is, he is a minor stake holder
and by binding agreement he cannot be fired by me per se. What he did to you
today though, will not go unpunished I fucking promise you that.” He dropped
his hands and put them on my arse.

“I like this position very
much; I think from now on we will have all our discussions like this.” He
squeezed, which sent excitement through my core.

“Bryce, behave or I’ll get
off.” He put his hands up in surrender.

“You realise he is trying to
take your company and I’m his ammunition.” I went to get off and he held me
there.

“He can’t take my company and
you are not ammunition. He thinks he can have me disgraced but he has no fucking
idea what he’s dealing with. Don’t worry about Gareth, I will make sure he
doesn’t hurt you, ok?” I wasn’t convinced but I knew I’d better let it go for
now.

“I have to go Bryce.” He
stood up whilst holding me on his lap, this time my skirt did in fact go up
around my waist. His hands clenched my bare arse and he groaned wildly, putting
his forehead to mine he walked me over to the conference table and sat me
there.

“Say it.” He growled through
gritted teeth.
Oh Shit.

“Yes.” I whimpered, he
invaded my mouth so passionately. I had never been kissed like this before, the
raw emotion in the way he owned every part of my mouth was beyond intense, the
way he kissed me felt so right, it felt like our mouths were meant to be
together. He broke off and we caught our breath.

“Alexis reach into my left
pocket.”
Alright, bit weird, but I’ll do it.
I removed my hand and in my
grasp was a set of keys.

“Now go, take it, or I’ll
retract my offer and hold you hostage.”

I pulled into our driveway,
Nate came bounding out and opened the driver’s door before I had even switched
off the ignition.

“Awesome, can we keep it?” He
impatiently waited for me to get out so that he could take my place.

“Be careful, you break it,
you buy it.” Rick was standing at the front door with his hands in his pockets,
he smiled slightly and approached the Porsche.

“Nice Taxi!”

“Yeah, same colour though.”

“Let me guess, Bryce?”

“Don’t worry, he isn’t going
to miss it!” I walked up to give him a kiss on the cheek, he wasn’t cold
towards me but he was a bit withdrawn, I met his gaze.

“You saw?” He nodded and told
Nate to get out of the car.
I’m going to have to spill my guts, shit I’m not
ready for this. I need booze, lots of booze.

We sat down to a dinner of
slow cooked corned beef and mash, Nate wanted to know about the other cars
Bryce had in his basement which only added to Rick’s irritation. After
Charlotte and Nate went to bed, I poured myself and Rick a drink and found him
under the Pergola.

“So, he flew to the
accident?” There was a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

“Yes, he did, he panicked due
to his horrible past with car accidents and I guess, went overboard.” I took a
drink and swallowed heavily.

“So, what was with the
‘Officer and a Gentleman’ scene then?” I let out a breath, I must’ve been
holding it subconsciously.

“I don’t know, as I said, he
panicked, he’s a very excessive and stubborn man, I guess it goes with the
territory?”

“Lexi, is everything
alright?”
Tell him, you wimp.

“I’m just tired Babe, I’ve
had a really big day.” I sculled the last of my drink and got up.

“I’m going to bed, you
coming?” He had barely even begun his drink.

“Not yet, you go, I won’t be
too far away.”

The next morning when I got
to work, Bryce was not there, he’d left me a note telling me to go to his
office and open the brief on his desk, I did as instructed, in the brief was a
sticky note.

Nurse Summers,

When you left me last
night my hand was not the only thing aching. My mouth aches for yours to join
it, my erection aches for you to sit upon it. My entire body aches for yours
but what aches the most is my heart, my heart aches for yours to make it one.

I will be out for
most of the day but am due back just after lunch, I need you to go to my room
and collect another brief.

Your Mr Clark

My Mr Clark?
I think my heart just broke.
He’s killing me, he’s
really freakin killing me.
I took the note put it in my pocket and made my
way to his apartment heading directly to his bedroom. Entering I remembered the
tingling I felt between my legs the last time I was here, this time there was
no change. In the middle of the bed was a box and on the box was another sticky
note.

Nurse Summers,

In this box is a
promise, when I get my week with you, you will wear this and kiss my boo boo
away again!

Monday night I will
need you to accompany me to the Tel V Awards, please go and see Clarissa she
has a dress for you.

Your Mr Clark

This man is something else, I
had a sneaking suspicion of what to expect when I opened the box, so it didn’t
come as a surprise when I lifted the rather erotic Nurse Costume from beneath
the wrapping.
Cheeky bastard.
I read the note again, he wants me to
accompany him to the Tel V Awards,
shit how exciting.

I placed that note with the
other and made my way down to Versace, as I passed through the lobby, I stopped
at the Concierge Office in the hope I would see Samantha to remind her about lunch.
She was at the computer showing Chelsea something, I cleared my throat.