There was silence.
“Selena? Sweetheart?” he asked into the silence.
She was sleeping comfortably in his arms, her fingers still entwined in his. Now was not the time. He held her warm body and savored each second before sleep eventually stole him away too.
37
“Everyone, meeting at noon, don’t be late,” Nancy bellowed.
Murmurs circled. “What could that be about?” Marnie wondered out loud. She turned to Nick. “Paris maybe? Hope it’s nothing bad.”
Nick shrugged even as his stomach turned. He’d left Selena’s bed not three hours earlier. And yeah okay, they’d made use of that empty office again this morning after her first meeting. Their loving had been hard and quick against a wall and he hadn't even taken off her dress.
This shit was so risky. He told himself that every day, but ever since the night she’d come to his flat, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. He completely understood everything that was at risk with her image. And the little matter that you betrayed her. He swallowed hard. Since the night she’d seen his place, he’d tried to tell her twice more, but every time he was around her, it was like the sexual haze and fog took over his brain. Try harder. You don’t want to be who you used to be. Be the good guy.
Fuck, he was a twat who couldn’t help but think with this dick. Tonight. He was fucking telling her tonight. Maybe she would understand. Yeah, good luck with that.
At noon, they all piled into the boardroom and waited for Selena to show up. After a few moments of speculation, Selena opened the door and entered. She sat down at the head of the table, cleared her throat and smoothed her hair before saying anything. Nick shoved down the compulsive ache to muss her up.
“Hi, thanks for coming,” she began, her voice cool. “It has been brought to my attention by the board that Simon Day, my brother, has decided to launch a Parisian-themed line. They believe he has been fed some information by an inside source about our project. He knew various things about our trip and named a few members of the team. Things he shouldn’t know. Now, what matters in this room is trust. I need to know that everyone is working for the same goal. Okay? I’m not accusing anyone, I’m just letting it be known.” She kept her focus on the center of the table. “Luckily for us, he missed out on the fundamental points of what we are pushing forward, and what he is planning to launch can actually be used to compliment our Paris venture.” A small smirk twitched at the corner of her mouth. “I don’t see any point in calling a halt on his plans. Let his team do some work for a change. But let this be a warning. We do not get involved with that arm of the company, okay?”
Stunned staff members nodded in wide-eyed agreement. She gestured to the door, still not making eye contact with anyone, and they all took their cue to leave. Nick pushed past a few of his colleagues to exit the room without having to make eye contact with Selena. How could he look her in the eye after what he had done?
Back at his desk, he turned his phone over and over in the palm of his hand, staring into the distance. This had to stop. He’d done what was asked of him, surely that was enough. He began punching at the buttons rapidly with his thumb, typing, Job complete. I’m out. They’re onto you.
With a bit of luck, the thought of their underhanded ‘research’ methods being rumbled about would be enough to keep that asshole at bay. Nick wanted nothing more to do with him. Get someone else to hold the shitty end of the stick next time. Now it was time to focus on his own needs. He knew what he wanted—a career and a chance at making it work with Selena.
Maybe it was guilt, or maybe it was just that he couldn’t tear himself away from Selena’s vicinity, but rather than head to class that night, Nick stayed on to finish filing notes. At seven, he glanced at the clock, tempted to call it a night and make the long, disjointed underground journey back home, when Selena’s office door opened. She had a large folio crammed with papers under one arm and her handbag resting on the opposite shoulder. She was about to pull the door closed behind her when she stopped short, her mouth parting on a gasp.
“What are you doing here so late?” she asked, smoothing a lock of loose hair back from her forehead.
Nick smiled and stretched his legs out, placing his hands behind his neck. “Just finishing up. I was about to head off.”
With the door handle still in her grasp, she looked around the empty office, as if scanning the room for witnesses. A smile crept across her lips, which made his heart skip. Shit, he had it bad. He’d seen that mischievous look before and he loved where it led.
“Come here,” she said softly, stepping back into the doorway.
Nick rose to his feet and strode in a straight path towards her. There was nowhere he would rather be, this was a no-brainer. She gestured for him to enter first, and then followed quickly after him, pushing the door shut with the full force of her body. She stood against the door, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her eyes wide and fixed on his.
“Selena. We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk. Look I know I’ve been hesitant, but I want to do this. Try. That is, if you still want to.”
Nick took her hand and drew her to him, dropping his forehead to hers. “Selena. You’re right. It might not be that easy.”
“No, you were right. Life is complicated. And for once I want to be carefree. So how about we pretend that everything that’s happened before now doesn’t matter. Except Paris. Can you do that?”
“You know all I want is to make you happy.”
“I know, Nick, so make me happy. Very, very happy. Happy at least twice.” She grinned.
Nick’s blood ran hot with desire as he followed the motions of her breasts moving in her breathless state, up down, up down. Chest tight, he stepped forward and placed one hand on the small of her back, giving a gentle tug and bringing her up against him.
His cupped her fullness, gently rolling her nipples and making her burn, their mouths just an inch apart. Nick could feel Selena’s hot breath on his neck as she examined his face with her rich ocean eyes. He dipped his head to lock lips with her, craving her sweet taste.
This could be real. He could make this real. They could start fresh. His stomach flipped and he knew what he felt wasn’t just need. This was more than that, and he’d known it since that night in his flat. Selena was fucking addictive. He felt high and invincible.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” he said against her lips.
“You make me feel amazing,” she replied before deepening the kiss and sliding her tongue against his, coaxing him to come deeper. He did. His tongue slid further into her mouth and she sucked it, turning him to steel.
She pulled back, taking shallow breaths and reaching behind her back for her zipper. Suddenly, her dress fell to the floor and Nick watched her ass sway in black silky panties as she headed for the light switch.
Fuck, he wanted to bite her on that pert ass, but he restrained himself and waited for her to slink back to him. With the lights off, Nick was suddenly aware that darkness had descended on the city and the offices in the building opposite were aglow with bright lights. He could see people in individual offices, working late. They were small, distant people, like little dolls in their giant corporate dollhouse. Selena pressed herself against him again, her bra squeezing her breasts into a perfect valley against his shirt.