Nigel Read online

  “Amelia let’s take a lunch…” He stopped halfway through the door when he caught sight of one of his new fighters leaning on Amelia’s desk close to her making her laugh at something he whispered to her. He didn’t like it, another male so close to her.

  “Is there something you need from me Phoenix?”

  “Nope, I’m here to take Lia to lunch.”

  “Lia? Who’s Lia?”

  “I’m Lia, at least to my friends and family.” Amelia answered not looking his way at all. She walked around her desk and grabbed her purse. She had let her hair down and the long wavy strands cascaded down her shoulders. She looked sexy as hell.

  He almost snarled when he caught Phoenix’s eyes on her ass when she bent over. “I had some files I need you to find for me. This might not be the best time to take a break.” She was already out of the door. Phoenix turned and gave him a smirk.

  Damn male! How did they even know each other? Well, she had to get Phoenix to sign the contracts but usually she was in and out and didn’t really socialize. At least, that’s what he thought she did. He never went with her when she had a gather to sign, so maybe she did more socializing than he thought. The familiar way that Phoenix looked at Amelia pissed him off.

  “Fuck!” He went back to his own quiet office and sat down. He stared at the papers in front of him but didn’t see anything. Images of Phoenix touching Amelia had him wading up the paper and throwing it across the room. He was being an idiot, they were just having lunch. He had no right to get jealous or mad. They didn’t make any promises to each other and he had fooled around with that woman from the resort. Guilt about that filled him despite the fact that he didn’t complete the deed. What he had done was bad enough. He felt like a bastard.

  Nigel knew he never should have touched that female at the resort. He could think of a number of pitiful excuses; his head wasn’t on straight, he was tired, desperate to prove he didn’t have feelings for Amelia. Honestly, there wasn’t a good enough excuse to justify his behavior. He screwed up, badly.

  The flight back to the GCFA ship had him thinking a lot about his night with Amelia. He practically ran from her and his feelings. Feelings he hadn’t expected to feel. He let himself think about the night that changed everything for him. The night he made love to Amelia

  *****

  Amelia’s incredible scent filled the elevator and it was intoxicating. He didn’t know how much longer he could ignore it or her. He tried, he really did. Unfortunately, every time they were in a room together the female would physically respond to him, becoming aroused.

  It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to having females respond to him that way. Some were overt and approached him directly for sex. If he found them attractive, why not take what was being offered freely? No one’s feelings were involved. Amelia was different in every sense of the word.

  She didn’t want to be attracted to him. He could tell she struggled with her urges. It was funny and at the same time insulting. Why shouldn’t she want him? It pissed him off that she would deny the sensual tension between them.

  Of course, he would have to refuse her. They worked together and he couldn’t share sex with his assistant even once. Although, he suspected once with Amelia it would never be enough. It was that thought that had kept him from seducing her thus far. That didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy making her uncomfortable. He teased and tempted her at every chance.

  There were times that he pressed the boundaries testing them both on purpose. He would walk too close to her, pressing his body against hers. He leaned in too close at times and inhaled her scent knowing she inhaled his too. She didn’t have his senses but her quiet groans told him she liked his scent. The best and worst response was when she licked her lips. She had full luscious lips and he had on many restless nights imagined them around his cock sucking him off. Fuck!

  They arrived on the floor of his office. He let her enter his office suite first and watched as she dropped a file and bent down to pick it up. She wore a short skirt that rose up when she leaned over. It was very close to revealing her shapely ass. He couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Amelia, in my office right now.” He barked out the order and stormed into his office without glancing at her.

  She jerked up to a standing position throwing the files on her desk. “Yes sir.” He stood in front of his desk, and when she was close enough that he could feel her heat, he leaned over sweeping everything off its surface. He could hear her make a surprised gasp.

  “Nigel?”

  He turned to her and pulled her to him. “I have tried to fight these feelings because we work together, really I have. I know this is going to complicate things, but I give up, I give in. I don’t want to deny myself any longer.”

  “Deny what?” she whispered.

  “I’m going to fuck you Amelia. If you don’t want this you need to say something now.”

  She blinked up at him and her eyes clouded over with desire. “It’s about damn time.”

  He leaned down and took her lips with his. Her surprised response had left her mouth open and he took full advantage plunging deep inside her mouth claiming her just as he would her body. He felt her arms raise up and wrap around his neck and she moaned in response. He lifted her up and turned to place her on the desk. How many times had he imagined doing this? Too many times to think of, and now that it was happening all thoughts except one left him. Must have her.

  Something in him unleashed, knowing she wanted the same thing that he did. He reached for the buttons on her white silky blouse and unbuttoned it slowly. His heart beat increased with each bit of flesh that he revealed. He opened her blouse and licked his lips at the sight of her large breasts in a white satin bra.

  He reached for the front clasp and undid the hook. The cups pulled apart easily and her lovely pale skin was too tempting for him. He leaned forward and cupped her. She tried to hide her curves behind her power suits, but he could see through her little subterfuge. She wasn’t hiding now.

  Nigel leaned down and nuzzled her breasts. “I’ve fantasized about you, touching you.” He licked her nipple. “Tasting you.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. He was so hard for her he knew that he would not last long. He reached down between their bodies and dragged her skirt up her legs. Then he trailed his fingers back down to finger the edge of her panties. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. “I need you too much right now to do all the things I have in mind.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  He gave her a devilish smile, one he knew made females hot for him. He pulled back from her a little and pulled his tie off followed by his shirt. He chuckled when she decided to help him with his pants.

  “Are you in a hurry?”

  She raised herself up and nibbled his chin. “Yes, I want to feel you inside me right now.”

  Fuck! Did she know what that did to him to hear her say that to him? He kissed her lips again. He reached down and ripped her panties off. He tested her entrance and found her soaking wet, ready for him. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”

  She lifted her legs and wrapped them around him as he lowered himself to her opening. He entered her slowly at first. She was curvy but still much smaller than him and he didn’t want to risk hurting her. She didn’t agree with him taking it easy.

  Amelia squeezed her knees and ran her nails down his back. “Don’t hold back Nigel.”

  He growled with his desire for her. Nigel moved in and out deeper and deeper. She met his every thrust. Never had he met a female so responsive to his every touch. He felt her inner walls squeezing him like a tight glove.

  “Please…”

  He knew she was close. He moved at a different angle giving her just what she needed. Nothing felt as good as Amelia. He had to fight to control himself so that he could make sure that she reached her climax first.

  “I’m—coming.” She started making this adorable keening sound, he didn’t know humans co
uld sound like that. It was adorable and a real turn on.

  He pumped faster and harder. “Want you so much.”

  “Take me! Nigel please!”

  He bit her neck where it met her shoulder. She screamed her release just before he moaned when he felt his seed coat her inner walls.

  “Amelia!” His whole body shook as he came hard. He held her close to him loving the feel of their bodies still connected. He stroked her body soothing her and also checking to make sure she was real, it wasn’t just another one of his fantasies. He didn’t want to leave her, ever.

  Reluctantly, he moved slowly as he pulled out of her reaching for his clothes.

  “What are you doing?” She looked up at him with those sexy eyes of hers.

  “I think we need to take this to my suite.”

  “Yes please.”

  She smiled at him and he felt his stomach flip-flop. Being with Amelia was—life altering.

  *****

  The thought of that night had Nigel getting hard in his pants. They had gone to his suite and made love all night. He woke up and for the first time, he didn’t want to leave the bed or her—ever. He wanted to keep her there with him and that scared him. He had forced himself to take a walk but the distance wasn’t enough. He quietly went back to his suite and packed a bag while she slept peacefully. He almost stayed when he looked at her beautiful face lying on his pillow. He made the worst decision in his life when he left for the resort.

  It was a dick move abandoning her like that, but he didn’t know how to handle all the emotions he was feeling. Distance didn’t do anything but make him long for her even more. Having partial sex with the woman from the resort was a colossal mistake. Her touch and scent were all wrong, it felt wrong. He couldn’t wash her from him fast enough and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he betrayed Amelia.

  Nigel leaned down and sniffed at his desk frowning. Her scent was gone, all he could pick up was cleaning solution. He wanted her scent back. He’d made mistakes, a lot of them when concerning Amelia but he was good at making deals, and getting people to see reason. He would find a way to repair the damage he’d caused. Sitting there, seeing the whole situation and knowing that he could lose her to another male put things in perspective. He wanted Amelia. Nothing would keep him from what he wanted, nothing.

  Chapter 3

  “Are you sure you want to go back to the office?” Phoenix waited for her to exit the elevator first.

  She smiled at him. For someone so big, he had really good manners. He wouldn’t even let her pay for her own lunch.

  “I’m a professional and I’ve always loved my job. I’ll be fine.”

  “If he gives you a hard time—I want to know. I’ll handle him.”

  They stopped right outside of the door to the office. She hugged him. “Thanks for being there for me, you’re such a good friend.” He held her a little longer than she had intended.

  “I want to be a lot more than friends, but I know you’re not ready for that yet. I’m patient and will give you time to work through things. For now, I’ll settle for being friends. How about dinner tonight—with a friend.”

  She bit her lip. Should she? There was no way she was ready to start something up with Phoenix, not with her heart broken in pieces. Really, she had no one but herself to blame for that. She knew Nigel’s reputation with women, he rarely had long term relationships. He preferred it that way. Amelia was a big girl and would deal with her feelings, push them to the side and stay professional. At least she would try.

  “Dinner tonight sounds great, thanks.” She hugged him again.

  “Tonight beautiful.” Phoenix called out as he turned to leave.

  Amelia moved quickly to her seat and cringed when she heard something loud hit the wall inside of Nigel’s office. No way was she going in there to investigate. Nope, if Nigel wanted to destroy his whole damn office she wasn’t going to—

  “Amelia, get in here!”

  Fuck! She stood up taking her notepad and pen and walked over to the door to his office. She opened it up and entered. “Yes sir?”

  “Don’t give me that sir, shit. I want to know what’s going on between you and Phoenix and how long has it been going on?” He sat at his desk with his arms crossed over his chest looking so superior. Amelia had enough of it. Her own emotions were bubbling to the surface.

  She opened her notepad and pulled out the paper she had printed out days ago. She wasn’t sure if it was a mistake to type it out so impulsively, but now she knew what the right thing to do was.

  “It’s none of your business, but just so you know, I’m friends with Phoenix. I don’t want your attitude to affect him, he’s been a good friend. Here.” She placed the paper down in front of him.

  “What’s this?” Nigel picked up the paper. “You want to transfer to corporate?”

  “Yes, Dom has been after me to work for him quite a while now. I gave him a call and he offered me the position. I accepted it.”

  “When did you do that?” He almost sounded hurt. She steeled herself, no way would she let him walk all over her and make her feel like she was at fault.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “The day you skipped town over a week ago.”

  “I won’t sign this, I need you here.”

  She snorted. “You don’t need anyone, Nigel. That letter of transfer request is just a formality. I don’t need your permission to leave.”

  He stood up and approached her but she took a few steps back. She couldn’t let him touch her, she needed to stay strong. If he touched her, she might cave. She had to steel herself.

  “Amelia, you can’t be serious. What about your work? I thought you liked your job. If it’s money, I can give you a raise.”

  “Dom has offered me quite a bit to be his personal assistant, but it’s not about the money.”

  He slammed his fist against the desk making her jump in surprise. Nigel rarely showed this kind of emotion in front of others, he was always calm and collected. A businessman ready for wheeling and dealing. The man before her now was not the man she had grown accustomed to seeing.

  “What about loyalty, Amelia? You would just up and leave me, leave your job without ensuring coverage?”

  “Loyalty? I have been nothing but loyal to you and the GCFA. Everything you asked me for I have given all.”

  “Is it about—what happened between us? I know it was a mistake, but we can forget about it, get past it.”

  She felt like he punched her in the gut. She knew he probably felt that way but to hear him say it was devastating. She turned her back on him to prevent him from seeing the tears forming in her eyes. “I gave a two week notice to help tie up loose ends and to help you find a suitable replacement. Then I’m gone.” She walked away.

  *****

  Nigel gripped his desk to help hold him up. She was leaving, Amelia was leaving and it was his fault. He reached for his phone and dialed the GCFA assistant director Dom Reese.

  “Nigel, are you back from vacation already?”

  “Asshole! You’re trying to steal my Amelia, I mean my assistant Amelia.”

  Dom chuckled. “I’ve been trying to steal Lia for a while now. It shouldn’t be any surprise to you.”

  Lia, he calls her Lia. Only family and friends call her that. “How close are you to her?”

  There was a pause then a sigh before Dom spoke again. “How close have you gotten Nigel? What happened to your policy of not mixing business and pleasure?”

  “I—just can’t lose her right now.”

  “I have offered Lia a job every time I’ve visited the GCFA ship, and she has always turned me down. You must have done something to make her want to leave. What did you do?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “I screwed it all up.”

  Dom sighed over the line. “Then fix it damn it! That girl is the best thing that ever happened to you. Get it fixed before I arrive with the other GCFA board members or so help me I will kick your ass before taking Lia
with me.”

  Nigel hung up feeling so many different emotions and didn’t like any of them. He had to find a way to convince Amelia not to leave and he only had two weeks to do it.

  *****

  Four hours later

  Nigel remained in his office most of the day trying to calm down and think of the right strategy to convince her to stay. When he had to ask Amelia for something she kept her responses to him short and emotionless. Now as he finally came out of his office he found the quiet was too much. Amelia wasn’t there, she must have left already without letting him know she was going.

  He touched her desk, the keyboard she typed on, the pen she used to write with. He lifted the pen to his nose and inhaled her scent. He had missed it, so much. He spent one amazing night with Amelia and now was obsessed over her. He never obsessed over females. This was crazy, she made him crazy.

  Half his day was spent thinking up plans on what he was going to do to fix things with Amelia, ways to convince her to stay. He also couldn’t stop thinking of ways to get her in his bed. He was good at seduction and he knew Amelia was susceptible to him.

  He turned the lights out and left his office suite. Nigel was determined to fix things. He just needed to figure out the right approach. He told himself to go back to his personal suite, shower and get some rest.

  That’s not where he ended up going. He got on the elevator and went down to the second floor restaurant. That’s where he suspected Phoenix was taking Amelia for dinner. He entered and the hostess immediately jumped to attention.

  “Good evening Mr. Nigel. Your usual table is available.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.” He followed her to his table in the corner that he preferred. It gave him privacy but still allowed for him to view the restaurant. The waitress came over and took his order. He watched and waited until he caught a glimpse of a woman in red. He looked over at the entrance and there she was, Amelia.