Taking Care of Business

She broke the kiss. Not because she wanted it to end, but because she needed air.

He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. She saw his question clear as day. Would she allow him to take it further? Did she want this? Karen’s “just go for it” words echoed in her mind.

Rather than answer, she stayed with the nonsensical chitchat. “I was working late. Big contract just fell through,” she said. Then she gasped as his hand worked between the loose folds of her top to touch her bare skin. His fingers were calloused, the texture as erotic as his slow slide across her belly.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“So am I.” She was still half reclined in his arms, and the position was a bit awkward. So she straightened, and he supported her, taking the opportunity to slide his other hand down from her shoulder to slip underneath the back of her top.

“I could call someone, if you like,” he said, his voice a heated brush against her ear. He was giving her the opportunity to say no, to end things right now. But she didn’t, firmly shaking her head.

“There’s no need to bother anyone else.”

As she moved, his hand on her belly flowed with her, rubbing across her abdomen, making her muscles tremble. And all the while, his other hand continued to whisper up her back to the clasp of her bra. She closed her eyes, her body tightening and her breath shallow.

“I’ll fix the elevator as soon as you want,” he said as he thumbed the catch on her bra. That was his way of telling her they could stop at any time.

“Not yet,” she whispered, stunned by her own audacity. She had just said it. She had just told him that she wanted more from him. And sure enough, he took the invitation, moving both hands around her until he cupped her breasts.

God, yes! His hands were so large, he easily surrounded her, and his callouses provided just the right friction as they slid across her skin. She felt her back arch and her head drop back. His body pressed up against her, his heat warming her back. She leaned into him, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. She wanted to touch him, to feel his muscular strength. Her hands were down by her sides, so she reached behind her to stroke his thighs. God, he felt good. His thighs were corded, powerful with almost no give.

“I’m Sam,” he said, his mouth against her ear.

Finally, she knew his name. “Julie,” she gasped, and the movement thrust her breasts deeper into his palms. He was kneading her flesh, rolling her nipples slowly between his fingers. She moaned softly, the sound rumbling through her body into his. He brushed his jaw across her temple.

“I love the way you smell,” he murmured. Then he shifted and nipped the curve of her ear. She shivered at the touch, surprised by the intensity of her reaction. Sex had never felt this way before, never this thrilling. Even more surprising was the way she reacted when he began to explore. It was as if her body had a whole new set of responses to his touch, and she was learning them at the same time he was.

When he squeezed her breasts, her breath eased and her skin heated. When he rolled her nipples, she moaned low and deep. But when he pinched them, especially when he accompanied that with a nip on her ear, she gasped and thrust backward against him. She didn’t control her reactions, didn’t know what was coming next. She just let herself feel while her body’s hunger grew and grew.

“You are so hot,” he said against her ear. She whimpered in response. One of his hands left her breast to brush down her belly. He paused with his fingers on the catch of her dress pants. “One look, and I can’t think of anything but this. You’ve been driving me insane for two months.”

Her breath shuttered to a stop, her mind making a desperate bid for sanity. He was going to open her pants, he was going to slide his fingers … Before she could finish the thought, he popped the button on her pants and slid down the zipper. She felt the rrrrr of the metal teeth as her trousers fell open and his fingers slid down over her thin panties.

She was so hot there and wet. And she couldn’t think beyond the pressure of his fingers and the desire to finally feel him inside her. This was just like her fantasies. Better even, because the heat between them was so much larger, so much more powerful than even she had dreamed.

Then he did it. He slid over her mons and thrust his finger between her folds. A second later he was pushing ever so slowly inside her. She felt surrounded by him, held in place and caressed in the most intimate ways.

He was supporting most of her weight as her body arched into his caress. He thrust deep, impaling her with precision, before slowly pulling out, the length of his finger rolling over her clit. Her legs trembled and weakened. She had nothing to hold on to. Her hands kept sliding over his thighs, but he was too large for her to grip with any strength. She felt suspended in pleasure, adrift in sensation as he pinched her nipple while thrusting back inside her.

Her muscles gripped him, and her breath came in short gasps. Her body shuddered, her mind too splintered from the sensations to do more than experience. He was toying with her nipple, lengthening, squeezing, even twisting. While below, his tempo began to increase.

Her belly began to tighten, and her heart was pounding in her ears. “Oh! Oh!” She was keening softly, her word more like a high gasp. He played her masterfully, bringing her to the edge then holding her off. God, she was so close! Just a little more, a little more, and yet she wanted it to last forever. And then she couldn’t stop. He thrust into her again and she met him, arching into his hand. And …

Yes!

4

JULIE FLOATED BACK FROM BLISS with a reluctant sigh. Which was rapidly followed by a burning flush of embarrassment. Was she really still standing? And had she really just let Elevator Man—Sam—finger her to orgasm?

His breathing was deep and even against her back. He was supporting her still, one hand on her hip, the other arm wrapped gently around her. God, he was so solid! She got the impression he could hold her like this all night if need be.

“Wow …” she began, unsure what to say. “What a great end to a sucky day.”

She felt his chuckle rumble through her spine. “Building maintenance is a service-oriented field.”

She laughed, really laughed at that. But there was only so much humor she could cling to before she became excruciatingly aware of her position. Shifting awkwardly, she reached down and pulled up her pants. He let her go, stepping back to a polite distance. She felt her face heat. Was there a polite distance after what they’d just done?

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “It, um, doesn’t have to end right now. We could go out for a drink. Have dinner—”

She abruptly spun around and pressed her fingers to his lips. “I can’t,” she said. “I mean …” What should she say? That she was leaving the state in three weeks? That there wasn’t time to build a relationship, so why start? “Oh, God, I’m horrible,” she murmured to herself.

He gently pulled her hand from his mouth. “Service-oriented industry, remember? Whatever you want is fine.”

“I doubt this was exactly what the janitor’s union had in mind,” she returned drily.

He let go of her hand to stroke her face. It was a soft caress with the pad of his thumb as he swept past her mouth up along her cheekbone. And damn if she didn’t lean into the caress because it was just so wonderful. She searched his expression, the warm chocolate of his eyes were completely open and non-judgmental.

“It doesn’t have to be dinner,” he said. “There’s coffee upstairs in the robotics lab. Or ice cream sundaes down the street.”

“I’m leaving,” she abruptly confessed. “The state. In three weeks. I don’t want to lie to you—”

He kissed her. It was swift, it was deep, and it was thrilling. His hands delved into her hair to cradle her head, his tongue thrust into her mouth. She arched into his attack, trying to tease him with her tongue, and loving that he took control. He was powerful, her Elevator Man, and she reveled in it.

Within seconds, she was as hot as she’d been before the elevator doors had dinged open. Good God, she was insatiable! “This is nuts,” she said against his mouth.

“I know,” he agreed, as he obviously forced himself to slow down. A moment later, they were looking at each other, their mouths apart, but everything else entwined.

“The thing is,” she said, struggling to put words to the feelings colliding within her, “I’ve been working so hard for a really long time. Not only at my business, but before that, just to make it to Chicago to start.”

“You don’t have to explain anything,” he began, but she shook her head.

“I need to. You need to understand. It’s been going badly for a while now. We’ve fought hard, but it didn’t work. We’re going to have to close.”

She saw sympathy warm his eyes. “That’s why you’re leaving,” he said.

She nodded. “But then, wham, there’s you two months ago. No talking. No work. Just desire. And suddenly I feel good, you know? I’m not thinking about work or bankruptcy or anything. Just you and me.”

“Bodies without pressure.” He released a rueful laugh. “I understand. Believe me, I get it.”

“I don’t want to lie to you,” she said. “I just want to feel good for a while. Like I’m on top of the world.”

He let one of his hands slide down. Within a moment, he was gripping her hips, pulling her gently forward to press against him. God, he was just as hot and hard as she’d remembered. As she’d lived and breathed in her fantasies for two months now.

“I’m okay with feeling good,” he said. “No connections, no relationship. In fact, that’s exactly what I want right now.”

She took a deep breath, amazed at her own boldness. “I have condoms in my purse.”

“I’ve got some, too,” he said. Then he slowly touched her chin, tilting her face up toward him. “I’ve got a clean bill of health, and in case you’re wondering, I’ve never done this before either.”