Page 5 of The Mechanic's Obsession

But it's his next words that truly take my breath away. "I want to see you undressed in the bedroom, on the verge of orgasm," he murmurs, his voice low and husky. I feel a blush creep up my cheeks at the boldness of his statement, but I can't deny the thrill that courses through me at the thought of being vulnerable with him in such a way.

Jameson takes a step closer, his fingers brushing against mine as he continues. "I want to dance with you at my favorite bar at1:00 am, when the crowd has thinned and the music is just loud enough to drown out the world."

As he speaks, I can already feel the beat of the music pulsing through me, the thrill of being so close to him in the dimly lit room. And when he adds, "I want to experience life with you, Amelia, and see if we're meant to spend the rest of ours together," I know without a doubt that I want the same thing.

My heart starts pounding in my chest like a drum. The picture he’s painting with his words is so beautiful, so vivid. It’s a vision I’ve never imagined for us, nor one that I’ve ever really dared to dream up for myself. The idea that he feels this way about me is astonishing; I never thought I’d have any kind of future with someone as captivating as Jameson.

“Stay after work tonight,” he says, a sly grin spreading across his face that makes my stomach flutter. “I want to talk to you some more, okay?”

I’m acutely aware that this moment, as perfect as it feels, eventually has to end. Yet, with the promise of more to come, I find that I don’t even feel disappointed. In fact, I’m filled with an exhilarating sense of anticipation. “Yes, absolutely,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper, but the conviction behind it is unmistakable.

Jameson leans down to place a soft kiss on my forehead, and the warmth of his lips sends a delightful shiver through me. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” he says, his voice low and reassuring. Then, with a glance that lingers just a moment longer than necessary, he turns and strides toward the mechanic bay, ready to finish his work with an energy that makes my heart race.

I practically float back to my desk, lost in a dreamy haze of ‘did that really just happen?’ My mind buzzes with the thrill of it all, the reality of the moment washing over me like a wave. I can’t believe that everything I’ve always wanted is really about to come true. A dominant, sexy, older man wants me. He thinks I’m beautiful just the way I am, and the thought sends a rush of warmth flooding my cheeks.

My mother has often said that this would happen one day, that I just had to get off my butt and work hard to get skinnier, but she would just die if she knew that it was happening now. That a man like Jameson—who owns his own business, who is successful and confident in his own right—was interested in little old me. Or, should I say, big old me. I can almost hear her voice echoing in my head, a mixture of disbelief and disbelief, but right now, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that tonight, everything could change.

6

JAMESON

Iattempt to clean myself up a few minutes after we close, but honestly, it's almost a futile effort. The rags I have on hand reek faintly of grease, so I'm essentially just smearing more grease over the spots I’m trying to wipe away. It’s a messy battle, and I’m not even sure Amelia notices the effort I’m putting in, but I want to do right by her. I want her to see that I care.

When I finally mustered the courage to tell her how I truly felt, her face practically lit up with excitement. The way her eyes sparkled was something I’d never forget. Yet, beneath that joy, there was a flicker of fear, as if she was bracing herself for the moment I’d pull the rug out from under her and reveal that it was all just a prank. But deep down, I could tell that her excitement was genuine, and it made my heart race with hope.

When I hinted at the thought of her lying bare in my bedroom, teetering on the precipice of pleasure, the rosy hue that spread across her cheeks only served to fuel my own desire. I couldn't help but envision sweeping her off her feet and onto her desk, right then and there, to see if I could bring about that blissful release. And so, a part of the reason I asked her to remain afterwork was simply to explore this burgeoning connection. Perhaps it would blossom into a date, or perhaps something more intimate. Yet, Amelia's inscrutable demeanor left me guessing, and I found myself all the more intrigued by the mystery she presented.

I wanted to do right by her, to show her that my intentions were genuine. I wanted her to see the depth of my feelings and to trust in the potential of what we could share. That thrilling moment when she revealed her vulnerability, her fear of being hurt mixed with the unmistakable glimmer of hope, made me even more determined to protect her heart. I would be there for her, to catch her if she fell and to cherish her every step of the way.

As the evening wore on, I found myself drawn to her in a way I couldn't explain. Her laughter filled the room, as rich and warm as a summer breeze, and her eyes danced with a light that seemed to pierce right through me. I felt a connection with her that transcended the boundaries of our workplace, and I knew in that instant that I wanted to explore it further.

So, I took a chance and asked her out on a proper date. The way her face lit up at the prospect filled me with a sense of joy that I hadn't felt in ages. She agreed, and as we shared a smile that seemed to hold all the promise of the future, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the serendipitous twist of fate that had brought her into my life.

Together, we would navigate the complexities of our newfound relationship, learning to trust one another and to build a bond that would stand the test of time. And as I looked into her eyes, I knew that I would do everything in my power to make her happy, to be the man she deserved, and to cherish her always.

The men had all filtered out pretty quickly. They had other jobs, wives or girlfriends, or something else to get home to. So after getting as cleaned up as I was going to get, I hightailed it to the office where Amelia was still engulfed in work. She was no longer working on a spreadsheet, but her brunette locks were now piled high on her head in a clip as she scanned documents on her duplicate screens.

I let myself into the office, the familiar scent of paper and faint coffee lingering in the air. “Hey, gorgeous,” I greet her with a smile that I hope conveys my affection before heading to the front doors to check if they’re locked. With the city winding down outside, I want to ensure we have a little privacy. “Busy?”

She stands up, and I can see the nervous smile dancing on her lips—it’s a mix of excitement and uncertainty about what’s coming next. “I was staying that way while I waited for you,” she replies, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a hint of curiosity. “So, what did you want to talk about, Jameson?” Amelia steps away from her desk and leans against the side, her arms crossed over her body, an unconscious barrier that I hope to break down.

Her crossed arms and guarded stance may scream "stay back," but I'm not about to let that deter me now. I've spent a year biding my time, waiting for the right moment to make my intentions known. My usual confidence took a back seat when it came to Amelia; I didn't want to risk our friendship or have her think I was some creepy older guy. But now that the cat's out of the bag and I know she feels the same, I'm not letting a little defensiveness stand between us.

With a nonchalant stride, I make my way across the room from the front door and close the distance between us. "So, I was hoping you'd given some more thought to what we talked aboutearlier. You know, the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing, going on dates, sharing meals, sex, and... well, everything that comes with it." The words hang in the air as I watch her reaction closely, hoping she's on the same page as me.

Her face reddens at the mention of 'sex', and I can't help but grin even wider. I close the remaining distance between us, standing so close that I can feel the heat radiating off her body.

"Well, we'll have to keep things casual at work," she suggests, looking up at me with a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. "I don't want anyone here knowing about us."

I raise an eyebrow, trying to gauge whether she's serious or not. It's clear that the guys haven't been giving her a hard time like I initially thought, or else she would already be aware of their assumptions about us. "That's fine, but outside of these walls, you're mine, Amelia," I say firmly, watching as a visible shudder runs through her. "And I would want everyone to know it."

With that, I take the opportunity to close the gap between us completely, reaching out to take her hands in mine. She hesitates for a moment, her eyes searching mine, before finally allowing herself to relax into my touch. The tension between us seems to dissipate, replaced by a sense of excitement and anticipation for what's to come.

“Jameson, we can’t do this here,” she reminds me of the rule she just made, her voice a mix of playful protest and underlying thrill.

“No one is here,” I whisper, leaning down to close the gap between us and kiss her. The warmth of her breath mingles with the cool air of the shop, heightening the tension that seems to hum around us.

Her mouth parts, ready to argue, but I seize the moment, slipping my tongue inside. Instead of a battle of words, our tongues dance with a fervent passion that has been building between us for far too long. Her hands release mine, finding their way around my neck, pulling me closer as if she can’t get enough. I respond instinctively, grabbing her hips and lifting her effortlessly, setting her down on the desk with a sense of urgency and desire.

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