Page 49 of Close to the Edge

My stalker.

My code.

The SDM presentation.

Reality drenched me like an icy waterfall, catapulting me out of bed and into the shower. Someone was still out there, watching, waiting for me to slip up. I clenched my teeth against the skin-crawling sensation that threatened to ruin my day and tried to regain my buzz.

I never quite got it back. My mood plummeted further when an email from Chance buzzed on my phone just as I was heading downstairs.

I entered the kitchen to find Caleb at the coffee machine. In the few seconds before he turned around, I hungrily ogled his V-shaped torso draped in a fitted navy blue shirt, tucked into tailored pants that framed his mouthwatering ass.

The ass I’d gripped all too briefly last night before he’d called a halt to my exploration.

He turned, two mugs of coffee in his hands. We both froze as his eyes met mine.

The memory of last night pulsed between us, hot and heavy. His heated gaze swept down and up my body, its intensity heightening with each pass. I was glad I’d taken extra care with my attire.

My black dress was a combination of a corset top and flared skirt, which I teamed with three-inch-heeled ankle boots. My makeup was flawless, too, with an added confidence-boosting layer of eyeliner and mascara, topped off with my favorite scarlet lipstick.

“Good morning,” I murmured, eager for something to dissipate the charge rippling between us before I did something embarrassing, like stare at his crotch and wonder if he’d given in and jacked off last night or whether he’d kept to his promise to save it for me.

“Morning,” he responded, striding forward to hand me the coffee.

We drifted to the center island, both lifting our mugs to take an idle sip while his eyes made another pass over my body. Then he reached out to touch the silver star dangling from the middle of my lace choker. “You look...incredibly beautiful,” he said throatily.

My whole body reacted to his words, going from zero to furnace-hot in seconds. “Thank you.”

His eyes slowly narrowed. “Something’s wrong.”

I waved my phone. “Email from Chance. He’s bringing someone else to the meeting today.”

He tensed. “Who?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Has he done that before?”

“Not at the last minute, no.” I took another sip of coffee, swallowing it down with my anxiety.

“And you’re worried,” he observed.

I shrugged. “I can do without the extra pressure.”

He set his mug down and cupped my cheeks. “I’ve watched you all week, batting away problems from your team without so much as pausing to look up from your keyboard. You’ll kick ass today. I’ve no doubt.”

Like last night, his gentle touch, together with the encouraging words, sent fierce prickles to my eyes. I blinked rapidly, dead certain I didn’t want to cry in front of Caleb. “Thanks.”

One thumb drifted along my jaw. “You’re welcome,” he murmured.

His gaze dropped to my mouth, and a different emotion swirled around us.

He stepped away first, picked up his cup and finished his coffee. “You ready to go?”

My nod was as shaky as the emotions zipping through me.

In the hallway, he picked up the waist-length jacket I dropped next to my satchel and held it out for me. I stood in front of him, put my arms through the sleeves, secretly breathing in the heady scent of aftershave and pure man. When I went to do up the single button, he brushed my hands away, pulled the lapels close and secured it.

Then he gripped my waist tight and pulled me back into his body. “I don’t know how well you slept last night,” he breathed in my ear, “but mine was pretty damned fucked because all I could think about was how magnificent you looked when you came. Just thought you should know.”

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