Page 19 of Executive Benefits

He was, and it was.

I took another sip, settling into the heady feeling of flirting and the soft buzz of the drink.

“I wasn’t trying to make Kendra jealous, if that’s what you’re asking. She’s a bit of a hornet, and if she sensed anything aboutyou, that we’re working on changing the restaurant, she would have tried to sabotage it, and you, to boot.”

A little charge of fear sliced through my chest. I'd already been sabotaged in business. I didn’t know Kendra, and I was confident in my work, but the thought of having to put up another battle like the one I was still fighting with Jared twisted in my stomach. “Well, that’s sweet of you, then,” I said, trying to come up with some other reason to get up and leave and then turn the job down despite the money.

I snapped my eyes closed. I wasn’t going to be run off by anyone. I was better than that. When I opened my eyes, he was looking right at me. There was sadness in his smile when he said, “Not a problem.” He held up his glass. “Now I just have to try to keep her off my tail for the holidays.”

My brow perked. I took another drink. “Why’s that?”

“We were together for thirteen years. We have had the same friends even before that. None of them know how to handle the breakup and are still trying to understand it even after this long. They still invite both of us over, and both of us are too stubborn not to go.” He played with the rim of his glass.

“But really, our friends are good, and I don’t have any family alive anymore, and I like spending the holidays with them. So, it should be interesting to watch what happens.” He finished his glass and poured another. “Would you like some more?”

I nodded. It tasted amazing. I stood, walking around his desk. I placed my glass in front of him and sat on the edge of his desk. He leaned forward and poured another, and his fingers brushed against my leg. The electricity shot straight to my core, and a lowthrob pulsed between my thighs. I hoped that he’d done it on purpose.

“Would it help you if I were your plus-one for the holiday season?” I didn’t know where the thought came from, but it seemed like the right thing to say to help. Or was it?

I picked up my glass and took another drink. It was probably just me trying to be kind. Right?

Even that seemed like a flimsy excuse. I released a sigh and shook my hair out. I’d examine it another time. Right then, I was in the company of a very nice man who seemed to have a problem, and I was a problem solver by trade, so I could definitely get behind that logic.

I decided it was best not to think about it anymore.

Nick sat back, pensive. He steepled his fingers together and searched my face. “Why would you do that?” he asked. I shrugged and took another drink, trying to figure out why I would say that.

After I swallowed, I said, “You seem like a really nice guy who’s just trying to start over. If I can help you do that, I’m happy to.” That almost sounded rational.

I wanted to kick my overthinking brain.

“Even though I’m pretty old?” he said with a teasing glint in his eye.

“I think you know you’re not old,” I said, standing to go back to my chair. I tripped on my heel and almost toppled to my side. Somehow, I didn’t. When I looked up, I realized Nick had moved lightning fast and his muscled arm caught me around my waist.“Pretty nimble too,” I teased, but not really, now painfully aware of how close we were.

The air surrounding us wrenched tighter, and I shifted just a little, letting my body line up with his. Placing a hand on his shoulder, my other arm draped over his arm, and I got to feel how tight his muscles really were. There was a warning flashing in my mind, but despite that, I moved closer as his hand tightened over my ribs.

“You okay?” his voice rumbled down my spine, spreading throughout my hips and settling between my legs. My fingers tightened on his shoulder, bunching up the fabric of his T-shirt.

I forced my eyes to meet his, and the connection mixed with his spicy scent and before I knew it, I pushed myself up and our lips met.

His lips were as soft as I hoped, and his strength supported me enough where I no longer had to be tiptoed. He held me to himself and leaned into the kiss. His hand threaded through my hair and he spun me, pressing me into the desk.

A burst of excitement popped in my chest as he took control and leaned over me as he laid me on the desk, pushing away some of the trinkets so I wouldn’t land on them.

The realization that I was kissing my client broke through, and I severed the kiss with heavy breath, instantly missing the feeling of his lips on mine.

“Is that your way of telling me you're okay? Cuz if it is, I liked it.”

I smiled as he lowered his lips to mine again, this time opening my mouth and letting his tongue tease my bottom lip.

I lifted myself up, moving with the kiss when he backed away. His eyes were stuck on mine, lips painfully close. A whimper threatened to slip over my lips because he was no longer touching them.

“You’re sure about this?”

I nodded. The draw of him was too big, too overwhelming. I wanted to give this to myself because it was time, because I deserved it, because I never jumped the gun, because I'd always planned everything out, even the relationship with Jared.

And that blew up in my face.

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