Page 36 of Release
His chest heaved.
Wilkes held her in his powerful arms and easily got to his feet, her legs still wrapped around his waist. A surge of need grew within her when he carried her over to the large sectional couch and stretched her out on it to remove her blazer. She shucked it off, but as he slipped his hands under her tank top and slowly reached up to just below her tender breasts, she began to feel a greater sense of loss. His lips skated down the side of her neck and his hands danced at the lacy part of her bra against her skin, and when he ground his obviously rigid erection against her hips, she felt herself slipping further and further away from Bash with every touch. It couldn’t go on.
She pulled away and struggled to sit up. “This is where our sweet goodbye needs to wrap up.”
Wilkes sat up and gazed at her. “What?” All she did was look at him, and his expression changed. “Of course. You’re right,” he said, pulling himself together enough to move to the end of the sofa again. He adjusted his pants, at a loss for what to do now that she had put the brakes on what was about to be a mad dash to completion.
Or was that supposed to be closure?
Or final consummation?
Fuck. I really screwed up.
She was still tingling in areas that had nothing to do with her heart, but stopping here was the right decision. No, stopping at the restaurant would have been the right decision.
Wilkes cleared his throat. “Well, it’s late and I can tell I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
Alexandra nodded. She got up and picked up her blazer, pulled it back on, and walked him to the door. He stepped outside into the humid late night air, and looked toward the driveway. His limo was no longer there.
“Where did your driver go?”
“I’m not sure. He should know to wait. Let me call his cell.” He felt around in his pockets for his smartphone. “My phone…can you check and see if it slipped out of my pockets inside?”
“Sure,” she answered, retracing her steps to the sitting room. She checked every corner of the sofa and sectional. It wasn’t there. It wasn’t at the bar either. She returned to the front door to see if he had found it. “Any luck?”
“No,” he answered, still patting down every pocket in his pants. “I don’t have my house keys either. You didn’t see anything inside?”
“No. Maybe it’s in the back of the limo. I can look up his number online if that’ll help?”
“I don’t remember his information. You know what? Phone Rick. I got this service through one of his referrals. I’d tell you to call me a cab, but I need my keys to get in tonight.”
“Okay…well come on in and have a seat. I’ll try Rick.”
For the first time in years, Rick didn’t take Alexandra’s call. She left him a message, and while they waited for him to call back, Wilkes phoned his sister. If she had made it back home, he could have taken a taxi and she could let him in. Emma-Jane answered, but had ended up at a sleepover.
“I can take a cab to you for the keys, Emma-Jane,” Wilkes told her on speakerphone.
“No you can’t do that,” she whispered. “Sherry’s dad would kill her if you show up, even if you’re famous. They’re really strict.”
“All right.”
“Can I talk to Lexxi?”
“Now? Why didn’t you just come to dinner like we planned?”
“Sorry.”
“I’m here, Emma-Jane,” Alexandra said from beside Wilkes.
“Hi Lexxi. I’m sorry about tonight. I got a little sidetracked with my friend at the mall.”
Didn’t we all.
“It’s okay. Another time, but just you and me, all right?”
“Great. Thanks. I’d better go now. Good night.”
Wilkes hung up.
