Hearing the door to his office close with a loud bang brought Stephen’s head up in a snap. He had just hung up the phone.
“I want to talk to you.” Bursting into his office unannounced, eyes flashing with a look to kill…him, Sable was damn angry. Looking at her through narrowed eyes, Stephen could tell that she was very angry. Normally she had better manners, despite her usual behavior toward him, but unfortunately for her…so was he.
He had just finished talking to Brad Chadwick, the arrogant little prick; he actually wanted the mall to be named Chadwick and Son, instead of Chadwicks.
“Do you want to tell me why you made changes to my project without first informing me?” Sable demanded, feet planted, hands fitted, and the look in her eyes said he’d better be glad for the desk that separated them. His secretary Barbara was at his door, with an apologetic look on her face.
Voice quiet with restrained anger simmering the air around them, “It’s okay Barbara, please see that Ms. Van Cleef and I are not disturbed.” He had not once taken his eyes off Sable since she entered his office. Nor had he moved a muscle. If he did, he would strangle her.
“Yes sir,” Barbara said with unease, looking from Stephen to Sable and back again.
Clearly not understanding the situation at all, Barbara, glancing at Stephen again, knew he was not having a good day and silently closed the door to his office.
After the door was closed, still seated at his desk, Stephen continued looking at Sable for what seemed like hours. If she had known him better, she would have known that she had just crossed the line with him.
Slowly rising from his chair, never breaking eye contact with her, he gave a slow heavy sigh as if he had just decided on something. With slow deliberate movements, he came from around his desk. He reminded Sable of a panther slowly stalking its prey, she thought, you know…like the kind, you see on Wild Kingdom.
Before she could analyze his behavior thoroughly, he purposely pulled her to him, placing a hand firmly behind her head and kissed her, hard and uncompromising. Holding both her hands behind her back with one of his hands with ease, while the other hand cupped her head, he kissed her, giving his pent-up emotions free reign to run wild.
Sable was utterly stunned. Her eyes were round as saucers and would have probably popped out if they could. Stephen kissed her so passionately that she thought her neck would snap.
His succulent kiss was hard. Demanding. Searching. Probing. His tongue demanded entry into the innermost part of her, that he had dreamed about for so long. Now, the reality of it hurt with sweet ecstasy. He suckled and savored every inch of her mouth, like a man in the dry scorching heat of a barren desert.
Having the taste of cool energetic water, quenching the thirsty parched need of his torturous desire for her, Stephen drank his full greedily. His silent demands to her for a response were almost primal. As though they were always meant to be, united…as one, with sweltering kisses that required a response from her, the shock of his mouth on hers lasted only seconds.
Anger forgotten, Sable eagerly returned his kisses with just as much fervor, if not more, and tried freeing her hands from his solid grip. Stephen would not let them go. Holding her hands more tightly behind her back, fearing what would happen if she touched him, yet desperately wanting her to, he tightened his grip.
She wanted to touch him. To feel him. And since her hands could not go where she wanted them too, she held nothing back, wanting him to feel what her hands could not communicate. Kissing him with all the pent-up desires she kept in check for months, Sable allowed her emotions to erupt.
Sucking. Tasting. Pulling his tongue into her mouth, she heard his sharp inhale of breath, and then dove in for more. Sable’s tongue glided across his teeth, across his lips, then plunged into his mouth again in an excited exploration of passion that left Stephen helplessly breathless.
Wanting so much more and on the edge of losing his control, Stephen crushed her closer to him, pulling his mouth forcibly away as they stood cheek to cheek.
Both breathing heavily from their unreleased desires. Passion teetering on the edge of complete surrender, demanding freedom from emotional barricades carefully erected by the both of them, would not let go without a fight. And fight it was with voracious determination.
Stephen’s body tensed with excruciating tenderness. Bridled expectations. Sable, breathing heavily as though she was running, stood limp in his arms unable to move a muscle.
Liquid fire slithered through Stephen’s thoughts, burning through his defenses like molten lava oozing down the slopes of a volcano, devouring all moral grounds in its path. Wage war. Two opposing forces battling within him for total control, tearing at his mind with meticulous intent. If he gave in to his emotions, his yearnings, there would be no turning back…for either of them.
Somewhere in the deep crevices of his passion-filled mind, he heard the soft professional voice of Barbara on the intercom apologizing for the disturbance. “Ms. Van Cleef, your father requests you stop by his office after your meeting with Mr. Hart.” Barbara, efficient as always, awaited a response to her message, ensuring it was received and understood. She would have to confirm with Mr. Van Cleef the delivery of his message to his daughter. Sable was in no condition to answer.
Lost in her own internal struggle, rubbing her cheeks along Stephen’s much like a kitten, he moaned achingly, loving the feel of her skin next to his. The woman was slowly driving him insane. Sable did not hear Barbara’s voice, so Stephen acknowledged Barbara in a voice thick with passionate desire. Sable was still in his arms, soft…just as he knew she would be, he thought achingly.
The energy in the room was so powerful that neither of them could move. Standing on weakening legs, cheek to burning cheek…breathing deeply…eyes closed, they touched one another with feelings as ancient as time.
Stephen, making a decision which his body repelled strongly against, gently pushed Sable to arm’s length. Sitting on the edge of his desk, fingers gripping the sides forcefully as if to anchor himself, he said nothing for a few seconds; neither did Sable, both staring into each other’s eyes for what seemed like hours.
Eyes darkening with intense passion, voice deep with rapacious hunger Stephen said quietly, “Sable…you have two minutes to leave my office.” His voice laced with potent energy vibrating the air, and the way he gazed at her told Sable that he meant every word.
His composure was one of intense calm, but she could see in his eyes raw feral passion. The primitive need to mate, to seize, his body tense, as if ready to pounce…like a panther, she thought.
Sable did not move. She could not leave, not now, her mind quietly whispered. She was spellbound and her body ached for his, so she slowly walked toward him, positioning herself between his legs.
Stephen, fingers digging deeper into the base of his desk, watched her every move unblinkingly. Then, very slowly raising her arms, wrapping them purposefully around his neck, Sable kissed him succulently at a snail’s pace.
Feeling the tremors of desire vibrating in his body, causing him to slightly shiver as if cold, she trailed tiny moist kisses across his lips, his cheek, making her way toward his eyes. And still Stephen did not move a muscle, although shudders of blazing passion permeated throughout his body with fervor.
She trailed her tongue along his lips, outlining his entire mouth. Slowly, crossing his face and dipping it sensuously in his ear, Stephen’s control snapped. He engulfed her in his arms with such strength, that she thought she would break in half, and she did not care as they kissed each other in total abandonment.
In the far corner of Stephen’s mind, he knew if he did not stop this, they would make love right there in his office, and everything and everyone else be damned. It was Stephen again who ended the kiss. He tried to push her away, at the same time keeping her close.
Putting his head down, his breathing was ragged, as she moved her lips sensuously, lightly touching his forehead, leaving trails of burning tiny kisses. Stephen was inhaling and exhaling rapidly, trying to control his senses, while deeply taking in the scent of her with each laboring breath. One of his fingers, rhythmically caressing her lower back, on its own accord began pressing harder into her skin. She instinctively pressed closer to him.
Her fingers, sensually caressing the back of his neck as she too inhaled and exhaled deeply, savoring the touch, feel, smell and taste of him. He feels wild, she thought, and the wildness in her raised its head at the thought. Stephen felt the subtle change in her instantly and reached once more for the control he was always so proud of, until now.
“Sable…,” her name rolling off his tongue unhurriedly. Sensuously. The taut strain in his deep voice, telling of the tormenting inner battle within him, intensified. “You have one minute to leave my office.” He meant it, and she knew it.
Sable uncontrollably stroked her chin leisurely across his forehead, as her fingers continued to lovingly caress his neck. She did not want this sensation to end. She knew, as did he, that they had reached a point of no return.
Raising his head slowly, eyes full with passion as they locked with hers, “When I make love to you…” his sensual voice telling of promises to come, “I want all of you,” placing his hand over her rapidly beating heart.
The touch of his hand on her breast was too much; her lips descended upon his swiftly, cries of agony unknowingly passing from her lips into his mouth, as she savored the taste of him.
Stephen tenderly touched her breast slowly, and then removed his trembling hands. He briefly thought about sitting on them just to be safe. Instead, gripping his desk firmly, he mentally prayed for strength to keep from touching her again.
Closing his eyes, trying to control his breathing, he reminded himself that they were in his office. His plans for the Chadwicks must be flawless. He could not and would not let himself be distracted, not by anyone. The thought made him angry. His eyes snapped open.
His intense stare told her that he was fighting to stay in control, and she was on extremely shaky grounds. Common sense told her to leave, but she did not want to, not yet anyway.
Sable, eyes aflame with unleashed passion, returned Stephen’s gaze unflinchingly. Her eyes challenged him, although she did not mean to; she just wanted to touch him one more time. Placing one hand on his upper thigh, very much near his manhood, and the other over his heart, Stephen inhaled sharply; his eyes remained unblinking on her. Focused.
“When I make love to you, Stephen…” speaking passionately, “…I want all of you.” Kissing him ever so gently, as the hand on his thigh leisurely caressed his manhood, she purred. That was Stephen’s undoing. Control be damned he thought fiercely, embracing her in admitted defeat.
Later, several agonizing minutes later, Sable ended the kiss. With eyes intently on her, and in a voice that told her Stephen would have what he wanted, and right now he wanted her…badly, Stephen’s gaze locked her to him.
“Sable…you now have ten seconds to leave my office.” She felt like a deer caught in blinding light, frozen. In the quiet of his office, the only sound that could be heard was their rhythmic breathing, as each labored to control the air rushing in and out of their lungs, and their surging amorous desires.
Once again Barbara’s calm professional voice, flowing through the intercom, apologized for the interruption. “My apologies, Mr. Hart. Mr. Van Cleef wants to know how long will you and Ms. Van Cleef be? He has another meeting to attend, and it’s vitally important he speaks with Ms. Van Cleef before leaving the building.”
“Barbara, tell my father I’m on my way.” Her voice was quiet and controlled, both she and Stephen knew it was far from the truth.
Stepping away from Stephen’s passionate embrace, Sable slowly turned away needing to compose herself before meeting her father. Walking to the opposite side of the office toward a beautiful antique mirror, she assessed the damage to her lipstick from their intense kissing.
Touching her slightly swollen lips with trembling fingers, she reached into her suit pocket pulling out her lipstick, hoping that he did not notice her shaky hands.
Stephen never took his eyes off her. After making minor adjustments, lipstick mainly, she turned to see Stephen still sitting on the edge of his desk staring at her…contemplating…eyes still dark with passion. “You have one second, Sable,” was all he said in no more than a dangerous whisper.
Hearing that last ominous warning, Sable gently placed her lipstick back into her pocket. Hands still shaking and legs too, she slowly walked toward the door. Placing her still shaking hand on the cool doorknob, when suddenly Stephen’s hands were on the closed door, preventing it from opening. She did not hear him move. When she tried turning to face him, Stephen pressed himself closer to her preventing any movement, inhaling her sensual perfume.
Feeling the solid weight of his body pressing against hers, instinctively allowing her head to fall back onto his shoulders, Sable embraced the sensations flooding her body, causing them both to tremble in pleasure. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the bliss.
“Sable…” he said. Allowing his lips the pleasure of lightly touching the base of her neck, feeling the pulse beat erratically, he licked at it attentively with his tongue. His breath felt so warm against her skin; she shivered in anticipation. “The next time…” the pause was full with promise, “…I give no warnings.” Helplessly, lightly kissing her neck over the pulse beating frantically from his touch, he forcibly walked back behind his desk and sat down.
Visibly shaken beyond anything she had ever experienced, powerlessly turning to glance at him over her shoulder, she shuddered from his look full of determination and potent sensual promise.
Momentarily closing her eyes against the intensity, Sable chanced one more look at Stephen, and a fierce shudder raced through her body, making her squeeze the doorknob for control she was no longer feeling. Tightly grasping the knob, slowly turning away from Stephen, she opened his office door, took a deep breath, and went to see her father.