Monday morning, I go to work directly from my parent’s place, and after the crazy traffic and grumpy cabdriver, I finally reach the office just in time to avoid clocking in late.
I smile at the interns on the elevator and throw a friendly greeting at the receptionist on my floor. Even Carole Mendez, my editor-in-chief’s dragon-like secretary gets a smile from me when I pass her in the hall. I can’t believe how happy I am. I feel as if I’m floating.
Minutes after I enter my office, there is a knock and a delivery of the most beautiful arrangement of flowers I’ve ever seen. I retrieve the card, excited as I read Landon’s message.
Have a great start to your week, it says. You own my heart.
I close my eyes, my hand going to my mouth as my heart floods with overwhelming emotion.
Picking up my phone, I go to my last call and dial his number, and he picks on the first ring.
“Hey love.”
“Hey yourself.” I’m grinning like an idiot. “I got your flowers.”
“I hope you like them.”
“Are you seriously asking that?” I sigh. “Of course I love them.”
I hear him breathe. “How’s it going over there?”
“I just got to work. Nothing yet.”
“I have this crazy desire to cancel my entire schedule for the day, come over, and steal you away,” he says. “I have a meeting in a few minutes, but I’m busy scrolling through pictures of you on my phone.”
My heart swells. “What pictures?”
“The ones from the beach in Newport,” he replies with a self-mocking laugh. “They’ve been my constant companions these past two weeks.”
I remember that particular weekend, the Sunday afternoon we spent on the beach walking and taking selfies, and I suddenly miss him with my whole being. “I want to cancel my schedule too,” I admit. I feel like I would be happy to shirk all my other roles, be his girlfriend and nothing else for as long as possible. It’s a silly thought, disloyal to all notions of female independence, but it’s born out of a profound and indescribable happiness. “I have to wean myself off you,” I say with a sigh. “I’m afraid of how totally you’ve captivated me.”
“Don’t you dare.” Landon laughs softly. “Though I’m sure I’m the one who’s helplessly captivated.”
“I can’t wait for this evening,” I whisper.
There is a short silence on his end. “This time, I’m never letting you go.”
I close my eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. Never again.”
“I’m thinking up reasons to postpone this meeting so we can keep talking,” he admits.
“What’s the meeting about?”
“Does it matter?” There is a smile in his voice. “Actually it’s to discuss a conceptual design proposal for a property I want to acquire in Vegas.”
“I read about that.”
“So you were reading about me.”
I smile. “Stop teasing.”
“I kept all the articles that had pictures of us together. You looked lovely in all of them.”
I close my eyes, not sure how to reply to that. “Thanks,” I say finally.
He chuckles. “You’re welcome.”
“I have an interview today,” I tell him, explaining about the invitation from the Gilt Review.
“Does that happen often?” His voice is serious. “An interview from such an old application?”
I think of Gertrude Weyland, and Jack’s certainty that his mother had something to do with the whole situation, but until I confirm it, I can’t say for sure.
“I’ve never heard of anything like that happening here at Gilt, but I’m not going to let that stop me from going for it. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
“Well, that’s good,” Landon says. “You deserve it.” There’s a short pause. “I really can’t wait to see you tonight.”
I breathe softly, my fingers hovering over the soft petals of the flowers on my desk. I love him with an intensity that’s verging on desperation, and it makes me almost afraid, because if anything happened, if anything changed, if I lost him again, I have no idea how I would bear it.
“I’m counting down the hours,” I tell him, making an effort to push all my fears aside. Nothing will go wrong, not if we’re both committed to building our relationship. I know I am, and I know Landon is too.
Landon ends the call so he can start his meeting, and I inhale the sweet scent of the flowers before settling at my desk, wondering what I could send to him in return. I’m starting up my computer when I get an idea. I pick up my phone again, this time calling Chadwick.
“I’m not mad, though I should be,” he says when he picks up. “First you break my heart, then you introduce me to your cousin and she finishes the job.”
“Chadwick!” I laugh. “Your heart’s the one in your chest, not the one in your pants.”
“She didn’t do anything with that one either.”
“Come on.” My voice is teasing. “You’re Chadwick Black—there are probably a hundred girls waiting for you to give them a call right now.”
He sighs. “How is she?”
I grimace. “Engaged.”
“Perfect!” he says grumpily. “I talked her straight into another man’s home and hearth.”
“We are all very grateful for that.”
“Well…” He pauses. “What can I do for you?”
“Are you still in town?”
“Yes.”
I tell him what I want, and by the time I’m done, I can hear the excitement in his voice. “Of course,” he tells me. “I’d even do that for free.”
I purse my lips. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Okay,” he accepts. We make arrangements, and as I imagine what Landon’s reaction will be when I give him my gift, I can’t keep the excited smile off my face.
MY interview is set for late in the afternoon, and before then, I manage to sneak out to keep my appointment with Chadwick. Back in the office, I fix my appearance and take a deep breath. Gilt Review is only two floors above us so I take the stairs, and by the time I get there, I’m nervous as hell, but also very hopeful.
I’ll get the job, I tell myself, somehow sure that it’s my week of serendipity.
The offices remind me a lot of Gilt Travel. It’s the same layout, and most of the people are regular, literary types, not like the fashion gods and goddesses at Gilt Style. One of the receptionists leads me to the conference room, and I wave at some of the people I know when I see them in the corridor. They’re probably wondering what I’m doing here. I imagine they’ll find out soon, and then it won’t be long before my colleagues downstairs find out, then my boss, Jessica Layner, will surely hear about it. I smother the little sliver of dread. Jessica would probably have something to say about me interviewing for Review, something I might not like to hear, but I’m not going to let that stop me.
My interviewer is a woman in her mid-thirties with a tired smile and a deep, husky voice. She introduces herself as Liz Buckley, the senior editor I spoke with last week. For the interview, she asks me the typical questions—why I applied to the Review, what I think I can contribute—then we start to talk about the authors and stories recently published in the magazine. Since I’m a faithful reader, I know almost every issue by heart. She starts to look less bored, and after an animated discussion, she tells me to expect a call.
I get up and shake her hand. “May I ask why I got this invitation?” I inquire tentatively, not wanting to leave without clearing that up at least. “It’s been two years since I applied.”
She looks surprised, as though she thought I would know. “We reviewed your application and decided you’d be a good fit,” she says.
I frown, knowing how unlikely that is. “Okay.”
She starts to pack up her things, leaving me no choice but to do the same. On my way back to my office, I decide to stop wondering and allow myself to feel good about the fact that I just might get the job I’ve always wanted.
As soon as I get back to the office, Landon calls.
“How did it go?”
“Good. I think I have a good chance.”
“You are great at what you do,” he says encouragingly. “I’m sure they can see that, and if they don’t, I’ll have to buy the whole company and make you the publisher.”
“Ha ha.” I laugh softly. “The entire Gilt Publications! I doubt they’d let you buy it, and I don’t want to be the boss. I just want to read stories for a living.”
“I envy you,” he says. “So, when will you be done over there?”
“In about an hour.”
“Good. Joe will be on his way to pick you up and he’ll bring you to the office. Is that okay? Or do you want to go to the apartment?”
“No, I’ll come over.” I’m so eager to see him that the thought of waiting alone in the apartment is not appealing.
“Good then.” He pauses. “I should go now, try to get some work done, finally.”
I laugh. “What have you been doing all day?”
“I’ve been thinking about your body and what I’d like to do with it. It’s been like an erotic movie playing in my head all day. Very distracting.”
A long sigh escapes me. I feel the same way, hot and bothered—it has been two weeks, after all.
“Can’t you think of dead leaves or something?” I joke weakly.
“I doubt that will work,” Landon says. “Wait…I’m picturing dead leaves right now… Ah! No. Didn’t work. I still have a hard-on.”
My imagination goes into overdrive. The thought of him, hard, in my hands, in my mouth…it fills me with a fierce, uncontrollable lust. “You’re distracting me,” I complain. “How am I supposed to work?”
“Good thing you were about to leave.”
“I said in an hour. I’m not leaving now. I have work to do. I’m very busy and important, and in very high demand.”
“Yes, you are.” I’m sure he’s smiling. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I reply with a sigh. No matter how many times he says those words, the novelty, the beauty of hearing them from him will never go away.
“Now, I’m going to force myself to study a contract for the next hour. I’ll see you soon.”
It takes some effort to go back to my work after that, but I do my best, even though all I can think about is the many things I know Landon is going to do to my body later.
JOE is waiting for me when I get downstairs. Taciturn as usual, he drives me over to the SCT building, Landon’s downtown high-rise. As I take the steps up to the entrance, my body is filled with anticipation. In the lobby, the security at the front desk hands me a visitor badge to enable me to cross the turnstiles and waves me toward the elevators.
On Landon’s floor, the receptionist presses a button to open the glass security doors for me before giving me a small polite smile.
“Do you know the way?” she asks.
“Yes, thank you.”
My mind goes briefly to the last time I was here, and I can’t prevent a smile at the memories. I was struggling then, intent on making sure I didn’t give in to my attraction to Landon, and now here I am, in love with him, and the best part is that he feels the same way.
Tony Gillies meets me at the outer office. He’s Landon’s assistant, or senior assistant, as there are at least two others on the team. “Great to see you,” he says with a grin.
“Hello Tony.” The last time I saw him he was running around trying to make sure the opening of the Gold Dust Hotel went smoothly. He looks less stressed now. The other desks in the office are empty, and I assume the others have gone for the day. Tony motions for me to go straight into Landon’s office before going back to his seat.
I take a deep breath as I approach the opaque glass doors, anticipation making me nervous. Inside, Landon is seated at his desk. He’s not wearing his jacket, only a dark gray shirt that somehow sets off the burnished gold in his hair. He looks up when I enter, his face lighting up with a smile as he rises to his feet.
“Hello.” His eyes rove over me, obvious hunger in their blue depths.
I round the desk, walking eagerly into his ready arms. They go around me, and I rest my head on his chest, inhaling his scent, filling all my senses with him. “Hey handsome.”
He steps back to study me, a small smile on his lips. “Have I told you how sexy you look in office clothes?” He runs a hand down the front of my blouse. “You should come work here, as anything you like, just so I can look at you all day.”
“Very empowering,” I reply, quivering at his touch. “You’re obviously plotting my expulsion from the women’s movement.’
A ringing phone interrupts the beautiful and carefree sound of his laughter, and he reaches for one of the desk phones, motioning for me to sit in his chair. “I need to take this,” he tells me, sounding apologetic.
I shrug my permission, and he leans his hip on the desk, his eyes on me while he talks to whoever’s on the other end. I place my bag on his desk and then, holding his gaze with a teasing look in my eyes, I drop to my knees in front of him.
The slight stammer in his voice when I start to undo his zipper makes me look up at him with a smile. He recovers quickly, continuing his conversation while I pull down his briefs. He’s already hard, growing harder as I enclose him with my fist.
His skin is warm and satiny smooth, silk pulled tight over hard steel. I stroke him up and down, loving the feel of him in my hand. Leaning forward, I cover the tip of his cock with my lips, flicking my tongue around the broad head. He’s still talking, his voice steady. I meet his eyes and feel his hip muscles tense. He covers the receiver. “Don’t stop,” he whispers.
As if I would! I pull him deep into my mouth, till he’s touching the back of my throat, then I draw my tongue along the underside of his cock before moving my lips back up to surround his tip. When I look up at him again, one hand is clenched around the phone, and the other is curled around the edge of the desk, his knuckles almost white.
I release him from my mouth, licking my lips as I stroke him up and down, using the moisture from my mouth and the pre-cum seeping out of him to rub him from the root to the tip.
Landon holds the receiver away from his face and throws his head back, a soft moan escaping his lips. His cock is hard and pulsing against my hand, his look of helplessness and stark arousal contrasting with his unmistakable masculine strength.
He moans again, and I revel in the heady feeling of power the sound gives me. I stroke him harder and faster, watching as he brings the receiver back to his ear and starts to talk again. I hear the tinny sound as the person on the other end responds, and I take him back in my mouth, watching his tortured frown as he concentrates on maintaining the conversation. I suck him deep, and then start to move my head, faster and faster, hollowing my cheeks, tightening my lips around him. The hand on the desk reaches into my hair, the fingers tangling into the strands. I cup his balls, stroking them softly without reducing my pace.
“Ensure that you get back to me,” I hear him bite into the phone, his voice curt and dismissive. I imagine the hapless person on the other end thinking he’s done something to annoy the boss. “Tomorrow at the latest.”
He doesn’t wait for the person to say anything else. He hastily puts down the receiver and lets out a long, heavy groan.
“Ah…fuck!”
I keep my pace. A soft moan escapes me when his fingers tighten in my hair, holding my head in place while he flexes his hips, driving back and forth into my mouth, the underside of his cock sliding against my tongue and bottom lip.
“Fuck,” he moans. “Fuck! Rachel.”
I stroke his thighs, feeling the muscles bunch and tighten.
“So good,” he groans harshly. “So fucking good.”
I moan in reply, sucking and licking him while raising my eyes to his. He lets out another harsh groan, his hips jerking as he reaches his release, coming with a burst of warmth inside my mouth.
He’s shaking. His hand leaves my hair, smoothing it gently before he leans back on the desk. “Oh my God!” he breathes.
I suck in my bottom lip, still tasting him. Getting back on my feet, I take the chair he offered me earlier. “What can I say?” I tease, “I missed you very much.”
He expels a deep breath, dragging his hands through his hair as he blinks at me. “I’m overwhelmed. Give me a minute to gather my mental faculties.”
“Overwhelmed?” I grin playfully. “I guess I’m good like that.”
Landon’s eyes narrow, and he drops down to his knees in front of me. “Guess what,” he whispers softly. “So am I.”
I breathe in anticipation, watching him as he reaches for the buttons of my blouse. “I want you naked,” he murmurs. “I want to see your beautiful body.” He undoes the buttons one by one then pushes the front of the blouse apart. My bra fastens in front, and Landon’s lips curve as he undoes the hooks, freeing my breasts.
My nipples peak under the intense consideration of his eyes, extending even farther when he flicks his thumbs over the sensitive tips.
“I missed these,” he murmurs, squeezing a nipple between the thumbs and forefingers of each hand. “You have such beautiful breasts.”
The combination of his voice and his touch is so sexy, I let out a small moan. He chuckles, leaving my nipples to unfasten my skirt and pull it down, along with my panties. He spreads my legs over the arms of the chair so I’m totally exposed, open to his gaze.
I’m already so aroused from watching him come that my body is eager, wet, pulsing, and he can tell.
Landon draws a finger from my navel down between my legs then rubs me gently, spreading the wetness across my folds, from my swollen clit down to my wet opening. He strokes the pulsing entrance to my body, making me moan his name as pleasure courses through me. When he slides two hooked fingers inside me, my body clenches around them, tightening with desire as he starts to move them in and out. He’s watching my face as the sensations build, and I groan, rolling my hips when he finds the clump of sensitive nerves inside me and starts to stroke it in slow, sweet circles.
The feeling of arousal is intense, and all the muscles in my body strain harshly as his touch brings me closer and closer to orgasm. My hips move in time with his fingers, wanting to feel more.
“Landon,” I moan.
“What?” His voice is soft and husky, pure sex and unrelenting temptation.
“Ah…” I moan again, incapable of coherent thought, of forming sentences. Still stroking me inside, he lowers his lips to my clit, nuzzling then flicking his tongue across the sensitive bud. I respond with a soft cry, the sweetness of his touch taking over my senses. His tongue continues to move, fast yet light and teasing, pulling my pleasure out of the deepest parts of my body.
I almost tip the chair over when I come, my hips bucking uncontrollably, my cries loud and abandoned as my body pulses with the force of my climax. I watch Landon rise to his feet with glazed eyes, almost uncomprehending as he lifts me from the chair and places me on the desk, my legs still spread. He stands between them, his beautiful cock fisted in his hand one moment then in the next, he’s sliding it deep inside me.
I release a long moan as he fills me, stretching me tight. I’ve missed this feeling, so much. My hips move restlessly, wanting more, and Landon is happy to oblige.
He leans his hands on the desk, his body curved over mine as he starts to pump into me, each firm thrust of his hips building the massive sensations taking over my body. His lips cover one of my nipples, sucking deeply on the erect bud as he drives me to madness with the sweet strokes of his cock. I run my hands over his chest, crying out in sexual abandon. The sound of my moans fill the office as I meet his every stroke with an uninhibited thrust of my hips, far past the point of wanting anything but him, deeper inside me, giving me the pleasure only he can.
We come at the same time, our wild cries of pleasure merging and blending until I can’t tell which sound is him and which is me. I fall back on the desk, hands stretched over my head, my body spread out like a willing sacrifice. I don’t care. My breath is coming in short gasps, there’s a sheen of sweat on my skin, and as he pulls out of me, a sound like a purr escapes my lips, my body shuddering with the aftershock of such wonderful pleasure.
Landon collapses on his chair, making no attempt to fix his clothes. He rests his head on my still-trembling thighs, breathing deeply. “I think I like my desk with you on it, naked.”
I manage a laugh. “Please don’t joke. I can’t respond right now. I’m recovering from a celestial event.”
His laughter makes me feel warm inside. “Yeah, me too.”