The last person other than Meg or her bodyguards who had seen her place had been her ex. Alex was nervous for Dorian to be there.
What would he think? The fact that it mattered spoke volumes.
The security of her building was extreme, but Paul and Tim still went up to the penthouse first. Once they radioed down with the all clear, she and Dorian got in the elevator.
She fidgeted with her purse, her nerves strung so tight that she thought she might break. No matter how hard she thought back, she couldn’t remember a time where she had ever been so anxious about anything.
Alex began to worry that she had made the wrong decision in bringing Dorian. What was there to do? She had a huge selection of movies and TV shows, but what if he didn’t watch television?
Well, he didn’t know what desserts were.
Exactly. What was up with that? Who didn’t know about dessert? There was just something odd about that. Yet, it was also what made Dorian so damn appealing.
Sexy. He’s damn sexy.
Ugh. Her subconscious really needed to shut up, because now all she could think about was taking him to her bedroom. After telling Dorian that all the men immediately hit on her, she was the one who wanted to rip his clothes off and lick every inch of him.
She’d felt the hard sinew of his body and knew just how firm and tight his body was. A body she ached to have on top of her, to feel him thrusting between her legs.
“You’re blushing, lass.”
Oh, God. She was. And the more she thought about his body, the hotter her face flamed.
Alex refused to look at Dorian. Nor did she know how to reply to his statement. Luckily, the elevator dinged and the doors opened to the penthouse.
She hurried out and tossed her purse on the entry table.
“I can leave.”
His words brought her to a quick halt. Alex turned to him. “Only if you want to.”
“You regret bringing me here,” he said in his thick brogue. “I can see it in your face. And your eyes.”
She looked away and took a deep breath. “I don’t regret having you up. It’s just been a really long time since I’ve had anyone other than those who work for me in my space. I’m...well, I’m nervous about what you’ll think.”
He closed the distance between them, walking slowly, his gaze locked on her. “This is your place. You get to decide what you like and doona like. Everyone else’s opinion doesna matter.”
“Yours does.”
One brow rose as he tilted his head to the side. “Why?”
Alex glanced at the pictures, furniture, and decorations. “This place has been in my family for four generations. Everyone who has lived here has made their mark. I remodeled most of the space to suit me.” She returned her gaze to him. “This isn’t just my home. It’s part of me.”
“And you think if I doona like it, I willna like you.”
“As silly as that sounds, yes.” And it did sound crazy. “I know how lucky I am to be born into such a family. I have everything money can buy. But I don’t have friends. It takes a lot for me to let anyone close enough to get to see this side of me.”
Dorian walked to her and took her hand before leading her farther into the residence. The longer he remained quiet, the harder her stomach clenched.
She was attracted to Dorian, and that could be disastrous if he turned out to be anyone other than what he’d shown her. That’s what frightened her. She really liked him, and she didn’t want to be disappointed.
And she prayed he wasn’t using her. That might very well break her forever.
They walked from the entry to the kitchen, dining, and living area. They passed through the media room, her office, and down the hall to the spare bedrooms.
He halted before another hallway that led to her bedroom, but he turned the opposite direction toward the section of the penthouse that she hadn’t wanted to update or remodel. It housed the collection of ancient artifacts.
At the doorway, Dorian stopped. “You didna remodel this part.”
“No.”
“The rest of the place has your touch in everything, but no’ here.”
She shook her head. “I thought about allowing museums to show off these beautiful pieces. It almost seems wrong to keep them away from others, but I’d never forgive myself if one of them was stolen. So I keep them here.”
“Did you collect these?”
“It began with my great-great-great grandfather,” she said as she walked among the artifacts. “He was in Wales on business and happened to find an ancient piece. Even then it was worth so much money that many tried to buy it from him. He had no clue what the artifact was, but he recognized its value. He returned to New York with it and had it analyzed.”
“And?” Dorian asked.
Alex paused beside the gold necklace. “It is over six thousand years old. After he learned that, he began hunting for other such artifacts. It’s an obsession that passed down through each generation.” She held out her arms. “Everything you see here was amassed by all those before me.”
“It’s quite an impressive collection,” Dorian said walking through the area, glancing at the objects through the cases.
She didn’t bother to tell him that everything in the room would fetch three times what she already had in the bank.
Dorian faced her, his brown eyes regarding her. “I like seeing this side of you. And your place is simple and elegant. Timeless. Just as you are.”
Her knees went all wobbly, as if her legs were made of Jell-O. And she nearly dropped down and begged him for a kiss.
Alex cleared her throat and turned around. As she walked from the back area, she slipped off her wedges and dangled them from her fingers, making her way to the kitchen.
She knew without looking that Dorian was behind her. She could feel him. His gaze was a hot caress over her skin that kept her heart beating double time and her blood rushing through her as desire pooled low in her belly.
“How about some coffee?” she asked. “Or would you rather tea? I have both.”
“I doona know.”
She whirled around as she reached the stove. “I’m beginning to believe you lived under a rock somewhere. Did you deprive yourself of everything?”
He shrugged, which wasn’t an answer at all.
“Did you live in a monastery up in Nepal or something? I know they limit access to things.”
“Something like that.”
Again, not really an answer.
“How about I make coffee? If you don’t like it, I’ll make tea.”
Dorian crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. “Coffee will be fine.”
Alex turned in a circle, trying to think of what to do before she reached for the mugs. Finally, her brain kicked in and she opened the fridge for milk. She said coffee, but in truth, she made lattes mostly.
Perhaps she should’ve told him that. Then again, anyone who didn’t drink coffee or tea wouldn’t know the difference.
She got everything ready and set it up. When she returned the milk to the refrigerator, she made the mistake of looking into Dorian’s eyes.
Without thinking or second guessing herself, she quickly walked to him and rose up, placing her lips on his. Alex quickly stepped back, her chest heaving at doing something so atypical.
“What was that for?” Dorian asked in a soft voice that was deep and utterly sexy.
“The day was so great that I wanted to end it with something special.”
“Is the day ending already?”
She shrugged and licked her lips. That’s when she tasted him. The subtle, sultry flavor of dark chocolate gelato and whisky made her crave another taste.
Before she knew it, she rose up and kissed him again. Except this time, his arm snaked around her. In the next heartbeat, he had her against the fridge.
Her heart beat so loud she imagined he could hear it as well. She looked into his eyes that now blazed with such heat that she shivered.
“I’ll give you a proper ending to the day,” he murmured before slanting his mouth over hers.
Alex wrapped her arms around him, her fingers brushing the blond locks at his neck. She sighed as his tongue swept in her mouth before quickly leaving.
The tease was too much. She moaned, wanting more. And he delivered. Pressed between the appliance and his hard body, she felt every inch of him move as his tongue returned to tangle with hers.
It was no simple kiss. He claimed her mouth with such passion and hunger that she clung to him, needing more. With one long, hot kiss, she was his to do with as he wished. For however long he wanted her.
She sighed when she felt his arousal against her. Then his fingers sank into her hair. He wrapped the length around his hand and tugged her head back to expose her neck.
“Yes,” she whispered.
He knew what she wanted and needed without having to be told. And it was doing glorious, amazing things to her body, which burned for him.
Suddenly, he turned her so that she faced the fridge. Her hands splayed upon the stainless steel that was cool to the touch. So at odds with her body, which was on fire.
Alex gasped in surprise and pleasure when his teeth clamped around the lobe of her ear, careful not to bite into her earring.
“Tell me to stop,” he whispered against her neck.
Was he joking? That was exactly what she didn’t want him to do.
“Tell me now, Alex. Otherwise, I’m carrying you to your bedroom. Then, I’m going to make love to you for so long that you willna be able to walk for a week.”
“God, yes,” she begged.
He spun her again and loomed over her, desire blazing in his eyes. “Last chance.”
“If you stop now, I think I might die.”
Alex forgot all about the coffee as he lifted her in his arms and strode to her bedroom.