I squeezed the pillow to within an inch of its life. In all honesty, whatever he just described made my ovaries move. I swallowed hard. “I think it’s safe to say I’m intrigued.”
“Good. I have to go, love. Think of me today.”
“Obviously.”
He laughed good and loud. “Have a safe flight. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
A smile remained plastered to my face all day. That early morning phone call was the perfect remedy for my weeklong jitters. Not even a barrage of breaking stories derailed my good mood.
“Are you humming?”
I looked up from the computer screen and was greeted by Sydney’s smiling face.
“Uh, maybe?”
She laughed. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’d hum too if I were heading for a weekend of naughtiness with a hot Brit.”
I grinned, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“Seriously, Lia. That man is too gorgeous to just cuddle. The illegal things I would do to him,” she smiled.
“Sydney!”
“Hypothetically speaking, of course.” She winked. “I only have eyes for Ray.”
My desk phone rang, mercifully ending the over-sharing session.
“Lia Meyers.”
“Do you have a minute?”
I clenched the receiver, wishing I hadn’t answered. “What do you want, Nathan?”
“Rachel Jameson is behind the pictures.”
“What? How do you know?”
The length of the pause was torture.
“I don’t want to get into that right now.”
My stomach rolled. I swallowed, trying to keep a serene tone. Sydney might be working but her ears had sharpened.
“I’d appreciate it if you could go into a little more detail.”
“Not over the phone while you’re at work. I debated whether or not to call but felt you should at least know that. Let me come by when you’re home and we can talk.”
“I can’t. I’m going straight to the airport from the station.”
“Shit,” he hissed. “Don’t go visit him.”
Any shred of the good mood I’d enjoyed all day disappeared. I glanced over the partition separating my cubicle from Sydney’s. She had headphones on to listen to a press conference. Turning my chair so it faced the back of the newsroom, I lowered my voice.
“I don’t know what little scheme you’ve cooked up with Rachel but it needs to stop. I should have known she was in on it when she showed up at dinner. You’re a piece of work, Nathan. How many times do I have to say it? This is over. We’re done. Don’t call me again.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear only to hear him yell for me to stop. I didn’t know what possessed me to listen.
“You’re not giving me any choice here, Lia. This isn’t how I wanted to tell you.” He almost sounded apologetic. “Rachel was hired to follow you. She’s being paid to dig up dirt from your past and to keep an eye on you.”
Panic seized my heart. “Who hired her?”
“I don’t want to do this over the phone.”
“Who hired her?” I asked through clenched teeth.
Nathan sighed. “Money was wired to her from an account in the United Kingdom.”
My body went cold. All the lively sounds of the newsroom faded into oblivion. Immense pressure squeezed between my ears. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Lia.” He paused. “The authorizing signature was from Jason Holden.”
Dropping the phone into its cradle, I stood up abruptly and somehow walked to the restroom. One of the editors was washing her hands. She smiled as I brushed by and locked myself in a stall. The cool stainless steel door did nothing to soothe the heated skin on my forehead. For the most part, I was numb. So much had been thrown at me over the past few months and this new revelation didn’t deliver the massive blow I would have expected. Partly because I didn’t believe a word coming out Nathan’s mouth and partly because I refused to accept what I was told.
Alastair’s uncle isn’t financing a tabloid reporter to dig up dirt on me. That’s ridiculous.
I leaned against the door. My heart pounded so quickly that the inside of my ears hurt. We were barely three weeks removed from the biggest breakthrough in our relationship. He had opened up. He told me everything. Or did he?
No. I wouldn’t allow my insecurities to run rampant. This was all part of Nathan’s sick, twisted plan to win me back. Anger roiled my stomach. Straightening, I walked out of the stall, did a quick check in the mirror and went back to my desk. I zeroed in on nothing but the rundown and various scripts that needed tweaking. The broadcast flew by in a nanosecond. The next thing I knew, I was in the sanctuary of my car.
Gripping the steering wheel, I forced myself to breathe. I had a nine-hour flight to endure. The last thing I wanted was to spend it pissed off. I drove more aggressively than usual through the traffic. My only goal was to get to the airport lounge and try to unwind. Since I didn’t have any luggage, I zipped through security.
Once I was settled in the lounge with a glass of chardonnay I felt better. Not great, but better. Of course I flirted with the idea of getting back in my car and going home. If his uncle really was behind all this nonsense, visiting Alastair was the last thing I should do. It hurt my heart to even consider the possibility. All of this could be cleared up quickly if I asked him. Oh yeah. That will go over well. Hi, Alastair. Is your uncle stalking me? Oh, he is? Amazing.
The ridiculousness of that scenario made me laugh. A couple of passengers looked at me funnily. I smiled at them and sipped the wine. By my third glass, a nice fuzzy calm settled my nerves. The Holden family wasn’t investigating me. They had no reason to.
CHAPTER THREE
A sizable group of family and friends were gathered near the arrivals entrance at Glasgow International Airport to welcome weary travelers home. I assumed Alastair’s driver, Paxton, would be picking me up. I scanned the crowd for a tall broad-shouldered man in his forties with salt and pepper hair. All I saw was a young guy in jeans, black t-shirt and backwards baseball cap with his back to me.
Shuffling past him and another group of people I wondered if I’d have to take a taxi. The thought annoyed me. Plus, I was cranky because my period decided to show up early thanks to the high altitude while flying.
“There you are.”
I turned toward the familiar rich voice and wound up staring directly at the guy in the ball cap. Seeing Alastair always hit all my hot buttons. The casual look didn’t mask his aura of powerful elegance at all.
“What the hell is on your head?”
Alastair laughed. “You don’t like it?” He turned the hat so it faced the proper direction. It made him look slightly younger than his thirty-one years. The letters HWM were embroidered on the front.
“It’s cute.”
“I was trying to be incognito.”
“I’ll let you in on a secret. Don’t wear a Holden World Media hat if you don’t want to be recognized.” I grinned, wrapping my arms around him. Feeling his athletic body pressed to mine set everything straight. His energy really had become an extension of my own. When we shared the same space, I felt more alive, more aware. Just…more.
“I need to get you out of here and back to my house so I can welcome you properly,” he said, draping an arm across my shoulders.
He whisked me off to the parking lot and drove back to his neighborhood in Bearsden like a man on a mission. The tree-lined street was quiet and pretty. His light gray sandstone house sat on a pristine lot with a manicured lawn and vibrant patches of shrubbery and flowers.
Still so perfect on the outside, like him.
Most of the world only saw the stoic, successful young businessman who’d recently been named CEO of his grandfather’s media empire. He handled his business dealings with the cool precision of a surgeon. As much as I craved him when he was in CEO-mode, peeling away the hard exterior to expose the vulnerable man who only showed himself to me was a drug I would
never quit.
I’d barely walked through the front door when he lunged, pinning me against the wall. At the mercy of his lips and tongue, I gasped, inhaling sharply. The rim of his hat knocked into my forehead. I ripped it off his head, throwing it across the hallway. He kissed me with such ferocity I thought he might bruise my lips. Circling each of my wrists with his hands, he held them firmly against the wall and pushed the weight of his six-foot frame into me. I liked it when he was untamed. His passion for me was a turn on.
“I missed you,” he said, biting my bottom lip.
“It’s only been four days.”
“Felt like an eternity.” Gripping my wrists tighter, he flexed his hips into mine. The friction sent a pleasurable wave through me.
“I want you. Now. Against this wall.” He kissed me again, this time slower and deeper. Each stroke of his tongue was matched with a tantalizing thrust of his hips. He knew exactly how to get me firing on all cylinders. Heat blossomed and spread through my body. Maybe he was right. Four days did feel like an eternity.
He grazed his teeth down the side of my neck, setting off a barrage of goose bumps. Releasing my wrists, he slid his hands down my body and started unbuttoning my jeans.
Shit.
“Alastair.”
He looked at me, his green eyes cloudy with lust. I brushed my thumb over his mouth.
“We have to stop.”
A sexy grin curled his lips as he pushed down my jeans. “Not into hallway sex?”
“No. I mean, yes but…oh! What the…”
He lightly stroked the sensitive skin along my tailbone. The tingling sensation was euphoric, shooting up my spine, into my throat and back down to my toes.
“We won’t limit this to the hallway. I plan to have you in every room.”
Each caress heightened my arousal. No one had ever touched me there before and it was phenomenal. He pinned my arms against the wall again, holding on tighter. The overwhelming strength, both physical and sexual, was too much. I tried to wriggle out of his grasp.
“Ah, Lia,” he said, his breath warm on my cheek. “Stay still. As much as I like it when you want to take charge, it’s my house. My rules.”
That dominant stare was not of this world. I’d seen variations of it before but never so raw and focused. The veil he usually kept locked in place vanished, unleashing a torrent of want. I loved it. My heart raced as though I’d just finished running a marathon. Flexing his hips into mine once more, he grinned lasciviously.
“This look” - he kissed me - “will never leave your face this weekend.”
Being caught in his seductive bubble was proving to be too much for me to handle. I considered going full force with him, monthly lady visitor and all. Thankfully, that thought only lasted a split second.
“I have my period.”
A blurted phrase like that certainly alters the mood pretty damn quick. The world snapped into focus. Alastair paused, stared at me for a few seconds and stepped back. Confused, he cocked his head to the side.
“Now? I thought you said it wasn’t due until Monday.”
“I think being on a plane expedited the process.”
“No hallway sex then.”
The coy grin on his face stoked the inferno deep inside me. My mouth watered.
“Not so fast, Holden.”
I shoved his body against the wall. Shocked, he exhaled harshly. I kissed his neck.
“You were saying about how you like it when I take charge? Don’t move.”
As I lowered to my knees, he grabbed my arms and pulled me back up. “Wait.”
I looked at him, dumbfounded. “For real? You were just plastered all over me.”
The thick cloud of want returned with a vengeance. His fingers dug into my skin as his grasp tightened. I could see him battling with himself internally. But why? Thinking as quickly as my love-fuzzed brain would allow, I placed my hands on his hips and leaned into his chest.
“Tell me what you want,” I insisted, using the words he’d spoken to me time and again.
His expression faltered in a manner so subtle I almost missed the change. Releasing his hold on me, he aimed a laser stare in my direction. “I want you, love.”
I unbuttoned his jeans, peeling them off as I sank to the floor. He made the male body look like a piece of art. I traced along his hipbone, savoring the v-shape. His labored breathing filled the hallway. I teased him a bit, running my nails along his inner thighs before taking his erection into my mouth. I loved hearing him sigh and moan as I took my time enjoying his body. Every little quiver, no matter how subtle, spurred me on. I had him exactly how I wanted him; vulnerable. He shoved his hands through my hair, pulling it. I responded by hollowing my cheeks, forming an airtight suction.
He groaned, his left leg shaking violently. I kept one hand on his hip and the other around his length. He was close. I could feel it. His body was rigid. Fisting his hands in my hair tighter, he held me in place. Always the control freak. I teased him again, releasing him from my mouth and letting my warm breath glide over him.
“Don’t stop,” he ordered in a hoarse whisper.
Looking up at him, my heart skipped a beat. Eyes closed, his head was pressed against the wall. Ecstasy was etched upon his face. Mine. Carnal instinct took over. Focusing on just the tip, I wrapped my lips around him. With a yell, he came hot and thick in my mouth. I didn’t move until he finished.
Folding to the floor like a paper doll, he sat in front of me. I sat back on my heels, admiring his sated expression. Tilting his head to the side, he ran a hand through the tousled mass of dark red hair framing his gorgeous face.
“No hallway sex, huh?” I smiled.
“Bit of a minx, aren’t you?”
I laughed. “You have no idea.”
“So it seems.”
“Are you blushing?”
“No.” He smirked. “Come closer, please.”
Scooting forward, I leaned over him, placing my hands on either side of his legs. The warm glow radiating from his emerald eyes made me so happy. He cupped my cheeks, smiling softly.
“Welcome back to Glasgow. I hope this is a weekend you’ll never forget.”
“So far, so good.”
Still smiling, he pulled our foreheads together. “You probably want to freshen up after your long flight. Everything you need is my bedroom. I’ll fix us some breakfast.”
He stood up, redressing with ease. I grabbed his hand and walked with him toward the kitchen. Everything sat in its place in his immaculate house. It would look perfect gracing the pages of Architectural Digest with its luxurious furniture and ornate decorations. Neutral tones suggested a warm welcome, subtly accented with deep, rich colors. But there were no personal touches, nothing that gave anything away about the guarded man who lived here. My heart pinged with sadness. Buried beneath his hard outer shell was a broken soul trying to heal after years of self-reproach. Nobody saw that part of him except for me.
Slapping me playfully on the behind, he told me to take as much time as I needed. I scurried off to the bedroom. The door to his walk-in closet was wide open. I peeked in, stunned by the array of clothes bursting from each corner. One side held all of his suits, ties and dress shirts. Shelves stacked with more casual clothes lined the wall.
I swallowed, looking to my left. The rest of his closet was filled with clothes for me. Not just jeans and capris and other everyday items I wore but formal dresses and gorgeous high heels, too. Neatly folded on shelves were various satin and silk nightgowns and robes. Jesus. There are enough outfits in here to last at least six months.
“Too much?”
Startled, I spun around. Alastair leaned against the doorframe, concern flashing in his eyes.
“It’s, um, there’s a lot of stuff.”
“I don’t want you to think…Lia, are you alright?”
I held onto the doorknob. Everything that happened this past week flooded back into my consciousness. The room spun. I felt Alastair’s a
rms tighten around my waist.
“Look at me.”
I did as I was told, focusing on his firm hold. “I’m fine, sorry. Must be the jet lag.”
His searing eyes scrutinized my face. I forced a smile, hoping to convince him nothing was wrong.
“Seriously. You know me and jet lag. Next thing you know I’ll be tripping over carpets.”
That seemed to work. He lifted my hand, pressing a small kiss to the palm.
“Did you buy all this yourself?”
“Of course I did. Who else would?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d sent Paxton to do this.”
“Paxton?” His eyes widened in amusement. “He’s a great bloke and all but I don’t think he’d appreciate being sent out with a list of women’s clothes and beauty products to purchase.”
“Well, I mean, he drives you around. I just thought he—”
“He drives me around for work purposes, that’s all. He’s my security detail, not my errand boy,” he scowled, retreating a step behind his shield.
Dammit.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you can’t do things for yourself.”
Too late. The relaxed, sated aura dissipated. He stared at me blankly for a few seconds. The silence was deafening. I’d much rather he shouted or complained about whatever it was that bothered him. The quiet added layers of tension but this was his way. I’d be able to see through his cracks if I was patient enough. Of course, he could see through me with zero effort. The give and take was a delicate balancing act we were still figuring out.
“I’ll leave you to do whatever freshening you need. Come find me in the kitchen when you’re done.”
Without so much as a backward glance he walked out. I felt sick to my stomach. Deciding not to dwell upon his abrupt mood swing, I went into the bathroom. Lined up on the counter were a variety of my favorite beauty products. He remembered. I grabbed the bottle of almond scented bubble bath. Stripping out of my clothes, I filled the white stone bathtub until it almost overflowed. Settling into the warm soapy water, I leaned my head back. Another unpleasant replay of the week’s events consumed me. I had to stop thinking about it. All I wanted was to enjoy my time with Alastair. Nathan and those damn photos could wait. There was no way in hell I’d bring up the crazy accusation that his uncle hired a tabloid reporter to follow me. Not until I knew for certain.