Ask Adam (5 page)

Last night had been unforgettable. He’d turned a night of casual, anonymous sex into something spectacular. Perhaps she had broken through her usual limitations and surrendered herself to whatever he’d suggested because the night had been shrouded in anonymity. She’d done things with him she’d never dreamed of doing with another man. Far from embarrassing her, it had liberated her. Their sex had affected her on a primal and emotional level. It had filled her and fulfilled her and left her more complete today than she had been in a very long time.

It also left her emptier than she had been in a long time. Last night she hadn’t intended to get emotionally involved. It was all supposed to have been about sex. When she’d least expected it, she’d experienced…something. She wasn’t sure what. Just…something. Which only served to exacerbate her loneliness this morning.

She washed her hair, taking a long time to work the shampoo into a rich lather, massaging her scalp languorously, her arms too relaxed to move any faster

He’d been affected just as deeply. She’d seen it in his eyes, in the melting of the ice-blue irises as passion suffused him. She’d seen it in his mouth, in the softening of the hard lines after he’d kissed her. In the lusty groans he’d emitted when she’d surrendered to him and to the pleasure that his touch provoked. She’d felt it in his arms, in the way he’d held her afterwards like a fragile bird.

The strong scent of the chamomile-vanilla conditioner filled her nose, overshadowing the last traces of the male fragrance that had clung to her skin. Now all she had left of him was her memories. Memories of a beautiful, nameless man, a glorious, gratifying night and magnificent sex.

She rinsed the soap from her body, switched off the water and climbed out of the shower. As she toweled herself dry, patting down the places where just a few hours before his lips and hands had been, a dizzying mix of melancholy and relief settled over her. He was gone and she’d never see him again.

* * *

“He’s what?” She stared at the woman, aghast.

“He’s checked out,” the woman repeated.

“Oh…when?” Lexi asked, stupefied.

“This morning. At about seven-thirty.”

Seven-thirty. Around the same time she’d been washing away the last remnants of her stranger from her body.

Damn it. The newspaper article had said Riley would be at the hotel for four days, and she’d only read it yesterday. How could he have left already? She hadn’t had a chance to speak to him yet.

“Please, I need to see him. It’s urgent,” she tried again.

“I’m sorry, miss. He’s left. I simply cannot help you.”

“I…oh…um…I… Never mind. Thanks for your help.” Lexi’s shoulders slumped in defeat.

She’d blown it. She’d had a fighting chance to track down Riley and get him to listen, and she’d blown it. He’d gone and checked out while she’d daydreamed in the shower. Okay, so the daydreams were worth spending a little time over, but now she had no idea where Riley might be.

Not that it mattered. She was flying back to Sydney this evening anyway, after the close of the conference. She’d have to wait until her official appointment on Wednesday to see him.

Chapter Four

Five minutes before her appointment on Wednesday afternoon, Lexi stepped into an elevator in the Riley Building. She checked her appearance in the mirror, straightened her collar and smoothed down an invisible wrinkle on her blouse.

She was about to meet AJ Riley. After six weeks of waiting and restless impatience, she would finally get to talk to him and—she hoped—finally get the desperately needed money so she could put it to good use.

Tucked in her briefcase were pages of useful stats, books and articles and a detailed proposal of her project. Riley should know she wasn’t starting up the program on an emotional whim. She’d done extensive research and had enough facts and figures to more than justify the cost of the set-up.

She needed to blow Mr. Riley away. By the time she left his office, he had to be just as convinced of the merits of the project as she was.

Lexi stood alone in the lift as it glided to the top floor of probably the highest building in the city. She shivered. Since the conference, she hadn’t been able to view elevators in the same way. They were no longer just a means of getting from one floor to the next. Now they were tiny, intimate rooms where delicious acts of seduction took place.

For the gazillionth time in three days, she relived that night in her head. She felt his hands on her breasts and his mouth between her legs. By the time the doors slid open, she was flushed and her panties were more than a little damp.

Walking into Riley’s office with glazed eyes and a major nipple stand probably wouldn’t be the best way to make a professional first impression.

She fanned her face, collected her thoughts and focused on the task ahead. Her stomach trembled from a sudden case of nerves. If she couldn’t convince Riley of the brilliance of the sibling program, she wouldn’t get the money from him.

Dear God, she needed his donation. If Riley didn’t come through, she might not be able to start the project.

His secretary’s office left her with no doubt that Riley had spent a small fortune on furniture and art. Beautiful paintings hung on the walls. On one side of the room, a glass and cherrywood coffee table framed an expensive-looking Persian rug, and navy leather couches trimmed its edges.

On the other side, a capable-looking woman of forty-plus sat behind a matching cherrywood desk. Genevieve, Riley’s secretary. The only person with whom Lexi had had any contact from Riley Corporation.

“May I help you?” she asked.

“Lexi Tanner. I’m here to see AJ Riley.”

“His four o’clock.” Genevieve nodded and motioned Lexi to the leather couches. “Please take a seat, I’ll let him know you’ve arrived.”

Lexi sat, watching as the woman knocked on, and then disappeared behind, a huge oak door. Anticipation hummed in her veins. This was it. Almost seven weeks of waiting were up.

What would Riley be like?

Domineering and to the point? Kind and gentle? Unfocused and occupied with other matters? Would he smooth down his moustache while he listened? Remove his glasses when he spoke?

Would he even be interested in what she had to say?

“Miss Tanner?” She hadn’t noticed Genevieve return. “Mr. Riley will see you now.” She showed Lexi into his office and shut the door behind her.

A panoramic view through two enormous corner windows almost bowled Lexi over. It was uninterrupted across the city, over the bridge and onto the North Shore. From where she stood, she could see the ferries gliding past the Opera House and into Circular Quay.

Riley sat at his desk in a high-backed, black leather chair, facing the window. If not for the phone cord stretching from desk to chair, she wouldn’t have known he was in the office at all. He spoke to someone—or listened, rather, as Lexi didn’t hear him say anything.

She took a minute to look around his office.

His desk was made from the same wood that had been used in his secretary’s office. It dominated the room. Leather-bound volumes of books filled a matching bookshelf. Another expensive-looking rug covered the floor, and more beautiful paintings framed the walls. She recognized each of them as originals and it came as a surprise to find she and Riley shared a similar taste in art. The difference? She had to make do with prints.

The office was neat and ordered. From the sleek Mac on his desk to the glass-doored wall unit across the room, everything appeared spick-and-span. It also shouted out
control freak
. There was not a paper to be seen, not a pen lying around. Everything had its place and, quite obviously, everything was in its place.

Not particularly wanting to stand around like an idiot, she took a seat in a matching chair on the opposite side of his desk. Lexi didn’t consider herself short yet the chair engulfed her. Was that a business strategy he used? Making people feel small in his office?

Ridiculous. His chair was the same size as hers. Now that she concentrated, she realized the seat did not hide Riley completely. She could see the top of his head. Her first glimpse of the man.

He was tall—he had to be if his head was sticking out—and maybe not as old as she’d originally thought. She’d expected his hair to be a silvery grey. Quite the contrary, it was dark as sin and looked thick and luxurious—much like her stranger’s had been.

She idly wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through it. Would it have the same silky texture as
his
had?

Don’t even go there
. She was here to ask him for money. Thinking about stroking his hair hardly seemed appropriate.

The proposal. She’d take it out and be prepared to launch into discussion as soon as he put down the phone. As she retrieved it from her bag, something about the air in his office gave her pause for thought, and she stopped and inhaled deeply.

A familiar scent teased her nose. It had since she’d first stepped inside. She recognized it, although she wasn’t sure where from. The subtle, masculine fragrance permeated her senses and tugged at her mind and at her chest, enticing her to recall a memory that was just out of reach. Her body stirred, responding to the sultry scent. So much for suppressing the nipple stand.

She stared sightlessly ahead, lost in thought, trying to place the memory. A sense of longing filled her. Her longtime companion, loneliness, returned, as strong as it had been in Melbourne the morning after. The scent filled her nose, familiar and alluring, making that emptiness seem a million times worse.

“What about the Lewin Deal?” Riley asked into the phone, yanking Lexi’s attention back to the office.

His voice was low, deep and throaty, and the second he spoke she knew she’d heard it before. She also knew she’d never expected to hear it again. The air in the office seemed to thin and Lexi found breathing difficult.

Inhale
.

Her lungs constricted and oxygen couldn’t fill them fast enough. The blood drained from her face, her stomach dropped into her knees and she gripped the arms of the chair so tight her knuckles went into spasm.

Oh. Dear. God.

“Fine, make it Tuesday.”
Fine. Let’s do it.

Miniscule bumps shivered up her neck. It wasn’t possible.

“Good. See you then.” He swiveled his chair around and hung up.

Bizarrely, her first thought upon seeing his face was that AJ Riley didn’t have a moustache after all. Or glasses, for that matter.

Unmistakable ice-blue eyes appraised her. “Miss Tanner, I presume?” His tone was mocking and cold, not warm and honeyed like she remembered. His mouth was set in grim lines, harsh and unforgiving, not full and swollen from her kisses. His eyes were distant and condescending, not heated and hungry like before.

“You!” The word ripped through her throat. Disbelief echoed in her ears.

Her nameless lover was AJ Riley?

“You were expecting someone else?” He scoffed.

Shock rendered her speechless. She’d slept with AJ Riley. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts to track him down, she’d unwittingly slept with him.

“You seem surprised,” he commented dispassionately.

She gaped at him. Surprised? Flabbergasted, more like it. Gobsmacked, astounded and dumbfounded to boot. Not to mention thrown so far off balance the entire office block spun.

She hadn’t just slept with the man
¾
she’d fucked him senseless. Now what the hell was she supposed to do? She was never meant to see him again. The pure anonymity of their encounter had led her to do things with him she’d never have done under ordinary circumstances. She’d masturbated in front of him—touched herself, fucked herself. Shamelessly begged him to fuck her.

Now she sat across from him in his office, about to beg again. Only this time it was for money. Nausea rose in her stomach. She did the math and, for once, one and one did not make two. It added up to her looking like a whore.

Spots danced before her eyes and she prayed she wouldn’t pass out. She’d embarrassed herself in front of him enough already.