Cockpit: A Second Chance Romance (36 page)

It involved her long legs and that ponytail. I would kiss her first. But then I'd get down to business.

For once I wasn't thinking about pleasuring a woman. I was thinking about
my
cock.
My
pleasure.

I just wanted to bury myself in her and never come out again.

Yeah, I was pretty much screwed.

"In terms of advertising, what is the most economical and effective platform?"

I smiled at her.

"I'll do some research but I'd say we start with what you mentioned- grassroots efforts. Twitter, bloggers. Young mothers are cutting edge about health issues."

I knew this because I had a few single mom clients. They were all organic this and organic that. It made sense actually. But it was hard to keep track of everything that they said was bad for you.

Rosalie nodded, tapping away at her laptop.

"Yes, I think that's a great place to start."

Rebecca leaned over and slammed the laptop shut, barely missing Rosalie's fingers.

"Come on Rosie, you've worked enough. Let's go dancing!"

Rosalie shook her head vehemently.

"I have to be getting back."

"You've barely tasted your drink!"

"You have to leave already?"

I had to let her know I was interested. Now. I leaned forward, my eyes on her face. She smiled at me apologetically.

"Another time."

"Ugh. She has to run home to her dogs and her stories. This girl would rather hang out with dusty old books than a real human being."

Rosalie was turning pink as I watched in fascination.

"That's not true. I like people. I just like reading too."

I wanted to hear more. I wanted to learn everything about this girl. She was turning out to be so much more than met the eye.

Rebecca sniffed her.

"You smell like dog, did you know that?"

Now Rosalie looked genuinely mortified. If Rebecca was trying to embarrass her cousin, it had worked. I caught Rosalie stealing a glance at me. She cared what I thought.

That was a good sign. It meant she was feeling the same attraction I felt. Well, I doubted it was as rabidly sexual, but it was a start. I got up and helped her to her feet.

"I'll walk you to the train station."

She turned even pinker. Adorable. The girl was too much. I followed her outside.

"Actually, I have a ride waiting for me near Hyde Park."

I cringed, realizing she meant a boyfriend. Of course. This was a non-starter. Apparently, her cousin's information was out of date.

"Do you want to call him? Your boyfriend?"

The pink was back in her cheeks as we stood on the sidewalk. Rebecca was not so subtly staring at us through the window. She waved at me coyly.

I liked her less and less by the minute.

"Robert? He's about seventy years old."

I frowned, totally confused.

"So I guess you like older men?"

She laughed.

"No, it's embarrassing."

"What is it?"

"He's a chauffeur!"

I cocked my head, peering down at her.

"How is that embarrassing?"

"It just is. I think I'm going to walk. I hate to make him drive all the way across town. Plus-"

She stopped herself.

"Plus what?"

"I don't exactly want him to know I was in a pub."

I took that in. She was a legal adult. Was she really so sheltered that she would get in trouble for going to a pub?

"I'll join you."

We talked casually as we walked. She was easy to talk to. For the tenth time in the past few hours, I forgot I was working. I almost sounded too eager as I tried to figure out ways to get her alone.

"Next time I can come to you. Without Rebecca."

She chewed that juicy bottom lip of hers. I wanted to bite it. It was broad daylight and I was having filthy fantasies about what we could do in an alleyway. Or a park bench.
 

Or the enormous limo we were walking towards.

"She's not really the charity type."

"I noticed."

"She just wants to have fun. I wish I was more like her."

I stopped her, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I'm glad you're not."

Her lips parted slightly. I'd clearly expressed interest now. Just enough to get her thinking of me as more than a friend. I backed off as if nothing had happened.

"Let's do some research and regroup in a few days. Maybe Thursday?"

She nodded. I pulled out my phone and asked her for her number. She gave it to me shyly and said goodbye. Then I watched her climb into her limo and drive away.

I stood there for the longest time, feeling more alive than I'd felt in years.

I couldn't lose sight of the prize.

I had a virgin to seduce. This was about a very big paycheck. There was no reason to feel this bewildering combination of guilt and lust.

If I wanted her, so much the better.

After all, there was no shame in enjoying your work.

Rosalie

I leaned forward over Arabesque and dug my heels in. The wind was cold but I embraced it, sucking the air in through my teeth. It was gray and cloudy out but I was smiling from ear to ear.

I was having a very good day.

A very good week in fact.

My mother had relented and allowed me to order some ready to wear clothes without supervision. I was going shopping next week with Rebecca.
 
Nothing too fancy either. High street. And my favorite author had released a new book.

Yes, it was a very good week.

But mostly because of him.

Nicholas.

We'd been in constant contact since the meeting. Texts, emails, and more texts. He'd sent me reams of research and ideas, but more than that, he sent cleverly worded banter.

He was flirting with me.

That was surprising in itself. But even more surprising was that I was flirting back. And for some reason I didn't feel absolutely hopeless at it.

In fact, he made me feel like I was good at it. A natural even. It didn't feel like work. It felt... fun.

And now he was on his way here. Today. To see me.

I could not stop the butterflies flying around madly in my stomach. I could not fight the urge to stare into my mirror hopelessly, wishing I had blond hair or a sexier face. I could not stop pacing in and out of my closet feeling ridiculous, thinking something effortlessly cool would magically appear. That's not the way life worked. I was stuck with what I had. There was no use whining about it.

So I went riding.

The wind, the chill air, it was all serving very well to distract me.

Well, a bit anyway.

I realized it must be getting late and headed back towards home. Arabesque slowed her pace by degrees, as I guided her. It was the best way to cool her down. Still, I'd have someone walk her for a bit while I changed.

All that flew out the window when I saw Nicholas leaning against the fence surrounding the paddock. I cringed. I was messy and windblown. Oh well, it didn't matter what I looked like anyway.
 

He was here to focus on the task at hand. As was I. The bees certainly didn't care what I looked like.

"I'm so sorry, I must have lost track of time. It's so lovely out."

I was babbling. Shut up Rose! He titled his head to the side. He looked dubious to say the least.

"It is?"

"Well, it is a bit gloomy. But it's perfect for riding."

He smiled at me. By God he was gorgeous. That didn't even start to cover it really. It was amazing to find someone who looked like him that actually cared about something. He was bright, kind and an activist.

None of that mattered really. He was here for the bees, not me. He probably had a girlfriend. Or two.

Or eight.

"Do you ride?"

He shook his head.

"Not well."

I giggled, suddenly envisioning his huge stature perched a top a pony.

"Well you could always try out Mable. She's the slowest pony we have. Actually, I don't think she's been ridden in a decade!"

Babbling again.

Brilliant.

"Come on, let's go inside."

He nodded and followed me up to the manor house. I counted my steps to keep from talking. Anything to keep from making a fool of myself.

Which I realized was pretty much inevitable.

Maybe if I didn't look at him I would be able to stay on task.

Thankfully, it was he who spoke next.

"It is beautiful, in a sort of gloomy way."

I glanced at him. He was looking at the house and the surrounding outbuildings. It meant a lot to me for some reason. That he appreciated the estate.

"Most people don't like these old houses anymore, but I love it. It must be very different from where you are from."

"California?"

He smiled as we climbed the steps to the front door.

"Yes, it's very different."

He leaned towards me and my stomach dropped. I thought for a moment that he was going to kiss me. Instead, he gently tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"I think you would like it."

That's when our butler Embry opened the door.

Chapter Five

Nicholas

Riding pants. Riding pants were going to be the death of me. Her gorgeous body was fully on display in that ensemble. As we sat down in the library, she'd casually removed her jacket.

I finally got a look at that body of hers. A very good look at her very,
very
good body.

To say that Rosalie was well put together was an understatement.

A huge understatement.
 

And then she had bent over, riffling through her bag for her laptop.
 

I was trying not to stare.

I was failing.

Worse, I was falling. I had just met her and I was starting to want things I shouldn't. I shook my head. All I had to do was lay her. Once or twice. That would earn me twenty thousand. The bonus wasn't important. It was the one part of the whole scenario I morally objected to.

That was a new thought. Morals.
 

I pushed my guilt aside. I was just going to break the ice. I'd be doing her a favor by introducing her to sex.

Hell, I'd be doing myself a favor too.

It's not like she was going to fall in love with me. She was out of my league. The girl had a butler for Christ's sake.

She sat down again with her laptop and smiled at me. She had no idea what I was thinking. If she did... she would be shocked. She would slap me and tell me to get out of her house. Or she would oblige me...

I groaned, crossing my leg to hide my erection. I glanced down. It hadn't helped. Nothing would, short of a bucket of ice.

Not with my current train of thought.

I was thinking about those long legs and how good they would feel wrapped around me. I was thinking about her throat, how it would taste. How easy it would be to grab her hair and pull it back so I could kiss her.

"So, Nicholas, I think we are off to a good start."

I don't know what made me say it.

"You can call me Nico."

"I'm sorry?"

"Call me Nico. When we are alone."

"Nico... That's so sweet. It suits you, you know."

I smiled at her. It sounded right on her lips. It felt right.

But I'd never told a client that name. Only my mother and bratty little sister called me that. It wasn't just inner circle. It was reserved for family.

What the hell had gotten into me?

"Would you like some tea, Nico? Or something to eat? Actually, I skipped luncheon."

She smiled at me shyly and I felt my heart lurch in my chest.

"Why?"

She tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"Why what?"

I reminded myself that I was the seducer. The one on assignment. The one here to take this lovely girl on the ride of her life.

"Why didn't you eat?"

She looked so embarrassed, so pink cheeked, that I wanted to kiss her. Right there in the library. Immediately.

"My Grandmother has been dropping by unexpectedly. If I miss meals, I can avoid her to some extent."

"You don't like her?"

She shook her head vigorously.

"No, of course I like her. She's just very... intimidating. And she has a lot of ideas about how a young lady should behave."

"And you don't agree with those ideas?"

She smiled at me ruefully.

"I don't even know what I think. Everything's been done for me for so long. I think the last time I picked out my own clothing I was eight years old playing dress up with Rebecca."

All I heard was 'out' and 'clothing.' That was it. I was mentally undressing her. Slowly. The top first. Just a few buttons, so I could see her bra. Then I'd slide her pants off. I'd let her keep her bra on, for a little while.

I thought that was pretty generous of me.

 
I leaned back in my seat, watching her hungrily. And just like that, everything changed. She could tell I was interested. I saw it in a flash. That knowledge that a woman usually reveled in. The knowledge that she was desired. But not Rosalie. She looked shy and unsure. She had no idea what to do with her hands suddenly.

It was adorable.

I'd be more than happy to show her what to do with her hands... or her lips... or her...
 

My dick jumped in my pants.

"Lunch would be wonderful."

I sighed in relief as she left the room to find a servant. I had a moment to calm myself down. I'd been on the verge of jumping her.
 

That is
not
how it is done.

By the time she was back I had reminded myself of my true purpose. And, on the surface at least, today it was to save the bees. Save the bees, seduce the girl. That's it.

If I liked her as a person, that really had nothing to do with it.

"Would you like to eat outside? I usually do."

I nodded and followed her through the enormous house to a terrace. The instant we stepped outside three enormous fluffy dogs threw themselves at her. She was laughing as they muddied her clothing and licked her face.

I had a strange sensation at that moment. It was totally unfamiliar. But I still knew what it was.