Desire Part Two (The Desire Series Book 2)
Read Desire Part Two (The Desire Series Book 2) Online
Authors: Ava Alexia
Contents
Desire
Desire Series Part Two
Ava Alexia
Chapter 1
Madison McClain watched the large group of single women assemble for the bouquet toss. Madison grimaced as she stared at the crowd of available ladies. There always seemed to be tons of single women at weddings; hoping fervently to be the lucky recipient of the supposedly magical bouquet. Jaime stood on the rotunda in her parent’s huge backyard with her back to the women. She looked over her shoulder and motioned for Maddie to join the group of eager women who would be vying for the bouquet. Maddie shook her head negatively. Jaime frowned at her and put her hand on her hip.
“I won’t toss it unless you stand with the single ladies, Maddie,” Jaime threatened.
Maddie gave Jaime a ‘are you kidding me’ look.
“I’m not kidding, Maddie,” Jaime assured her.
Jaime had read Maddie’s expression accurately. The ladies insisted that Maddie join them. Maddie begrudgingly moved to stand on the outskirts of the group. That was all the concession Maddie was willing to give. Jaime frowned at where Maddie stood but didn’t try to force the issue any further. She turned, counted to three and angled the toss with surprising accuracy directly at Maddie. Maddie had no choice but to catch it to prevent the bouquet from falling to the ground. Everyone cheered. Maddie was in shock. Jaime grinned and threw kisses to her.
“Looks like you’re next.”
Jaime turned to see her brother, Logan standing behind her.
“I am not destined for the alter because I caught the bouquet. That prophecy is a bunch of nonsense. You will marry long before I will. I’m not interested in the state of matrimony,” Maddie grinned. “I’m happy just the way I am.”
“You never know. Love can sneak up on you,” Logan grinned.
“Not if I can help it. I’ve got no time for that sentimental emotion,” she responded. “It’s my career that I want to focus on and nothing else.”
“Too bad. I’m being badgered by guys who want to meet you. And you know I would only introduce you to the best of the crop,” Logan said.
Maddie laughed.
“I know you would. And I love you for it. But I’m just not interested right now,” Maddie said.
Logan shrugged.
“Whatever you say. Just let me know when you are,” Logan replied.
“I will,” Maddie said.
Logan was then pulled away by some of his buddies. Maddie stood watching Jaime and Jules dance. She smiled and waved as the happy couple danced past her.
“I wouldn’t doubt the power of catching the bouquet. I’m told it has mystical powers.”
The male voice was unfamiliar to Maddie. He had an accent; an English accent. She turned to see who spoke and looked into the most brilliant blue eyes she had ever seen. For a moment she was mesmerized by the pure clarity and depth of them. It was like looking into the Caribbean Sea; she could see her reflection in them as if she were looking into a mirror. She shook her head slightly and focused on his entire face. He was extremely handsome and debonair with thick black hair. He fit the mold perfectly of a mythical god; tall, handsome, fit and muscular. The ideal man in every woman dreams. If only she were interested.
“What utter nonsense. Catching the wedding bouquet does not guarantee you will be the next person to marry. Nor will it bring the perfect man to you. Happily ever after seldom occurs,” Maddie sneered.
“I think Jules and Jaime are forever. Perhaps you have to believe that it will,” he replied.
“Well, I don’t. So catching it was a waste of time,” Maddie retorted.
“Are you always so cynical?” he asked.
“I’m not cynical, just realistic. And why should I explain my attitude to you? I don’t know you from Jack,” she scoffed.
“Well, I’m definitely not Jack. Just an interested party,” he asked. “Shall we dance?”
“Not with you,” Maddie replied.
She didn’t know why she was being so rude to him. It wasn’t like her to be so disagreeable but he had her feeling off-kilter. She felt uneasy, off-balanced; like she was faltering on a tightrope. She didn’t like it and as a result he was receiving the brunt of her unhinged emotions. It served him right since he was the cause of them.
“Afraid?” he asked impudently.
Maddie looked at him sharply.
“No. Why would I be?” she demanded.
“Then why not dance with me?” he countered.
Dismissing her question with a question of his own infuriated her.
“Because I don’t want to,” she said flatly.
“Too bad. I would have been the best partner you’ve ever dance with,” he said casually.
His arrogance was astronomical. She was practically shaking with fury. She opened her mouth to give him a tongue lashing and he turned his back and walked away. She didn’t know what angered her more. His words or his actions. Both motivated her to do him bodily harm. He disappeared in the crowd and she didn’t interact with him for the rest of the evening. She wondered briefly who he was but soon dismissed it. She knew who he was; an arrogant, egotistical, insufferable man whom she would never cross paths with again. Thank God for that. Maddie took a deep breath and focused on the joy of the evening. Her best friend had married the man of her dreams and she intended to rejoice in their happiness. She found one of her many cousin’s and pulled him onto the dance floor. She didn’t give another thought to the British Bore.
****
Maddie drove along the highway at a spanking pace in her convertible white Mustang. It was a lovely morning, sunny and bright so she had put the top down to feel the warm rays on her face and the wind in her long red locks. She was anxious to get to work for she was eager to tackle her new project. Last Thursday Matthew Edelston had contracted with her interior design company, Creative Concepts to furnish his fifteen thousand square foot home; and that footage did not include the exterior which also needed to be well-appointed. Madison was hoping to be assigned as the lead designer on the project. She knew her chances of that happening were slim. Dana McElroy, her boss would most likely head up the design team. But she could put her best foot forward anyway. You never knew what could happen. Getting this assignment would be a huge opportunity to foster her career. She had to try. Her personal goal was to establish her own design business and the Edelston job would take her one step closer to achieving her objective. Maddie arrived at her job and entered the parking garage. She zipped into her assigned space and took the elevator to her offices. She was anxious to start reviewing the Edelston’s floor plans. As she entered the office she saw that it was buzzing about the new owner.
“Maddie! Did you know that the new owner is coming today,” Tina, office administrator asked excitedly.
Maddie stopped in her tracks.
“No,” Maddie answered. “How do you know that he’s coming in today?” Maddie asked.
“Because he called and said so. I answered the phone and he was on the other end of it, telling me to prepare the staff,” Tina explained.
“Prepare us for what?” Maddie questioned.
Maddie frowned. There was no need for him to come in making changes. The staff already performed professionally and beautifully together. The wheel wasn’t broken; so there was no need for it to be fixed.
“I have no idea. It’s exciting yet nerve-racking as well. I just told everyone that he was coming today,” Tina replied. “I wonder if he’s as handsome as he sounds. His voice was positively sexy.”
Tina grinned as she thought of what he might look like. Maddie dismissed her comment and walked toward her office. She could care less about the new owner’s looks. She had work to do and she wanted to get started. As she walked through the office Maddie noticed that everyone was gossiping about the new boss. What was he like? When would he arrive? Would he clean house? And if so, who would be the first to go? Maddie didn't care about any of that. She was good at what she did and she would let her work speak her worth.
She went into her office and slammed the door shut. She threw her purse in the visitor chair and began to take off her suit jacket.
"It's about time you arrived. Are you always late or will you use the sorry excuse of horrible traffic? Neither is acceptable."
Maddie quickly turned to look behind her. Standing in the back corner of her was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.....and the most irritating one as well. Maddie stared at him intently as he stood in the dim corner. He looked familiar. She knew she had seen him before.
"Get out of my office," she snapped.
He smiled slowly.
"It was your office. It's mine now. I am Whitman Lampier. The new owner of Creative Concepts and your boss," he smiled smugly.
He moved forward into the light streaming through the large window. Maddie got a good look at him and gasped. She knew who he was; he was her sparring partner from Jaime and Jules' wedding. She disliked him then and she absolutely detested him now.
"You!" Maddie exclaimed.
"Most people call me Whit," he drawled.
His nonchalant attitude infuriated her. Yet she couldn't deny her attraction to him either. She wanted to kiss at him as much as she wanted to punch him. How was she going to handle a man who ignited such conflicting emotions in her?
“What are you doing in my office,” Maddie snapped.
He moved to her desk and sat in the feminine seat. He squirmed uncomfortably.
“This chair most certainly will be replaced,” he remarked as he leaned back and crossed his Astor shod feet on the corner of her desk. Maddie fumed. “As I mentioned earlier, this is now my office. You will relocate to a cubicle of your choosing.”
Maddie was reeling. A cubicle! Had he lost his mind? She had worked hard to earn her office and she wasn’t about to give it up to the likes of him.
“I think not. This is my office and I will keep it,” Maddie snapped.
“You’ve already lost it, Madison. Your personal items are there in the box by the door,” he said casually.
Maddie spun around to see a white office box setting on the floor by the door. She had not noticed it when she entered the room. She could see the tops of picture frames, her diploma and certificates, candles and artifacts sticking above the edge of the box. She whipped back to stare at him in fury.
“How dare you? You waltz in here to stake claim on whatever you want as if you own the place,” she stormed then realized her poor choice of words.
He smiled snidely.
“I do own the place and I shall do as I please,” he said smugly. “My actions may come as an initial shock to you but I hope that you will be able to submerge your ego and adjust to this and the modifications that are coming. I would hate to lose someone of your considerable skill and talent.”
Maddie heard the thinly veiled ultimatum. It had been nicely delivered but the meaning was clear. Either she accepts his dictatorship or she would lose her job. Some choice. Well, she wouldn’t walk away from everything that she had gained because she couldn’t stand him. She would tolerate him until she could do without him. She would achieve her goal despite him….and maybe to spite him as well. Maddie did not respond to his callous threat. She simply turned to cross to the box and picked it up. She managed to open the door and exit the room without a single glance in his direction.
Whit stood up and watched her located an empty cubicle across the room by the windows. He noticed the sun pouring through the window and knew she would be often hot. He made a mental note to have the windows coated to deflect the sun’s heat and bump up the air conditioning. He felt a twinge of regret for the embarrassment he had caused her. It wasn’t his intent to be mean. But he’d needed to set the ground rules and establish himself in the office; and she held the best office in the suite. So naturally it would be his. Changing her office left little doubt as to who was the real boss. He breathed a sigh of relief as he moved to stare out of the window in his newly commandeered office. He wasn’t sure what he would have done had she entered the elevator instead of the cubicle. He wanted her here, at the office where he could see and talk to her. He’d wanted to get to know her from the first moment he saw her. He had seen her at his best friend, Julian McClain’s wedding. Jules had said who she was and he’d been inexplicably drawn to her, even before speaking to her. And when they did speak their conversation had morphed into a delightful sparring match. She was sharp, quick-witted, opinionated and forthright. She was as bold and fiery as her red hair; and she was stunningly beautiful. He wanted to know her better and he had to have her. It was a simple fact. He was attracted to her beyond reason and he ached to hold her in his arms. He imagined her wild and untamed in his bed; meeting his every thrust with uninhibited enthusiasm. He longed to taste every inch of her; from her head to her toes. His cock reacted to his thoughts and he clutched his penis as it hardened and pulsated. It wasn’t often that the mere thought of a woman could make him stand at attention. But Maddie was different. There was something about her that drew him to her. He was being pulled as if by a magnet. He couldn’t stop the visions of him plunging into her. He knew that he needed to bed her soon or he would explode from pent up desire.