Hardpressed (2 page)

“We have a couple new programmers, but I’m sort of agonizing over finding a marketing director. No one has wowed me yet, but I need someone soon. I can’t wear that hat with all the other things I have going on.”

“Oh my God, I know the perfect person.” She clapped her hands together and then started rummaging through her purse.

“Yeah?”

“My friend Risa. She's been working for a marketing company for the past few summers. She graduated with us and is on the job hunt now. She’s crazy into fashion. You would love her.”

I raised my eyebrows. Not like I especially
loved
fashion. Sure I ran a fashion social network, but that was business. Obsessing over fashion was Alli’s gig, but since Alli was the one I was replacing, maybe this girl would be worth talking to.

“I’m trying to replace my business partner who moved to New York for work, so she’d have to be willing to take on a lot of responsibility for meager start-up pay. Not really everyone’s dream job.”

Liz shook her head, seeming undeterred. “Sounds perfect, actually. You should talk to her. I could be wrong about what she's looking for, but connecting with her couldn’t hurt. You never know.”

I shrugged. “All right, but I can’t make any promises, okay?”

“Absolutely. She’s a friend but we’re not super close so if it doesn’t work out, no hard feelings.”

“Okay, cool.”

I waited for her to send me the info on her phone, and I let my mind wander to everything I had to do before we set up shop upstairs.

“I’m really glad we reconnected, Erica.” Liz smiled sweetly, bringing me back to the moment.

“Me too.”

“I thought a lot about what you said when I was away.” Her expression changed, her features softening. “I should have been more understanding of the whole situation. I had nothing to compare it to, so I probably didn’t react the way I should have. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to help you through it, but I want to try to be a better friend to you now, if it’s not too late.” Her voice lowered when she spoke to me, even though the coffee shop was humming with other customers wrapped up in their own conversations.

“Of course not. Don’t worry about it.”

I waved away her apology and all the emotions it threatened to conjure. One of the reasons we’d grown distant to begin with was the constant reminder of the difficult time in my life that we had shared. I did want to give our friendship another chance, but I seriously hoped that didn’t mean reliving the past every time we met up.

“We’re talking ancient history, Liz. I’ve moved on and I’m not interested in dwelling on it. I have a million other things to think about right now.”

“Right.” She nodded. “I don’t know how you do it. I couldn’t imagine running a business. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“There’s definitely a learning curve, but you could say that about anything, I guess. How’s your job going?” She must have already started her position at one of the large investment firms in the city.

“Great, actually, except I’m in spreadsheet hell right now. But I’m learning a lot and trying to figure it all out. I think I like it. Plus, there are tons of hot guys who work at the firm. Major bonus.”

I laughed, remembering how boy crazy she had been when we’d shared a dorm room our freshmen year. In fact, her love of boys and parties might have been what had landed us off campus at a frat house one night. I shook my head, pushing thoughts of that terrible night with Mark out of my mind.

Now that I knew the identity of the man who’d raped me, I was even more determined not to let the experience rule me. I was stronger than the pain he had left me with, and I had come too far to lament the innocence he’d stolen.

“I’d love to come see the new office sometime,” she said.

“Sure, as soon as we get everything set up you should come by. On that note, I really better run. The furniture is being delivered tomorrow, and I’ve got a long night of cleaning ahead of me.”

“No worries. It was great seeing you.”

“You too.” I smiled and offered her a quick hug.

I hurried up to the second floor. I hadn’t seen the place since I’d made the decision to rent it. I was giddy to start making it our own, even if that meant getting a little dirty.

I stopped in front of the door. It was completely unrecognizable from the old door a few days ago. The wood had been painted a satin gray and the window was frosted, leaving a transparent silhouette of our company logo in the center. I turned the key in the shiny chrome handle and opened the door.

The original floors were now shiny and renewed from being refinished and lacquered. Ornate white trim lined the windows and the walls where they met the ceiling. A new ceiling fan and track lighting brought the space into the twenty-first century.

I grabbed my phone and called Fiona.

“Hey, Erica.”

“Do you have something you want to tell me?”

“What? Oh.”

“I thought we were past this.” I tried to keep my tone even, but when was she going to learn to keep Blake out of my business?

“Erica, he’s my big brother. What do you want me to do? He wanted to do something to help. You know how he is.”

Yes, I knew how he was and how impossible he made it to say no, especially when he had his sights set on something. I walked around the room admiring how the space had completely transformed since I’d last seen it. I couldn’t imagine anything better. All I could think to do was mentally map out furniture placement. Blake had done the rest. Damn it all.

“Well it looks amazing. It’s perfect.”

“I know. I sneaked a peek before giving you the keys. He did a great job. Just what I envisioned.” Her wariness at my reaction had clearly waned, her excitement shining through.

I sighed and tapped my foot. Damn it, I was excited too.

“All right, I’m still mad at you though,” I said, thoroughly unconvincing.

“I’ll buy you a drink sometime and you’ll forget all about it.”

“I usually need a few drinks to forget.”

She laughed. “Not going to argue with that. Well, enjoy the space. Congrats.”

“Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.”

I dropped my bag—heavy with cleaning supplies that were now unnecessary—to the floor. I sat cross-legged in the middle of the room, taking it all in. Every baby step we’d taken with the business these past few weeks had seemed overwhelming, and Blake never failed to take everything up a notch.

Just then the door opened, and Blake’s frame filled the doorway. His hands were full with a bottle of champagne, a blanket, and a brown paper bag. A knowing grin curved his lips.

“How's my favorite boss?”

“Can't complain,” I said flatly, looking up at his impressive frame towering over me.

He unfolded the blanket, sat down, and patted the spot next to him for me to join him there.

“What’s all this?”

“I was thinking we could have an office picnic to celebrate the new digs.”

He smirked and twisted the cork off the champagne, then poured the bubbly into two glasses he retrieved from the bag.

Our gazes locked. He was gauging my mood.

“You mad?”

“Maybe,” I lied. Luckily he’d done such an amazing job that I’d already forgiven him and his accomplice.

His eyebrows shot up as if he were waiting for me to react. I got a little lost in his eyes. His beautiful hazel irises under thick, long lashes were the centerpiece on a face that took my breath away with alarming regularity. The sharp lines of his jaw. His lightly tanned skin and full delicious lips that reminded me of the terrible, wonderful things they could do to me. I could stare at him for hours and never tire of the way he made me feel. Possessed and obsessed. I’d never felt so wanted or so enraptured by another human being. Blake was the whole gorgeous, maddening package, and I loved every inch of him.

I sighed, hoping I didn’t look as hopelessly in love as I felt. “I’m accepting your insanity.”

“Good girl.” He visibly relaxed and flashed me a smile.

Eager to be closer, I accepted his earlier invitation and shifted to join him on the blanket. I took the glass of champagne he handed to me and took a sip.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.” Despite his misgivings about the location, he seemed to have had some vision for the place after all.

“I hoped you would.”

“Why the change of heart?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You made no bones about hating this place when we looked at it.”

“Obviously I was going to want you closer. But this is what you wanted. You’re accepting my ‘insanity’ as you call it, and I’m accepting your obstinacy.”

I stared at him a moment. I couldn’t quite argue with his description of me. “Some might call that progress.”

He smiled in a way that made me believe no one had come this far with him before. We hadn’t talked about it, but Blake didn’t strike me as someone who made compromises often. Frankly, neither of us did, but somehow we were figuring it out. Remodeling the office was way over the top, but accepting my decision was a step in the right direction.

I sipped the chilled bubbly. Silence settled over the room. “You need to let me struggle a little bit, you know.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Do you hear yourself?”

“Yes, I do. And I know I won’t grow if I always have you butting in before I can face a challenge or make a mistake. I want those opportunities, otherwise I’ll just bumble along in this fantasy world where you make all my problems go away and I’ll never know what it’s really like to run a business.”

He exhaled loudly. “All right, then. How involved do you want me to be?”

“How about you let me ask for your help when I need it?”

He shook his head. “You’ll never do that.”

I rolled my eyes, but he was partially right. I was stubborn as hell and rarely reached out for help.

“Hey.” He caught my chin, turning me toward him. “I’m proud of you.”

“For what? Roping you in for four million dollars?”

He laughed. “If that was all part of your master plan, then yes, I’m extremely proud, because I never saw that coming.”

I smirked despite myself. I would have done just about anything to avoid taking his money, and he knew it.

“Seriously though, this is a big step. I want you to remember to enjoy the moment.”

And I did just that. Being with Blake made every moment just a little sweeter. A lot sweeter. He gave everything a kind of wonder that made me question how I’d ever survived the tedious existence I called life before he walked in and turned everything upside down.

“I am, thanks to you.” I leaned in closer and met his lips.

He cradled my face in his palm and traced his tongue along my lips, coaxing them open, dipping into my mouth with soft lashes of his tongue.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what’s in the bag?”

I pulled back a fraction, breathless and a little dazed on his taste and scent. Clean, rough, and masculine, uniquely Blake. He turned away and unpacked the contents of the brown bag. He set out a container of strawberries, whipped cream, and a small glass jar of gourmet chocolate sauce.

“What kind of picnic did you have in mind?”

He held up the glass jar. “They drizzle this amazing chocolate sauce on the lattes and confections downstairs. I guess it’s not for sale, but when I politely explained to them that I’d be licking it off your naked body to christen the new office, they finally obliged.”

I giggled and tried to imagine that unlikely conversation between him and Simone. He twisted the lid off and offered it to me. I dipped my finger in the chocolate and then into my mouth. The chocolate coated my tongue, the taste decadent and divine, the experience only heightened by the surety that Blake would be making good on his plans shortly.

“I thought you were opposed to office nooky,” I said.

“This is
your
office. Different rules.”

“Which I see you’re already making.” I dipped my finger through the chocolate sauce again, but before I could make it to my mouth, Blake pulled it swiftly into his and tongued my fingertip suggestively.

“Take your shirt off and lie down.”

I grinned and rose slowly to my knees, pulling my tank top off. “You’re bossy today.”

He pulled a black silk mask out of the bag and slipped it over my eyes. “It’s not a mood, baby. It’s who I am. You'd do well to remember that.”

His breath was warm against my collarbone. I held my breath in anticipation of his mouth on me but was surprised instead to feel his hand slide up my back. His fingers deftly unhooked my bra and I heard the garment land a few feet away. Bare-chested and chilled by the cool room, I was acutely aware of my present vulnerability.

“Lie down and don't make me repeat myself again.”

I released the breath I'd been holding, suddenly weakened by the command and the edge in his voice. Arguing with his simple but forceful request was a distant thought, quickly overwhelmed by the desire to have him take control of my body for as long as he saw fit.

I obeyed and lay down on my back, resting my palms on the textured fabric of the blanket, cool against the heat that prickled beneath my flesh. He unbuttoned my jeans and tugged them down my hips, stopping just short of my pubic bone.

He trailed hot open-mouthed kisses along my belly that had me breathless for more. I arched into his touch as he caressed the juts of my hipbones with his thumbs.

“I love this part of you,” he murmured. “One of many. Your body… Erica, you’re so fucking sexy.”

“Touch me.”

“I plan to, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Stop squirming.”

“You're torturing me,” I whimpered.

He laughed quietly. “Not nearly.”

With that he left me, creating an unwelcome distance between us. The room chilled again. Where was he and what was he doing? I shivered at the first drop of liquid sliding into my navel. He drizzled a trail up my chest, circling my nipples, each beading under the sensation.

“Do you like strawberries?”

I smiled at the hint. “Yes.”

“Good. I'm going to feed you one.”

The fresh aroma of strawberries mingled with the chocolate as he rested a piece of fruit on my lower lip. I opened my mouth, but Blake kept it just out of reach. I arched to grasp it until he finally let me sink my teeth into it. I chewed and swallowed, savoring the flavor and the new experience of combining my obsession with Blake with my love of food. Strange, but I couldn't argue with having too much of a good thing, or many good things, in this case.