Taking Chances (15 page)

Alex looked at Stu in pure wonderment. How the hell did he get so smart? he thought. “I hope you’re not charging me by the hour for this advice. How the hell do you know so much about this stuff anyway?”

“I’ve been through it all; at least it feels that way. My past is too long to tell you the details, but trust me; I’ve learned a thing or two. And speaking of learning some things, look at this.”
Stu turned his chair around and unlocked the bottom drawer on the file cabinet next to his desk. He pulled out a small red bag and sat it on his desk. “If you peep a word of this to anyone, even that girl of yours, I’ll cut your balls off. Is that clear?”

Alex shook his head in understanding and eyed the bag suspiciously. “What is it, a bomb?” he smirked.

“No smart-ass. I’m going to do it when we get back from this business trip. I’m having a cookout the Saturday we get back. I’ll do it then. I’ve wanted to do it forever; it’s just never been the right time.” He reached in the bag and pulled out a small white box. Stu opened it and handed it to Alex. A single silver band with a marquee cut diamond stone sat upright in the box. Two small rubies were mounted on each side of the diamond. It was beautiful and Alex could tell that Stu really put a lot of thought into picking it out since it wasn’t your average engagement ring.  He could already picture Roz sitting in a puddle of tears with Stu asking her to marry him.

“Wow, Stu, this is stunning. Congratulations,” he said as he walked over and gave him a hug.

Stu patted him on the back and moved away. “Oh, come on, stop that or you’ll get me all worked up again. I’m a man, damn it, I’m not supposed to get emotional over all this shit.”

Alex could see his eyes looked glassy and he just laughed. “All that talk is crap and you know it. You have every right to be emotional. It’s a pretty big deal. I’m really happy for you guys. It sure did take you long enough.”

“Don’t go congratulating me yet. She hasn’t said yes. Do you really think she’ll like it?”

“Are you kidding me? She is crazy about you Stu. She’s definitely going to say yes.”

He put the ring back in the bag and locked it back in the filing cabinet. “Remember, you breathe a word about this, you lose your manhood!”

“Yeah, yeah…I got it,” Alex said, laughing out loud.

Stu looked at the clock on the wall, “Alright, let’s get out of here. It’s six-thirty already. You go spend some time with your girl. Meet me at my place by five-thirty in the morning. We’re getting an early start.”

“You bet. See you in the morning,” Alex said as he walked outside.

Pulling out his phone, Alex sat in his car and sent Clair a text message. Are you off work yet? I’m leaving work now. I want to see you; it’s been almost three days.  I miss you. He waited for her response and hoped she wasn’t still at work. He’d wait all night if he had to. One way or the other he was going to see her before he left for Pittsburgh for two weeks.

His phone vibrated in his hand and he could see Clair’s name flash across the screen. When he opened his phone he read her message. Yes! PLEASE come take me away. I just got out of the shower so I’ll be ready by the time you get here. I’ve missed you.

Alex smiled wide at her response. He recalled the image of her in a towel from just a few days ago. She looked extremely sexy in that unrehearsed moment with her wet hair and skin. Now that he’d been able to feel her against him, he couldn’t wait to have her in his arms again. Alex felt like he might but bust with excitement. He’d never felt this giddy about someone, not even Mia could stir those feelings. Yep, I think I’m in love with this girl, but I think I’ll keep it to myself… for now.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Clair

Clair slipped on a pair of comfortable shorts and a white tee-shirt after her quick shower. She was trying to hurry since Alex was on his way and she knew meeting him at the door wearing only a towel again would not be a good idea. After what happened at the club the other night, Clair could only guess how quickly things could escalate. She couldn
’t help it. When he touched and kissed her with such conviction and passion, it made her melt. She lost all train of thought, and her body became putty in his hands, free to mold any way he chose. Tonight, she was going to keep herself under control. 

Checking out her reflection in the mirror, Clair applied a thin coat of fruity lip gloss before she sat down on the couch and
waited. She picked up her phone and read Alex’s last text message again. It had been nearly thirty minutes since he had sent it to her, and the longer she waited, the more nauseous she became. She couldn’t tell if it were from the excitement of seeing Alex again, after not seeing him in nearly four days, or the dread of knowing he’d be gone for two weeks. Probably a little of both, but either way, Clair wasn’t going to let it ruin her night. 

Pushing her phone into her pocket, she leaned her head against the couch and closed her eyes. She was exhausted from having worked so much in the past three days. Helping Roz work extra shifts prevented her from spending time with Alex, and the late shifts limited their phone conversations.

The phone in her pocket vibrated and Clair jumped awake. She pulled it out and saw Alex’s name on the screen.  “Hey. Where are you?” she asked, holding the phone to her ear.

“I’m right here. I’ve been standing outside your door for the last five minutes, knocking. Are you going to let me in?”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I fell asleep on the couch,” she said, walking to the door.

He smiled broadly, “You’re not sleepy are you? I won’t
stay long if you want to get some rest.”

Clair twisted her lips up, as if Alex had just said the dumbest thing possible. “What! Are you crazy?” She stepped closer, laying her palms on his chest. “I couldn’t be more awake right now.”

“You didn’t miss me that much did you?” Alex said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in the crook of it. When she inhaled his scent, she could smell a mixture of Ivory soap and aftershave on his skin. “You have no idea. I mean, you’ll probably think I sound crazy… it’s only been a few days, but it feels like I haven’t seen you in forever. I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything and you can just imagine how bad I was at the diner.” Clair looked down, embarrassed by her admission and hoping Alex didn’t think she was psycho. She turned from him to walk away, “Well anyway, I just really missed you.”

Alex held her hips with his hands and pulled her against him. “I guess that makes two crazy people then. I’ve been feeling the exact same way. Stu’s been teasing me since I can’t seem to pay attention.”

Clair tilted her head back, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Anything more and they would be making out in the doorway. Having
him so close with his hands on her hips, his thumbs slightly tucked into her waistband, overwhelmed her senses and she wanted more. “Let me just grab my purse.”

After arriving at Alex’s apartment, Clair left her shoes in the usual place by the front door. She carried the bag of Chinese food that Alex paid for and set it on the counter in the kitchen. He walked up beside her, resting his hand on her lower back, and dropped his keys on the counter.

“Go ahead and eat. I want to take a shower since I’ve been at work all day. Is that all right with you?”

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll just watch TV until you get out and we’ll eat together.” She picked up the food and placed the bag inside the microwave to keep it warm.

“Okay, I’ll only be a few minutes.” He kissed her on the cheek before he walked down the short hall to the bathroom.

Sitting on the couch, Clair pulled her feet under her. She hadn’t been to Alex’s apartment since the night she was attacked. With everything that had happened, she hadn’t gotten the chance to really check out the place.  Basic beige curtains hung over the windows with no artwork or pictures decorating the walls. In a corner sat a cabinet with an average-sized television on top. A matching beige couch and recliner occupied the center of the room with a coffee table between them. For someone who had done such a fantastic job designing Red Velvet, Clair found his apartment very basic.

She scanned over the magazine titles that lay spread out across the coffee table and picked up one. Flipping through the pages, she saw layout after layout of various homes. Turning through the dog-eared pages, she wondered what made the homes so special when nearly
every one looked the same. Certain rooms had been circled with a pen and some scribbling here and there stood out on several pages. Clair made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Wanting something to drink, she walked toward the kitchen and was blindsided when her chest slammed into Alex. The momentum caused Clair to lose her balance, but Alex pulled
her to him to keep her from falling, twisting her around so her back was against the wall.

Before Clair realized what happened, she was against him; his mouth inches from hers, his breath lightly brushing her face. The towel that hung around his waist rubbed against her legs. Her hands rested on his bare chest. It was firm and smooth beneath her palms. Droplets of water were sprinkled on his upper body, reflecting the light from the kitchen against his skin. His hair hung across his forehead. A drop of water formed a bead on the end of one strand, and slowly rolled down his forehead.

“Sorry about that. Are you all right?” he whispered.

Clair nodded as she watched another bead roll down his nose and drop to the edge of his bottom lip. His mouth was perfectly shaped, and she wanted to feel it against hers. Without thinking, she sucked the water from his bottom lip, pulling it into her mouth. Alex slid one of his hands down the back of her arm and to her waist. He braced himself with the other, against the wall protecting her head and wedging his leg between hers. When he pressed his body against her, a moan escaped his mouth but was cut short as Clair kissed him deeply. His fingers slid
under her blouse, raking them across her stomach and she gasped at the sensation. Goose bumps spread over her as if she was cold, but her body throbbed with heat when he touched her. She rubbed her hands down his chest, outlining the muscles of his stomach with her fingers. He pulled his mouth from hers, and slowly kissed his way to her ear.  Flicking her earlobe with his tongue, Clair could feel her breath accelerating.   She moved her hands down his sides before wrapping her fingers around his towel and pulling his hips closer to hers. His arousal pressed hard against her from beneath the towel and she smiled, satisfied that she caused such a reaction.

Alex brought his hand from the wall and weaved his fingers through her hair at the back of her head. He pulled away from mouth, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession. She looked down, disappointed that he had pulled away from her, but he lifted her chin to see her eyes and Clair saw the desire and longing etched on his face.

"Tell me to stop. Tell me to stop now, Clair, because I don’t want to. I want you. I want every inch of you under my hands, to feel your warm skin beneath me. But if you want to wait, I will. I don’t want to rush this.”

Clair’s breath caught in her throat. There was no denying what she wanted. She wanted him. The wet strands fell into his eyes and Clair brushed them away before running her hand through his hair. Alex watched her, waiting for an answer. She held his face between her hands and softly pressed her lips to his. Disappointment came over his features and Clair slid her hands down his face to his neck as she curled her fingers around his nape.

“You are leaving me for two weeks. Except for the last few days, we’ve spent most of our free time together. How come whenever things start to get good, something happens to ruin it?”

Alex looked at her, confused. “I know. I’m sorry; I didn’t know it was…”

“I can’t do it. I just can’t…”

Alex straightened, stepping back slightly. “It’s okay, I understand.”

Clair grabbed his arm and pulled him back to her. “I can’t wait. I can’t wait two whole weeks wondering how it would be, how you would feel. Make love to me right now, and don’t stop.”

The words barely left her mouth when Alex pushed her to the wall, lifting her off the floor. He kissed her hard and Clair responded by gripping the back of his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. He held her cheeks in both hands and deepened their kiss. One of his hands slid down her body, cupping her butt as Alex moved her away from the wall. Clair hardly noticed as she grasped the strands of his hair between her fingers.

The glow from the kitchen gave off enough light that they could see each other in his bedroom. Clair sat up on the bed and let Alex lift the tee-shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor. He threaded his fingers through the back of her hair, pulling her head back. He left a trail of kisses down her throat and across her collarbone. Clair felt weak, a bowl of mush from the overload of sensations coursing through her body.

Leaning her back against the pillows, Alex kissed further down her chest and she arched her back in response. Sliding his hand under her back, he unhooked her bra. As he looked into her eyes, he slid his fingers under the strap on her shoulders, and eased it down her arms. Clair pulled her arms free and he tossed
it on the floor, not once breaking eye contact with her. She watched as he lightly brushed a fingertip across her nipple. She shivered from the tingle that ran through her body and her chest heaved in anticipation while he studied her body.

“You’re stunning, Clair,” he said, his breath heavy.
“Absolutely beautiful.” 

Clair slid her hand up his arm and grabbed his biceps, pulling him to her. But he wouldn’t budge. Instead he grinned and bent forward to kiss her stomach, his lips feeling like fire on her skin. Cupping his hands over her breast, he brought his mouth to her nipple, sucking the tip of it. She raised her back again, wanting more, and wrapped one of her legs around his hip.

Finding her lips, Alex kissed her, his tongue plunging deep inside as his hand glided down the back of her thigh and up her shorts. His fingers lifted the seam of her panties, finding her bare bottom. He massaged it, molding the skin to fit just right in the palm of his hand. Alex moved his hand, tickling her stomach with his fingers until he pulled at her waistband, feeling for the button of her shorts.

As he undid them, he eased her shorts down her legs,
revealing her black panties. Clair sucked in a sharp breath as she felt him trace his fingers across the top them. He teased her like no one else and Clair felt like she might burst from all the sensations building up inside of her. 

She met his eyes as his hands wandered up her stomach, before stopping at the base of her neck. He reached up, brushing his thumb over her lips as he stared at her. His eyes showed more intimacy and love than his hand or body could have ever given her. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, as if changing his mind. Clair wondered briefly what he was going to say, but didn’t ask, not wanting to spoil the moment with idle conversation.

“Kiss me,” she said, lifting her mouth to meet his.

Alex lay on top of her, his skin warm and firm against hers. She moved her palms down the length of his back until she reached the towel around his waist. She grabbed the edge of it, and he lifted his hips, allowing her to pull it away. He settled his hips against her, her panties the only material separating his naked body from skin to skin contact. He pressed his hardness into her and Clair wrapped her hands around his lower back,
pushing his hips harder into her.

He breathed heavily into her ear, almost moaning when he said, “Your feel so good beneath me.”

Clair turned her head toward his neck, her lips finding his ear, and she licked the tip of his earlobe before drawing it into her mouth. Alex gasped for breath and gripped the sheets in his hands beside her head, rocking his hips harder against her. She tightened her legs around his hips to meet his push; the burning between her legs growing fiercer with every movement he made.

“That feels so… please don’t stop,” she choked out, her voice dry from her labored breathing.

He looked at her, his eyes serious and determined, full of need and desire. “Oh baby, I’m not even close to being done. I want to taste every single part of you.”

Without hesitation, Alex kissed a line of kisses down her body. The image alone of what he was about to do invoked a burning that seeped through every inch of her. Reaching her panties, he rolled them down her thighs, removing them from around her feet. He placed small kisses up her leg before he pushed them apart, running his tongue up the inside of her thigh.
When his mouth made contact with her center, his tongue swirled around the delicate skin, probing in and out of her as he tenderly tugged at the tender flesh with his lips. Clair gripped a handful of sheets on both sides of her, arching her hips for him to take more. She panted hard and fast, feeling as if she would hyperventilate. Her body trembled, intensified by every touch, every kiss. She looked back at him in awe, never having received such a level of passion before from anyone.