Page 11 of Alex (Men of Forbidden Temptation #4)

ELISE

I shower and change in record timing, or it could be that my mind was stuck on Alex the entire time.

He seemed so angry in his bedroom when I asked him if he was embarrassed to be seen with me. I was genuinely curious and didn’t expect him to take it the wrong way.

He’s hot, rich, and fun to be around, so he could have any woman he wants. Why did he pick me?

Was it because I was easy the first time and then he found out I lost my virginity to him, so he feels obligated to be with me?

I shake those questions out of my mind because I can’t be trapped in the never-ending circle of doubts and questions.

Grabbing a bottle of water from my refrigerator, I take two pain relievers and gulp down the rest of the bottle.

I grab my phone from my purse to listen to the voicemail and grab a banana to get some food on my stomach.

Mr. Strickland’s worried voice sounds through the phone.

“Hey, Elise, I’m calling because Peter left me a voicemail early this morning, letting me know that someone broke into the office, trashed the place, and then started a fire.”

He sighs before continuing.

“I’ve already called the other employees and told them not to come to the office on Monday and to be on standby for further news from me. I’m going to head there now to assess the damage, but I could probably use your help and organizational skills.”

He lets out a shaky breath before clearing his throat.

“Alright, well, I hope everything is okay with you, and I’m sure I’ll talk to you later today. Bye.”

Fuck.

He genuinely sounds worried about me. Earlier, hearing him talk to Alex, I thought he was pissed I didn’t answer his call, but this voicemail makes me believe he was worried all along.

I end the voicemail, throw my phone back into my purse, and slip on my sneakers. I put my ID in my yoga pants pocket at my thigh and lock up on my way out.

After slipping my key into my pocket, I run straight to the office. I feel like throwing up and I’m out of breath, but I make it in record time .

The outside of the office building looks exactly the same as it usually does, except Mr. Strickland’s car is parked where Alex’s was last night.

For there being a break in and a fire here last night, it’s pretty calm.

Mr. Strickland meets me at the front door, coming outside to talk. He looks me over and asks, “Is everything okay? Where were you?”

Not wanting to tell him I was in his son’s bed, I lie. “I went out for a run.”

I’m wearing running attire and I did run all the way here, so it’s not that far from the truth.

He gazes at me like he knows I’m lying, but he doesn’t probe further. “If you don’t mind, you can help Alex box up the files from my office and load them into my car. I’m going to call IT and see if they can move our computers.”

“Where are you taking the files and computers?”

And where are we going to work if we’re not coming here?

“My house. The three of us will work as a skeleton crew and I’ll work from my home office until the police complete the investigation and the repairs are done. Of course, this means I will probably have to host the acquisition meeting at home, but we can arrange a nice catered meal.”

“I’ll help however I can.” I say, knowing I really don’t have a choice in the matter.

He grins and nods. “I knew I could count on you.”

With our conversation over, I walk inside the building and gasp as my gaze wanders over the first floor. Caution tape blocks off most of the office, including several cubbies, the elevator, and the security room.

Paper, office supplies, and furniture are thrown around like a tornado flew through here, and the smell of fire penetrates the air.

It’s so much worse inside than I ever could have imagined.

Looking towards the back of the building, my thoughts shift to Peter. I wonder if he saw the intruder or the fire being started.

Did he fight them off?

Speaking of Peter, where is he?

I take the stairs two at a time up to the second floor, so Mr. Strickland doesn’t think I’m slacking. It’s bad enough I was the last one to show up here.

The police or firefighters must have carved a path to my desk and Mr. Strickland’s office because the tape is strung out, creating a walkway.

The intruders must not have come upstairs because everything is still in the same position it was in when I left the office yesterday evening.

Walking along the walkway, I head to Mr. Strickland’s office to help Alex pack up files.

It’s the typical CEO’s office with large windows, elegant furniture, and way too much space.

Alex is sitting in his dad’s chair, filling up another box of files. From the looks of it, he’s already almost done with the filing cabinet.

“Hey. ”

I feel awkward saying that one word, but I don’t know what else to say.

He stops packing up the files to look up at me. His eyes widen, like he’s surprised I came to the office today, and his smile almost makes me think he’s excited to see me.

My insides warm as I return his smile.

“Hey, Elise. I wasn’t sure if you were coming or not.”

“Your dad asked me to come help, so I came as soon as I could.”

He nods. “Well, I’m almost done with this filing cabinet. Are there any other files we need to pack up and bring?”

“Umm, probably the files I keep in my desk, but I can pack them up.”

Alex gets back to packing and I head over to the pile of empty boxes. I’m not ready for this conversation to be over.

“Hey, do you know where Peter is? I didn’t see him downstairs. I was going to check in with him and make sure he’s okay after the break in and stuff.”

“Peter quit.”

Those two words leave me more confused than ever before.

“HE WHAT?” I yell, trying to process what Alex had just said.

Why would Peter quit? He loved this job.

“Peter quit.” Alex repeats those two words with no emotion in his voice, but his jaw ticks with hidden anger.

“When? Why?”

“Dad showed up, and Peter told him to find a different security guy.”

I lean against the door frame, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Peter do that?”

Alex’s lips tighten into a thin line.

“What aren’t you saying? You look like you know more than you are letting on.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know anything, but I have my own assumptions.”

“About Peter?”

He nods. “I wouldn’t be telling this to other employees, but you’re special, and we have something going on. Plus, I know you and Peter are friends.”

My heart beats faster and my face flames as I imagine exactly what Alex and I have going on.

“Peter and I are more like acquaintances. We never hung out and only spoke when I worked late, which was quite often, but our conversations were never deep.”

I’m not sure why I’m confessing all of this to Alex, but his face seems to light up.

“So, what is it you think happened last night?”

Alex glances around to make sure he can’t be overheard. “I can’t say for sure, but based on the daggers he shot me the entire time you were fixing the alarm, he doesn’t like me, and he wants you for himself. ”

I gasp for air, feeling like my lungs were deflated in a split second. There’s no way Peter did this. Sure, there might be some truth in Alex’s statement that Peter would date me, but to orchestrate this?

The break in, the destruction, and the fire. He wouldn’t do this. He couldn’t do this.

Alex walks over to me and places his hand under my chin.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. Nothing like this has ever happened, and then, after last night-” he shakes his head, “well, it raised a few flags.”

This just doesn’t make any sense.

“You think Peter did this based on a few dirty looks he was giving you last night because we were standing close together?”

“I don’t know. It was just a thought I had.”

His gaze drops to my lips before returning to my eyes. “Plus, he saw us outside before we left.”

The kisses and the touches come to the forefront of my mind. I thought we were alone.

Oh. My. God. We were making out heavily and touching one another. And I’m pretty sure there was dirty talk.

My face flames with realization, embarrassment, and a hint of arousal.

Alex leans closer to me, our lips almost brush against one another when he says, “You’re thinking about it aren’t you?”

His voice is deep and husky as he continues. “You were so hot last night. The way your body reacted to my every touch. The way you moaned and arched your back when you wanted more.”

His words send pleasure straight to my core, and I whimper with need.

“Alex.” My whisper dies on his lips as they collide into mine.

I give into the desire swirling between us and let his tongue delve into my mouth. It feels sinful, kissing him in his dad’s office.

Sinful, but delicious.

After several moments, I break off the kiss. “Alex, we can’t. Not here. Not right now.”

My aching core protests as I push him away.

With one last quick kiss, he turns around and heads back to his partially packed box. Reaching into Mr. Strickland’s filing cabinet, he packs up the last remaining files before putting the lid on the box.

His muscles ripple as he stacks several boxes on top of one another and carries the boxes downstairs while I ogle him unashamedly.

Once he’s out of sight, I regain my senses and grab an empty box to pack up the files in my desk.

Alex makes two trips, carrying all the boxes in the time it takes me to pack up my desk. He lifts my box like it’s as light as a feather and jogs down the stairs with me in tow.

He places the box in the backseat with the others before closing the door.

Mr. Strickland nods to Alex before turning toward me and saying, “560 Ocean Boulevard is my address. That’s where you can meet us. Alex can show you around while I get these boxes inside.”

Alex cuts in. “Dad, I’ll help you carry the boxes inside, so it will go quicker.”

“Alright.”

The two of them turn their attention back to me.

“I don’t have a car.” I blurt out, surprising both Mr. Strickland and Alex.

Mr. Strickland raises an eyebrow in a questioning manner. “How do you usually get to work, Elise?”

Are we really talking about how I get to and from work every day? “Um, I walk.”

His brows furrow as his gaze narrows in on me. “Even when you work late?”

I nod slightly, feeling ashamed and embarrassed that I still walk to work at twenty-three. “I don’t have any other options right now.”

If I had extra money for a down payment for a car or the extra income every month to afford one, then I’d have one, but until then, I have to go by foot.

For a second, he looks surprised and in disbelief that I walk to work every day. He would probably blow a fuse if he knew it was a mile each way.

“Alex can drive you today, and going forward, he can pick you up in the mornings and drive you home in the evenings. I don’t want my best employee having to walk all the way to my house. It’s far and would be a waste of time.”

Alex doesn’t seem to have a problem with his dad’s demands to be my personal chauffeur, and I’m not going to complain, since it will give me more time alone with Alex.

“Thank you.” I say, while still looking at Alex.

Mr. Strickland gets in his car and drives off. I follow Alex to his car, which is parked in the furthest row from the building.

“Why did you park so far away?”

He glances back at the building. “There wasn’t anything closer because the police cars, fire truck, and insurance agents we parked right up front. Not to mention Dad was parked up close.”

That makes sense. Reports and claims need to be made so repairs can happen.

I wonder if Mr. Strickland knows who did it. What’s going to happen if it was Peter?

Alex unlocks his car doors and we slip inside before settling in. “I love how the leather seats cushion me like a cloud.”

I always thought expensive luxury cars were a waste of money, but after being in Alex’s sports car several times now, I think you get what you pay for.

Alex glances over at me on the drive to his house before turning his gaze back on the road.

I stare at the profile of his face as I rub my finger along my bottom lip, remembering how he tugged on it and kissed me until my lips were swollen last night. Not to mention the impromptu kiss in Mr. Strickland’s office.

Arousal pools deep in my belly as I remember the way his tongue tormented my clit, bringing me more pleasure than imaginable.

“What are you thinking?” His eyes are locked onto my lips as if he’s remembering too.

Not wanting to confess to my thoughts, I say, “Nothing.”

“Bullshit. I know you were thinking about something good.”

How does he know? “What was I thinking about then?”

A smirk forms on his face, making him look sexier than ever.

“I don’t know, but I do know it was good because you moaned.”

If things go as I hope, I’ll be moaning a lot more.