Big Shot(47)
I’ll see you in a few hours, he texted back, then set his phone on his desk and scrubbed his hand down his face. Frustration and uncertainties wreaked havoc with his emotions, and he didn’t know how to deal with the feelings, because he’d never been in this situation with a woman before. He was f*cking inept and inadequate when it came to relationships, so did he really have anything to offer Natalie?
His cell phone buzzed, and he picked it up again, swiped it open, and read the message from Natalie.
I thought I’d get a head start on things and give you something to think about until I get there . . .
A photo popped up next, of pale pink silk-and-lace panties dangling from Natalie’s fingertips, and he groaned. Judging by the narrow piece of fabric and thin strings it was attached to, he immediately knew that she was wearing one of those tight skirts that drove him f*cking crazy. Hell, his dick was already half-hard just thinking about her walking around for the rest of the day without any underwear on.
He tapped out a quick reply with his thumbs. You’re going to pay for that.
Oh, I hope so. I definitely think a spanking is in order, don’t you?
He let out a strangled laugh as he sent a text back. Hell f*cking yeah. My palm is already itching to smack your ass until it’s nice and pink. God, he’d met his match, in ways he didn’t even know were possible. In the most unexpected person and in the most unexpected way.
Their conversation ended, and he immersed himself in work for the rest of the afternoon, which was easy to do since he had a dozen different things on his plate that he needed to get done. Emails. Previewing properties and listings and their online inventory. Signing contracts and documents and leases. Following up on phone calls that needed to be returned.
At ten after five, his secretary popped her head into his office to let him know she was leaving. Max stopped by a few minutes after that and asked if he wanted to go for a drink, which Wes declined, stating he had some things to get caught up on. For the next twenty minutes, Wes listened as the rest of the employees left the building, until everything went quiet.
The following thirty minutes as he waited for Natalie to arrive were the slowest of the day. He took off his suit coat and hung it up and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He completely cleared off the surface of his desk so there’d be nothing to get in the way of Wes f*cking her on it as he’d promised. But with every second that passed, his anticipation grew, as did that little ball of nerves in his stomach as he tried to figure out the best way to ask Natalie if she wanted to date him exclusively. Shockingly, the thought didn’t make him break out in a cold sweat. He wanted a chance to figure out what was between them beyond the bet that had put their attraction into motion.
Unless he was really and truly nothing more than her transition guy and she was ready to move on to someone more emotionally able to give of himself and provide what she needed?
Too many questions without any answers. Too many uncertainties that left him feeling restless and fearful that the one woman he truly wanted for more than just a f*ck buddy didn’t feel the same way.
For the first time in his adult life, he was standing in the shoes of all the women who’d wanted more from him over the years, while he’d ended things easily and walked away without any regrets. But now he was afraid that he’d be the one left in the dust and picking up the pieces of his . . . shattered heart. Fuck.
He squeezed his eyes shut and sent up a silent prayer. Please, Karma, don’t come back around and kick me in the balls for all my past insensitive behavior with women. I swear, Natalie is the only one who matters, and I don’t want to lose her.
The sound of the main door opening out in the reception area had Wes abruptly standing up behind his desk, his pulse racing with a tangle of nerves . . . until she came into view and everything in his orbit, in this office, calmed as if she belonged there. She walked in, his suits and shirts from the dry cleaners folded neatly over her arm in plastic bags, and hung the laundry on his coatrack just inside his office.
“Close and lock the door,” he ordered huskily. It didn’t matter that it was after hours and no one was around. He wasn’t taking any chances that someone might walk in on what was about to happen.
He’d thought they’d talk first, but the second he saw Natalie, he suddenly wanted her with a fierce hunger that clawed at his insides and made him want to do that stake-his-claim-and-possess-every-inch-of-her thing again that had ended in burning-hot, uncivilized sex. His dick was already throbbing for her, his lust rising, matching the thickening of his cock.
With a raised brow, she did as he asked, securing them inside the office, then started toward him, wearing a hip-skimming, ass-hugging skirt, a pretty button-up silk blouse, and heeled pumps. All professional and proper on the outside and a f*cking temptress on the inside.
He lifted his gaze to her beautiful face, taking in the blue eyes that were already dark with desire. He couldn’t read her expression, but right now, in this moment, it didn’t matter what was going on in her mind. She knew what she was walking into. She’d tempted the beast the moment she’d slipped her panties off and sent him a picture of her holding them.
By the time she came around to his side of the desk, his entire body was vibrating with the need to have her. It took supreme effort not to just push her back on his cleared-off desk and take her like a rutting animal—because that’s what she did to him. Made him feel wild and aggressive and so desperate to be inside of her he could barely think straight.