Rise - Part One (Rise #1)(10)

"Do you know who he is, Tess?"

Judging by the playful lilt in his voice I instantly wonder if he's teasing me. I set myself up for it when I acted like an infatuated school girl back at the offices of Foster Enterprises. He's probably expecting me to tell him that the only chef I know is the guy who works the grill at the fast food place that's two doors down from my building.

I place my hand on my waist. "I know exactly who Tyler Monroe is. He's been the head chef at some of the most prestigious restaurants here and in Boston. He's opening a new restaurant with the owner of Axel, Hunter Reynolds, soon. My cousin's husband is an investor in that."

A ghost of a smile pulls at the corner of his mouth but it's gone in a flash. "Your cousin is Ivy Marlow? You two are related?"

I'm not surprised that he knows who Ivy is. Her custom designed jewelry pieces have been popping up on the necks, ears and wrists of celebrities for the past few years. She may not be a household name yet, but it's not uncommon for an article about her, and her success, to be featured in the financial news or the arts section of one of the country's major newspapers.

"Our fathers are brothers," I confess. "I'm very proud of her."

"I don't blame you." He studies my face. "She's incredibly talented. I've seen a few pictures of her. She's stunning. You have the same green eyes as her."

I don't feel anything but gratitude at the words. Ivy is one of the most beautiful women I've ever known. There is a slight family resemblance in our features but the similarity in our eyes is unmistakable. Her eyes are the same faint green that mine are. "She is stunning."

His brow furrows slightly. "You're even more gorgeous than she is."

The intention behind the words may be to pull a blush from me but that's not the reaction he gets. I want the compliment to be rooted in truth so I accept it as such with a gracious smile. "Thank you."

"I thought you were breathtaking when I first saw you on the airplane." His eyes scan my face. "I had trouble focusing for the rest of the flight."

That's flattering, but at the same time, it's hardly reassuring. I push past the instant anxiety I always feel when I think about flying. "I should apologize for what I said to Gabriel's mom."

"Gianna," he corrects me gently as he steps closer.

"Yes, Gianna," I repeat back. "I wasn't thinking clearly when I said those things."

"What things exactly?" he whispers the question just as his fingers leap to my chin.

Instinctively I know I should pull back. I should quiet my body's need with my rational mind and tell this incredibly handsome man that I need to get back to my office. Instead, I swallow hard and lick my lips before I literally pant a quick breath. "I said things about you."

His eyes drop to my mouth and his own tongue darts out to moisten his lips. "You told her you like my voice."

It's the tamest thing I said to her about him. I'd closed my eyes when he first spoke from the cockpit to the full capacity international flight. His voice was a calming force for me and when the plane had taxied down the runway towards take-off, I'd imagined a composed, confident, indestructible man at the helm of the aircraft.

"You have a nice voice." In my unabashed attempt not to stare at his lips I drop my gaze to his jaw which is covered in the soft stubble of his beard.

His index finger slowly glides over my bottom lip. "What do you like about it?"

I look up and we lock eyes. "It's deep. It's strong."

"What else did you say to Gianna?"

I almost moan aloud when his finger slowly glides from my lips down my chin before it slides slowly over the smooth, soft skin of my neck. "I said that I wanted to touch you."

I actually told her, in no uncertain terms, that if I was going to lose my sky high virginity that he'd be the one to take it. I may have been feeling a little tipsy during that conversation, but I was still cognizant of the words coming out of my mouth. I didn't want to be crude, but my body had been aching for his touch.

Any fleeting glance I may have caught of his face was lost in my panic over the turbulence that sent me into his arms when I exited the lavatory. My desire for him had been driven by the intoxicating smell of his cologne mixed with the sheer masculine strength in his touch when he'd grabbed hold of my arms. I'd sheepishly apologized for panicking and when he'd leaned down to assure me that he'd keep me safe, my body's response had been primal. I'd never felt that before and as I lowered myself back into seat 2B and watched him walk back into the cockpit, I wondered what it would feel like to be kissed and taken by a man like that.

"You wanted me that night." He gestures towards my body. "Tell me you still want me now."

"More now than I did then," I whisper, my lips hovering next to his.

His eyes close briefly as a faint smile flows across his mouth. "That's all I need to hear."

I lick my lips and before I have time to register what's happening, his hands slide up to my face. He cups my cheeks in his palms, tilts my head slightly to the left and slides his moist, soft lips over mine.





Chapter 8


He groans into my mouth as his hands glide from my face to my body. His kiss is experienced and gentle with just the right amount of tamed aggression. It pulls all of my desire to the surface in an instant.