Wicked Proposal Page 5

  I kept my mind on the task ahead as I hefted the suitcase into the taxi and climbed in after it. I'd have to trade my ticket in for an earlier flight at the airport. While I wasn't exactly a world traveler, heck- the last time I'd flown was for my cousin's wedding- I had heard of things like that being done.

  It took me a second to realize the cabbie, a very bored looking black lady whose face said with crystal clarity that she'd seen it all and wasn't impressed, was staring at me.

  "The airport please," I said, hoping there was only one airport in the area.

  There must have only been one because she started to pull out into traffic without a word.

  Just then a white-gloved hand slammed down on the yellow hood. The cabbie slammed on the breaks, so as not to hit the man attached to the hand. It took me a second to pull my heart from my throat and focus on the man. It was the doorman. What the hell?

  Before I had time to form a more complete thought, the door across the seat flew open. All I could do was blink at it with owl eyes before Jake slid into the seat next to me and closed the door behind him with an air of authority.

  "Proceed," was all he said to the driver who was back to looking unimpressed.

  "Jesus Christ, Jake!" I clutched my chest in an effort to still the out-of-control pounding of my heart.

  It was then I noticed his chest rising and falling rapidly. He had ran here. I tried to ignore that irritating emotion that flared again. Hope.

  "Just where do you think you are going?"

  He kept his face forward, but I knew he wasn't addressing the cabbie.

  "Hey guys. This ain't no episode of Jerry Springer. If you're not going anywhere, get outta my cab," said the irritated cabbie.

  Jake did look at me then. For once uncertainty shone plain in his eyes. It tore at my heart, but it wasn't what I needed to see.

  I took a deep breath and steeled myself to the regret in my heart. "I still need to go to the airport, please."

  The expression on her face told me she thought I was crazy, but I just met her expression with a smile. She turned back to the front with a shake of her head, muttering something about crazy out-of-towners as she sifted into traffic.

  I could feel Jake's gaze on me, as I sat as still as a statue in the park. We passed at least a half dozen intersections in silence before Jake finally spoke.

  "Why, Sophia?" he asked, his voice quiet but clear in the stillness of the cab.

  I couldn't bring myself to look at him and instead stared at the traffic ahead.

  "Couldn't you at least give us a chance?"

  His words tore at me and I laughed

  "A chance, Jake? A chance at what? I'm not interested in a fling with you."

  "Well, then what are you interested in?"

  "I don't know," My words turned thick and stuck in my throat though because I did know what I want. The problem was he didn't want that too.

  "Horse shit." he said, anger making his voice harsh.

  He had to understand. It wasn't as if he couldn't tell I was in love with him. I could feel it on my face myself.

  Tears burned my voice, turning it thin. "I just..."

  "What? Tell me. I'll do whatever it is. I just need you to stay." The hurt in his voice couldn't have been more apparent.

  "For the job?" I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice. I didn't want to be his meal-ticket.

  "Hell no," he sounded so angry at the thought, I felt embarrassed for even bringing it up.

  He ran his hand through his hair and looked away, "When I saw your note, it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest." He turned back to me and searched my face. "Look, I was stupid for thinking I could keep my feelings out of this. For kidding myself that I hadn't already fallen for you. I love you, Sophia."

  "What?" My hands shook as I pushed my hair back. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You can't mean that, Jake."

  "I do though. With all of my being."

  My mind attempted to take in all these new, impossible things he was saying. I could see it on his face though. It was as plain as the sun outside. Jake loved me. He really loved me. I sat in silence as I tried to process everything, but there were just too many emotions rushing to the surface. Joy, love, and above all, happiness swirled inside me.

  "Well?" he prodded, nervousness clear in that one word.

  "Well, what?" I asked, confused.

  "Do you love me?" he asked in laughing exasperation.

  "Of course, you silly man," My giddy laughter mixed with his as I slid across the seat and took his head between my hands. I guided his lips down to meet mine and kissed him. I reveled in the sensation of having his lips on mine again. Then he deepened the kiss with a dip of his tongue into my mouth and I growled like a starving lion. I climbed onto his lap and slanted my mouth against his to better explore his delectable mouth.

  "We're here." said the driver, gruff but not unkindly.

  I looked deep into Jake's eyes. I didn't think it was possible, but my heart expanded even more at the love that shone from them.

  "Would you mind taking us back to the hotel?" I asked her, not breaking eye contact with him.

  "It's your dime, not mine," she said, turning the taxi back into traffic with a humph. Despite her actions, I could hear the smile in her voice.

  He brushed his hand against my cheek in the most feather-light of touches. "You sure you're ok with this?"

  I put my hand over his. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

  "I love you," he said, cupping my face.

  I couldn't help smiling from ear to ear as I said, "I love you too."

  I did too. I meant it with every fiber of my being. I brought my lips back down to his, feeling downright lucky to be me. Then, with a mischievous smile against my lips, he grabbed my hips. And just like that, I wasn't thinking about anything else but his pelvis grinding against mine as our bodies pressed together.

  The End

  Thank you so much for reading Wicked Proposal. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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  "Goldilocks, what a nice surprise." Despite his words, his face said he wasn't at all surprised.

  That was fine with me. I wasn't here for games.

  I folded my arms across my chest. "You must think you're pretty cute."

  He shrugged, an up-to-no-good grin on his face. "If it's the truth, it's the truth."

  "Uh-huh, right." I crossed the room and came to stand next to him.

  He didn't get out of his chair, merely turned when I came around the desk and gave an amused raise of his eyebrow.

  I stopped, a mere foot away from him. At my nearness, the amused look had slowly been replaced by something darker. It pulled at me.

  “Yes?” His voice was like raw silk.

  I held the order out to him. He pulled it out of my hand and gave it a brief once-over before he returned his gaze back to me

  "What would you have me do with this?" He asked, not bothering to move from his position.

  "I want you to approve it."

  "I don't know…” He tapped the paper against his lips as his eyes lazily roamed over me. "You know, you never did answer my question."

  "What question?" I asked, pretending naivety.

  The smile was back on his lips. "You know what question."

  "Oh, you mean the last email you sent." I said in mock realization, like it hadn’t been the only thing on my mind from the moment I’d read it.

  He nodded, slowly. I could tell he was trying to feel me out. That was the beauty of email, after all. You could pretend it didn't mean what you had wrote if it didn't get the reception y
ou were hoping for.

  Since I wanted to get in his pants, I had no such qualms about telling him exactly what I felt. Anticipation stuck the words in my mouth like fresh candy.

  "In that case, yes. I would very much like that." The words came out in little more than a whisper.

  There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes this time and it caused a flash of lust to zip through me.

  "Well, that's very...good to know." He spoke in hushed tones as well, like we were afraid to break the moment. It was so fragile, like heated glass.

  His gaze flicked from the paper and back over to the monitor. Never turning his body from his position facing me, he reached over with his right hand and gave a couple key strokes. Then held the paper back out to me.

  "Done."

  I came closer to grab it. I clutched it tight in my hand but didn't move back. He didn't roll his chair back either but instead stood deliberately up after a few loaded seconds. He stood there, deliberately close enough but not moving. Even though he didn't move, the space between us seemed to shrink and the air crackled expectantly.

  I felt like I had to say something. "Thank you."

  He gave a quiet, throaty laugh. "You are welcome."

  He didn't move and neither did I. Now that I was actually in this position my stomach was doing back-flips in excitement. I wanted to touch him, run my hands over the well-defined chest I could tell laid underneath that crisp button-down. But for some reason fear froze my body. I had never done this before. What would he say? What would he think?

  Nervous, I chewed my lip. I saw his gaze sharpen with interest at the movement. That gave me an idea. Aware of his eyes following my every move, I let my lip go and slipped my tongue out to lick my lips with deliberate slowness. I got what I wanted as I saw the carefully controlled look slip from his face. With a low groan, he closed the space between us and raised his hands to cradle my head between them. He looked into my eyes, gauging my reaction as his lips closed on mine in a tentative kiss. I about melted as his lips moved over mine. Oh my god, yes. This was exactly what I wanted. Heat rushed through my body. Fast, desperate noises came from my throat as I opened my mouth to deepen the kiss. He followed my lead and opened his own mouth. Desire flooded through me, pooling low in my belly as my tongue connected with his own moist one. I curled my fingers around his tie and pulled him with me as I sank onto the desk. His weight rested on mine as my back pressed into the hard wood. I could feel my pencil skirt ride up my thighs as he stepped between them, his body pressing my legs wide.

  His lower half was pressed solidly against me as his lips slanted over mine. His cock strained against his pants, and with a small roll of his hips, he rubbed the length of it against the wetness soaking my underwear. The zings of pleasure shooting through me were so intense. I cried out against his lips, needing release.

  He chuckled against my lips as he nipped at them before lifting his head. “Shhh...”

  He placed his hands on both sides of my torso, his finger tips just below but not quite touching my breasts. With agonizing slowness, he ran them down the length of my body. When he reached my spread thighs, he grabbed them with a pained look and pulled me more fully against his hard cock.

  "You do realize you're going to kill me, right?"