Chapter 23: Chapter 23
He hovered over her desk waiting for her to arrive. She wasn't late. Office hours started at eight in the morning and it was 7:20. Any other day, Duke Copeland would be in his office, going over that day's schedule or coming up with new ideas on how to manage his clients. But today he couldn't bring himself to concentrate on anything. He'd tossed and turned all night long. When it was apparent he wasn't going to fall asleep, he got up and poured himself a glass of whiskey then started pondering about how he was going to apologize to Miss Rutherford.
Christ. When had he become such an idiot? The moment she'd walked in his office he'd taken one look at her and decided she was trouble. Mr. Lachlan had called to ask if he could hire her and anyone who knew Vincent Lachlan knew that it was beneficial to have him owe you a favor. Hiring Miss Barret meant Mr. Lachlan owed him one. So why hadn't he stopped to ask himself who Miss Barret was and why it was important for Mr. Lachlan to get her a job? He knew who she was. With the Rutherford name alone, she was powerful. But with the Harringtons and Lachlans as her friends, she was exactly who they called her. A Princess. And he'd made her clean the bathrooms.
"What is wrong with you Copeland?" he berated himself.
He wasn't a mean person in nature. He'd grown up in a middle-class family. His parents had given him what he needed and the rest, he had worked for, like every other person out there. They went to church every Sunday although he'd stopped going when he got to college. That didn't mean he was a bad person. Then why had he treated Miss Barret so poorly? He knew the employees thought he was a pain in the ass but he had to be strict in order to maintain a professional relationship with them. He had to admit though, that he'd taken it a little bit too far with Miss Barret. And from what Ray had said, she was going to want revenge. Unless he begged for her forgiveness.
Duke checked his watch for the umpteenth time. Only ten minutes had passed. Growling in frustration, he went into his office. If he didn't keep busy, he was going to lose his mind. Turning his laptop on, he got to work but kept an eye out for her. Half an hour later he heard as the other employees started arriving. Chairs were scrapped back, chatter picked up as the office came to life. He knew the second she arrived because everything came to a standstill. Only one sound could be heard. Heels clicking on the marble floors. He listened as they came closer and when they stopped, he imagined her dropping her bag at her desk. The knock on his door startled him, even though he'd been expecting it. Clearing his throat he said "Come in"
"Good morning Mr. Copeland"
His breath caught in his throat. Gone were the glasses and baggy clothes she had been wearing. In front of him was a curvy blonde dressed in a brown figure-hugging sheath dress and red heels. Her hair which was unbound today fell down her back in thick waves and her makeup was minimal. Professional. In one word she looked ravishing. All of a sudden, he realized why he'd acted the way he did. He liked her. The second he'd seen her, something in him had recognized the beauty behind that disguise. And he'd tried to deny how he felt by being an asshole. Way to go Copeland. Get a girl to like you by acting like a jerk.
"Good morning Miss Barret or should I call you Miss Rutherford now?" he asked injecting a bit of humor to his voice so she'd know he was joking.
"Whatever, I don't care. Is there something you want me to do this morning?"
Okay. How to do this? "First I want to apologize for being...."
"An asshole? Jerk? Moron? Imbecile?" she finished for him, crossing her arms over her stomach. The action pushed her breasts up, and he couldn't help but drop his gaze to them...
He swallowed "Yes. All that. Is there a way you can forgive me and start over?"
"Is there?" she shrugged "I don't know. I'll let you know when I find it. If you have no instructions, I'll go make your precious morning coffee"
He should have stopped her and told her she didn't have to. Her duties didn't include feeding him. But he was so busy staring at her ass that when she disappeared out of his view, he snapped back to reality. That wasn't how he'd practiced apologizing all night. He was supposed to beg for forgiveness and plead with her if necessary but all he'd done was sit there and imagine how it would feel to bend her over his desk. It was official. He'd lost his mind. And if he wanted to keep his company, he'd better follow her and tell her that she didn't need to make him coffee. Pushing his chair back, he stood up.
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As the elevators slid open, Ray saw Alexis head to the kitchen. Apparently, she was done wearing her disguise. Honestly, he liked whatever she had on but today she'd knocked it out of the park. Her attire was official but sexy as fuck. Hurrying after her, he thought that this was his chance to get her alone. She still hadn't talked to him. He'd tried but she had shut him out, telling him to leave her alone. If he didn't talk to her and clear things between them soon, she would start rethinking her decision about them. He'd come too far to let her doubt him. Making sure there was no one else in the kitchen, he closed the door. With her back was to him, she didn't notice him approach her until it was too late. He caged her in, placing his hands on the sink, beside her hips, as she turned around.
"Hi, beautiful," he said bending to breathe in her scent. God, she smelled heavenly. He could bury his head in the crook of her neck and stay there all day.
"Ray....."
"I swear I didn't know Princess. You have to believe me"
"How do you expect to do that when this is your company? Surely you had to know Jerkface had hired me. Or that Vince had sent me here"
"I agree that I should have known. But I was busy the week you started here. Your mother...." he stopped realizing that he was about to tell her he'd helped her mother decorate her house.
"What about my mother?"
"Nothing. I just mean that she can tell you how innocent I am."
She tried to push him away but he wasn't going to move until she listened to him. And since talking was a waste of time when he used other means to persuade her. "No. I don't believe you. H... How.... W.... What... " Ray smiled to himself. His mouth was on her neck, nipping lightly while his tongue soothed away the pain. Whatever she was about to say was long forgotten as she craned her neck to give him better access.
"Do you believe me?" he rasped out trailing his lips on her jaw.
"I.... Uh..." he licked the seam of her lips. Her lip gloss tasted like strawberries.
"Alexis..."
"Y..... Yes" the second she said that his lips were on hers prying them open with his tongue while he ran his hands over her back. One tangled in her hair as the other one went around her waist pulling her into his body. She placed her hands on his shoulder like she was holding on and Ray hoped she was because he wasn't going to let her distance herself from him. The way her body trembled in his arms told him that he affected her as much as she did him. That was good. If he had to use her feelings against her so be it. He would use all the resource he had to make her fall in love him, trust him.
He tightened his hold as a wave of desire crushed through him. He wanted her, needed her like the air he breathed. He'd spent the whole day yesterday trying to think of ways to make her trust him again. After he'd kissed her and tasted her, he knew he couldn't stand by and wait for her to doubt him or decide he wasn't worth it and pick someone else. So he came in guns blazing, ready to use whatever weakness she had. And her neck had been the first thing one on his list. During the weekend, he'd noticed how her body seemed to slacken whenever he touched or went anywhere near her neck. From how ferociously she was kissing him back, his plan had worked.
He wedged his leg between hers, ready to tease her some more and leave her aroused and wanting all day when a throat cleared behind them. Alexis didn't hear it, or she would have stopped kissing him. So he ignored it. Whoever they were, Ray hoped they got the message and that they would leave. All too soon he forgot about the intruder as he felt Alexis trying to rub herself against his leg. Good. She was almost ready. Just one more rub and he let her go, stepping back.
"No" she whined leaning on the sink.
"I'm sorry, I got carried away" he wasn't really sorry but he had to make her think that he hadn't planned to seduce her.
"I.... I.... Ray" he watched her shift from foot to foot, in an attempt to alleviate the need he'd aroused in between her legs.
"I'm really sorry Alexis. I hope you believe me" spinning around, he left. He heard her curse him and gloated all the way to his office. Sooner or later she would go looking for him. If she didn't? Well, he would make her. By cornering her somewhere else and leaving her in need again. Until she begged him to make her come. He could already taste her on the tip of his tongue.
Alexis - 0
Ray - 1
Working with her was going to be a blast.
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Alexis fidgeted in her seat still burning up from Ray's ministrations. She suspected he'd done that on purpose, leave her on edge, so she wouldn't be able to think about anything else but him. And it was working. Every time he happened to pass by her desk, she perked up thinking he would stop to... to do what? She asked herself. What did she think he was going to do? Get her off in front of everyone? Not really. But he could invite her to his office where they would have privacy. Maybe he would pin her on the door, get on his knees and throw her legs over his shoulders or maybe he'd spread her on his table and..... She stood up, heading to the bathroom. This was starting to get unbearable.
Walking in, she pushed the door behind her not bothering to check if it clicked shut. Which is why she jumped, when she felt hands on her waist. "Hey Princess"
"Ray...."
"Yes, were you thinking about me?"
She scoffed "Why would I? And why are you here? This is the ladies room"
"Don't pretend you haven't thought about my tongue Fucking you" he whispered in her ear moving them to stand in front of the mirror. "I saw how you sat up straight every time I walked by you. How you kept shifting from one end of your chair to the other." he dropped his right hand on her thigh caressing it down to her knee then back up, cupping the triangle between her legs. He clothes were intact but she felt the touch all the way to her bones as if she was bare. "Do you want me to help you?"
"W.... With what?" she was thirsty. And hot. What happened to the air conditioner in the bathroom? She should tell him to get it fix.... She forgot about the air conditioner when she felt him inch her dress up. "Ray...."
"Yes, Princess. What do you want? Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you" his tongue swiped at her ear, licking the outer shell and she found herself leaning on him.
"Ray please..."
"Please what? Say it, Princess."
"Ray"
"Say it"
"Make me come"
"With pleasure. Now watch me" she stared at his reflection, their reflection in the mirror. Her skin was flushed, mouth parted slightly and her eyes were dilated. She looked needy, wanton. And Ray? He was like a predator who'd caught his prey and was ready to devour it. Her.
A moan bubbled up from her throat when she felt his finger swiped along her heat. He circled her clit with his thumb, while he plunged his forefinger and middle finger into her. Alexis moved her legs further apart throwing her head over his shoulder. "That's it, Princess. Come for me" Ray urged as his fingers continued building up the pressure in her stomach. "Come on Princess. We don't have all day" he said increasing the tempo. When he curled his fingers inside her, she let go, the climax hitting her so hard that he had to hold her up.
"Ray...." she sighed opening her eyes just in time to see him sucking his fingers. He licked them clean his eyes trained one hers in the mirror then smiled when he was done.
"You taste phenomenal sweetheart" then flipping her around, he kissed her. "See? When you want something, all you have to do is ask."
"How about I just take it?" she purred running her hand along his length. Did he think he was the only who could play this game? The pained expression on his face only served to confirm to her that she had some power over him too. He wasn't the only one who made her shiver. She could do that to him too. Unbuckling his belt, she flicked the button on his trousers open and wedged her hand inside. She brushed her hand over the hard member, marveling at his self-restraint. It had to hurt, being that way and not having a way to alleviate the need.
He hadn't allowed her to touch him when they'd been together. So how did he manage? It would be nice to think that he got himself off while thinking about her. Or maybe he had someone who did it for him. She hadn't stopped to think that maybe he had a girlfriend stashed somewhere. That thought made her withdraw her hand and take a step back.
"Alexis, what are you doing?" he asked reaching for her.
"Are you seeing someone?"
"What?"
"I asked if you're seeing someone. Do you have a girlfriend or someone who takes care of that?" she pointed to his groin. They both looked down at it and she swallowed when she saw the blunt head peeking out from behind his boxers.
"No Alexis. There is no one except you. Now please go back to what you were doing"
"Why? Tell me why I should do it when you tortured me all morning?"
"Please, Alexis,"
"Oh no. Let's see how you feel when you're the one left wanting" she turned around, washed her hands, ready to leave but the sight of his hand pumping himself stopped her. She watched hypnotized by his movements. Without meaning to, she dropped to her knees and pushed his pants down.
"Hey, you don't have to...." his words died on his throat as she took him into her mouth. He was impressive, long and thick and she couldn't help but compare him to Connor. They were nothing alike, she thought as she slid him further into her mouth. It didn't take much for him to finish. A massage on his balls had him emptying himself down her throat. He helped her up, righted his clothes then tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I love you," he said gruffly and then he was gone.
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Meanwhile, What do you think of Ray's bomb. Too soon? Do you think Alexis is going to run like she always does or say it back?