Attraction (Love & War, Part I) (5 page)

She raised her
eyebrows at his loaded reply.

“
Really, so tell me, how long have you been his aide?” she
inquired.

“
Six years.”

“
That's quite a long time. You must know him very well by
now.”

“
Yep. There's not much about Ashton Gates that I don't
know.”

“
So you're friends?” she wondered out loud.

“
We spend a helluva lot of time with each other. I'm his life
organiser, his bodyguard, driver, golf partner... you name it...
good buddy fits in there somewhere.”

“
Mr Gates needs a bodyguard, does he?”

“
Well someone has to fight the hordes of women off...” he
laughed.

That laugh was
so sexy...

“
Oh ha ha...”

“
Seriously though, yeah, he does need guarding. He's a prime
target. God knows who's lurking out there waiting for their chance.
Kidnappers, unscrupulous competitors, scandalmongers, complete
crazies, unpleasant ex girlfriend types. I watch his back and keep
him well covered, from all angles so he can get on with his empire
building.”

“
I see. Armed and dangerous are you, Adrian?” she
quipped.

“
Completely deadly, loaded and ready to shoot,” he replied,
very slowly, holding her gaze for a few heated seconds in the
mirror.

Her stomach
flipped with excitement. He was getting sexier by the minute.

“
Remind me not to mess with you,” she joked with a
giggle.

“
You never know, you might enjoy messing with me.” The blue
eyes flared, very suggestively.

So we're
flirting openly, are we?

“
Oh I would, would I?”

“
The kind of things I've got in mind, yeah.” His voice was low
and accompanied by a downright dirty chuckle.

“
Adrian, down boy! Honestly.” she giggled.

“
Say it like you feel it, that's my motto. And I'm feeling
it.”

She had to be
honest and admit it to herself. She had already imagined messing
with him. A rush of heat swamped her as she thought about it again,
in very intimate and graphic detail. She sat quietly, looking out
of the window, trying to ignore the intense throbbing between her
legs.

“
So, you live in London, do you?” he asked, cooling the
flirting.

“
I'm from Exeter originally, but I live in Docklands now. It's
a one bedroom apartment in an old warehouse conversion.”

“
Sounds cool. And handy for work, I guess. So you use the
DLR?”

“
I do. The travelling's so easy and there's always something
going on in Docklands. I just love living and working in London.
What about you, where are you from?”

“
I'm from Essex, Epping,”

“
I guessed you were. It's the accent. So you're a true Essex
boy at heart.”

“
Very much so. But now I live in Mayfair, opposite the
boss.”

“
He likes to keep you close at hand, does he?” she said, very
interested in where the conversation was going.

“
Oh yeah, I'm always close by, I'm his eyes and ears and his
spare pair of hands.”

“
I'm sure you're
very
talented
and skilled with your hands,” she said in a tone which suggested
she was talking about far more than his job.

“
I like to think I'm on the ball, ready to handle any
situation which may arise.” His eyes crinkled up, he was obviously
smiling a damn big smile.

“
I'd love to see you rise to the occasion. I imagine you're
very impressive in action.” She looked at him from under her
eyelashes. She hoped it was a highly seductive look, she wasn't
that skilled in looks of this nature.

“
I have my moments. But what about you? I'm sure you have a
lot of skills, Nicole.”

“
I'm dead keen to show you some, if you're
interested.”

“
Well there's an offer I can't refuse.” He chuckled loudly and
winked at her in the mirror.

Jesus, and
holy mother!

She'd never
flirted like this before. Smutty innuendo wasn't her scene at all,
but she couldn't seem to stop herself responding to him in that
way. They had an instant attraction. Chemistry and something more.
Everything about him was a green light to go; his touch of Essex
rough and tough; the exceptionally smart appearance; his cool but
highly suggestive way of speaking; the way he was looking at her,
blatantly admiring her in the mirror; it all hit her spot dead
centre. He was completely sizzling hot. She already had her hand in
his fire and wanted to get thoroughly burnt, all over.

God alone knew
she needed something exciting in that area of her life. Sex with
Will had never been earth shattering, not ever. And she'd only ever
slept with two men. Daniel, a short relationship when she was
eighteen, and Will. She felt she had missed out on something in
life.

She so wanted to experience that heady, wild feeling she'd
heard and read about. Wanting someone so badly that it hurt. Being
out of control and on a thrilling ride of physical sensation.
Something a little dangerous and sinful. Or maybe even
very
dangerous and very sinful. So far,
she'd never felt that way.

As she gazed at the back of Adrian's handsome head, her hands
were mentally running all over it. She could just imagine how his
hair would feel, so silky and smooth over the hardness beneath it.
She wondered how his skin would taste and how he would smell as she
buried her face in his neck and other warm and intimate places. Her
imagination was running riot, full throttle, and her intimate
throbbing was reaching a wild thumping. Sleeping with Adrian might
be too hot an experience for her to handle, his close presence in
the car was overwhelming enough.

She took a few
deep breaths trying to calm herself, but not succeeding very well.
As she sat quietly in her seat, catching Adrian's eye from time to
time, she was getting more and more excited by him. Although she
could only see his eyes in the mirror, she knew he was smiling and
thinking bad thoughts as they crinkled up at the corners, very
sexily, almost all the time.

They drove
down Holborn, approaching the Strand, where his office was located.
She guessed they were nearly there. He came to a stop in front of a
small, old, ornate building and turned off the engine. She tried to
open the door but it was locked.

“
Wait there a moment please, Nicole, I'd like to see you out
of the car.” He pressed a button on the dashboard and the doors
unlocked. She waited while he got out and opened it for her,
offering his hand to assist her exit. Her hand slipped into his
warm and powerful grip, and she was wrenched up and out, with a
very strong arm action.

As well as
being hotter than a freshly cooked cake, stronger than an ox, and
full of Essex cheek, he was sweet and gentlemanly. She really liked
what she'd seen of Adrian Quilter so far. She wanted to see some
more. As in a real hot fling, and pretty soon, kind of more.

He continued
to hold her hand, much to her delight, as she stood very close to
him on the pavement. His blue eyes shamelessly stared at her and a
hot little grin broke out on his handsome mouth. Her eyes started
to glaze over as his sublime but subtle scent wafted her way. He
couldn't be any more gorgeous, sexy or completely lickable.

Oh please God,
make him ask me out...please, please...

“
Doing anything tonight?” he asked.

She mentally
punched the sky, truly thankful for God's immediate response to her
prayer.

Hallellujah,
YES!

“
I've nothing planned, no,” she replied coolly.

“
Can I take you out for a drink?”

“
I'd like that. What time?”

It seemed her
real hot fling may be arriving quicker than she thought.

“
Will eight suit?”

“
That'll be fine.”

“
Can I have your number, we'll sort out the details later,
babe.” He handed her his phone to put her number in.

She tapped it
in and passed it back. He smiled to himself, flicking his eyes up
and down to hers as his finger tapped at the screen. Her phone
bleeped in her handbag and she took it out, for a quick look.

“
I wonder who this is?” She grinned at him, her stomach
contracting with pleasure as she read it.

- hey
beautiful ;)

She texted a
smiley wink back to him and smiled as his phone sounded with an
Eminem ringtone.

He couldn't
get any sexier.

“
You'd better go in. The boss doesn't like to be kept waiting.
I'll see you later, for the trip back. You have a good meeting
now.” He returned to the car, giving her a quick wave as he got
inside. She stood on the steps smiling to herself for a deliriously
happy moment.

She took a few
deep breaths, and a long sigh, recovering from the orgasmic Adrian
experience, she mounted the three steps, entering the hallowed
premises of Gateway Investment Group.

The old and
typically dirty-grey stone façade was a direct contrast to the
opulent, spotless interior which greeted her. A red and white
marble floor and crystal chandeliers set the expensive, classy
tone. The central black glossy reception desk had a large chrome
backdrop announcing the company logo GIG in large red letters.
Behind the desk sat a beautiful, very young, Indo-Asian man,
immaculately presented in a black suit, white shirt and tie. She
approached him, her heels clicking over the floor with a small
echo.

He smiled
widely, enhancing his beauty even more. It appeared Mr Gates had a
taste for employing good looking and very smart people in his
company.

“
Good afternoon ma'am,” he greeted her politely in perfect
English.

“
Hello, I'm Nicole Wright, I've an appointment with Mr Gates.”
she announced.

“
Take a seat and I'll let his P.A. know you're
here.”

He made a
quick call as she sat down to the side of the desk, looking around
her. She examined the large vase of very exotic flowers on the low
glass coffee table in front of her, then the modern art work on the
opposite wall, while lounging in comfort on the squashy red sofa.
It was a wonderful start to her assignment so far. The luxury car
ride with Mr Dreamy, the unexpected date, the beautiful reception
area. She couldn't wait to see the rest.

The elevator
door behind reception opened and a tall and glamorous black woman
wearing a fitted pink suit arrived at her side.

“
Ah hello there Miss Wright, I'm Yasmin Allen, Mr Gates PA,”
she said pleasantly in a cultured voice. She held her hand out to
Nicole in greeting. She rose and took it.

“
Pleased to meet you.”

“
This way please,” she turned and she followed her to the
elevator.

She was
extremely envious of Yasmin's long, straight and very glossy black
hair, which hung almost to her waist.

They stood in
the small elevator and Yasmin chatted to her pleasantly about the
terrible weather and her forthcoming holiday in Italy that she was
apparently getting desperate for.

They arrived
at the third floor and walked along the thick and very plush pale
blue-carpeted corridor to her office.

“
Take a seat for a moment. Can I get you something to drink,
for your meeting? I've just made a flask of coffee, but I can make
you tea or you can have water, if you prefer?”

“
Coffee will be fine, thanks.” she replied thankfully. She was
dying for a hot drink.

She pressed a
button on her desk phone as Nicole took a seat, as a deep male
voice replied with a simple.

“
Yes?”

Her stomach
was fluttering with nerves. She was getting impatient and excited
to finally meet Mr Gates. It was like opening 'that' Christmas
present. The one that had been lying wrapped underneath the tree
for the last week. She'd had a feel and she thought she knew what
was inside, but she'd not seen the outer details yet.

“
Miss Wright's here for you,”

“
Send her in straight away please, no phone calls.”

On his cue
Nicole quickly turned her phone to silent.

Yasmin rose
and she followed her lead. She opened the heavy, pale oak door to
allow her to enter.

She thanked
her and went inside his office.

He was already
midway across the room and fast approaching her.

Oh my
God...

Ashton
Gates... six foot three or four, well built, dressed in a blinding
white shirt and black tie, and dark grey pants. Immaculate wasn't
the word. She could hardly take in his face, for a moment. But when
she did, she was stunned.

Blissfully
handsome didn't come close.

Everything
about him, from the short, dark, sticky-up hair, down to the
unshaven jaw was prime masculine perfection. His piercing grey eyes
locked onto hers, assessing coolly. They flickered around her face
quickly in a well practised swoop. She couldn't stop her heart rate
going into overdrive at his checking her out, wanting to pass the
'screwable' test and to be appealing to him for some bizarre and no
doubt masochistic reason.

“
Miss Wright, I've been so looking forward to meeting you. And
what a pleasure it is. How are you?” His very proper accent was
pitch perfect, his slow delivery and sexy tone hit her deep south.
He held out his hand and she placed her small and delicate one in
his sizeable, cool and very pleasant grip. He squeezed it gently,
while shaking it slowly and tightening his grip further. Her senses
were breaking out in a sweat. At this point she was pretty sure
many women would be going into a dead faint with pleasure, their
hand erupting in a wild orgasm. But Nicole held herself in check.
It helped a great deal that she was armed and forewarned about him.
She recovered from the Gates ground zero blast pretty damn quickly.
She was proud of herself.