SASSY IN STILETTOS ARe version (31 page)

As soon as they walked into SDM, Ryan took one
look at her and froze, his face a mask of horror. “Micha, what the hell
happened?” He then shot Caleb an accusatory look as he rushed over to take her
purse and scarf.

“Nothing happened. I’m fine. I fell in the street
is all. Can you get me the art department and Mike from advertising? I want to
put the issue to bed. Then have Adam and the other segment producers bring the
equipment up here so I can see what’s been edited of the interview so far.”

She was all business giving Ryan clipped
instructions, which her assistant jotted down with efficiency, all the while
hanging her purse and scarf, getting her a glass of water, and a power bar, as
well as an aspirin. All placed on her desk before Micha could even sit down. Shit,
how the hell did he get an assistant like that?

As soon as Ryan hurried off to carry out her
demands, Micha turned to Caleb. “Look, you don’t have to shadow me anymore. You
said yourself that you don’t think it was my stalker, right? I have work to do,
and so do you. Annie needs you too. You can’t be in two places at once.”

He ground his teeth. He already had Annie at Alec’s
under around-the-clock watch. He had no doubt Sabine was looking for the girl.
“I know, but you can see how I’m worried. Right?”

Micha sighed and stalked over to him. She stood in
front of him, meeting him almost eye to eye, and he couldn’t help a quick kiss.
When she responded with a smile, he tried to pull her in for a deeper kiss, but
she put a hand on his chest.

“Caleb, I was meeting you for a quick lunch, remember?
I wanted to see you, but I still have a shit ton of work to do. We agreed that
I wouldn’t need the shadow this week. You have guys outside the office and
everyone checks my person, and my purse, and my car, and any food and water
that are brought in before I even touch it. I’m surprised you haven’t arranged
for a food tester. Are you hovering because of what I said?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Let’s be really clear. I
love you. I have for a long time now. Something threatens the woman I love, I’m
bound to hover.”

She sucked in a breath.  Then released it slowly.
“I get it. But before lunch you loved me and you were giving me some space. One
little scare, and now you’re all over me like oil on a Hawaiian Tropic girl. Nothing’s
changed, Caleb. I still need to be able to work. You still need to be able to
work. Neither one of us can do what we need to do with you hovering.”

Except everything had changed. He cracked his neck.
She did have a point. “I hear you. I don’t like it. But I hear you. I’ll give
you some breathing room. But you’re not to leave this building without me or
one of my guys that you recognize. I don’t want you driving yourself home.”

Micha rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll do exactly as
you ask, because I know you’re worried. Now, would you go? I’m distracted with
you here. The adrenaline is running through my body pretty steadily, and it’s
making me want to jump your bones in my office.”

He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her
hips into his.

She moaned. “What happened to letting me work?”

“That was before you mentioned sex.”

“Fiend.”

He grinned. “As soon as we get home, I’m going to
show you exactly how happy I am that you’re all right.”

She smirked. “I’m counting on it.”

Before he left her office, he added, “Oh, and
sweetheart, I’m sending that doctor. I don’t want to hear that you gave him any
shit.” When she opened her mouth to complain, he put up a hand. “It’ll make me
feel better.”

“Fine.”

“If you do give him shit, I’ll be inclined to
spank you later.”

There was a devilish gleam in her eyes. “Over my
dead body.”

“We’ll see about that.” Considering the hell they’d
just been through, he was in a pretty up mood until he hit the hallway outside
SDM and Tom met him with a grim expression. “Oh hell, what now?”

“Ran the plates like you asked. The Mustang was
reported stolen this morning.”

Shit
. He’d expected as
much, but he’d hoped for good news. “Were you guys able to grab one of the
shell casings?”

“The cops picked them before we could, but I have Esteban
hacking their systems.”

Caleb swore. “Make it clean. I don’t want anyone
knowing we were snooping around.”

“Esteban’s too good to let someone catch on.” Tom
rubbed his jaw. “There’s something else.”

“What’s up?” Caleb didn’t like the look in his eyes.

“No one knew your movements and Micha hadn’t left her
office all day, so she wasn’t followed. Your decision to meet her was kind of
impromptu. Do we have a problem?”

“Someone’s been listening to my conversations.” He
clenched and unclenched his fists.
Sabine
. “I need
you to sweep my place and Micha’s. She feels relatively safe at home. I want it
to stay that way.”

“Already done. Her place is clean, but yours wasn’t.”
Tom pulled out two small listening devices from his pocket. “The rest of the
guys are sweeping your office and car now. I need your phone.”

Caleb handed it over without complaint. He didn’t
need Tom or his men to tell him anymore. He knew what had happened today. Sabine
had tried to send him a message. If he didn’t turn Annie over, Sabine was going
to hurt Micha. He wouldn’t let that happen. He would find Sabine and kill her
if he had to.

Micha rubbed her eyes as she stared at her computer
monitor. Exhausted didn’t even begin to cover how she felt. Her desk phone rang
and she picked it up. “SDM, Micha Bennett.”

“What are you still doing at work?” Ricca ‘s voice
was all motherly worry.

“Ree, I swear, between you and Caleb, I’m
surprised I don’t have someone following me around henpecking me. I’m working. You
remember that place I go everyday where I wipe asses for a living, then they
give me money for it?”

Ricca gave a snort. “Wow, I did not know you did
fetish work. Does it pay well, because—”

“Hardy har. Don’t you have a boyfriend to go make
googley eyes at? Why are you harassing me?”

Ricca giggled. “I wanted to check on you. Beckett
saw Caleb earlier, and he mentioned what happened.”

Fantastic
. “Yeah, it
was scary, but honestly, I’m fine now. No big deal. Apparently someone has to
try to kill me at least twice a week for my life to be fulfilled.”

“That’s not funny, My.”

Micha rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry you were
worried. But honestly, I’m fine.”

“And working. It’s past seven. Doesn’t your man
feed you? I swear, he should start taking boyfriend lessons from my fiancé.”

Micha laughed. “Yes, I’ll tell him he needs
boyfriend lessons. We’ll see how well that goes over. He’s actually on his way
here, we’re going to grab dinner then he—” Micha’s brain had finally finished
processing what Ricca had said. She howled into the phone “Oh, my God, are you
fucking serious right now? I mean how can you not come in to tell me? I could
kill you, I need the full effect of the ring. Oh, my God, forget Caleb, dinner
tonight, Synthesis?”

Ricca laughed. “Well, it literally happened like
an hour ago.”

Micha frowned. “And what, you called me after
everyone else?” That stung.

“Don’t be daft. I had to give my fiancé the thank you,
I love you, sex of his life, then I called you. You were my first call. I
texted Jai that we need to have a Skype three-way tomorrow so she can schedule
us in on her honeymoon.”

Micha felt better then. She was family. “I can’t
believe this. Describe the ring, don’t leave anything out.”

“I’d rather show you, and I do need to make all
the calls tonight. Mom will be pissed if I don’t call her. My dad too. How
about breakfast at the Westhorpe tomorrow? Besides, you need to eat something
and get some rest, considering everything that happened. I’ll fill you in on
full details tomorrow.”

“Fine, but I expect acting out. I mean full
pantomime.”

“You got it, and My?”

“Yeah, Ree?”

“There’s no way I would have called anyone first. You
and Jaya are my family. You have to know that.”

Shit. Tears pricked her eyes. She would not cry. She
would not cry. She would not cry. “Yeah, I know. I love you too.”

“Now see, was that so hard to say? Why the fuck
can’t you say that to Caleb?”

Micha flushed. “I’m working up to it. We have a
few things to talk about tomorrow.”

Ricca squealed. “What? Young lady, you’ve been
withholding. I can’t believe you.”

Micha laughed. “Eight o’clock. Don’t be late.” Hanging
up with her friend, she grinned. Both her friends had found the men of their
dreams. Was it possible that she had found hers too? Could happily ever after
actually exist?

Ryan poked his head in. “Miss Bennett, Mr. Atkins
is here. Is everything all right? I heard the commotion.”

“Yeah, Ryan, everything is fine. Fantastic
actually. You know what? Why don’t you head home as soon as the final print
copy comes in from the art department? I don’t have to look at it tonight. I’ll
look at it first thing, so leave it on my desk and get out of here.”

Ryan beamed at her. “Great. Thanks! I had plans
tonight.”

“Oh, someone special?”

He grinned an impish grin, and Micha couldn’t help
but smile back. “I’m happy to hear that. Apparently love is in the air.” She
saw Caleb’s shadow before he appeared in her doorway. Looking good enough to
eat, he’d shed his usual suit for dark jeans and a tan pull over. Micha couldn’t
help her smile.

Ryan excused himself, leaving her with Caleb. She
grinned at her man.

“Something making you extra happy right now?” he
asked.

“Besides seeing you? Ricca called. Beckett
proposed.”

He grinned. “Ah, he finally pulled the trigger,
huh?”

She slapped him on the arm. “Wait, you knew?”

“Of course I knew. He’s been pestering me and Alec
for months over the perfect ring, the perfect proposal, and nervous about the
possibility of her saying no.”

“Ha, as if that would ever happen.”

“Tell me about it.” He pulled her in for a quick
kiss. “You ready to go?”

“Yep. I got a lot of work done, so I’m all yours
tonight.”

His eyes darkened. “You should know better than to
hand a starving man filet mignon. He’s only going to devour it.”

Clicking her remote, she turned the clear windows
to frosty. “I’m yours to devour.”

***

Micha would never get over how quickly Caleb could
light her on fire. With nothing more than a glance, her body softened for him,
readied for him.

“Come here, Micha.”

She knew better than to fight him by now. That
would only send him into super bossy mode. She followed his directions and
stepped between his body and her desk. “Yes, handsome, you beckoned?”

His lopsided smile was quick and fleeting. “You
actually followed a request the moment I gave it? I’m shocked.”

“As much as I enjoy bossy Caleb, I figured I’d
behave today.” She looped her arms around his neck. “I’m here. What exactly did
you have in mind?”

“A little something for you.”

“Oh, and what’s that?”

He skimmed his hands up the sides of her thighs
and lifted her skirt. Slowly, he hooked his fingers into her thong and tugged
it down. Micha couldn’t breathe. The look of pure concentration in his gaze
told her she was in for a hell of a ride. He slid her thong all the way down,
and she wobbled a little as she stepped out of them.

He backed her up against her desk. “Sit down
please.”

She did as he instructed and raised an eyebrow. “I’m
sitting. Now what?”

“Now widen your thighs.”

With liquid heat pooling in her core, Micha
squirmed but did as she was told.

Caleb’s voice was soft but commanding. “Wider, baby.”

When she widened her thighs, Caleb stepped between
them and kissed her, drugging her into acquiescence.

Micha moaned.

“Shh, it’s my present. You’ll have to be patient.”

When he kneeled between her thighs, she braced her
palms against her glass desk, displacing several items and not giving a damn
what fell on the floor. His first lick of her wet channel had her so close to
the edge she clamped her thighs together around his head. “Jesus, Caleb.”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“Are you trying to kill me?”

“Only as much as you’re trying to kill me.”

He lapped at her juices with long, flat strokes of
his tongue. When he circled her clit with the tip, she bit her lip. She had to
be careful, or she’d scream the place down and everyone would come calling to
see what the hell was the matter.

Micha lifted her hips in an effort to get closer
to him. To force him to make her come. He slid two fingers into her wet heat
and worked them in time with his tongue. With his lips, he hovered just over
her clit and blew on the sensitive bud before wrapping his lips around it and
suckling. While his fingers drove her wild, penetrating her flesh, his thumb
grazed the rosebud of her ass.

Micha went shock still with her heart hammering in
her chest. “Caleb?”

He lifted his head to meet her gaze. His moss
green eyes were so dark they were almost black. “I’m not going to do anything
to hurt you.”

He suckled her clit again and continued to stroke
the rosette of her ass as he sank two fingers into her.

When the tingling started in her toes, Micha had
no choice but to wrap her legs around him and let go. Complete surrender.

As her orgasm shook her, her mind spoke the words
she couldn’t give voice to.
I love you.

***

When Micha could finally breathe and walk again,
she let Caleb help her into her coat. “How’s Annie?”

“She’s fine for now.”

Micha listened quietly as Caleb filled her in on
the rest of his day.