After the Storm (All I've Ever Needed)(4)

He tilted her head upwards and she was thankful that he couldn’t see the blood warming her cheeks. Because of her dark chocolate complexion few people realized how easily she blushed. She’d thought that she would grow out of the habit once she left her teens, but though she had attended assertiveness training and was no longer the painfully shy child she’d once been, she’d never been able to stop secretly blushing.

“Don’t be shy with me, cara.” His words made her feel even shyer because he was the first person in years to recognize that part of her since she had learned to mask it.

“I’m fine.” Shoring up all her inner reserves she forced herself to stare boldly back into his eyes, smile and pull his head down for a quick kiss—giving herself another minute to regain her equilibrium and become the cool, calm professional he knew her to be.

All too soon Stephano was pulling his lips away, regretfully it seemed, but pulling them away nevertheless and saying, “Sorry, cara, I have to go. I’m meeting friends from uni and I have to rush home and grab a shower before the limo comes to pick me up.”

“Shit, is that the time?” Glancing up at the office clock, she feigned surprise, pushed him out of the way and jumped off the desk. ‘Jumped’ was a slight exaggeration—she wriggled off the end of the desk gingerly, trying not to wince as the movement set off aching pains in parts of her body she’d been unaware of until the present moment. “I have to go too!”

She rushed to the ladies’ bathroom, wishing that he’d be gone when she returned but knew him well enough to know that he was too much of a gentleman to leave without saying goodbye. Delaying her exit would make him realize that her earlier performance: the checking of the time; the feigned surprise; the lie about needing to leave urgently and then the rush to the bathroom, were all one big act to cover the fact that she had hoped the night would have ended differently—in his bed or hers, replete from a sumptuous meal they had cooked together or ordered in and several glasses of wine, continuing the lovemaking they’d started earlier, but this time at a slower pace.

After checking her reflection back and front in the full length mirror to ensure no evidence remained of their encounter except her kiss-swollen lips and over-bright eyes, Natalie left the bathroom.

The office was empty and though it was exactly what she’d desperately wanted, embarrassment flooded her from head to toe.

Slam, bam! she thought angrily as she marched to her desk and grabbed her purse. He hadn’t even had the decency to at least say, Thank you, Ma’am!

“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.” Stephano’s voice startled her as she reached for her thick winter coat.

“No, I’ve just came back to the office myself,” she admitted, turning to face him with a smile of relief.

He held her coat open and she slid her arms quickly into the sleeves so she didn’t delay him further. As he reached for his, she noticed that he had fully repaired himself in the bathroom. He looked ready for a night on the town with the boys…or innocent enough to fool another woman into thinking all he’d done at the office today was work.

Natalie wondered a little resentfully if he had used the luxury handwash the agency supplied to wash away all traces of their earlier activity.

Quickly shrugging into his coat, Stephano took her into his arms and kissed her hungrily.

“Have a good weekend, cara.”

Weekend? It was only then that Natalie admitted to herself she’d hoped he’d suggest that they do something over the weekend. She hadn’t expected him to change the plans he’d made with his friends for the evening at the last minute, but surely he could find time for her no matter how busy his weekend was…unless he was spending it with another woman?

Quickly glancing around the office to ensure that all appliances had been switched off, Stephano indicated with his left hand that Natalie should precede him out of the office.

Head held high, she sashayed in front of him, deliberately moving her hips in a manner that overemphasized the slenderness of her waist in contrast to her hips.

This is what you could have been getting all night tonight! Her hips taunted. Your loss, buster!

As if he had received the message, Stephano groaned and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing himself against her.

“You have such a sexy bottom!”

Natalie smiled in triumph as she felt the imprint of his erection through their clothing.

Mission accomplished, she thought with a mean sense of satisfaction. I hope you’re thinking of me when you’re with someone else this weekend.

“I must go.” Slipping free she ran to the curb and hailed a conveniently-empty passing taxi.