Mr. Big(25)

She pulled the door open with a bright smile for him and he smiled wide back at her just before his eyes swept over her quickly. She had dressed in snug fitting jeans and a form fitting dark red V-neck sweater that showed off her curves while offering just the barest of view of her cleavage. She had sprayed herself lightly with the hint of orange blossom fragrance and put a light gloss on her lips. She knew she looked good, but the flitting expression of appreciation she saw in his eyes told her that she had done it all just right.

Mia’s confidence was boosted and she reached for her jacket and the thick soft blanket that she was bringing for their picnic. “I’m ready when you are!” she told him with a wink, and he nodded, biting his lower lip for a moment before taking the blanket from her. She closed the door and they were off.

She had a chance to admire him as they walked to the elevator and he stepped before her to press the button to call the carriage. He was wearing jeans that fit him well also, and her lips formed a silent ‘O’ when she gazed at just how well they fit right in the back. His long sleeved polo shirt was snug across the back and she could see his strong shoulders clearly formed underneath the material. The sleeves of his shirt were pulled up to just beneath his elbows, revealing his muscular tanned arms and the soft dark hair on them. She found herself wondering about just how he looked without the shirt on, and she was a little startled when the elevator doors slid open and he stood back to let her get into the car first.

She smiled and stepped into it, seeing in the mirror on the back wall that his eyes moved over the back of her body as well and she stifled a little giggle and turned to face him. She knew that he didn’t realize that she had seen him looking at her, and she loved knowing that.

“So what are we going to do while we’re at the park?” she asked curiously, looking up at him through her thick dark eyelashes, giving him a coy smile.

He laughed a little. “You’ll see,” he said mysteriously.

She scoffed and laughed back at him. “You aren’t going to tell me?” she asked in surprise.

Alexander shook his head. “No… you’ll just have to wait.” He chuckled again and she shook her head at him in mirth.

“Fine. I can wait,” she said defiantly. “Why don’t you tell me about the updates at the office in the meantime? I’m curious to hear what’s happening there, and Liam hasn’t told me anything.”

He nodded. “I can do that.”

He began to tell her about the changes and there was enough for him to share and for her to ask about that they didn’t stop talking about it until they had reached Central Park and were walking toward the lake. He managed to make every aspect of the changes happening at the office and his work both with the changes and with his business sound fascinating to her simply because of his perspective, and she listened with rapt attention when she wasn’t peppering him with questions about it. The more she asked, the more he seemed to want to share, seeing her genuine interest in his endeavors, and even that made it more fascinating for her.

When they reached the lake, she looked around and sighed. “It’s so beautiful! Look at all of these blooming trees in so many colors.” She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet scents of blossoms that filled the air around them, and then exhaled, gazing around at all of the pastel petals on the trees that surrounded them. When her gaze came back to Alexander, she found that he was watching her, and the intensity of his eyes on her made her catch her breath for a moment.

“So, what are we doing at the lake?” she asked curiously. “Is this where we are going to picnic?” she perked up brightly.

His laugh was as lilting as the warm golden sun lambent on the waves and he nodded. “We can, if you like this spot, but we aren’t picnicking just yet.” He raised a teasing eyebrow at her and walked over to the boatman nearby them.

A short time later she was sitting opposite him in a row boat as he held the oars firmly in his hands and stretched his body back and forth, rowing them out into the water. She couldn’t help but see the hard, toned muscles in his arms and chest that the material of his shirt pulled tightly over as he moved, pushing and pulling the oars.

She tried to stay focused on their conversation, but with every movement she was distracted and the more she watched him, the warmer her body grew as she began to imagine those arms around her, that chest pressed against hers, and his strong hands caressing her body. She found her breath growing steadily shallower and she did her best to keep it even as she struggled to keep her eyes on his when he looked at her. More than once she realized that he had caught her gazing at his body, and biting at her lip. He didn’t say anything to her, but the smirk on his mouth let her know that he was holding back a bit of a laugh and a smile.