He dropped my hands and stepped into the crosswalk. His strides were long and purposeful and I wasn’t the only one watching him. William was a man that drew attention wherever he went. Especially among the ladies. If I refused him, another woman would gladly take my place. That bothered me more than I cared to admit.
The CEO of Palmroil, Mark Deston, insisted on taking us to dinner. Over steak and scotch, we laid out a detailed plan for minimizing the fallout on his company. An oil spill was never going to be acceptable, but if they followed our advice, they could reduce the public outcry and potential loss in revenue.
Mark was seated to my right and I carefully explained his legal obligations as well as additional steps he should take to protect the company. William was seated across from us, swirling a glass of scotch. Dan jumped in with his public relations strategy and I took the opportunity to sip my own scotch. It was rich and smooth, not unlike the man seated across from me.
The waitress came with new drinks and she leaned close to William, her ample breasts pushing against his shoulder. William stared straight ahead, his eyes on mine. I felt a familiar tightening inside me and I wanted to jump across the table and throw myself on him. I did the next best thing given the circumstances.
After taking a slow, deliberate sip of scotch, I licked my lips while slipping my foot from my red pumps. William’s pupils dilated as he anticipated what would happen next. Fortunately, the table was intimate and William’s legs were only inches away from my own. I found his leg, and hooked my foot under the hem of his pants. I slid the tender skin on the arch of my foot up his leg. I took another drink from my glass and again licked my lips, this time looking up at William through my lashes. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on his glass and he drew in a sharp breath.
“I’m not sure. What do you think, Connor?” Mark turned in our direction and I continued to rub my foot against his leg, inching it higher and higher.
“I think there’s no way you come out of this looking good. But if you listen to us, you can at least not look like a complete asshole,” William said through tight lips. I was impressed by his ability to multitask.
“That’s all we can ask for at this point.” Mark raised his glass. “To not looking like a complete asshole.”
We all tapped glasses and I finished my drink. “I apologize, Mark, but I’m not feeling very well. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll head back to the hotel.”
“Of course, Olivia. I hope you feel better.” Mark stood and shook my hand.
“I actually have some emails I need to answer. I’ll walk you back.” William slid smoothly from his seat. No one at the table but me suspected ulterior motives. “Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning, Mark.”
William waited until we had rounded the corner and had no way of being seen by anyone inside the restaurant before he pushed me up against the wall. “What you did back there was very bold.”
“It was.” I tilted my head up so that I was looking him in the eye and then I reached down and grabbed his crotch. “So is this.”
William actually growled and his mouthed closed over mine hungrily. I tasted the scotch on his lips and opened my mouth to allow him entrance. His tongue danced over mine, pulsing in a rhythm I knew all too well.
“Hotel,” I managed to say when we pulled away for air.
William winked and pinched my ass. “I love it when you take charge.”
“Then I’d say you are in for a spectacular night.”
The hotel was less than three blocks away, but the walk felt like an eternity to me. Since meeting William Connor, I found it impossible to be near him and not want to be even closer. He must have been feeling the same way because his long strides grew hurried and I struggled to keep up.
“Mine or yours?” William said when we got on the elevator.
“Mine. Your room is next to Dan’s.”
William’s slender finger punched the button for the fifth floor. That same finger had punched my very personal buttons on more than one occasion. With the elevator doors closed, I was free to act on my desires. I had William pinned to the wall in seconds. This time it was my tongue that led the assault but he was quick to fight back. Our kissing had never been this passionate.
I felt something vibrating against my upper thigh and it took a minute to register that it was William’s cell phone. The elevator doors opened on my floor, and he checked his phone while I led us down the hall.
“I need to get this,” he said. I unlocked the door and held it open for him.
“Connor.”
Very quietly, I shut the door behind us. William’s face was intense and focused. It was definitely a business call.