“Come,” he ordered, as he walked away. Sarah wasn’t sure what to do. She hadn’t even started working for him yet and she was already unsure how to respond. “I said, come,” he demanded as he walked into his office.
Shaking her head, Sarah followed slowly, and what was it with the dog commands? As Sarah walked into his office, she took in the files strewn about the table and the partial bottle of vodka and empty glass. Reaching for another glass, Vitaly filled both glasses before turning toward her. Pushing one toward her, he lifted his glass and took a long swallow. When Sarah still hadn’t picked up the glass, he pointed to the glass, “Today is the anniversary of my sister’s death,” he said in a flat tone. “Drink.”
Reluctantly stepping forward, Sarah picked up the glass and sniffed at it. Her birthday was barely one week ago and that was the most she’d ever had to drink at one time.
Taking a sip, Sarah coughed as the vodka burned her throat. She admitted to herself that she much preferred mixed drinks. Taking another small sip, she managed to swallow the burning liquid without coughing. As she looked up, she caught Vitaly looking at her again. Raising her glass to him, she took a larger sip and started coughing harder as she felt the vodka burn her nose.
“You aren’t very good at drinking,” he told her as he drained his glass.
Sarah laughed as she set the glass down, “I’m new at this,” she told him.
“What else are you new at?” At Sarah’s blush, Vitaly could well-imagine where she went in her head and he immediately felt aroused at the idea of bending her over his desk.
Sarah had no idea how to answer the question and was growing increasingly uncomfortable as he continued to stare at her. She reached for the glass as a means to distract herself, but he stopped her. Taking her hand, he turned it over and looked at her palm. Lightly running his fingers over it, he made small circles along her wrist with his thumb as Sarah caught her breath. How could something so small feel so damn good, she wondered?
Looking up at Vitaly through her lowered lashes, she had to admit that he was unbelievably attractive. He wore his hair on the longish side and Sarah had the sudden compulsion to run her fingers through it to see how soft it was. He had a strong-looking face with heavy eyebrows, chocolate brown eyes and a straight nose. His lips were full and Sarah wondered what they would feel like to kiss them. She was startled when she felt him reach up and pull the band off her hair as her hair tumbled around her. She sat quietly as he lifted her hair off her face and laid it behind her.
Cupping the side of her face, she couldn’t resist pressing lightly against his palm. Her lips felt dry and she paused as she was licking them when she saw his eyes narrow. Sliding his hand around her neck, Sarah yelped as she found herself suddenly lying on top of him. Capturing her lips, he plundered her mouth when she gasped in surprise.
While she tasted of vodka, he could also taste strawberries. He groaned, lifting one of her legs over him as he deepened the kiss. Unsure what to do, Sarah held on as he kissed her. While she knew that she needed to put a stop to this, he was doing something to her insides that was making her head spin. At the sound of a throat clearing, they both looked up as Sarah blushed. Ivan, VIC Enterprises Chief of Security was leaning in the doorway with a wicked smile on his face.
As Sarah quickly sat up and straightened out her clothes, Ivan walked in. “I can’t tell if I’m too early or right on time,” he drawled as he walked over to the couches. “Either way, we did have a meeting this afternoon, correct?” he asked as he picked up the vodka bottle and moved it farther away.
Sarah scrambled off the couch and headed for the door. Her face was bright red and she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. It was silly of her to come upstairs and now she had no idea what to do. As she headed for the door, Vitaly called out, “Bright and early Monday morning, Sarah.”
Pausing, Sarah turned around, still unable to speak. She nodded her head before she left his office and made a beeline for the elevator. Once inside, she looked in the reflection and straightened out her clothes. She had lost her hairband when he pulled it off, so she finger combed her hair before the doors opened on the lobby. Exiting, she practically ran to her car before taking several shallow breaths until she calmed down. Flipping the mirror up on the visor, she stared into it. What on earth was she thinking?
That can never happen again, she vowed as she drove away.
Chapter 4
On Monday morning, Sarah walked into VIC Enterprises for her first day working with Vitaly. After Friday, she was nervous how to behave around him. As she waited for the elevator, she looked at herself in the mirror. She wouldn’t have any money until payday, so her clothes were a mix and match with borrowed items from her friends. Her skirt landed above the knee and moved with her as she walked giving her a breezy feel.