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“Okay. I’ll have the presentation ready by the time we meet up again, and I’m looking forward to getting to work.”
I didn’t know if I was relieved or disappointed by Lia’s unaffected disposition. She was ready to get to work. It should feel like a load off, but it left me uneasy.
We finished our tea, and I left her with a quick peck by the door. I had some loose ends to tie up at the site before heading back to the city. She would see me when I got back. She’d present her design, and I’d have my last chance to back out of working with her. And to back out of the little extra arrangement we had, as well.
I didn’t even want to back out her front door when it was time to leave. I was in trouble.
Chapter Twelve
Lia
As soon as the door closed behind Raph, I sat down to work until I had to leave for my mother’s. The impending visit came at the worst possible time. The timeline for Raph was short; I didn’t have the time to spare for my mother’s antics.
I fanned myself. That sex was hot as hell. If I put my mind to work, maybe I could avoid daydreaming about doing it again. There were no guarantees this wasn’t a one-off. I didn’t want to be a woman who was constantly thinking of her man. I was better than that.
Wait, not my man. He wasn’t my man. He was my boss. At least, he would be if he liked the plans I put together.
I booted up my desktop computer while I finished my second cup of tea. The walkthrough and deeper discussion with Raph definitely helped, but I still wanted to get up to NYC to see Experience for some firsthand inspiration. The tech needed to be top of the line, and the customer experience needed to be immersive. I could plan the variations best if I saw where Raph worked, where his expectations were born. Maybe he would be there since he said he needed to leave town.
Raphael Teresse was a gorgeous man, and my mind kept drifting away from work to his eyes. And that face. Instead of working, I indulged in reliving the afternoon on repeat. Exactly what I hoped I wouldn’t do. The way he held himself over me, the way his piercing eyes froze… I would have done anything he told me to. And the way he felt inside me. He filled and stretched me in a way so new, yet so familiar.
Fantasies about Mystery Guy didn’t come close to covering what the real thing had been like. The real man was better, hands down. Or hands up. Or hands all over me. Goosebumps sprang up on my arms, and I shivered and rubbed them.
I was really practically almost about to get back to work when I heard a key twisting in the front door. Shell. Right on time. I needed girl time stat.
“Hey, I’m home!” Shell called into the apartment a little louder than normal.
“It’s just me.” I poked my head around the corner from where I had the desktop computer set up.
“Just checking,” Shell grinned and walked over, tossing her purse and keys on the kitchen counter on her way.
“Visiting the site was great, by the way.”
“Yeah, yeah, the site. Tell me about the sight! Is he as beautiful naked as I’m imagining in my head right now?”
My face flushed scarlet. I wasn’t used to having these kinds of conversations. Really, I wasn’t used to having an answer to give. Lots of new things were happening, and all of them were wonderful. Not at all scary.
“Beautiful naked sums it right up, and so much more than I’d ever given him credit for.”
I hadn’t pictured Mystery Guy as the aggressor, only as the stereotypical cute guy next door. I thought of him as the kind of guy who would be tender, and everything would always go slow. Read hot-blooded man and real hot-blooded sex was new. It was so good, I was having a hard time distinguishing between this fresh memory and my fantasies. Well, except for the dull ache between my legs. That spoke volumes.
Shell sighed and smiled. “Even if you don’t give me all the gory details, the look on your face gives you away. I’ll get it out of you eventually.” Shell pulled her messy blonde curls up into a bun. “I have another date tonight. Let’s hope it’s better than yesterday.”
“Good luck. I hope he’s a true gent. I’m going to work out this weird energy with my project. And I have to visit Mom. The timing sucks, but she says she isn’t doing well. And it’s been a while.”
Shell whirled back around. A grimace marred her pretty face.
“Are you sure? This weekend? With everything else you have going on? Can’t she wait until your design is submitted, at least?”
I shook my head and shrugged, a frown tugging down the corners of my mouth. It really wasn’t an ideal scenario.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. Anything I can do?”
“Not really. Just wish me luck.”
“Good luck. And get her to give your car back this time. She can’t keep holding that over you.”
I groaned and eyed the ceiling. “I’ll see how she is.”
