“Hey, don’t be mad at me. I’m not the one who locked us in here,” she said, her chin inching higher. “Besides, those things were different.”
“Really? Were they?” He threw himself onto the lounge beside her, making her cushion bounce. He stretched his arms out across the back of the chair, as was his wont. Not touching her, just coming very close. His frown suddenly softened into something else entirely and the air left him on a sigh. The man was mercurial. She couldn’t keep up.
“Not those sorts of things, huh?” he asked. “Sound like hijinks to me.”
A hint of a smile from him and her guard dropped like her knickers that night at the party. God it was depressing. She could feel them dragging down around her ankles. Leaving her completely defenceless, damn it.
She did her best not to smile back at him. “No. They’re closer to shenanigans. And shenanigans are entirely different.”
“Are they now?” he asked, eyes amused. “How about that.”
She nodded, pretending not to notice when he shifted closer. As if she could ignore him. What a myth. She crossed her legs, leaning ever so slightly in the opposite direction, trying to keep a safe distance between them. And she kept right on leaning until she overbalanced and fell into the arm rest with a squeak. Because she had all the style, didn’t she?
Alex looked away too late, she’d already caught his grin.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she said, righting herself.
He nodded, still trying to cover the grin. “I am sorry about this. Duncan has a stupid sense of humor at times. I don’t think he was spanked enough as a child.”
“It’s not your fault.”
He gave her a smile and shrug combo.
“And at least you got the furniture moved.”
“True,” he said with a sigh. “I didn’t want it there reminding me of you. See, you’re the only woman I’ve been interested in, in a very long time. And it’s hard enough with you working in the restaurant. Didn’t need the reminder right in front of me in the office. I hope you don’t mind me being honest.”
“Not at all.” She flinched.
Alex rose to his feet and wandered over to the rows of dusty bottles. “My old man went through a stage of making his own liqueurs.” He leaned in, checking out the labels. Then he selected one. With a quick smile over his shoulder at her, he unscrewed the lid. “This is going to be potent.”
The bottle was tipped back, sending a rush of reddish-amber liquid down his throat. Her eyes watered in empathy.
Alex closed his lips and righted the bottle. “Wow. Damson gin, my grandmother’s recipe. Your turn.”
“What?” She inched back in her seat.
“You’re drinking with me this time, Vi.”
“Don’t you want to save them to drink with your brothers?”
“There’s plenty more. This one’s for us.” He leaned one knee on the couch and loomed over her. Like a sex God. No, shit no. Like her boss. How did her thoughts derail so fast around him?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said, inching away in the opposite direction.
“I know.”
“But thank you anyway.”
He leaned closer. “Indulge me, Vi.”
“Alex—”
“Please.” Damn it, the look in his eyes undid her. She knew better but his beautiful eyes scattered her wits to the four winds. She couldn’t think of a good enough reason to fight this insane attraction when he looked at her that way. As if being locked with her in a storage room made his day. Her backbone was jelly. Her resolutions were flimsy, feeble things.
“Open,” he ordered.
The glass touched her lips and the gin burned a fiery sweet trail down her throat. Holy shit, it was heart-starting stuff. Her eyes watered for real this time.
Alex smiled and took another gulp of the brew. “Man, that’s nice. Now, Jane, my ex-wife, said I had communication issues. That I wouldn’t talk to her. So, I’ve decided honesty is the best policy. And since we’re stuck here for the foreseeable future or until my idiot brother lets us out. Why don’t we talk?”
“You want to talk again? Crap. I’m going to need more of that.” Vi held her hand out for the bottle and he gave it up, resuming his seat beside her on the lounge once more. Her eyes didn’t water so much this time. The fire in her throat didn’t scorch so much, possibly since the sensitive top layer had been stripped clear off.
“Yes, we should talk,” he said. “I mean…I can’t stay away from you, because we work together.”
She nodded and passed back the bottle. “Sure. That and your brother locked us in a storage room.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get him back for that.” He took a giant swig from the gin, the motion of his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat far more interesting than it should have been. She couldn’t look away.
Thick necks had never done it for her before so this infatuation made no sense. She had control of herself and her life. But the need to sink her teeth into him filled her head. His skin tasted of salt and something special. She remembered it perfectly, something unique and delicious and male. Her mouth watered. His cock would taste every bit as good sliding against her tongue. They hadn’t gotten around to that. It had been fast and furious, rough and hard. It had been the most exciting sex of her life.
And he didn’t even remember.
“You’re staring,” he said and passed back the bottle.
“Sorry.” She gulped the liqueur down, trying to pull her mind out of his pants. That’s what his grandmother’s damson gin tasted of, sweet ruination. Been there, done that, learned from it and moved on. Or she thought she had.
“Don’t be,” he said, staring straight back at her with lust blazing in his eyes. It might have been a trick of the light, but damned if she’d check out his crotch for reassurance. “I like you watching me. Probably too much. Like I said, it’s been a long time since anyone got to me like you do.”
“Alex.” Man, did they really have to talk about it? She shoved the bottle at him. “Your turn.”
“I’m serious. You’re the first woman I’ve had sex with in over a year.”