people into the conversation either in person because they were here in the office or calling them on the phone. Drake’s assistant ordered lunch for them and Sierra didn’t even mind sitting across from him while they devoured the meal because she was so interested, and hungry, and didn’t want to leave the brainstorming session. At times, there were up to ten people in the office tossing around ideas and at other times, it was just the two of them bent over the plans, both of them with a pencil in their hand as they sketched out the various possibilities.
It was after ten o’clock that night when she finally stood up and realized what time it was. “Goodness,” she gasped as she glanced at her watch. “I didn’t realize that it was so late. I’d better head home,” she said, obviously reluctant to leave. She quickly started picking up the Chinese food containers from their dinner, tossing them into the trash cans.
“Sorry for keeping you so late. Did you have plans for the evening?”
Sierra laughed and shook her head, tossing the broccoli and chicken away. “Definitely not.”
“Why don’t you have some eager guy waiting for you to get home in the evenings? Not that I mind, you understand. I definitely don’t want any competition.”
She shrugged, not exactly sure how to answer him. Honestly, she supposed. “I guess I get home from work too late most nights. I don’t meet many men that are willing to put up with my schedule.”
He looked at her closely. “There’s more to it, isn’t there?” He moved closer, drawn to her and he was glad when she didn’t move away from him this time.
“I’m pretty private.”
“I know that. Why is that?” he asked, moving even closer. There was that perfume again. It was so alluring, so soft and feminine. He knew he’d smelled it before, just couldn’t place it. “You’re young enough that you should be beating the men away. And you’re amazingly beautiful.”
Sierra took in a deep, shaky breath. “I don’t…”
She didn’t have a chance to reply. Drake didn’t want to hear her excuses or denials of her beauty. And he was suddenly aware that her heart was racing and her breathing was erratic, sure signs that she was thinking along the exact same lines as he was.
When Drake’s lips finally touched hers, Sierra was shocked at the intensity. Her knees wanted to give out on her, but the rest of her muscles decided that this was exactly what they wanted. And she found herself plastered against him, not because his hands were pulling her closer but because she wanted, needed, to get as close to him as possible. His mouth was demanding and she opened to him, eager for his kiss, his taste and his touch. She wanted him so badly and she was shaking with the intensity of her need.
When he pulled back slightly, looking down at her with a startled expression, she almost pulled back. “I don’t…” she started to say, but she couldn’t finish the sentence. Her hand reached up and pulled his head back down to hers, her mind going off in directions that wouldn’t allow retreat.
She felt his hands on her waist, sliding up and caressing her softly, but not gently. His hands moved higher, slipping under her pink sweater and skimming along her skin, making her back arch so she was pressing herself more firmly against his touch.
When she felt his hands on her breasts, she couldn’t stop the whimper of need that coursed through her. But she could beg him silently to do it again and when his thumb flicked against her nipple, she cried out, pulling away from him and looking up into his heated eyes with surprise.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered.
“You can,” he contradicted and proved it by kissing her again, moving his hand against her breast and showing her how good it could feel. “Touch me, Sierra,” he groaned as his fingers found the clasp of her bra and released it.
Sierra was frantically trying to unbutton the top buttons of his dress shirt, pushing his tie out of the way in her desperate need to touch his skin. She’d just gotten the first one undone when she heard a sound to her right.
“Oh!” a strange voice gasped.
Sierra looked over to her right, her eyes wide with both the need to touch him as well as the fear of someone in the firm discovering what they’d just been doing. And what they might