Falling Into Temptation (3 page)

Chapter Four

Victoria

I linger in front of the impressive Maddox Corp building with exactly five minutes to spare. I want to spite this infuriating man and bring his documents two minutes late just to waste his time. But against my better judgment, and out of desperation for one of the only jobs I’ve got here, I step inside.

The inside of the building is all glass and marble, furnished with modern designs. People are milling about in expensive business attire, and I feel totally out of place. I’m coming to regret my decision to feel uninhibited in my clothing choices this morning, especially now that I have to face Gabriel. He’s probably going to think I dressed like this to lure him in. The thought never even occurred to me before, but now it’s consuming me.

Maybe it’s the fact I have no idea what his reasons for doing this are. There is no way he could be interested in me. And how the hell did he know where I worked? That’s a little freaky. But it’s too late to turn back now, so with a deep breath I make my way to the front desk to check in. The woman sitting behind it is dressed to perfection with a flawless black skirt suit and not a hair out of place in her tidy bun. I roll my eyes as I walk away from the desk with my visitor’s pass in hand, making my way to the elevators.

After a long two minute wait, I crowd into one of the lifts with eight others. It looks like I’m going to be late after all. After stopping at several floors, and more people coming and going, I finally make it to the top of the building. I am precisely five minutes late when I step out the doors and am confronted by one Gabriel Maddox with a scowl on his face.

“You’re late,” he growls, crossing his arms across his broad chest. When I look up into his eyes it’s as if I’m staring into a stormy ocean of blue. I wasn’t able to discern their exact coloring the other day, but today they are unmistakable. He definitely has that angry tough guy thing going for him.

“Oops, sorry,” I smirk unapologetically. This man is way too easy to rile up, and if anyone should be pissy here, it should definitely be me.

Gabriel grabs my arm and leads me past his secretary, who makes sure to give my clothing ensemble a disapproving glance. He stomps down a short hallway and flings open the door to his office. I yank my arm free of him as he motions for me to sit down in the chair opposite his desk. I do as I’m asked, because quite frankly the look on his face tells me he is not to be trifled with right now. I try to look unimpressed at the sight of the massive office around me and the view of the city beneath, but I’m not sure if I’m succeeding. Because it is impressive.

I expect him to walk around the desk and sit in his office chair, but he surprises me by positioning himself in front of me and sitting on the edge of the desk. He leans forward until his face is a mere few inches from mine. His jaw is clenched tight and I can’t help but stare at the light stubble along the edges, wondering if it’s as soft as it looks.

“I don’t like being made to wait,” he snaps, his minty breath skating over my skin. 

“That’s funny,” I retort. “Because I don’t like being woken up at 6:30 am to do your personal bidding.”

At this point, I’m too fired up to care about my damn job. I refuse to bend on this just to please this man. His ego is infuriating. I don’t care how hot he is, I’m not taking this bullshit from anyone. Once again, he appears to be stunned into silence by my response. And I’m certain by the look on his face that it’s something he’s not accustomed to.

His eyes travel the length of my body, a feral gleam taking over them. And that’s when I realize he is blatantly checking me out. I feel the muscles deep within my belly clenching at the thought. This glorious, angry man in front of me actually wants me.
He looks animalistic, wild with desire. I briefly entertain the thought of what he would be like in bed.
I imagine he’d like the rough angry kind of sex since I can’t see him being the sensitive type.

Arrogant or not, the man is too fucking beautiful for words. His dark brown hair is clean cut and perfectly styled to make his features stand out. Like his eyes. The ones that swing from gray to blue in an instant. Today, and at this moment, they are crystal blue. He’s wearing black suit pants, a black vest, and a crisp white shirt underneath. His sleeves are rolled up and as he leans in closer, I can see the muscles flexing across his arms. Yeah, he definitely works out.

I know I should pull back, but I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of backing down. The sexual tension between us is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, and I’m not sure why. This is so not my type of guy. Angry, stomping around all the time, arrogant… okay, maybe he is sort of my type I guess
.
I mean my track record with men isn’t the best.

His face relaxes as he leans closer, hovering an inch from my lips. I freeze and inhale slow, shallow breaths as I try to get a grip. A small part of me is begging for him to kiss me. I don’t know why since not even a moment ago I was so angry with him and wanted nothing more than to leave. He closes his eyes and draws in a long breath.

“God you smell amazing,” he murmurs, grabbing my hand and bringing it to his lips as he kisses it. My pulse goes frantic at the slight touch. Oh, he’s good alright.
I have to give him that. I’m sure he’s probably done this a thousand times. “What perfume is that?”

“Um,” I squeak. “It’s actually sunscreen. Coconut.”

“Sunscreen?” he asks incredulously.

“Yeah, you know… gotta’ protect the skin and all that jazz.” God, what am I even talking about?

“Hmm…”

He reaches his hand down to trail a finger along the flesh that peeks through my ripped leggings. Everything inside of me twists with desire.

“You look so fucking sexy in these,” he rasps. “So wild and rebellious. And don’t even get me started on those red boots. What I would do to you with those on.”

Did he really just say that, or am I imagining things? I can’t move, or speak. I’m paralyzed by what he’s doing to me with just his words.

He leans forward to whisper into the shell of my ear. “I want you, Victoria. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since you ran into me on the street the other day.”

I pull back a little, daring to look into his eyes. They are full of hunger, and I can only hope my own eyes aren’t betraying my desire too. He places both of his large hands on my knees, gripping them possessively as he takes back the space between us.

“Tell me you want me too.”

I want to, oh God do I want to. Every fiber of my being is screaming out for him. I want to tell him to take me right here, right now. But in the back of my mind, my logical self is reminding me he does this all the time. This is what he’s famous for. He probably has some strange preoccupation with slumming it with the average gals every once in a while.

And I know that if I’m having this hard of a time refusing him now, I would never be able to refuse him in the future. I’ve come too far from allowing myself to be used by my last boyfriend, if you could even call him that, and I won’t go back now. I don’t know much about Gabriel Maddox, but from what I do know he’s a serial womanizer. And I need another heart break like I need a bullet to the head.

Somehow I manage to compose myself enough to pull away from him as I look into his eyes.

“I um… I can’t do this,” I whisper. “I’m sorry, but you don’t even know me.”

I have no idea why I’m apologizing, but it just slips out. I’m always apologizing when I shouldn’t. That’s the people pleaser in me.

He pulls back abruptly as I rise on legs that feel like Jello. His face is suddenly impassive, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Just like that he’s able to hide his emotions, and in that moment I know I’ve made the right choice. He runs his hand back through his hair and exhales an exasperated sigh.

“So let me get to know you then, Victoria,” he states simply, as though that should be the solution to my argument.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.” I turn to go. I don’t even sound convincing to myself, so I don’t know how I expect him to accept my response. I feel like he knows too much already, information I haven’t even given him… my name, my work, who knows what else. Then realization sinks in. I whip around, trying to hide the panic in my voice. “How did you find me?”

He smiles at my sudden change of tack and then looks at me quizzically for a moment before answering. “It wasn’t that difficult, Victoria. The name of the company you work for was on the parcels you dropped the other day. I called them and gave your physical description, requesting you personally. Your boss freely gave me your first name. I see no harm in that, do you?”

I furrow my brows, not quite believing how stupid I had been. I make a mental note to be more careful with my information from now on. I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I turn on my heel and continue for the door. Just as I reach for the handle he speaks again, stopping me in my tracks.

“Tell me, Victoria, who is it that you’re running from?”

I can’t bear to face him, because I’m not sure where this is going, and I don’t have a very good poker face. “Excuse me?”

“Please don’t insult my intelligence by feigning ignorance,” he growls.

Suddenly he’s behind me, whipping me around to face him. He keeps hold of my shoulders as he searches the depths of my eyes for answers. And for some reason, I feel like he can see right through me. I squeeze my eyes shut, taking a deep breath. His cologne wafts up as I do, and I go a little weaker in the knees. He smells exotic.
Delicious.
Hints of Bergamot and Sandalwood.
Earthy. Woody. Spicy.
I savor the smell, allowing it to linger on me before I speak again. This is how I will remember him.

I shake my head, trying to hold onto my wavering resolution. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whisper. How the hell does this man know so much about me?

He reaches down and pulls a loose strand of hair from my face, searching my eyes once more. “The other day, when I met you, you were clearly running from someone or something. You looked panicked. I should have asked you about it then, and I apologize that I didn’t.”

I pause, fantasizing for a moment that I could actually tell him. Unload all of my secrets to someone other than Alanna. That he would take me in his arms and comfort me and tell me everything is going to be okay. That’s what I want more than anything, but I know it’s unrealistic and foolish and not even remotely a possibility. So I muster all the conviction I can find to speak. “I was running late. That’s all, Gabriel. All of these parcels have deadlines, and I was in a hurry to get them delivered on time. Now I’m sorry, but I really have to go.”

He releases me regretfully as I turn to leave. “This conversation isn’t over,” he calls after me. “Not by a long shot.”

And I roll my eyes because somehow I know it’s true.

Chapter Five

Gabriel

Sitting in my home office, I muddle through the little information Allan Ricketts gave me on Victoria for the thousandth time. After going through the background check on this mystery woman, my curiosity still hasn’t been satisfied. Allan wasn’t able to find much since she’s apparently using a fake name and only works cash in hand jobs. She has no social media accounts, no internet references, nothing.

After this morning’s rejection, I’m all out of ideas, and I feel like I’m going crazy. I need to be inside of her… at least once.

I’ve never had to throw myself at a woman before. Hell, they practically line up, begging me to take them to bed.
So why does it have to be her?
There is just something off about her and I can’t figure out what it is. Allan showed me the surveillance video and it doesn’t make any sense. She was looking across the street at another woman as if she had seen a ghost. And then she ran. But the other woman didn’t seem to recognize her or even care. The mystery surrounding her only intensifies my desire to see her again. For some strange reason, I find myself worrying about her. It’s not an emotion I particularly like because it reminds me of Parker.

I know I should just cut my losses and run. There’s always someone willing to do what I want.
But…. they won’t be her.
I want to see her bound and trembling before me while I fuck her senseless. Covering her in my come, marking her as mine…
mine?
Where the fuck did that come from? No, not mine. I will fuck her, but only once. And then I can put this shit behind me.

***

Victoria

It’s Wednesday morning, and after yesterday’s delivery, I’m relieved to see the Temp office calling me finally. Hopefully, they’ll have a project to keep me distracted for a couple days and keep my mind off Gabriel. That man has bad idea written all over him. And yet I can’t stop thinking about him anyways. I roll my eyes at my naivety as I pick up the phone.

“Victoria, hi it’s Julie from the temp pool. Hey listen, I don’t know what your plans are for the rest of the week, but we just got a high priority request for an administration assistant. Can you do it?”

“Definitely!” I reply a little too enthusiastically.

“Okay, great. I will email you the details. They need someone to start this morning at nine. Is that going to be alright?”

“No problem.”

I hang up the phone and hug myself. This is exactly what I need. I’ve been signed up with the temp pool since I moved here but hardly ever get assignments. It’s a smaller business, and luckily they let me work as an independent contractor so I’m able to keep my tracks covered.

As I open my closet, I pull out the only business like clothes I have, and the only clothing I actually took the time to hang up. I lay them on the bed and sort through them carefully. I end up choosing a black sleeveless blouse with cherries on it, along with a red pencil skirt.

Then I scramble to my lingerie selection to find what I like to call my secret weapon. I don’t know why but I’ve always had an affinity for racy lingerie. If it’s black and lacy, chances are I own it. There’s something about wearing these things beneath my normal clothing that makes me feel confident like I can take on the world. I end up choosing a garter belt and sheer black nylons along with my thong and demi-bra.

I pull my hair up into a neat bun which is by no means an easy feat. After putting on my makeup, I rustle through my nightstand for my sleek black reading glasses. I hate wearing them because it makes me feel like a librarian, but clear vision is a necessity for a job like this. I complete my outfit with some black Mary Jane pumps and a black cardigan before heading out the door.

As I emerge from the subway, studying the address intently, I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. I realize this building is eerily close to Maddox Corp. My first instinct is that Gabriel had something to do with this, but then I shake it off as ridiculous. It’s not the same address, it’s just nearby. As I draw closer, my heart begins to beat a little faster in my chest. And then I freeze. The building isn’t just close. It’s directly across from Maddox Corp.

Why is this happening?
What could the universe possibly be trying to tell me by running into him repeatedly? Something is just not right about this.
It’s too weird.
But, I’ve already accepted the job, and if I back out now the temp pool will never call me again. I take a deep breath and somehow persuade my feet into action once more.

Once inside, I approach the front desk nervously, giving the secretary my details. She types my name into the computer and then gives me a strange look. I fidget with my hair, checking for strays.
Why is she looking at me like that?

“Okay, Miss Kelly,” she says. “You need to go to the nineteenth floor. They are doing some construction up there right now, so I’m afraid it’s a bit of a mess. But just walk down the hallway and you’ll see the door labeled Phillip Berger. You can go right in. Mr. Berger isn’t here this week, so it will just be you. Feel free to make use of his office to suit your needs. There will be instructions awaiting you on his desk.”

“Okay, thank you,” I mumble as I step away, feeling relieved to be away from her intense scrutiny. I walk across the shiny black floor to join the throngs of people waiting for elevators. When I’m able to squeeze into one of the lifts, I wait nervously as it climbs to the nineteenth floor.

When I step out, there are tarps and dust and tools everywhere. And it’s loud… really loud. The secretary wasn’t kidding when she said this place was under construction. Some of the laborers stop to give me appreciative glances, and I scurry down the hall quickly. I feel like a piece of meat being dangled in front of a lion’s den.

I open the large wooden door with Phillip Berger’s name imprinted on it. It’s a nice office, much nicer than I’ve ever worked in before. It’s large with an open floor, tall glass windows overlooking the city, and a grand oak desk in the center. Off to the side is a black leather couch, and I can’t help but feel a small glimmer of excitement when I see the collection of books next to it. I walk to the wall and pull out a leather bound copy of Catcher in the Rye. It smells deliciously old and intoxicating as I open it. One day, I hope to own some books like this.

My happiness continues at seeing that the office has its own private restroom. That means not having to venture through the sea of over appreciative construction workers outside to use the bathroom.

I walk behind the desk and set down my purse, sinking into the plush leather chair.
I could totally get used to this.
I scoop up the typed instructions from the desk, reading them carefully. It seems pretty straightforward. Responding to mail, booking meetings for Mr. Berger’s return, and answering the phone. I idly wonder how much time this will actually take up because it doesn’t seem like much.

I boot up the computer in front of me, carefully typing in the password the secretary gave me. After I log into Mr. Berger’s email account, I go to work responding to the awaiting emails. By the time I glance up at the clock, it’s almost noon. I’ve already managed to respond to all the emails, book the requested meetings, and the phone hasn’t rang once. I sink at the thought of how mind-numbingly boring the rest of this day is going to be.

A knock at the door startles me. Ugh, I really hope that isn’t one of the guys from outside.
Putting on my best professional tone, I smile.

“Come in, please.”

I sit up straight in the chair, not knowing what to expect. Then the door swings open, and all the color drains from my face. Gabriel Maddox
is strolling into the office.
Of course, it’s Gabriel. Why wouldn’t it be?

He has a heart-stopping smile on his face, no doubt in response to my gaping mouth. He’s wearing a perfectly tailored gray suit, one that somehow manages to make him look larger than I thought. He looks good. Better than I remember, but somehow I know I was trying to suppress that little detail. He moves lithely across the room, sitting down gracefully on the black leather sofa. Even the way he moves is sexy. A vision of him moving like that in bed flashes through my mind quickly before I make it disappear.
I stand up and walk around the desk, clearing my throat in a desperate attempt to show my annoyance.

“I should have known this had your name written all over it,” I say dryly.

His eyes flit appreciatively over my body. He has that look again. The one that could literally melt me with its intensity.

“You look positively sinful in that dress, Victoria,” he murmurs huskily. “And don’t even get me started on what those glasses are doing to me.”

I feel my face flush. How can he talk to me like this?
He is
so blunt. Obviously, he’s a man who is used to getting what he wants.
Well, not this time.

I cross my arms and give him a disinterested glance. “What do you want, Gabriel? Are you just going to keep hiring me for pointless projects to satisfy your bizarre infatuation with me?” I choke on the words as they come out of my mouth.
I did not mean for them to sound so…. arrogant.

He laughs at my candor. “Why do you find it odd that I should be infatuated with you, Victoria?”

“Because…” I place my hands firmly on my hips. “I’m sure you have all sorts of women falling at your feet. It’s quite obvious to me that you’ve never heard the word no in your life. So why me? Is it the thrill of the chase? Because I can tell you that no matter what, it’s still only going to end one way.”

“And what way is that, Victoria?” he replies salaciously. “With me inside you?”

“Um,” I gulp.
Yes, please.
I shake my head. What the hell am I doing? Why does his talking to me that way turn me on?
I need to get him out of here, quick.

“You know, for such a beautiful woman, you seem to have no idea of your effect on men.”

I ignore his last comment, trying to hold my ground.  “I could just quit.”

“And disappoint Mr. Berger?” he asks playfully. “How do you even know that I had anything to do with this job? Perhaps it was just sheer coincidence that you were hired to work here, directly across from my building. And perhaps it was just a coincidence that my office happens to be one floor up from this one, and I just happened to notice you.”

I gasp as I spin around and look up.
Oh my God.
I can see his office from here. Why didn’t I see it before? That means he could see me this morning… in all of my book sniffing glory and everything.

“That is so…”

“Convenient?” he lifts his brow.

“I was thinking more along the lines of creepy.” I laugh jokingly. 

His mouth draws into a hard line as he stands up and stalks across the room. He stops within an inch of my body, the heat radiating from him nearly melting my core.
Good God this man can be intimidating.
But I refuse to back down. I can do this. I can totally do this.

“I want you, Victoria,” he says brusquely. “Against my own will. So just tell me what I have to do to make it happen, then we can stop all these games.”

Against his own will? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

I feel a shiver run down my spine as he leans in closer, his hot breath caressing my skin.
I want him too.
But I can’t. This is a bad idea, all around. I have to stay strong. I close my eyes and catch the intoxicating scent of his cologne.
Sweet and spicy.
God the man smells even better than I remember.

“I… I.. Gabriel, it’s just,” I try to formulate a sentence. But the heady scent of his cologne and his close proximity are making it impossible to think.

And then abruptly he steps back, much to my disappointment. I was kind of enjoying our little standoff.

He runs an exasperated hand through his hair and sighs. His face is unreadable, but it appears as though he has changed his mind.

“Perhaps you are right, Victoria,” he says. “You should really stay away from me, I wouldn’t be good for you.”

He turns and leaves, slamming the door behind him. My shoulders slump and I don’t know why, but I feel a sharp stab of pain at his words. Isn’t this what I wanted? Exactly what I said I wanted? So why does it feel as though all my dreams have been ripped away?

I shake my head and sit back down at my desk. For the rest of the afternoon, I stare blankly at the computer screen, willing the email to register something, anything to distract me for a moment. But it never does. Every once in a while I glance back over my shoulder and peek into Gabriel’s office across the street. It’s empty and remains that way even when I leave at five.