Running From Forever (10 page)

By the time I arrived, the bar was already
filled with ETV employees, minus one hot executive. My eyes
immediately pulled to the bar, but not because they spotted
Merrick’s tight black t-shirt, exposing his ripped, muscular body
more so than it did Tuesday; no, I was already salivating for a
cold beer and shot. It was that kind of day and let’s face it, I
was that kind of girl.

After smiling and saying hello to a few people,
including Sami, I took a seat on the open bar stool towards the end
of the bar. Merrick met me there with a Mic Ultra already in hand.
Apparently my exhaustion was painted on my face.

“Rough one?” he asked as I nodded my thanks and
took a long swig of the beer.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “You
could say that.”

“Then you’ll probably need one of these,” he put
a shot glass down in front of me, filling it with Jack.

My smile grew impossibly larger, enamored that
he knew exactly what I needed. He poured one for himself, then
clinked it with mine before tossing it back. It was strong but went
down wonderfully. It’d been awhile since I’d done one, but it still
felt the same. Soothing.

“Thanks,” I told him after putting the glass
back down on the bar. “I definitely needed that today.”

He winked before putting the dirty shot glasses
underneath the bar. “My pleasure. Looked like you could use
one.”

My eyes opened for extra emphasis and I nodded
my head in agreement. “Definitely one of those days.”

“Well, let me know if you need another.” He
smiled before making his way down the bar to serving the others
waiting.

I watched as he did. There was no denying his
attractiveness. I was with every other female on that. He was
built. Not overly huge, but very well-defined. His brown eyes
weren’t an unusual shade, but they were big and his eyelashes were
longer and thicker than any man’s should be. He was athletic and
hot with tattoos galore, everything the old Kayla would be pouncing
on at her first opportunity. Problem was, I wasn’t the old Kayla
anymore. Going for a bartender that probably drank all night, slept
all morning, and spent the remainder of his day at the gym or
tanning wasn’t my thing anymore. Even though guys like him were
nice to look at and, more often than not, amazing in bed, they
weren’t who you settled down with. Only a select few women could
tame them and whip them into shape, and unfortunately, I didn’t
have that patience.

It was a little after eight when I felt a smooth
hand cup the back of my neck and a charismatic “hello” into my ear.
Chills radiated down my spine as a pulse generated between my legs.
I didn’t need to look to confirm who it was, but I did anyways. My
packaged executive was standing beside me with this cool,
heart-throbbing grin. I was already three sheets to the wind by
that time, so my eyes were definitely glossed seductively by the
time they met his.

Miles leaned against the bar, placing his card
on top as I turned to face him better. His tie was loosened and his
breath smelled of liquor.

“Rough meeting?” I asked, loosening his tie some
more. It wasn’t something that needed to be done, but something I
had always wanted to do.

He licked his lips while surveying my face. I
felt my breathing becoming constricted as he did. It was hot and
seductive and got my entire body’s attention. Miles leaned in
closer, our cheeks almost touching. My breathing stopped. I
couldn’t handle him that close.

“Rough dinner,” he whispered in my ear before
kissing my cheek.

“Drink for you, sir?”

I heard Merrick speak, but I couldn’t look. I
was still numb, intoxicated by Miles’ heated breath against my
skin. I could only watch Miles, mesmerized. There would be no way
my mouth wouldn’t taste his tonight. It’d been four days of
imagining how it’d feel. Four days too long for me.

Miles ordered his typical gin and tonic then
ushered me to a nearby high table away from the congestion of the
bar, our chairs much closer than Tuesday. We were facing each
other, my legs crossed just to the side of his with our faces only
a few feet apart. His thumb caressed the top of my thigh while he
told me about his dinner. I tried to pay attention and seem
intrigued by his work, but my mind kept wandering to his touch,
focusing on each circle his thumb painted through my skirt, getting
turned on even more with each pass it made. I was ready to
explode.

“I’d like to take you to the gala tomorrow,” he
added, getting my attention.

I looked at him, confused.
What is he talking
about now?
“Gala?”

He chuckled. “Were you not listening?”

I shook my head, snapping out of it. “No, I’m
sorry. I must have missed that. You want me to attend a dinner with
you?” I asked.

“A gala, though there will be dinner,” he said
with a smile. “And yes, if you’d like. ETV hosts the Love With
Words gala every fall. I’d love to have you as my date.”

Warmth filled my heart. He wanted to bring to me
to a business event. One that you get all dressed up and fancy for.
I’d only seen those things on movies; I’d never been to one. I’d
never even gone to prom. Only dreamt.

“I’d be honored to,” I happily agreed, my smile
wide and excited.

“I should warn you,” he started with an eyebrow
raised, “I’ve never escorted a date before. I’m predicting there
may be some glares.”

I leaned in close, our cheeks almost touching,
as my hand rested on the top of his thigh, whispering, “I think I
can handle it,” into his ear.

Miles eyes narrowed as he wet his lips again,
staring at me in bewilderment as I leaned back into my chair. “Have
I told you about the view from my place?” he asked, taking a hard
sip of his drink.

I shook my head, matching his glare. “I don’t
believe you have.”

His grin appeared, this time mischievous as he
stood and took my hand. “I’d love to show you, Ms. Reynolds.”

“Kayla.”

He snickered. “Yes, my apologies,” he smirked,
amused, “Kayla.”

With that, I took command, hopping down from my
chair and taking his hand in mine. His smirks, his grins, and his
all-around presence had brought my every craving to the surface. I
wouldn’t be able to hold any longer. I needed to have more of Miles
Blackwell. I needed to feel what his body felt like above mine. I
was caving. Very, very quickly.

***

The elevator ride up
was atrociously long; especially when I had Miles Blackwell’s thumb
and finger stroking the back of my neck. Yes, he’d done it before,
but this time with different meaning. It was a filler. It was an
“imagine these fingers somewhere else” gesture. And I did. Over and
over again, on every inch of my body, just waiting for the damn
elevator to stop.

When it finally did and the doors opened
straight into his home, my breath hitched. His apartment was
breathtaking. The colors throughout screamed single bachelor—dark
mahogany hardwood floors, white walls covered with neutral colored
décor, and I’m sure there was a man cave or a game room somewhere.
What caught my eye and left me speechless, though, was the wall of
windows standing before me. It was right out of a magazine; you
could see the whole city below you.

“Stunning, isn’t it?” Miles asked, coming beside
me with a glass of wine in hand for both of us.

“Incredible,” I answered, accepting the glass
and taking a sip. It was delicious. I was more a beer drinker than
anything else, but the wine was enjoyable, the perfect amount of
sweet and dry.

I was unaware of the patio outside the glass
until the wall began to separate and slide to each side. The
outside living area was just as exquisite, glass for balcony walls
and lavish outdoor furniture with perfectly groomed greenery. I was
sure I’d seen it in a magazine. My eyes and body were immediately
drawn to the ledge, allowing my gaze to travel for miles along the
New York City skyline. I sighed. Although I missed the trees and
greenery of Central New York, nothing could compare to the way the
city buildings glowed at night—the little red lights that blinked
at the top of the skyscrapers with the white lights of street lamps
and smaller buildings twinkling below… I loved it.

“You really love the city, don’t you?” Miles
asked in his low, compelling voice, coming to my side. “It isn’t
often you meet someone that truly does.”

I sighed, tranquility taking over. “How could
you not? It’s breathtaking.”

Turning to face me, his grin displayed, he
leaned against the glass partitioned wall. “You’re a breath of
fresh air, Ms…Kayla,” he corrected himself.

“You really have a hard time with that, don’t
you?” I asked, intrigued and smirking. I turned away from the view
and faced him.

“It is a challenge,” he admitted.

“Why? Do you call everyone by their last
name?”

He wet his lips, slowly shaking his head in
disagreement. “I don’t. However, some people warrant a proper
title. One of sophistication and respect.”

I felt the compliment in my chest. How could I
argue against his desire to call me that now? He put me on a
pedestal that no one else ever had. Miles saw the woman that I
wanted to be—sophisticated, proper, successful, and above all
else…respected.

I took a step forward, closing the gap between
us. Our faces were only inches apart and I could feel his warm
breath on my neck as he looked down at me, lips curled up on one
side. “Then I think Ms. Reynolds is sufficient,” I said.

Miles leaned in closer, our mouths so close they
were almost touching. “I’d have to agree,” he whispered against my
lips before gently pressing them together.

It started out soft, pure…romantic, but all
changed when a low moan reverberated from my mouth to his. The
pleasure was undeniable, echoing throughout my body. Miles’ free
hand ran up my arm to my neck then messed in my hair, holding the
back of my head in place and secured to his. My mouth cracked
inevitably, allowing his tongue to swoop in and dance with mine.
The kiss was just as intoxicating as his appearance—firm,
controlled, and effortlessly smooth. With every pass that his
tongue made, I craved more. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted it all.
I wanted Miles in more ways than one.

I hated that I still had the wine glass in my
hand. I wanted to touch him, to run my hands up the back of his
suit and feel the firmness that I knew was there. My left hand
could only do and feel so much on its own, and right then it was
hooked on the belt of his pants, stuck between our bodies. All was
forgotten, though, as his lips separated from mine then skimmed my
cheek, reaching my ear. My body went weak and my panties grew wet
feeling his heated breath against the perimeter of my earlobe.

“I don’t know how much more I can take,” his
breath formed to words in my ear.

I wasn’t sure myself, but I didn’t want to seem
too needy or too willing. I would hold onto my self-respect this
time and not let it flood out as easy as I used to let it. I just
wasn’t sure if that willpower would last all night. I was caving
and deep down…I knew I would fall. I wouldn’t be able to resist
Miles Blackwell. The level of resistance I had wasn’t strong enough
to withhold his magnetism. I was drawn to his attraction. I would
give in.

He nuzzled his lips against my neck and I moaned
pleasurably when he ran his tongue along the shell of my ear and
then into that little dip between my neck and collarbone. I don’t
know what that spot’s called, but as soon as he touched it, any
residual worry about fucking the boss was gone.

Without responding, I stepped back, turning to
place my wine glass on the table then did the same with his. He
watched, his eyes hooded and dark with want. With both hands
finally free, I made my way back to him, leaving very little space
between us. His body relaxed as I slid both hands up his chest and
below the seam of his jacket, pushing it back and off his
shoulders. I was slowly getting a glimpse of the frame that was
hiding underneath, the lean body and tight muscles I’d pictured
numerous times above me. Before the jacket could even hit the
ground, Miles pulled me in tight, removing any space between us,
claiming my mouth with his. His tolerance was wearing quicker than
mine. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. The attraction was
undeniable. Our bodies yearned for one another; the chemistry
almost unbearable.

My hands worked with a mind of their own,
untucking his shirt from his pants and sliding up underneath. A new
pulse generated between my legs as I got my first feel of his bare
skin. It was firm but smooth, silk against my fingers. I adored the
feeling of lust pumping throughout my body as his mouth slid down
to my neck, kissing and sucking at my skin. I was consumed,
engulfed in the seduction of this man. His mouth, hands, tongue,
pace…it was all perfectly in sync, claiming each part of my exposed
skin delectably. There was no controlling my fingers that were now
in front, unbuckling his pants. I needed more. I would always need
more with Miles. Stopping wasn’t an option at this point.