Attraction (Love & War, Part I) (9 page)

“
So, Ashton...”

“
Please call me Ash,” he interrupted.

“
And you must call me Nikki.”

He grinned
with pleasure at the sound of it on her lips.

She was rising
up his hot scale pretty damn fast. Could any woman have a sexier
pet name?

He leaned his
elbow on the table, his chin resting on his fist, as he looked at
her.

She put the
glass down carefully and slowly tucked her hair behind her ear. He
still didn't know why he was reacting so strongly to her, but he
was mesmerised by every movement she made.

He cleared his
throat to remove the sudden tightness that seemed to have formed
there.

“
I'm looking forward to the flight tomorrow, I've never been
in a private jet before,” she murmured.

“
Not many people have,” he pointed out.

“
I was wondering, if you'd let me watch you fly
it?”

“
We may have to forcibly remove Adrian from the cockpit, but I
expect he'll allow you a few minutes. Are you interested in jets
particularly?”

“
I'm very interested in what goes on in the pilot's seat.” Her
face erupted in a genuine smile.

“
I'll be sure to guide you through it.”

He was having
a wildly erotic vision of a mile high session with her, while
piloting the Cessna at 500 mph. He hadn't ever indulged that little
fantasy of his. Maybe sometime in the near future he would.

“
That will be something to look forward to,”
she said with a sweet smile.

Although she
was keeping her cool, on the surface, he could see from her body
language she was nervous and more than excited to be sitting here
with him. He'd like to take advantage of that nervous excitement.
But she wasn't ready for him yet. It would have to wait. He'd give
her a three or four days and she would submit to him, more than
willingly. He'd place money on it.

It wasn't
every day a millionaire invited her out for dinner and she was
making the most of it. He was extremely pleasant, restrained, and
very polite company, but she could see from his eyes that she'd
stirred him up. She assumed he was going to pursue her until he got
what he wanted. But she had plans of her own; to deny him that
pleasure. That should be a new experience for him. Besides, she was
far more interested in Adrian. He was real, and genuinely
interested in her. She may only be looking for some casual dates
right now, but there was casual and casual. She didn't want to be
one of Ashton's many faceless conquests.

“
This is it, just here, thank you, Adrian,” she said, as they
arrived at her address.

She turned to
Ashton. “It's been a lovely evening, thank you for the dinner.”

“
My pleasure. I'll pick you up here, tomorrow morning, at
10.30. I'll send you a message when I arrive.”

Adrian left
the car and started to walk around the other side to let her
out.

She turned
towards Ashton, her hand on his arm, and sat on the edge of the
seat to say goodbye.

“
Goodnight,
Ash
.”

But she got a
surprising reaction to her simple parting words as his hand gripped
her head tightly in the back of her hair and he twisted her face
around to his, with a sharp tug. Her whole being caught fire as his
lips brushed hers and he nipped her lower lip lightly with his
teeth. Tremors of wild excitement rushed through her body.

“
Oh...” The word left her mouth on a gasp. She felt
lightheaded.

As the door
opened, he pulled back and looked into her shocked eyes.

“
Goodnight,
Nikki
.”

She made her
escape, mouthing “call me” to Adrian, as she fled the scene. Her
chest was heaving and her heart pounding wildly. She needed to be
so careful around this man. Despite the fact she didn't like him
very much, her body betrayed her. It lit up like a torch in his
presence.

Ash sat back
with a smile on his face. Revision to seduction plan. Not three or
four days, two days, max.

His phone
beeped with a call. He picked it out of his pocket, briefly looking
at the name of the caller and breaking into a wide smile.

“CJ darling,
how are you?” He hadn't heard from her for weeks.

“I'm fine. But
missing you terribly right now. Are you doing anything
tonight?”

“No, shall I
come over? We can catch up on our mutual news.”

“News isn't
what I want to catch up on. I'll leave the door on the latch,
because I'll be waiting for you in the bath.”

“In the bath?
What a hot invitation! I'll be there in fifteen.”

“Make it ten,
I'm very, very horny.”

She clicked
off the line.

“How well
timed and convenient,” he murmured to himself.

A long and
wild session in CJ's bath was just what he needed to temporarily
relieve his growing frustration over Nikki.

He informed
Adrian of his change of plans. “Take me to CJ's, please. Get there
asap. And I expect I'll be late tonight, so I'll get a taxi
home.”

“
Oh, for God's sake, Ash,
” Adrian said, continuing with
the tone he didn't care for. “How many women do you fucking well
need?”

He ignored his
outburst. Adrian was being very unreasonable, illogical and
completely shitty tonight. Only a few hours ago he was suggesting
he took up with CJ and now he was actually visiting her, it was
somehow out of order. Ashton knew he was wound up over Nicole, and
that was affecting his mood and concentration. But the whole affair
was ridiculous. He'd have to speak frankly with Adrian tomorrow,
before they collected her. He wasn't having this kind of behaviour
on display on the trip to Paris. It was disrespectful and downright
impolite.

Ashton kicked
back and relaxed as they travelled to Chelsea Embankment. He'd been
a visitor there, on and off, for the past seven years. CJ and Ash
fucked each other. Pure and simple. But his feelings for her were
rather more complex. He knew he shouldn't see her anymore after
what had happened, but she was like a drug he couldn't seem to do
without. Not that he got his fix very often, as her work took her
out of the country for weeks at a time. She was much in demand on
the modelling circuit. When she wasn't working or seeing anyone,
they got together.

Adrian pulled
up outside her house, unlocked and opened the car door for him
resentfully. Ashton stood opposite him and bade him a cool
goodnight.

“Goodnight
Adrian. Nine thirty tomorrow.”

“Sure,
whatever you say,
boss,
” he replied, sulkily.

Adrian pulled
away from CJ's with a wild rage brewing inside him. Ashton made him
so angry at times. As far as bosses were concerned he was a good
one. A generous and fair one. As a friend he was reliable and
honest to a fault. Although they were very different personalities,
they rubbed along fine. But one aspect of Ashton's character pissed
him off big time. His attitude towards women. He treated them like
dirt. Especially CJ. He used CJ mercilessly. She was always calling
him and begging him to come over. It was true, he didn't understand
their past, and he knew they had had one, but why she continued to
pursue Ashton was beyond him. It was like flogging a dead
horse.

Adrian had a
soft spot for CJ, but she was way out of his league.

And now Ashton
was after Nicole, a woman Adrian had a severe case of the hots for.
Seeing her all dressed up and sassy tonight had set his pulse
rocketing. He'd seen Ash manhandle her in the car. That was just so
him. Controlling and dominating. Why the hell women went for it he
really didn't know. Ash wasn't a romantic. He was just a smooth
operator and dark minded. He pounced, like a stalking panther out
for a kill.

He was
completely sexual in his motivation. That wasn't the way Adrian
worked. He was a born romantic. He liked to treat women right. To
give them presents, to appreciate them and to get to know them. He
wasn't a player at heart. He may have had a wild few years in his
youth, but it wasn't in his nature to use women for a quick
fuck.

Ash was the
ultimate player and with his money, his looks and high status in
society, he could afford to play the game however he wanted. And
there was a never ending supply of women waiting and willing to be
played with.

Adrian parked
the car in Ashton's basement and went over his usual premises
checks quickly. Then he crossed the street to his own place. He put
his Glock away in it's wall-safe in his bedroom and then he sat on
his bed and flicked at his phone.

He called his
ex to check up on her but she was engaged. Caroline spent hours on
the goddamn phone. He sent her a text.

- How's the
throat sweetheart?

Then he called
Nicole.

She answered
straight away.

“Hello,
Adrian.”

Her voice was
as smooth as satin, caressing his ear. Everything about her
appealed to him. She was both sweet and sexy. Very much his type of
woman.

He wanted to
see her, to be in her mind before she got another big dose of Ash
tomorrow. Adrian knew he'd be working on her subtly from the minute
he picked her up in the car.

“I'll be be
over to pick you up soon, just need to get changed first.”

“Adrian,
listen, are you sure you want to do this? It's very underhand and
he's your boss.”

“No, you
listen, I
really
do want to do this. Whatever
this
is.”

“Well okay
then, as long as we're discreet. I don't want to cause problems for
you or myself, in any way.”

“I agree,
babe, and there's no need to tell anyone, is there?”

“No, none.
Would you mind if we stayed in though? Bring a bottle of wine.
We'll have a drink here.”

That kind of
date sounded perfect to Adrian. In fact he couldn't think of a
better one.

“Red, white or
blush?” he asked, trying to keep his excitement under wraps.

“Surprise me.
But I like a dry wine.”

“Okay, go get
the glasses out.”

“Don't be
long.”

“What's your
apartment number?”

“ Nine.”

“I'll be there
fast as I can.” He tapped end call and smiled with expectation. She
seemed very interested in him; inviting him to her place; telling
him to hurry up and get there.

He undressed
and jumped in the shower, washing himself in a rush. A few minutes
later he was getting dried off and dressed again in jeans and a
smart black and grey striped shirt, and spraying himself with
everything that might get her going faster. He grabbed his jacket,
and some essential supplies, stuffing a good handful in his inner
jacket pocket, just in case they were needed later. Then he looked
inside his wine cooler and chose two vintage Australian Sauvignon
Blanc bottles he'd been saving for a special occasion. Nicole was
special enough. In fact he couldn't think of anyone better to drink
it with. Caroline included..

“Cool...
here's to a beautiful evening... ” he said to himself with a
chuckle, clinking the bottles together in a private toast and
nestling them in the crook of his arm.

A few minutes
later he made his way down to the rear garage block, where he
slipped inside his silver Porsche. It may be five years old, but it
was a drop dead beautiful car. His whole body sung with pleasure
when he drove it. He actually preferred it to Ashton's flashy
AM.

He set off for
Docklands, and arrived just three minutes late of his plan. After
driving around for a moment, he found a parking spot behind her
building. It was on a meter and put a tenners worth of pound coins
in it. He didn't want his precious car to be clamped or towed away
while he was otherwise occupied. And he was hoping and praying that
he would be very otherwise occupied, for a very long time.

Finally
arriving at the door, he pressed the number nine button to her
apartment.

“Hi,” Her
voice sounded through the intercom.

“It's me,
Adrian.”

“Oh good. Come
up to the fourth floor. I'm waiting for you.”

He bounded up
the stairs and arrived on the fourth floor to find her leaning
against the door frame, watching him approach along the corridor.
Although he tried hard to control his overreaction, he couldn't
help but smile very widely at her, more than pleased to be in her
company. And it seemed, from her equally wide returning smile, she
was having the same thoughts about him.

He placed the
two cool bottles in her hands and to his delight, she leaned
forward and kissed his cheek, briefly before she stood aside to let
him inside.

“Welcome to
Nikki's den,” she grinned, closing the door behind him.

“Nikki? That
name I like.”

“I like that
you like.” She flared her eyes meaningfully. “Okay Adrian, follow
me, let's get this wine flowing, shall we?”

She led him
down the hallway into the open plan kitchen-living-room area. She
stopped off in the kitchen, to place the bottles next to the two
glasses waiting on the counter top. He dropped his jacket on the
back of a chair, and wandered around the rest of the room. He was
very impressed with her modern style of décor
—
the white leather sofas looked very
inviting
—the
soft grey feature wall
contrasted well with the exposed white painted brickwork of those
adjacent to it
—the large piece of modern artwork
and the plethora of cushions and orchids gave it an individual and
feminine touch without being fussy. He had a quick look out of the
window. It was a
pleasant view into the communal,
tree-filled, green area directly below. He could see his car parked
across the way.