Bailey: Independence #1 (11 page)

“Right answer, pet,” Gabriel leaned over her, one palm sliding between her thighs, thick fingers pushing the damp center of her panties out of the way and thrusting inside her, stretching the taut, hot opening. “Should I fuck you now, Bailey? Or send you away burning and frustrated until this evening?”

Oh, god! More answers!

“Whatever pleases you, Sir,” she whispered, hoping that was the right answer.

“Oh, it is definitely going to please me, Bailey,” Gabriel straightened only long enough to remove her panties, open his slacks and sheath himself.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard his slacks open, the sound of the zipper and then the rustling of something in his hands.

He leaned against her again, one hand on her waist, gripping his cock before it touched the hot, swollen entrance to her pussy. “Only I need to hear your noise today, pet. No one else. Don’t move…”

Bailey held her breath until the hard length pushed firmly toward her center. With one hard, hot thrust that seemed to never end. Every muscle inside her clenched down, gripped him and vibrated through her.

“Easy, love…Christ, you’re tight…” Gabriel slid his palm around her, cupping the bare mound. He separated his fingers, pulled up and found her clit with his thumb. He pressed down hard, stroking over it at the same time he withdrew his cock, thrusting hard back inside.

He swallowed the groan of pure pleasure. This is what he’d wanted since he first touched her; first felt her skin against his. This was what some primal part of him knew belonged to him. This was meant to be his from the first groan of pleasure she surrendered to him.

Bailey moaned softly when he thrust back inside. Slowly. Teasingly. She’d never been so full before; never so hot and hungry. She flexed her muscles deliberately, feeling the length of him; savoring the hardness that stroked back to the tip and then burying himself balls deep inside her. She wanted to touch him, feel every inch and study the man who was slowly driving her mad.

She wanted him to move. Wanted him to stroke her until she could come!

At last his hot cock was all the way in, his balls jiggling against her clit, his bare, warm stomach against her ass. He held there for a long moment, his hands wandering around her body, the touches on her breasts and sides and back and ass and thighs seeming random. Apparently he wanted to feel every inch of her, too.

Gabriel stopped barely a moment when her muscles tightened. Another time he’d tease her and make her wait, he told his other senses, withdrawing his cock and thrusting hard, over and over until he felt her body clench. Her entire body gripped him, clutched down with a power he found impossible to control or stop. He heard her head hit the desk and saw her knuckles whiten, but she never uttered a sound above the whimper and thick, ragged sigh that breathed out his name.

His body erupted with the power of a fiery explosion. His hands gripped her hips, held her in place as his cock controlled him for a long, long minute. His brain was absent; his mind centered on the soft heart shaped ass he was plastered against and the hot white lightning that seared into his soul.

Gabriel Garrett could honestly admit to never having taken a woman in the office of his business. Not his professional life. But Bailey O’Conner was having him break long established rules about how his life should function. How it should be separated.

His palm stroked along the firm length of her thigh, his legs supporting him as he reluctantly backed away. He kissed the side of her face when that seductively sweet whimper met his withdrawal.

“Stay right there a minute, Bailey,” Gabriel inhaled, removed the condom and straightened his slacks and shirt before striding into the bathroom.

“I don’t think I can move,” she murmured, wanting nothing more than to curl against him and purr. And rub her ass. It stung like mad and she knew she’d find ways to work standing up for the next hour at least. She heard his soft laughter and decided she really liked the sound.

“I like you melted and submissive,” Gabriel brought a warm cloth from the bathroom, gently running it up her inner thighs and across her pussy. He set it on the desk and nudged her foot. “Stand up slowly, Bailey. You might be a little dizzy,” he held her when she swayed, his palms on her waist.

“I had no idea…” Just like Friday night, she had so many things tumbling around inside her head. Questions, doubts and fears. “I have to go. I’ve never taken this long for lunch before,” she spun but did it too quickly and knew immediately that the blood hadn’t returned to her head from all those warm delicious spots it had traveled to.

“Easy, pet…slow down,” he leaned her against the desk, long legs carrying him to the dining area where he refilled her ice water and brought it to her. “Drink. You get a little dehydrated after a session. Have dinner with me tonight, Bailey.”

She gulped down the water and stared up at him.

“It’s a request, Bailey. Not an order,” he said with a grin, the sweet uncertainty in her eyes sending another jolt to a cock that should be sated. At least for now.

She liked the grin. It softened him and made him look younger and playful.

“Will I be punished if I ask why?”

Gabriel laughed this time, his head shaking and falling to rest his forehead against hers for a quiet minute.

“No, you won’t. Why I want to have dinner with you?”

“Why me instead of…of Gillian? She’s gorgeous,” Bailey breathed reverently.

Gabriel brought his palm to her face, his thumb tracing her lower lip.

“So are you,” he kissed her softly and stepped back. “You just don’t realize it,” he slid his palm down her arm and twined their fingers. “You can take me for Pho soup.”

“I’d like that,” she set the empty glass down and walked with him to the door, a slight wince crossing her face. “I’m not going to be able to sit down for an hour.”

“Hmm…usually I get a ‘thank you, sir’ for an appropriate punishment,” Gabriel laughed when her panicked gaze flew to his. “Such a lapse in your training, Bailey,” he led her to the sofa and refused to release her fingers. “Sit with me for a minute.”

Bailey offered only a token resistance when he pulled her onto his lap, her sigh soft and relaxed as she lay her head against his shoulder. Her eyes closed and she liked the large hand stroking over her head, tangling in her hair.

“I’ve got to go,” she said finally, pushing against his shoulder.

“I’ve got to say something before you do,” he waited until her gaze rose to his. “Before the questions start popping into that active imagination, I’ve never used this office like this before. I’ve never brought my personal life into this office, nor have I ever taken a woman or wanted one the way we just did. I don’t want you thinking that I use my position for anything like this. Alright?”

“You’re very intuitive,” she said softly.

“I don’t like misunderstandings and I value honesty. I’ll meet you at the front door at four-thirty. Will that work?” He didn’t hold her when she pushed to her feet and moved to the door, but rose and followed behind her quickly.

“I have my car,” she said quickly, the rush of cool air striking her when he unlocked the door and pulled it wide.

“We can get it later,” he released her palm and tipped her face up. “Four-thirty.”

“Yes,” she backed up quickly.

“Bailey…” Gabe had moved to his desk and bent to retrieve the black lace lying on the floor. He held her panties up by one finger, watching the shock and embarrassment in her eyes when she realized what he had.

“Oh, my…” Bailey crossed the room, pausing just outside his reach, her gaze wary and calculating. Her hand was up, snatching the panties and stuffing them into her pocket before she almost ran down the corridor, past the admin’s office and to the stairwell.

She was positive she heard his laughter as her hands hit the wide latch on the door.

Gabriel leaned against the door jamb, arms crossed over his chest and just staring down the corridor. She’d been right there under his nose for the last three years.

“Exactly what are you up to?” Janet finally looked over at him. She’d been careful when she heard the snick of the lock, her back to the departing woman and the murmured words she couldn’t quite hear when the door opened. “You never lock your door.”

“Life is filled with changes,” Gabriel offered in his normally enigmatic tone. There were two empty, large conference rooms and him and Janet on the floor. He met her amused glance. “Keep your cute little spy ears to the ground. If you hear anything derogatory or spiteful about Bailey, I want it not only squelched, but I want the source.”

Janet leaned back in her very comfortable chair. “You. And Bailey?” Her boss merely arched a brow. She hated when he offered that cool patience while the dumb person absorbed the words. “She’s not a kid, but you’re the owner, Gabe. There will be chatter and gossip.”

“I don’t care about the normal crap. I won’t have her lied about,” he turned and went into his office, leaving the door wide.

“When the boss dates an underling, there is always gossip and supposition,” Janet pressed firmly, taking a handful of folders to his desk. He’d continued to the dining area, her gaze sweeping the scene. She sighed. “I’ll keep an ear out.”

She took the completed folders with her. Her boss had never brought a woman to his office. Not in a personal capacity. And he’d rarely had lunch with anyone there. He held business lunches at restaurants or one of the conference rooms. She placed a call to the cafeteria to clean up the dining area before diving into her work. He was lucky she liked Bailey, too.

Chapter Eleven

Gabriel made it through most of the contracts that had been approved when Janet appeared at his open door. He looked up and slammed another folder to the pile.

“I’m immune to your growls,” she shrugged and grinned. “We have company. The police are on their way up to speak with you.”

“Shit,” Gabriel shoved against the desk but stayed in his chair.

“Should I freshen my resume?”

“You have a delightfully British sense of humor. Your resume is safe. It means they moved a lot faster than I thought and I was preoccupied and should have called them yesterday,” he exhaled slowly.

“We have police issues?” Concern creased the admin’s face.

“There was a murder outside the club Friday night,” he said simply. His secretary was one of the few people who knew about his other life outside the company. Mostly because she and her husband also enjoyed the eroticism in the play. “Let them come in,” he heard their voices down the hall. “But I want you to stay. I might need you to go with them.”

If she was disturbed, nothing showed on her face when she stepped to the door and gestured the two women inside.

“Mr. Garrett is expecting you.”

“I just bet he is,” Lieutenant Natalie Templeton led the way, her features calm and controlled compared to her detective’s.

“Janet is my admin,” Gabriel began evenly, not rising from his chair. “When did I become aware that Bailey O’Conner worked for the company?”

“At lunch when you needed a tech person for the presentation,” Janet answered instantly, frowning from one to the other. “Mr. Garrett doesn’t know each employee and there are many he’s never personally met.”

“Before Friday night, you have never spoken to or met Miss O’Conner?”

“I already stated at the time, I didn’t know who she was, Lieutenant. And I would have placed the call to you as soon as I finished my last meeting,” he lied smoothly. “I can have Janet take you to her but I won’t have her terrorized because your detective doesn’t grasp her choices. I’m also asking Janet to remain with you when you speak with her.”

“Not you?” The detective sneered.

“My presence would certainly guarantee you answers, but that’s not all you’re after, is it, detective? You’re looking for something that isn’t there.”

“Go wait in the car, Casey,” Natalie said softly. “She isn’t a suspect and doesn’t deserve to be treated like one.”

“I’m your partner.” Stunned disbelief hinged with anger flared to life on her face.

“Who needs to learn that the lead does just that - lead,” Natalie looked at her without backing down. “I’m heading the investigation and I’ve decided you’re a little too bias for some reason. I’ll talk to her and give you the notes.”

“I’m sure you’ve already spoken to the driver,” Gabriel said when the detective stomped out of the office. “Whoever killed the girl would have had blood all over them.”

“She isn’t a suspect, Mr. Garrett. But the box she received is suspect.”

Gabriel winced slightly, one palm up and on his neck.

“I did speak with her quite extensively at the club that night. Bailey sees that as a memory, Lieutenant. Part of me thinks you’re not going to easily get it from her without a blood vow that she get it back, as is,” he explained carefully.

“And the other part?”

“When she learns of its involvement in someone’s death, she might never want to touch it again,” he said with a hint of regret in his voice.

“I keep telling myself I wanted to be in homicide,” she said and nodded. “Maybe I can get by with photos and examining it myself. Considering all the trouble the person went to, I doubt they’d leave me a gift wrapped DNA sample.”