One Mistake (The One Series: Novella #2) (5 page)

The waitress came with new drinks and she leaned close to William, her ample breasts pushing against his shoulder. William stared straight ahead, his eyes on mine. I felt a familiar tightening inside me and I wanted to jump across the table and throw myself on him. I did the next best thing given the circumstances.

After taking a slow, deliberate sip of scotch, I licked my lips while slipping my foot from my red pumps. William’s pupils dilated as he anticipated what would happen next.
Fortunately, the table was intimate and William’s legs were only inches away from my own. I found his leg, and hooked my foot under the hem of his pants. I slid the tender skin on the arch of my foot up his leg. I took another drink from my glass and again licked my lips, this time looking up at William through my lashes. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on his glass and he drew in a sharp breath.

“I’m not sure. What do you think,
Connor?” Mark turned in our direction and I continued to rub my foot against his leg, inching it higher and higher.

“I think there’s no way you come out of this looking good. But if you listen to us, you can at least not look like a complete asshole,” William said through tight lips. I was impressed by his ability to multitask.

“That’s all we can ask for at this point.” Mark raised his glass. “To not looking like a complete asshole.”

We all tapped glasses and I finished my drink. “I apologize, Mark, but I’m not feeling very well. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll head back to the hotel.”

“Of course, Olivia. I hope you feel better.” Mark stood and shook my hand.

“I actually have some emails I need to answer. I’ll walk you back.” William slid smoothly from his seat. No one at the table but me suspected ulterior motives. “Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning, Mark.”

William waited until we had rounded the corner and had no way of being seen by anyone inside the restaurant before he pushed me up against the wall. “What you did back there was very bold.”

“It was.” I tilted my head up so that I was looking him in the eye and then I reached down and grabbed his crotch. “So is this.”

William actually growled and his mouthed closed over mine hungrily. I tasted the scotch on his lips and opened my mouth to allow him entrance. His tongue danced over mine, pulsing in a rhythm I knew all too well.

“Hotel,” I managed to say when we pulled away for air.

William winked and pinched my ass. “I love it when you take charge.”

“Then I’d say you are in for a spectacular night.”

The hotel was less than three blocks away, but the walk felt like an eternity to me. Since meeting William Connor, I found it impossible to be near him and not want to be even closer. He must have been feeling the same way because his long strides grew hurried and I struggled to keep up.

“Mine or yours?”
William said when we got on the elevator.

“Mine. Your room is next to Dan’s.”

William’s slender finger punched the button for the fifth floor. That same finger had punched my very personal buttons on more than one occasion. With the elevator doors closed, I was free to act on my desires. I had William pinned to the wall in seconds. This time it was my tongue that led the assault but he was quick to fight back. Our kissing had never been this passionate.

I felt something vibrating against my upper thigh and
it took a minute to register that it was William’s cell phone. The elevator doors opened on my floor, and he checked his phone while I led us down the hall.

“I need to get this,” he said. I unlocked the door and held it open for him.

“Connor.”

Very quietly, I shut the door behind us. William’s face was intense and focused. It was definitely a business call.

“I thought we had an agreement. You don’t have time to negotiate this.”

Watching him pace my hotel room in his perfectly fitted suit, sounding strong and confident, I had a hard time controlling myself. William’s eyes flitted to me and he knew exactly what I was thinking. I sat on the bed and crossed my legs, letting the hem of my skirt slide up in the process. A small smile played at the corners of his lips.

“Mark, we can discuss this in the morning. I advise you to spend some time deciding what you want from this partnership. We can’t perform miracles.” His face softened at something Mark said.

“Sure. I’ll make sure Olivia heads the effort.” I raised a surprised eyebrow when I heard my name.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mark.”

William frowned slightly as he hung up the phone. He looked at it for a second and then set it on the desk.

“Mark mentioned me?” I asked.

He nodded. “He said you’re a smart woman and he wants you close to this.”

“Do you need me to do anything tonight?” Sometimes when I was with William, I managed to forget that he was my boss. Regardless of what happened between us in the bedroom, I still had a job to do.

“Mark can wait until tomorrow.” William’s smile returned and he slid out of his suit coat. “But I am going to need you to do some things for me tonight.”

“I don’t mind putting in long hours,” I said, adding, “I’m here to please.”

“Indeed.” William removed his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. I stayed seated, enjoying the strip show. His blue dress shirt fell to the floor and he pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his perfectly chiseled body. His gray pants hung low on his hips and I wanted desperately to yank them down.

Very slowly, he removed his shoes, socks and belt. “Were you planning on joining me anytime soon?” he asked, pointing out that I was still fully dressed. He stepped closer to the bed.

“All in good time.
You still have some work to do.”

If William wasn’t already the CEO of his own company, he could have a great career as a male stripper. He removed a familiar foil packet from his pocket and placed it on the bed. The languid way he unbuttoned his pants and let them drop was insanely hot. His boxer briefs strained to keep his erection in check. Now it was my turn.

I stayed on the bed as I unbuttoned my own dress shirt. When I slipped it from my shoulders I revealed the black lace bra underneath. Next, very skillfully, I slipped out of my skirt, keeping on my heels, fishnet thigh-highs and lace panties complete with garters. William was practically salivating.

“I get the feeling you knew our night would end this way,” he said, lowering himself over me as I lay back on the bed. His lips hovered just over my skin and I could feel his warm breath tickling my exposed neck.

“All of my nights with you end this way,” I pointed out.

William blew cool air along the length of my neck, sending a delicious shiver through my body. “I want you very badly, Olivia Harris. I’m not sure I have the patience to finish neatly undressing you.”

“So don’t,” I said. “Take me now.”

It was the only encouragement William needed. He ripped the garters away, and tore the panties from my body. The rest of my clothing remained, including my heels. It took him even less time to remove his
own underwear, allowing him to spring free at last. He was even bigger than I remember. I wanted him inside me.

William
had more restraint than me. He moved his hand down my thigh and I parted my legs farther, granting him easy access. I sucked in a sharp breath when his finger slipped over my clitoris, dancing a slow circle. My pelvis moved against him and his hand moved again. He parted my lips, and slipped a finger inside. His finger continued in a steady back and forth, lingering near the top to circle again before moving down once more.

“You’re ready,” he said, pleased. I could have told him I was already wet with desire. The entire evening had been all the foreplay I needed.

“I thought I already told you. Take me.” I grabbed for him, guiding him to my slick opening. I felt him jump in my hand and slowly I guided him in. He took over, sliding in slowly, a little at a time, so that it almost felt as if my body were doing the work. It was like I was pulling him in deeper until our bodies met, all the way in.

William moved exquisitely
slow. A long stroke in and out- a dreadful tease. He repeated this process several times, each time my body eagerly pressing against him for more. Then he changed pace- shorter movements, one right after another. The pulsing was steady and firm and I could feel myself begin to ripple around him. I grabbed at his back as my insides clutched him in violent spasms. I reached for his face and kissed him and William started moving again. He still moved slowly and with no urgency. We had all night, after all.

He may not have been in a hurry, but I was dying to feel him release inside of me. I moved my body faster, hurrying him. My hands slipped lower on his back until I was grabbing his ass, clasping at him and pushing him even deeper. With each thrust, I circled my hips until I felt him let go
at the same time as me, our bodies jerking and shuddering together as I held him against me.

William
collapsed on top of me from the exertion but now he rolled off me, pulling me with him so that I lay on his chest. He combed his hands through my hair repeatedly as we both waited for our hearts to settle and our breathing to calm.

“I can’t stay away from you,” I confessed. “I try. I tell myself that it will be better for both of us. But my body won’t listen. It’s like I’m drawn to you.”

“I know.” William’s chest rose as he took a deep breath. “Trust me, I know.”

“Do you think your parents might have been right about us? That this is doomed to end.”

“I don’t know. I have never been a fan of listening to my parents.” I looked up at William when he asked, “What about your parents? Have you told them about us?”

“No.”

“No. Alright.” William looked miffed. “Are you planning to tell them about us?”

The conversation made me realize just how little we actually knew about each other. We didn’t exactly spend a lot of time talking. I pushed away from William and sat on the bed,
pulling off my heels, thigh highs and bra so that I was completely naked, but free. I hugged my knees to my chest and took a deep breath.

“My parents are dead, William.” I felt his hand on the small of my back.

“I’m sorry, Livy.”

“How could you know? It’s not like we ever talk about anything important.” I could hear the bitterness in my voice.

“You’re right,” William agreed. “We should talk more.”

I gave him a sly smile. “It’s not really our fault. We just happen to be really good at other things.”

William returned my smile. He pushed back on the bed so that he was sitting up as well. “Ask me something, Olivia. Anything.”

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. Finally, we were getting to the good stuff. I had a chance to learn about the real William Connor. “You’ve never taken anyone home to meet your parents until me. Why?”

William leaned his head back and half-closed his eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Terrible answer.”
I slapped his leg. “You can do better than that.”

“Olivia, I honestly don’t know. I have no idea why I decided it would be a good idea to introduce you to those people.” A smile threatened to appear. “You’re just so different from the other women I’ve dated.”

“Tell me about them.” I didn’t really want to hear about these other women, but I wanted to know more about William.

“There’s not much to tell.”

“What was your longest relationship?”

William looked away. “I don’t know. Six months?”

“So, Holly?” I felt a twisting in my chest.

He shrugged. “I guess. But I wouldn’t exactly say we had a serious relationship. It just took me awhile to get around to breaking up with her.”

“You realize that makes you sound like a total jerk?”

William sat up abruptly.
“Fine. Here goes. I’ve dated a lot of women, especially when I was younger. I have a lot of money, and it’s hard to find quality women. So eventually I stopped looking and settled for easy women. I had a lot of meaningless sex. Occasionally, I kept one of those women around for a little while. By the time I met Holly, I thought I was ready to have a real relationship, so I tried to make it work. But it didn’t take long to realize she was only after my money, so I ended it.” He reached over and rested his palm on my cheek. “Then I met you, and everything changed.”

“How do I know you aren’t just saying what I want to hear
to keep the sex coming?” Even as I asked the question, I knew he wasn’t just bullshitting me.

William actually laughed. “Have you been paying attention? You made me beg and plead on multiple occasions for you to even give me a chance. If I was just looking for sex, I would’ve moved on a long time ago.
And I certainly wouldn’t have introduced you to my mother. She’s a giant cock-block.”

I laughed loudly at that. He was right.

“My turn?” William asked. I could tell he had a list of questions he was dying to ask me. I cringed a little, but said yes.

“When we were at the shelter, you seemed to know everything about that place.
Down to the minutest of details, like where they keep the matches.” William’s hand had slid to my back and his fingertips grazed a light path down my spine. “You didn’t just volunteer there, did you?