Meeting His Match

Chapter 10-1

Chapter 10

A sharp knock on the door had Nat jumping away from Mac. In the process, she knocked over a cup of pens. She stared at Mac. “What the hell?”

She barely got the words out and Brad was opening the door. “Are you okay in there? Everyone decent? We’re coming in.”

Nat grabbed the pens she’d spilled and shoved them back in the cup. Mac just stood, staring at her with an unusually intense expression, her lipstick smeared on his lips. Which meant her lips were smeared to the high heavens. She put a trembling finger to her lips as the door swung wide. Brad and Mike came back in, looked at Mac and her and back to Mac.

Grabbing her purse from her chair, she kept her head down and said, “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

She practically ran out of the office, tripping in her heels, and almost colliding with someone coming down the hall. Once in her car, she flipped down the visor and studied her face. If she hadn’t actually been involved in the kiss, one look at her face, and she would’ve thought a whole hell of a lot more had happened. Her hair was wild around her face, her lipstick had vanished, and her lips were swollen.

What the hell was that? That was no regular shut up kiss. She’d had guys kiss her before in an effort to shut her up. Hell, she’d done it to guys who were boring. But that? She had no idea what that was. Her hands were still unsteady when she started the ignition.

In the rearview mirror, she saw Mac come through the door, so she put the car in reverse and screeched from her spot. She couldn’t talk to him. Not now. Not until she had her s**t together. All the way home, she replayed the kiss in her head.

Maybe it had been so intense because they’d been fighting it for so long. That was probably it. Nat took a deep breath. Finding a reason for the unsettling emotions hitting her made her feel better. Then her phone rang. Mac’s name lit the screen and an avalanche of rocks tumbled through her stomach, so she ignored the call.

At her apartment, Natalie kicked off her heels as soon as she cleared the door. Stupid shoes. She’d been walking in heels since she was a teen. Gem’s wardrobe required heels all the time. She never stumbled, let alone tripped.

She threw the shoes at the closet door.

“What did the poor shoes do to you?”

Jillian’s voice scared a scream from Nat. “What are you doing home?”

Jillian lifted a shoulder. “Playing hooky.”

“What?”

“I needed a mental health day.”

“But you never take a day off. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Why are you throwing shoes? Was the meeting at the studio that bad?” Jillian squinted and studied Natalie’s face.

“So much worse. He kissed me!” Nat walked to the couch and flounced on it.

“Who kissed you?”

Nat rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. But that was a mistake because she envisioned the kiss. Again. “Who do you think? Mac. He sat in his freaking living room the other night and flat out rejected me, but today, in Brad’s office of all places, he plants a kiss on me. Who does that?”

“This is good.” Jillian joined her on the couch, curling her legs under her. “Tell me it was good. He looks like he could make it really good.”

Three goods didn’t nearly begin to cover it. Nat rolled her head to face Jillian. “So good.” Closing her eyes again, she groaned.

“What are you moaning about? I thought you wanted this.” She smacked Nat’s thigh.

“I wanted it on my terms.”

The doorbell rang.

“I’m not here,” Nat said as she grabbed a pillow and put it over her face.

“Well, I have to answer. What if my boss is checking to make sure I’m sick?”

“He wouldn’t. He’s a big important lawyer.”

Jillian stood. Nat jumped up and grabbed her arm. “No.”

“You don’t even know it’s him.”

Nat held tighter. The doorbell rang again.

“He doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere.” Jillian pulled from her grasp. “Plus, you have to face him sooner or later. It’s better here. You have home court advantage.”

Jillian had a point. Nat still had to work with him for weeks. So while Jillian went to let Mac in, Nat raced through the apartment to fix her hair and her clothes. She even put on the offending heels again. As Gem, she could face anything.

When she came back into the living room with her full armor in place, Mac was standing there, not looking any better than she felt.

Jillian cleared her throat. “I’m running out. Be back in a couple of hours. Might take in a movie.”

Before Nat could protest, Jillian waved and closed the door behind her.

She and Mac stood on opposite sides of the room staring at each other. Finally she asked, “Why are you here?”

“Why did you leave?”

“You kissed me.” She stepped forward.

He nodded. “But why did you leave?”

Nat faltered. She couldn’t tell him why she ran out. “Why did you kiss me? The other night you turned me down.”

“Gem made that offer, and we both know it.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, but in her gut she knew.

“You decided to be fearless with me, but you only did it as Gem. If it had been Natalie, the night would’ve ended differently.” His voice was strong and sure, his words definite.

Her heart thumped from her chest up into her throat. She swallowed hard and said, “You were the one who said I’m not two people.”

“But you’ve convinced yourself you are. You can say and do things as Gem and keep everyone at a distance.” He took a step toward her. “Today in Brad’s office, you walked in as Gem, but when you yelled at me, you were Natalie.” He stepped closer and kept getting nearer.

Nat wanted to back away, but her legs locked. She was trapped in his gaze.

“I kissed Natalie in the office. It’s Natalie I can’t resist.” He stood within inches of her touch. “Natalie is who I want.”

Nat stopped breathing. She was sure of it. But she wasn’t losing consciousness. She’d be aware if it was happening, right? He stood close enough now that she had to tilt her face up to continue to look into his eyes.

He pulled out a handkerchief. Rubbing at her lips with it, he said, “This is camouflage to hide Natalie. It’s a convenient shield.”

He swiped again and she wanted the touch to be his lips.

“Tell me what you’re thinking. Please tell me you were as affected by that kiss as I was.”

Instead of answering with words she didn’t have and probably wouldn’t offer even if she did, Nat angled up and kissed him. Twining her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer. She’d show him how affected she was. His strong arms wrapped around her back as their tongues tangled.

They kissed until Nat couldn’t take it any longer. She needed more. Sliding her hands from his neck, down his chest, she moved until she could stroke him through his perfectly tailored pants. He was already hard under her palm and the pressure from her hand was enough to spur Mac on.

His hands were suddenly all over her, brushing over her hard n*****s, gripping her a*s.

She pulled away, gasping. “Bedroom.” Afraid he might put a halt to their activities, she grabbed his hand and dragged him through the apartment to her bedroom. She stepped out of her heels and kicked the door shut as soon as they were clear.

Mac said nothing, but immediately tossed his jacket on the chair and kicked off his own shoes. As he pulled off his tie and shirt, he continued to stare at her while she shimmied out of her dress. When she reached for her b*a, he said, “Let me.”

His arms came around her body, the warmth of him sending tingles through her, or maybe it was his gentle caress on her skin as he flicked the clasp on her b*a. He peeled the satin away and kissed from her collarbones across her chest and to the stiff peak of her breast.

Then he continued to trail open-mouth kisses down her torso. She gripped his shoulders for balance as his breath whispered across her damp panties. His thumbs hooked the sides and slid them down. His hands got the fabric clear of her knees, but his mouth nuzzled her p***y, l*****g and stroking without warning.

Her whole body trembled with want. Her knees started to buckle and he pulled away. Once on his feet again, he nudged her toward the bed. Stepping from her panties, she turned away and lay on the mattress. Crooking a finger, she smiled.