Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Zana

I wake to X's muscular weight pressing me deliciously into the mattress, his nose nuzzling the sensitive skin at the nape of my neck. Soft kisses trail along my shoulder as his clawed hand skims down my side.

"Mmm, good morning," I murmur, stretching languidly beneath him. My body responds instantly to his touch, desire kindling deep in my core.

His rumbling chuckle vibrates through me. "Morning, beautiful. Such a good girl, keeping me nice and snug inside you all night long."

I bite my lip on a moan as he flexes his hips, reminding me that we're still intimately joined, his thick length buried to the hilt. Large fingers find my clit, rubbing in teasing circles that make me whimper and writhe.

"Please, X..." I'm not above begging. Not when it feels this good.

"I've got you, baby," he promises, slowly withdrawing before gliding back in with a long, deep stroke.

Oh God, he feels amazing, stretching and filling me so perfectly. I roll my hips to meet his steady thrusts, savoring the exquisite friction, the delicious drag of his ridged flesh against my fluttering walls. Pleasure builds and builds, a mounting pressure begging for release.

X sets an unhurried pace, stoking the flames higher with every powerful surge and retreat. His fingers maintain their maddening pressure on my sensitive bud. It's blissful torment and I'm lost to it, reduced to mindless pleading punctuated by keening cries.

When my climax finally crashes over me, it's a slow-rolling wave of ecstasy that seems to go on forever. I shudder and clench around X's pistoning shaft, gasping his name like a prayer. He growls approvingly, not letting up until I'm a wild, incoherent mess. Only then does he let go, spilling deep inside me with a guttural groan of completion.

We collapse together, spent and sated, exchanging tender kisses as we catch our breath. I could definitely get used to waking up like this.

The hiss and gurgle of the coffeemaker rouses me from a delicious doze. I stretch languidly, noting X's side of the bed is empty but still holds a trace of his warmth. Steam billows invitingly from the open bathroom door.

He pokes his head out, flashing me a roguish grin that makes my stomach flip. "Morning, beautiful. I ran a shower for you."

"You're too good to me," I purr, admiring his glistening bare chest.

"I aim to please." He winks. "Unfortunately, duty calls and I need to head out soon. But I promise we'll connect again real soon, okay?"

"I'll hold you to that," I murmur, trying to hide my disappointment. I knew this was a fling, nothing more, but still...

Wrapped in only a towel, X perches on the bed and cups my face, kissing me deeply. I melt into it, into him. Too soon he pulls back with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"A little something to remember me by until next time." His hand skims down my body to slip between my thighs. I gasp as two fingers plunge inside, curl just so. "Mmm, so wet for me already."

"X!" I half-moan, half-giggle, playfully swatting his arm. "You're incorrigible."

"You love it." He steals one more kiss before rising. "Those should keep you company today."

Then he's gone, leaving me aching and bemused, his scent clinging to my skin. What a way to start the day.

The promise of a hot shower finally lures me out of bed. I linger under the spray, reliving every scorching moment of the last twelve hours. By the time I emerge, prune-fingered but glowing, I have just enough time to make myself presentable and grab a coffee before my first meeting.

I'm still floating on cloud nine when I breeze into Caro's room, barely registering her gobsmacked expression at my uncharacteristic punctuality. She opens her mouth, likely to interrogate me, but I hold up a forestalling hand.

"I know, I know, I owe you all the juicy details. But no time now - I promise I'll spill everything later, okay? Pinky swear."

Caro looks fit to burst with curiosity but reluctantly nods. "Fine. But I want a full report, missy! Now let's get this show on the road."

I grin impishly and follow her into the adjoining conference room, swaying my hips a little more than necessary. The incredulous snort behind me sets off a fit of giggles. Oh yeah, it's going to be an interesting day.

Caro and I fall into our well-practiced routine, setting up the conference room for the big meeting. I'm humming under my breath as I fiddle with the projector, my mind still replaying choice snippets from last night's X-rated adventures.

"Earth to Zana!" Caro's amused voice jolts me out of a particularly steamy memory. "I know you're riding the orgasm train to happy town, but I need you to focus, babe."

"Sorry, sorry!" I flash her a sheepish grin. "Okay, I'm all yours. Let's do this."

I force myself to concentrate on the task at hand, running through our pre-meeting checklist with single-minded determination. Microphones? Check. Handouts? Check. Coffee and water? Check and check. I'm just pulling up the presentation slides when a familiar username catches my eye.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I groan, glaring at the screen. "XSonagh718? Seriously? Of all the people..."

Caro peers over my shoulder, her brows shooting up. "Wait, isn't that your message board nemesis? The one you're always ranting about?"

"The one and only," I mutter darkly. "Arrogant, condescending, know-it-all prick. And now he's wormed his way into our meeting. Fantastic."

I'm still stewing in righteous indignation when the first attendees start trickling in. Caro slips effortlessly into manager mode, all warm smiles and confident handshakes. I hover uncertainly in the background, trying to school my features into something resembling professional detachment.

And then he walks in.

For a moment, I'm sure I'm hallucinating. Because there's no way, no possible way, that the green-skinned titan ducking through the doorway is my X. My brain short-circuits, desperately trying to reconcile the impossible sight before me.

But it is him. And from the stunned recognition dawning in his golden eyes, he's just had the same earth-shattering realization.

Holy shit. XSonagh718 is X. X is XSonagh718.

My arch-nemesis is my one-night stand. And my one-night stand is a freakin' executive at Vormugh Enterprises.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Caro's eyes dart between us, her mouth hanging open in a perfect ‘o' of shock. Behind X, his cousin Urul looks positively gleeful, like he's just stumbled upon the juiciest gossip of the century.

I want to sink through the floor and disappear. I want to pinch myself and wake up from this surreal nightmare. But all I can do is stand there, frozen, as the reality of the situation crashes over me in nauseating waves.

"Right, well," Caro says, clearing her throat. "Let's, um, let's get started, shall we?"

She shoots me a pointed look, and I scramble to finish setting up, my fingers trembling on the keyboard. I feel X's gaze boring into me, but I refuse to meet his eyes. I don't think I can handle seeing the smug satisfaction there, the confirmation that he's witnessed my ultimate humiliation.

The meeting passes in a haze of mortification. I stumble through my presentation, my voice sounding hollow and distant to my own ears. Every time X speaks, I flinch, his familiar rumble sending unwelcome shivers down my spine.

And then, just when I think it can't possibly get any worse, a private message pops up on my screen.

"You smell even more delicious than you did on my fingers this morning."

I choke on my own spit, my face flaming. I jab at the delete button like my life depends on it, praying to every deity I can think of that no one else saw. But as I risk a glance around the room, I could swear I catch the CEO's knowing smirk.

The second the meeting ends, I'm out of my seat and bolting for the door. I barely register Caro's concerned call or X's startled expression as I brush past him. All I know is that I need to get out of here, need to put as much distance between myself and this unmitigated disaster as humanly possible.

I don't stop running until I reach my hotel room. With shaking hands, I pull up the transfer request form and start typing. I don't even wait for Caro's response before hitting send.

Then I crawl into bed, bury my face in my pillow, and scream.