Chapter 20 - Nic

I ride the elevator back up to the rooftop and walk out on wobbly knees. Never in a million years had I expected Manuel to show up here. He literally accosted me when I walked back into the lobby after putting Mom in a cab.

Mom had to fly back to Pittsburgh tonight, where she owns a small bookstore. The young store manager who runs the store in my Mom's absence had a family emergency. I was already feeling a bit put out over not getting to spend enough time with Mom when Manuel ambushed me.

Apparently, a buddy of his spotted me in Paris with Lex. That creepy person even took pictures of Lex and I without our knowledge and showed them to Manuel. Although Manuel claimed to have had a change of heart when he saw those photos, apparently realizing what a fool he had been to let me go, I think he is motivated by jealousy and a certain amount of disbelief that somebody like Lex could want me. And he must not have found a good housekeeper. I would have given my right arm to hear him speak like this right after our break-up, when I still thought that I was in love with him.

Mom had talked to me then, making me realize that I never really loved Manuel. I was only clinging on to him because I was afraid of ending up alone, just as she helped me see now that I mustn't give Lex up without a fight.

I pause in the little corridor that connects the elevator to the rooftop, take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and walk back into the party. After the initial shock of the confrontation with Manuel passed, I felt powerful. I did what I had always wanted to do. I said my piece to him and put him in his place. It was empowering. I feel like I can own the world.

I see Lex in the distance, talking to his parents. Lex's mom spots me and motions for me to go over. I walk towards them with a stiff smile.

"Lex was telling me your mom had to leave early," she says with a hand on my elbow, taking me away from Lex and his father. My stomach flutters. Is this the part where she tells me to stay away from her son? I glance back at Lex nervously, but he merely shrugs.

"Yes, Mrs. Hutchison," I say, snagging a glass of champagne from a tray nearby. I might need some liquid courage.

"Call me Eva, please," she insists with a genuine smile. "Do you enjoy working at Druk Technologies?" she asks.

"Yes, it's a great place to work," I say, taking a sip of my champagne.

"And do you like Lex?" she asks with the most innocent look on her face. I choke on my champagne. She rubs my back while I cough and splutter. Lex takes a step in our direction, but Eva waves him away.

"Easy, dear," she says, handing me a glass of water.

"Yes, Lex is a great boss," My voice has gone hoarse after all the coughing.

Eva fixes me with a speculative stare.

"Lex can be a knucklehead sometimes. He's too stubborn for his own good. It is a desirable quality when running a multi-billion dollar business, but not so much when it comes to his personal life," she says with a wry smile. Is she saying what I think she's saying? Is she giving me her blessings to go after Lex? I stare at her wide-eyed.

"Don't look so surprised, dear. Lex and his father are so very alike. Not just in looks, but also in temperament." She glances over her shoulder and sees Lex walking towards us.

"Give me your phone," she says urgently.

"Beg your pardon?" I gape at her.

"Your phone, quick," she urges.

I open my clutch and hand her my phone. She quickly types in her number.

"At any point in your relationship with Lex, if you feel the need to talk to me, feel free," she says with a smile, gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, and turns to face Lex.

"Ah, Lex. Dance with this lovely woman," she says, placing my hand in Lex's and walks away. I stare after her open-mouthed. Lex's brows knit into a frown as he looks at his mom's retreating back, and then at me.

"What were you and Mom talking about?" he asks. I know he wants to sound casual, but his voice is dripping with curiosity.

"Oh, nothing and everything," I say breezily. He is still holding my hand. It feels good, really good. Is he going to dance with me? Do I want him to dance with me? We are surrounded by our colleagues. If they see us dancing, there is no way we will be able to keep our mutual lust hidden.

"I don't see Manuel anywhere," Lex says, looking behind me. Then he realizes what he has said and closes his eyes for a brief moment, cursing under his breath.

"How did you know Manuel was here?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him. I thought I'd sensed him when I was talking to Manuel, but put it down to my imagination.

"Well, I happened to be in the lobby and happened to overhear some of your conversation," he admits. I want to be mad at him for eavesdropping on a private conversation, but I grin instead at the sheepish expression on his face.

"I sent him away. He has no place in my life," I sigh, leaning forward to place my forehead on his strong shoulder briefly. In comparison to Lex, every other man seems like a washout.

Lex's face lights up when he hears my words.

"Come home with me," he whispers in my ear.

"Yes," I assent. I don't even have to think before agreeing to his request. I don't question where our relationship is headed. All I know is that I want to be with Lex.

His gaze darkens instantly upon hearing my reply. Without wasting even a second, he leads me away from the party. We have the elevator all to ourselves. The minute we are alone, he takes me in his arms and kisses me hungrily. I'm only too eager to kiss back. I have missed this! How I have missed feeling his lips on mine.

One of his hands is cupping the back of my neck while the other glides down my back, resting on the small of my back. My arms go around his neck as he makes love to my mouth.

He lets go once the elevator comes to a stop and calls Chuck. While we wait in the lobby for Chuck, Lex keeps looking at me like a starving predator about to devour a delicious morsel of meat. Color creeps up my neck and my face. I feel the heat pool between my thighs. How is it that he is able to do this to me with a single glance?

Soon, Chuck pulls up to the curb and we are seated in the back of Lex's Maybach. I had expected him to kiss me the minute we got in the car, but all he does is place a hand on my bare thigh. He is still looking at me as if he wants to eat me, while his hand moves higher and higher up my thigh under the gown. I lean back in the seat, close my eyes, and bite my lip to stop the moan from escaping my lips.

My eyes fly open and I let out a squeak when his fingers brush my inner thighs. If Chuck has heard my squeak, he gives no indication of it. I glare at Lex, but he only grins and winks. Well, two can play this game, I think to myself as I run my fingers up and down the zipper of his pants. My eyes widen when I find him already hard. I boldly encircle his girth through his pants. His sharp intake of breath makes me feel powerful. I want to move my hand up and down his erection, but he stills my hand and shoots me a warning glance.

I just look at him innocently while my fingers slowly pull down his zipper.

"Nic," he hisses through clenched teeth.

"What?" I say, scraping my nails over the head of his impressive erection.

With a quick move, he captures both my hands in his, then uses the other to zip up his pants.

"You're no fun," I whisper in his ear, biting the lobe.

"You are being very, very naughty. You need to be punished," he whispers. His words make me gasp, but I'm feeling quite reckless.

"Perhaps I need to be punished," I say in a low voice, nipping his smooth jaw. "Good girls don't sleep with their bosses."

Lex sucks in a sharp breath at my words. His eyes have turned the color of stormy gray skies.

"What I wouldn't give to put you over my knees right now," he says hoarsely. My mouth hangs open and my cheeks are the color of a fire engine. He has painted a vivid picture which refuses to leave my mind. Would he really do it? Why do I feel more turned on than ever by the possibility of Lex spanking me? I never knew I would be turned on by something like that!

"It's too late to behave like a good girl now," he says, grinning wickedly. "You're a bad, bad girl, Nic."

Before I can form a suitable response, we drive into the underground parking lot of one of the most exclusive private apartment complexes. As soon as the car comes to a halt, Lex gets out and opens the door for me. After bidding Chuck goodnight, he guides me with an arm around my waist to an elevator.

A quick elevator ride later, we are standing in Lex's duplex penthouse.

"I'll give you a tour later," he says, pulling me by my arm into his bedroom, where he immediately sits on the edge of his king-sized bed, one ankle crossed over the other. I am standing in a few feet away from him, facing him.

Behind me are large windows with a great view of the Manhattan skyline. The minute we walked into the bedroom, the lights came on automatically.

"Strip," Lex commands.

"What?" I ask as my eyebrows shoot up my forehead.

"You heard me," he says sternly. This is a side of Lex I haven't seen so far. I am feeling insanely turned on. If he wants a show, I'll give him a show. I slowly turn away from him and reach for the zipper of my gown behind me. I pull in down slowly, exposing my naked back inch by inch. I am not wearing a bra as the dress had an in-built bra. I turn again and face him, tugging on the bodice slowly till my naked breasts come into full view. Wiggling my hips, I pull the gown down my body until I am standing in front of Lex only in skimpy black thongs and my golden peep-toe stilettos. Then I pull out the pins from my hair one by one until it is falling freely down my shoulders. I give my head a shake to muss my hair. With an exaggerated sway of my hips, I walk to him.

"Is this what you wanted?" I ask, leaning forward so that my breasts are practically in his face.

He growls and pushes me onto the bed so that I'm lying on my stomach.

"Don't move," he warns, stepping away from the bed. When I hear him getting rid of his clothes, I turn around to look at him. He looks delicious. I want to run my tongue all over him.

"I told you not to move."

There's a dangerous glint in his eyes that makes my throat go dry.