25. Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Harvey
The emergency safety meeting at work held me up today. It’s just after three when I finally finish my call. Molly isn’t at her desk when I walk in, but I can hear voices. One deep male, and the other, Jemima’s. For a second, I think it’s Danny, but as I walk closer, the unfamiliar voice becomes clear, but it’s not a voice I recognize.
I enter her office doorway and freeze. The image in front of me causes me to grind down on my molars. The guy is standing way too fucking close to her. Does she know him?
Her tight expression and the way she tries to pull away makes something inside me snap. I’m not in control as I stride over, wrap my arm around her waist, and pull her toward me.
It’s totally inappropriate. I don't know what's come over me.
“Hi,” she says softly, clearing her throat. “This is Mr. Hernandez, the executive director of JFK. He wants Recaredo Events to organize his Christmas party.”
I thrust out my spare hand, forcing him to step back to take it. “Nice to meet you,” I say, swallowing my hatred toward him. He’s still gazing at Jemima like he wants her, but she’s sinking into my hold instead of pulling away.
“Nice to meet you Mister?”
“Oh, where are my manners? This is Harvey Lincoln,” Jemima says.
Finn’s expression changes, and his focus shifts to me. “I’ve met your brothers, Evan and Oliver.”
I nod. “If you enjoy working with them, I’m sure we could get The New York Press’s coverage of the event if you want?”
His eyes light up. “That would be wonderful.”
I grab my wallet, find a business card, and hand it to him. “Email me some details, and I’ll forward them to him.”
“Thanks for your time, Ms. Recaredo and Mr. Lincoln.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Jemima offers, but I tighten my hold on her. She scowls at me.
“It’s okay, I’ll see myself out,” Finn says.
We shake hands, and he turns to leave. I wait until the front door closes before I let her go.
“What’s gotten into you?” she asks, with a slight annoyance in her voice.
I rub my jaw. “What the fuck was he doing so close to you? Doesn’t he know that…”
“Does he not know what?”
“That… that’s unprofessional to do so.”
Her lips curve up. “Harvey, are you jealous?”
“Yes, seeing him standing so close to you is making me fucking crazy. I’ve never been possessive, but with you, I can't help it.”
Her lips twitch as her face morphs into a softer expression. “I’ve never had that before.”
“No?”
She shakes her head, sighing. “No. No one cared about me that much.”
“Well, if you were mine, I’d be telling the whole world to back off.”
I can’t believe the word “mine” just left my mouth. I just mean I would do anything to protect her and Chad. Having a child isn’t the obstacle I always believed it to be. In fact, Chad is cool and fun. I enjoy spending time with them. It gets me thinking about how much I want a family like this.
“A few kisses and you think I’m yours,” she breathes with a hint of amusement. She moves closer, her body inches from mine. Is she making fun of me, or is she flirting with me?
“What would it take, buttercup?” I ask, closing the distance between us. Her eyes fill with longing and lust, mirroring my own.
Fuck, I want her.
She licks her bottom lip, and I follow the movement with my eyes and a groan.
“A lot more.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Like? Another kiss.”
She nods lazily. The air is thick with tension, and we’ve both been wanting more, so I don’t bother asking more questions. Grabbing her waist, I pull her to me, bringing my mouth down on hers. She threads her fingers through my hair, hungrily pressing me closer. She tastes and feels amazing, bringing back memories of our first kiss. I push my tongue against her closed lips, desperate for entry. She opens up, and I sweep my tongue into her mouth, tangling with hers.
The way we move so effortlessly is proof of how well we fit together. My hands move to her lower back, curling with every flick of her tongue. She's desperate, and I hiss out her name. “Jemima.”
“Don’t fucking stop,” she says.
I can’t help smirking into her kiss. “I wouldn’t dare.”
We kiss again, but my hands move to her shoulders, slowly pushing her navy suit jacket off. She doesn’t resist; instead, she helps rip it off.
“I’ve thought about this moment so many times,” she murmurs.
“Me too, every night.”
She brings her fingers to my suit jacket and copies me. But I don’t rush. I savor her undressing me.
“You like me undressing you?”
“So fucking much,” I growl.
There’s something about wanting her to control me. Her confidence gets me harder. My hands move to the buttons on her white shirt, and as soon as they’re undone, I pull her shirt from her skirt. She moves her hands to my half-removed tie and whips it off in seconds. As she unbuttons my shirt, her fingers trail over my body as if mesmerized by it.
“Are you okay?” I ask, my voice lower than it was a few seconds ago.
“I’m just taking a second to make sure you’re real.”
I laugh. “I’m definitely real.”
Her fingernails graze my stomach until she's tugging my shirt from my pants and then moving to unbuckle my belt.
She removes it swiftly and grabs my pants to take them off. Enjoying her eager touch, I kick off my shoes so my pants can fall. I stand in my briefs as her hands skim my body until they land on the waistband of my boxers. She’s breathing heavily as she peeks up at me, pausing to wait for my permission.
“Take them off, baby.”
Biting down on her bottom lip, her eyes drop as her hands push over my very obvious erection. The moment it springs free, she gasps.
“Fuck. You’re killing me,” I rasp, as my briefs hit the floor, leaving me standing completely naked. She has the audacity to smirk at me, but I’m the one who should be smiling.
“It’s my turn.” My fingers twitch as they touch her shirt buttons, loving the skin that's revealed. She’s so beautiful and about to be all mine. Her chest rises and falls rapidly with every button I pop, as if she’s nervous.
“Harvey,” she whispers.
“You have no idea how much I’ve fantasized about you.” I slide my hands under her shirt and slip it off her shoulders, watching it fall to the floor. It leaves her in a plain black bra, navy skirt, stockings, and pumps.
“It’s even better than I imagined,” I say, reaching for her skirt. “You’re incredible.” Slipping off her skirt, I leave her in just her stockings. I push them down, taking a moment to savor her sexy body. But her eyes look sad? And her fingers twist in front of her.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, lifting her face with my finger. She swallows hard, her hesitation bothering me. “What? Tell me,” I push.
“I’m not what you’re used to,” she breathes shakily.
I’m trying to understand where her confidence went. Did I say something wrong? But I come up empty. “What do you mean?”