Chapter 14
The next weekof work had me busting it. My concealed weapons class was at night, and I also worked on that proposal for the Greenville hospital. I finally presented it to my boss on Friday. He was totally impressed. He loved the way I was able to integrate the reasons for switching to MedSoft, not just for the physicians offices, but for the main hospital and all the other affiliated hospitals as well. He asked if I wanted to accompany him to Greenville the week after next to help pitch the deal to the hospital administration.
I was super psyched when I got home from work. Since there was an issue with getting the security gate installed at my carriage house, I was still staying at Pearce’s. He begged me to move in with him, and though it was tempting, I stayed firm in my answer. No, at least until we knew each other better.
He was already home when I walked in with my arms full. He helped me unload, as I had made a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home.
As soon as everything was put away, I told him the news about my proposal.
“Well, this calls for a celebration! Where would you like to go?”
“You pick.” I was never comfortable choosing a restaurant.
“Do you have anything going on this weekend?” he asked.
“Nope. Nothing planned.”
“Great. Go pack a weekend bag. You won’t need much. Bring one dress and the rest casual.”
He walked out of the room with a big grin on his face that left me wondering what he was up to.
Thirty minutes later we were in his car, headed up the interstate, but he wouldn’t give a clue as to where. When we took the airport exit, I began to get suspicious.
“Are we flying somewhere?”
He just looked at me and gave me one of his sexy smiles.
Then he threw me off because he didn’t pull into the main airport entrance but kept driving. When he finally turned off Airport Road, I had no idea where we were. I knew we were at the airport, but we were on the backside of it. Then we went through a large gate where he had to show his ID. They asked for mine and I took out my driver’s license. After a couple of minutes, we were allowed to proceed. He drove around until we came to one of those huge hangars. A small jet sat outside in front of it. A man ran out to meet us as Pearce exited the car and came around to help me out.
“Dr. Middleton, it’s good to see you, sir.”
“Hi, Jerry. Thanks for coming on such short notice. This is Alexia.”
“Hello, ma’am.”
I shook his hand and Pearce guided me toward the jet.
“Are you serious? Is this your plane?”
“No, it’s the Middleton Enterprise G7.”
“What’s a G7?”
“A Gulfstream 7. It’s a jet, Alexia.”
I rolled my eyes. “Duh, that much is obvious.”
“It’s just the type of jet, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t know you had one of these.”
He stopped and turned to me. “Well, it’s not mine. It’s the company’s. I was lucky it wasn’t in use this weekend. Now, shall I carry you on board, because I’m certainly not opposed to that?”
“No, I can walk.”
I mounted the stairs, and the pilot greeted us as we entered.
“Dr. Middleton, welcome aboard.”
“Thanks, Mitch. This is Alexia.”
We exchanged greetings and Kathie, the flight attendant, asked if we wanted drinks. Pearce ordered champagne and we watched her pop the cork on a bottle of Cristal. We toasted as the plane took off.
The jet was pure luxury. There were reclining seats, a sofa with a large screen on the opposite wall, and a cabin in the back with a bed and bath. It was unreal.
“Do you fly in this often?”
“Yes, if the family goes on a trip together, we usually take this. For conferences I don’t use it. I’ll confess, you get spoiled because it’s much faster. No lines and baggage issues. We all ski, so it’s much easier to use this than a commercial airline.”
“No doubt. I can see why. Now will you pinch me?” I ran my hand over the buttery-soft leather seat.
He just laughed.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
About an hour later my ears started to pop which indicated we were descending. It didn’t take long after that for the plane to come to a stop.
After the flight attendant opened the door, we were greeted at the stairs by someone informing us our rental car was here. I looked outside, but it was dark, so I still didn’t know where we were.
Pearce got me settled in the Mercedes rental and then we were off. When we got on the interstate, I knew where we were.
“Aha! We’re in Asheville,” I called out.
He laughed, and then asked, “But do you know where we’re staying?”
“No clue.”
We drove and I remained clueless until we pulled into the valet area in front of the huge stone structure of The Grove Park Inn.
I grinned. I’d always wanted to come here but never thought I’d stay here. It was way out of my league. My hopes were always to come and walk through the place and catch the views. Now, here I was, staying as a guest.
Pearce checked us in, and we were ushered up to our amazing suite. He ordered room service and we both undressed and put on the robes hanging in the closet. He uncorked a bottle of wine that was in the refrigerator and poured us each a glass.
“To the amazing Alexia and her success next week in Greenville. May she get the deal!”
We clinked glasses and sipped our wine. Our food arrived and it was extremely good. When we finished, Pearce said in a hoarse voice, “Alexia, take off that robe. I’ve been thinking about your naked body all day and I don’t think I can stand it another minute.”
I slipped off the robe and let it puddle around my feet. I stood there for a minute. His eyes were filled with raw emotion.
“Don’t move.”
He came to me then. He kissed me and my veins filled with fire. He swept his tongue across my lips and kissed the corner of my mouth. Bending his head, he started sucking on my earlobe. His tongue traced the shell of my ear, and when he came back to my lobe, he began a light waltz down my neck. I was moaning by now, squeezing his shoulders tightly.
He took his tongue and started to move it along the pulse point in my neck, sucking and swirling until I thought I’d scream. Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore, he dropped to the hollow at the base of my throat and repeated his sweet escapade. By this time my moans filled the room while my fingers laced in his hair.
When he lightly sank his teeth onto my nipple, I cried out in pleasure. He put his fingers in my mouth, and I sucked on them, partly because I wanted to, but partly because I needed them to keep me from screaming.
He moved down to my rib cage, and I knew I would be squirming soon because this was one of my favorite things he did to me. He scraped his teeth along the ridges and bit down ... not too hard but not too soft either.
“Pearce, I need you inside of me. Now!”
“Not yet. I have other plans for you,” he teased.
I groaned and pulled his hair, hard.
He stopped what he was doing and picked me up and threw me down on the bed. He dropped to his knees on the floor and pulled me to the edge. Spreading my legs, he sucked the tender skin on the inside of my thighs. When he slipped a finger inside of me, I came with a vengeance, calling out his name.
When my orgasm subsided, he bent his head and picked up with his tongue where his fingers had been before. I thought I would go mad from the sensations. We had made passionate love before, but it was never like this … he was never like this. He’d unleashed a part of himself that he’d kept reined in and had held in check.
“Yes, Pearce.” And he kept going.
Now I had to have him, all of him.
“I need you. Please don’t make me wait any longer.”
He was inside of me before I could even get the last word out. Fast and hard, at first, but then he pulled me up, and then we were face-to-face.
“Wrap your legs around me, baby.”
I did and my arms too. I think every part of my body was connected to his. I brushed his hair back and kissed his lips softly. In his mouth I admitted I loved him more than life itself. He came as I spoke the words.