3. NOVA
NOVA
Chapter three
I feel the way my body reacts to his proximity. The adrenaline rush I get just from feeling him so close to me.
I think I don’t want him this close, but there’s betrayal in the way my skin prickles and the way my heart sounds in my ears.
This turns me on.
His calming and refreshing scent lingers in front of me, notes of saltwater mixed with a hint of amber dance beautifully across my nose.
“You are entirely, and inappropriately, too close to me right now, Mr. Dodge.” I step back as he comes closer.
I force myself to require space though I know I really don’t mind the intrusion. But before I know it, my back is up against the cold, hard concrete wall behind me, and he takes a few more steps to close me in.
His body is now crowding me, and everything feels like it’s too much but not enough all at the same time. Like diving off a cliff into the crystal waters of the ocean, the sun beaming high in the sky and the seagulls creating sounds of lullaby as the cold saltwater splashes daringly against your skin. All to be swallowed whole by a great-white.
I watch the rise and fall of his chest as he drags his ocean eyes up my body in the most seductive, and enlivened way. But this is so fucking inappropriate.
“The way your heart is beating against your chest tells me that you kind of like it. Feel.” Hunter grabs my suddenly sweaty hand from my side and peels my fingers from the fist I seemed to have formed, spreading them out before placing my palm over my chest.
He’s right, it’s beating hard and fast. Overwhelmingly so. Pounding in tandem with my uncontrollable breathing.
“You just caught me off guard is all.” I force my hand out from under him which leaves his palm still placed on my chest. But instead of pushing him off or away like my clever brain is telling me to, I look at where the physical contact is, where his big hand is touching me. Because I am not as clever as the occupant rolling its eyes at me in my cranial cavity. And I feel something like liquid heat swirl between my thighs.
Hunter is dressed down in a pair of loosely hung jeans and a white t-shirt, which is more than he was wearing earlier. His skin is pale against my tan and his dirty-blonde hair–almost identical to my own–is flipped in a wavy mess.
This is so wrong. This is so incredibly wrong. To look at him with so much attraction lacing my eyes and damn well knowing that this is not normal.
“What about this, does this catch you off guard?” He removes his palm and takes his fingers tracing the outline of my dress. He starts from the collar near my neck and trails down to my cleavage over the curve of my breast until he reaches the first gold button. Using only one hand, the other bracing himself behind my head against the wall, he carefully fishes one of the buttons through its loop.
And I don’t stop him.
My breath hitches when he gets it loose, then he moves to the next one. I feel my nipples harden painfully and I silently thank the dress for being a somewhat thicker material that he can’t see through. But I catch his eye movement fluttering to that exact spot as he pulls another button loose, opening up my dress a little more.
I look down to see that he’s unbuttoned enough buttons to see the top of my belly button, which wasn’t hard considering the neckline was already deep to begin with. All he has to do is undo the last three buttons and he can slip my entire dress off my body.
Pebbles of pleasure scatter throughout the flesh of my breasts and I can feel our sensually-driven labored breaths intertwine.
His fingers are no longer trying to unbutton the rest of my dress however, which I’m not sure I’d even stop him.
“I’m actually not surprised that you’re willing to force yourself on the first new girl you see, Mr. Dodge. So no, it doesn’t catch me off guard that you’re the type of boy who finds enjoyment in crowding a female with your overly confident ego more than it concerns me for our professional relationship together moving forward. Now, do you mind backing up so I can go find the human resources department?” I finally find the courage to push my palms against his chest, forcing him back an inch, but his rock-solid form is no match for me. Or maybe I didn’t push hard enough, feeling the want that curls inside of me telling me that I’m weak to the man in front of me. Not strength wise, that’s a given. But rather the other physical aspects. The one that sends signals of craving to the brain when in the presence of someone who looks the way Hunter does.
I’ll be honest, my tone is stern and sure. Confident in my ability to make him think that I’m serious about putting a stop to the game he’s playing. My biggest opposition, however, is the reaction of my body. I know he can tell that my actions speak louder than my words.
I start to button my dress back up, feeling him watch me intently as I do.
“You really want me to back up?" He leans in again but this time a little closer; I can feel his warm breath hit the surface of my cheek. “You sure you don’t need my help? Because I can be an excellent helper.” He takes this moment to place his hand just below the hem of my dress, slowly making his way under it.
Something feverishly erotic stirs deep in me. The threat of someone walking down the hallway to see us like this, and the filthy fact that I’m allowing this man to take advantage of me has me so fucking wet.
And even though I just pushed him off me, I don’t stop him from playfully forcing himself on me again. Because it’s not harmful and it doesn’t hurt. It’s gentle and intentional and I am actually drowning in how good it makes me feel. And maybe it’s the fact I haven’t been fucked in a very long time that prevents me from actually putting in any effort to pushing him off me a second time.
“But if you really want me to leave, little one, just say the word and I’ll back off.”
Lord, I don’t know why but when he calls me little one, goosebumps are inevitable, and I know he can feel them as he trails his fingers higher up my thighs. He’s so close to the curve of my ass.
“But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t physically drawn to you. And by the stutter in your breathing, I can tell you might feel the same. Or maybe it’s been far too long for you and your body hasn’t been used in a while. Used for all the great things a body like yours was made to do. So, tell me. Should I back up, Miss Satterlee?”
He’s so close. So close I can feel his words plunging deep into the pool of pleasure inside me and swimming all the way down to where the ache throbs the most. So close I can feel… his erection. And I can’t help but look, realizing there’s still a few inches between us, and I can feel his erection???
I swallow an impossible lump of lust, feeling the urge to lick my lips, but I resist.
I have to stay strong and resist this man’s charms. He’s cocky and annoying, but so fucking charming.
Imagine that.
But before I find it in me to use my damned cowardly voice, another voice booms from behind Hunter, nearly making me jump under the perusal of his fingertips and eyes.
“Hunter. Get the fuck off her. McMillin needs us in his office.” Hunter doesn’t move, not a single skip of his flirtatious, overpowering beat.
I pull my dress down terrifyingly quickly. Hunter finally moves a little bit, only enough so that I can make out the face belonging to the thunderous voice.
Zayden.
He has a good six inches on Hunter. About ten inches on me. He’s intimidatingly sexy. His dark features are even darker in the shadows of the hallway, only a few feet back. He’s dressed in sweats and a t-shirt showing off only parts of the tattoo traveling up his arm. I don’t look at him long, afraid of what my stupid body will do to betray me again.
Instead, I fold my arms at my chest and stare at Hunter like a kid who was told no at the toy store.
“I’ll get off if she wants me to get off. Tell him, Nova. Do you want me to get off?” He still has one hand splayed against the wall behind me as he opens us up so that Zayd can see better.
I’m embarrassed. Ashamed.
But only because I enjoyed what was happening just now, not that we were nearly caught.
“I said get the fuck off.” Zayd takes a step closer toward us, the dim lighting in the back hallways allows for the glimmer of his wet curls to shine in the midst of the shadows and I can see the demand in his eyes. It’s terrifyingly gripping. And the tone of his voice sounds almost territorial.
“Jesus, Zayd. I was just showing Nova around.” Hunter backs up entirely, holding his hands up in surrender and I feel as though a boulder has been lifted off my chest. But I grow to miss the warmth.
That’s when I accidentally catch another glimpse of Zayd, and this time he isn’t staring at me, he’s staring through me. Like I’m the one who was in the wrong here. Like he’s pissed at me for the actions of his colleague.
My whole body feels like it’s burning with the heat of his harsh glare.
“McMillin’s. Now.” Then he storms off.
I’m still leaning against the wall when I consider the fact that Hunter will go back to his teasing touches and whether I’d let him proceed again or not. I’m so fucking hot. And I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Even when I take time to get to know a boy or show my interest in someone, I’d never let them touch me as quickly as I surrendered to Hunter’s curiously dirty mind just now.
Hunter takes a few steps back, his eyes not leaving my body until he turns away, leaving me ashamed and frustrated. Flushed and humiliated.
“Turns out the writer’s room is on the other side of the building, just thought I’d take you on a little detour. I’ll see you around, little one.”
Jesus, I’m so incredibly fucked. And stupid.
“Asshole,” I yell after him as he walks away and chuckles.
Incredibly fucking stupid