Chapter 6 Alex
ALEX
I can't stop thinking about the kiss.
It's been three days since the incident in the elevator, and I still can't get it out of my head. The feel of Paige's lips on mine, the taste of her skin, the way her body melted into me like it was made to fit there...it's like a loop playing on repeat in my mind, over and over again.
I know I should forget about it. Write it off as a moment of weakness, a temporary lapse in judgment brought on by stress and exhaustion and the close quarters of the elevator.
But I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see her face. Every time I take a breath, I catch the scent of her perfume. It's like she's gotten under my skin, burrowed deep into my psyche and refused to leave.
It's driving me crazy.
"Earth to Alex." Sam's voice jolts me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see him staring at me expectantly from across the table.
We're supposed to be having our weekly marketing meeting, going over the latest numbers and brainstorming ideas for the MindMeld launch. But I've been spacing out for the last ten minutes, my mind a million miles away.
"Sorry," I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face. "I was just...thinking about something else."
Sam raises an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Something else, huh? Or someone else?"
I feel a flare of heat in my cheeks, and I look away, hoping he doesn't notice. "I don't know what you're talking about."
But Sam isn't buying it. He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Come on, man. You've been acting weird ever since that presentation last week. And don't think I haven't noticed the way you and Paige have been avoiding each other like the plague."
I stiffen at the mention of her name, my jaw clenching involuntarily. "There's nothing going on between me and Paige," I say, my voice coming out harsher than I intended. "We're just...we had a disagreement, that's all."
Sam snorts, shaking his head. "Right. A disagreement. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"
I glare at him, but he just grins, unrepentant. "Look, Alex, I'm not blind. I see the way you look at her when you think no one's watching. The way your eyes follow her every move, like you can't bear to let her out of your sight."
I feel a stirring of unease in my gut, a tightening in my chest that has nothing to do with the project or the looming deadlines. "You don't know what you're talking about," I say, but even to my own ears, it sounds weak.
Sam sighs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table.
"Listen, man, I get it. Paige's a tough nut to crack.
She's brilliant and driven and doesn't take shit from anyone, least of all you.
But that's what makes her so damn attractive, isn't it?
The challenge of it all, the thrill of the chase. "
I open my mouth to protest, but the words die on my tongue. Because as much as I hate to admit it, he's right.
There's something about Paige that gets under my skin, that makes me want to push and prod and needle until I get a reaction. Until I see that flash of fire in her eyes, that spark of passion that she keeps so carefully hidden behind her cool, professional facade.
It's a dangerous game we're playing, the two of us. A game with no clear rules and no clear winner.
But I can't seem to stop playing.
"Just be careful, Alex," Sam says, his voice softening. "I know you. You're not the kind of guy who does casual. If you're not careful, you're going to end up getting hurt."
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. "I'll be fine," I say, but the words ring hollow even to my own ears.
Sam just shakes his head, a sad smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I hope so, man. I really do."
The rest of the day passes in a blur of meetings and emails and halfhearted attempts to focus on anything other than the memory of Paige's lips on mine.
By the time the sun sets and the office empties out, I'm wound tighter than a spring, my nerves frayed and my patience wearing thin.
I should go home. Pour myself a drink, watch some mindless reality TV, and try to forget about the whole damn thing.
But instead, I find myself heading down the hallway towards Paige's office, my heart pounding in my chest and my palms slick with sweat.
I tell myself it's just to discuss the project, to go over some last-minute details before the beta launch next week.
But deep down, I know that's a lie.
I knock on her door, my knuckles rapping against the wood with a sharpness that makes me wince.
"Come in," she calls, her voice muffled by the door.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself, and push the door open.
Paige's sitting at her desk, her head bent over her laptop and her brow furrowed in concentration. She looks up as I enter, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.
"Alex," she says, her voice carefully neutral. "What are you doing here?"
I clear my throat, suddenly unsure of myself. "I, uh...I wanted to go over some of the marketing materials for the beta launch. Make sure we're all on the same page."
It's a flimsy excuse, and we both know it. But Paige just nods, gesturing for me to take a seat in the chair across from her desk.
I sink into the chair, my legs feeling suddenly weak. Being this close to her, in the intimate space of her office, is making my head spin.
She's wearing a simple black dress, the neckline dipping just low enough to reveal the delicate curve of her collarbone. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail, exposing the graceful line of her neck.
I want to reach out and touch her, to run my fingers over her skin and feel the heat of her beneath my hands.
But I force myself to stay still, to keep my hands clenched tightly in my lap. "So, uh...the marketing materials," I say, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears.
Paige nods, pulling up a file on her laptop. "Right. I've been going over the copy, and I think we need to make a few changes to the messaging. Really emphasize the AI aspect of MindMeld, and how it's going to revolutionize the way people communicate."
I lean forward, trying to focus on the words on the screen. But all I can think about is the scent of her perfume, the way the light from the lamp on her desk casts shadows across her face.
"That sounds good," I say, my voice coming out low and rough. "But I was thinking we could also play up the human element a bit more. Talk about how MindMeld is going to bring people closer together, help them understand each other on a deeper level."
Paige looks up at me, her green eyes sparkling with something I can't quite name. "I like that," she says softly. "It's a good angle."
For a moment, neither of us speaks. The air between us feels charged, electric, like the moment before a lightning strike.
And then, suddenly, Paige stands up from her chair and walks around to the front of her desk. She leans back against it, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes never leaving mine.
"Alex," she says, her voice low and husky. "What are we doing?"
I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "I don't know," I say honestly. "But I can't stop thinking about that kiss."
She takes a step towards me, her eyes dark and intense. "Neither can I."
And then, before I can think better of it, I'm standing up and pulling her into my arms, my mouth crashing down on hers in a kiss that steals the breath from my lungs.
She responds instantly, her lips parting under mine and her tongue tangling with my own. Her hands slide up my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt.
I groan into her mouth, my hands sliding down to cup her ass and pull her flush against me. She gasps, her hips grinding against mine in a way that makes my head spin.
I walk her backwards until she's pressed up against her desk, my hands fumbling with the zipper of her dress. She reaches behind her, sweeping the papers and pens and laptop onto the floor with a clatter.
And then I'm lifting her up onto the desk, my hands pushing her dress up around her waist and my mouth trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck.
She arches into me, her head falling back and her eyes fluttering closed. "Alex," she breathes, her voice thick with need. "Please."
I don't need to be told twice. I slide my hand up her thigh, my fingers brushing against the lace of her panties. She gasps, her hips bucking against my hand.
I can feel how wet she is, even through the fabric, and it makes my head spin. I slide my fingers beneath the lace, stroking her slick heat and reveling in the way she shudders and moans beneath my touch.
"God, Paige," I groan, my voice rough with desire. "You're so fucking wet."
She just whimpers in response, her hips rocking against my hand in a desperate plea for more.
I slide two fingers inside her, my thumb circling her clit in tight, precise strokes. She cries out, her inner walls clenching around my fingers like a vice.
I slowly pump my fingers in and out of her, my mouth trailing hot kisses down her neck and across her collarbones. She tangles her fingers in my hair, pulling me closer, desperate for more contact.
And then, with a final twist of my fingers and a flick of my thumb, she's coming apart in my arms, her body shaking and her cries of pleasure echoing off the walls of her office.
I work her through it, my fingers slowing but never stopping, until she's limp and boneless against the desk.
"Jesus," she breathes, her chest heaving and her skin flushed. "That was..."
"Yeah," I say, my own voice rough with need. "It was."
She looks up at me then, her eyes dark and hungry. "Your turn," she says, her hands already reaching for the button of my pants.
But I catch her wrists, stilling her movements. "Paige," I say, my voice serious. "What is this? What are we doing?"
She blinks up at me, her expression unreadable. "Does it matter?" she asks, her voice carefully casual. "It's just sex, Alex. A way to blow off steam, relieve some tension."
I feel a pang in my chest at her words, a tightness that I can't quite explain. "Right," I say, forcing a smile. "Just sex. No strings attached."
She nods, her expression relief. "Exactly. We're both adults, we both have needs. There's no reason we can't satisfy those needs with each other, as long as we keep it strictly physical."
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. "Of course," I say, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. "Strictly physical."
She smiles up at me, her hand resuming its path towards my pants. "Good. Now, where were we?"
And then her hand is wrapping around me, her touch firm and confident, and all coherent thought flies out of my head.
I lose myself in her, in the heat of her mouth and the skill of her hands, in the way she moans and gasps and writhes beneath me.
And for a little while, I let myself forget about the project and the deadlines and the nagging sense that this is a terrible idea.
For a little while, I let myself pretend that this is enough. That I don't want more from her.
But deep down, I know it's a lie.
Because as much as I try to convince myself otherwise, as much as I try to bury it beneath layers of snark and sarcasm and casual indifference...
I'm falling for Paige Reynolds.
And I have no idea what to do about it.