CHAPTER SIX
ALEXANDRA
Janet buzzes my desk a quarter to twelve. “Alex? There's someone here for you. He says it's important.”
I’m not expecting anyone today. Tomorrow, I have a dreaded meeting with Craig, a public adjuster, who is out for blood. Did he get the dates mixed up, I wonder. And knowing Craig, he would be jackass enough to come close to lunch and ruin my day. “Did he give a name?”
“Bran.” She pauses, and a small sigh reaches my sensitive ears. “He's very tall with long hair.”
Every part of me freezes. I don’t think I can deal with Bran right now. Or ever. Not after that kiss. My face heats up just thinking about it as my traitorous nipples harden and press against my bra.
Groaning, I dig my palms into my eyes and take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.
How did he even find this place?! I never told him where I worked…
Did I?
Shit! I don’t remember.
I lower my hands. Maybe the Lord of the Woods doesn’t need an address or directions.
He’d probably need a magnum condom though, my mind thoughtfully supplies.
Oh no! No, no, no… I am not going there.
Except it’s too late, I’m already remembering the feel of his cock, hard and thick, pressing against me as we danced.
Dancing was a mistake. Taking him to the bar was a mistake. And kissing him back was the biggest mistake because I want to do it again, and if it involves us both being naked while we kiss, even better.
I should have kept running after I pepper-sprayed him and saved myself all this angst. I don’t want it nor need it. Because now I’m highly attracted to a man who thinks he’s a lord, of the woods of all things.
With another groan, I get up and head down the hall.
Bran’s standing by the front windows when I get there, hands in his jacket pockets, looking entirely too large and too handsome for the lobby with its boring beige carpet, uncomfortable chairs and fake plants- because apparently watering a few plants takes too much effort.
My eyes move over him, and the way my body responds tells me I’m in way over my head here. Seeing Bran makes me happy and horny, a powerful combination that’s going to be hard to resist.
So why try? That annoying part of my mind puts in. The same part that so helpfully brought up his cock.
As I gaze at him, I make it a point not to linger on his crotch much and look down at his feet. On the plus at least he's still wearing his boots. Small miracle there.
Sadly, I also see that Janet at the front desk isn’t even trying to be discreet as she openly gawks at us.
I step close to him, catching a whiff of something clean and crisp. “What are you doing here?” I hiss in a low voice.
Intense green eyes meet mine as a smile that makes my ovaries quiver stretches across his face. “I wanted to see you.”
That makes me melt, which I can’t be doing. I need to be firm. “You can't just show up at my job, Bran.”
“Why not?”
Why not indeed? Janet definitely has no problem with it.
Sighing, I grab his arm and steer him toward the door before anyone else sees him.
Outside, the sidewalk is busy with lunch traffic.
I pull him a few steps away from the entrance before letting go.
“Why? Because this is a place of business, random uninvited people can’t just drop by whenever they feel like it. ”
He tilts his head, his smile never dimming. “You have lunch breaks so I’m here to take you to lunch.”
He has me there. I should absolutely say no. I have a stack of claims sitting on my desk, a meeting at one, and a packed lunch that I planned to eat at my desk while reviewing files. But for some reason when I open my mouth yes comes out instead of no.
“Excellent. Where would you like to go?”
Knowing it’s a lost cause to fight this attraction, I sigh and say, “Let me grab my purse. There’s a deli a block away that’s really good.” I point my finger at Bran, “You stay here. I’ll be back.”
Thankfully, he listens and doesn’t follow me. Walking through the door, Janet offers me a huge smile.
“New boyfriend?”
“New something,” I mutter, heading back toward my desk.
“Have a nice lunch,” Janet calls out as I stride by again.
Feeling bad about being rude, I stop and offer her a smile. “Thanks, you too.”
I’m just about out the door when she says, “If I were you, I’d be climbing him like a tree.”
Shock propels me completely out the door. Sixty-two year old Janet did not just say what I thought she did.
Bran sees my stunned face and opens his mouth, but I hold up my palm to stop him. “Don’t ask.”
I start walking and he falls into step beside me. Despite me being tall, his stride is much longer than mine, so he modifies it to keep pace with me. It’s oddly touching.
“How did you find me?” I ask, trying to ignore how our arms brush as we walk.
“You mentioned the building name once.”
I stop and Bran does too. “I did?”
“Yes, you were complaining about some jerk taking your parking spot. It was an unofficial parking spot, but you said it had been yours for ten years.”
My eyes widen as I do recall that. “Do you remember everything I say?”
He grins, showing off large white teeth. “Most of it.”
My pulse picks up and my eyes drop to his mouth before I catch myself and yank my gaze back up to somewhere safer, somewhere that isn't his mouth, the firm line of his jaw, or his amazing hair that looks so artfully natural and perfect. I’ve never been into guys with long hair, but on Bran it works. Oh, does it work.
The deli is small, sandwiched between a dry cleaner and a shop that sells nothing but candles, and the woman behind the counter eyes Bran the way most women eye him, which is, to quote Janet, like a tree they’d love to climb.
We order, grab our subs and drinks, and go to a table by the window.
I unwrap my sandwich while he unwraps his, and for a while we just eat, the lunch crowd moving past outside in both directions, everyone with somewhere to be.
Back when Bee was around, we’d come here and make up stories about people going by.
It would be something truly outrageous, like the stern guy in the black business suit was a failed secret agent.
Or the lady aggressively forcing people out of her way with her jogging stroller was the nanny who was having an affair with the kid’s father.
Of course, with Bee’s terrible luck, the guy would come in and catch us laughing, or the lady with the stroller would ram into the back of our ankles as we were leaving.
I smile, thinking about my friend’s spectacularly bad luck. It was truly beyond belief, yet she never let it get her down.
Damn, I miss her.
“Alexandra? Are you okay?”
Blinking back unexpected tears, I try to focus on Bran’s concerned face. He’s such a nice guy, even if he is a little loopy.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, my best friend and I used to eat here.”
“Do you want to go somewhere else?”
I sniff a few times and grab a flimsy paper napkin and wipe at my eyes, hoping I’m not smearing mascara all over. “No, it’s okay. Sorry about that. I just miss her and it hit me hard right now.”
“Did she move?”
Balling up the napkin, I laugh. “You could say that. She ran off with a leprechaun, and now the whole world acts like she never existed.” I offer him a wobbly smile. “I know it sounds crazy, but you being the Lord of the Woods, I figured you’d understand crazy.”
Bran goes very still, and it takes me a moment to notice the odd look on his face.
“What? What is it?” I ask.
Leaning forward over his sub, Bran’s vivid green eyes pin me in place. “You are Bee's friend?”