Chapter 2
TWO
The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, and suddenly the world shrank to just Nate and Mel. Her emerald dress shimmered in the low light, and Nate was struck by an overwhelming urge to run his fingers through her auburn hair, to gently tug her head back and expose her neck.
They were standing close enough that he could smell her perfume—something floral. Sweet. Sultry.
Didn’t help his libido that he could also sense her anticipation. It was in the subtle shake of her hands, the way her deep breaths made her full breasts rise and fall.
"So," Mel said, her voice low and teasing. "About that cheese shop romance..."
Nate laughed, the sound echoing in the small space. "I'm all ears. Though I have to warn you, my knowledge of cheese is limited to what I put on burgers."
She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh, we can't have that. Clearly, you need an education in the finer points of fromage."
The elevator stopped, and they stepped out into the hotel corridor.
Their hands brushed as they walked, sending little sparks of electricity up Nate's arm.
He was usually more composed than this, more in control.
But something about Mel had him feeling like a teenager on his first date, eager to explore every inch of her being.
They reached her room, and she fumbled with the key card. Nate watched, amused, as she muttered under her breath.
"Need some help there, cheese expert?" he asked.
She shot him a playful glare. "I'll have you know, I'm perfectly capable of opening a door. This one's just... temperamental."
Finally, the light turned green, and the door swung open. Mel turned to him, her expression suddenly shy. "So, um... do you want to come in? For that cheese education, of course."
Nate stepped closer, close enough to see the kaleidoscope of gold in her hazel eyes. "I thought you'd never ask."
As soon as the door closed behind them, all pretense of cheese-related discussion flew out the window. Mel's lips were on his, soft and insistent. Nate pulled her closer, one hand on the small of her back, the other tangled in her hair, just like he had imagined.
She tasted like wine and possibility, and he was drunk on both. They stumbled towards the bed, a tangle of limbs and half-removed clothing. Mel's dress pooled at her feet, revealing a matching set of lacy underwear that made Nate's heart race.
In this instant, it was almost easy to forget.
Forget that work had been so crazy lately that it had been a while since he had been with a woman—almost half a year.
And this woman in particular, Mel…
Everything about her—the set of her shoulders, her grace, the raspy depth of her voice—spoke of hard-won confidence, the kind that only comes from climbing out of life's trenches with your head held high.
"You lose something over here? You're staring," she teased, her hands working on the buttons of his shirt.
"I am?" Nate ran his hands down her sides, reveling in the softness of her skin. "I'm just trying not to blink. Not to miss a moment of you."
She laughed, the sound turning into a gasp as he trailed kisses down her neck, nipping at her collarbone. "Smooth talker. But I think I'd like a little less talk and a lot more action."
Nate was more than happy to oblige. They fell onto the hotel bed, a mess of kisses and wandering hands.
Mel arched against him as he unhooked her bra, her nails digging into his back, leaving marks that he hoped would last for days.
Her gorgeous, full breasts spilled out, and he wasted no time taking one hard rosy nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting until she cried out.
"God, you're beautiful," he murmured, taking in the sight of her. "And so incredibly sexy."
She blushed, a charming contrast to her boldness. "You're no slouch yourself, Mr. Mysterious. Now show me what you've got."
Nate silenced her with another kiss, deep and hungry.
Their remaining clothes disappeared in a flurry of movement, and then there was nothing between them but skin and heat.
His body pressed against her thigh, hard and insistent.
Mel's fingers traced the lines of his chest, sending shivers down his spine, before wrapping around his length, stroking him until he groaned.
"I hope you didn’t feed me a bunch of fiction earlier,” she whispered, her breath hot against his ear. "Because if you did…I’d know.”
Nate grinned, flipping them so she was beneath him. "Why don't you find out?"
She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. He could feel her, hot and ready against him, her body eager and waiting. It was all he could do not to lose control right then and there. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
"Condom," he managed to say, reaching for his wallet.
Mel nodded, biting her lip as she watched him. "Hurry," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I need you inside me. Now."
Nate didn't need to be told twice. He slid into her, and they both groaned at the sensation. She was tight and hot around him, and he had to pause for a moment to keep from losing it.
"Nate," Mel moaned, her back arching. "Move. Please."
He set a rhythm, slow and deep at first, then building in intensity. Mel met him thrust for thrust, her nails leaving trails of fire down his back. The room filled with the sound of their breathing, punctuated by gasps and half-formed words, the slap of skin against skin.
“You feel amazing, Mel,” he managed to say, his voice ragged. "You're so tight, so wet."
She smiled up at him, her hazel eyes glazed with pleasure. “I would hope so. Now shut up and keep going."
He leaned down to kiss her, their tongues tangling as their bodies moved together. It was intense, overwhelming, and he could feel himself getting close. He reached between them, finding the spot that made her gasp.
"Oh my God,” she breathed. "That's... yeah. More of that. Make me come, Nate."
He circled his thumb, feeling her tighten around him. Her breath came in short gasps, her body tensing as she got closer.
"Come for me, Mel," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "Let me feel you."
She did, crying out as her orgasm hit, her body tightening around him, milking him for all he was worth. The sight of her coming undone pushed him over the edge, and he followed her into blissful oblivion, coming harder than he ever had before.
They collapsed onto the bed, a tangle of sweaty limbs and racing hearts. Mel let out a breathless laugh, burying her face in his chest.
"Well," she said, looking up at him with a satisfied grin. "That was certainly educational."
Nate chuckled, pulling her closer. "And we didn't even need any cheese."
They drifted off to sleep like that, wrapped in each other's arms. And it was the best night's sleep he had had in years.
Hours later, morning came too soon, sunlight streaming through the curtains they forgot to close.
Nate blinked awake, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings.
Every muscle in his body protested as he shifted—because apparently desk activities in your early forties require more recovery time than they did in your twenties.
But then…he felt Mel shift beside him, and the events of last night came flooding back. He forgot about the stiffness just like that.
He watched her sleep for a moment, taking in the way the sunlight played across her freckled skin. She looked peaceful, a small smile on her lips. For a brief, crazy moment, he considered waking her up for round two.
But then his phone buzzed on the nightstand, shattering the moment. He grabbed it quickly, not wanting to disturb her. The screen lit up with a message that made his stomach drop.
"Emergency board meeting. 9 AM. Be there."
He glanced at the clock. 8:15. Shit.
Carefully, he extracted himself from Mel's embrace. She stirred slightly but didn't wake. He dressed quickly, trying to smooth out the wrinkles in his suit as best he could.
He should wake her, he knew. Leave his number, at least. But as he looked at her sleeping form, he hesitated.
Last night was amazing, but it was just that—one night. Last night was a professional event. And he had been anything but professional with Mel.
It's better this way, he told himself. A perfect memory, unsullied by reality.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to leave without a trace. He grabbed the hotel notepad and scribbled a quick note:
Mel—
Had to run. Early meeting.
Last night was incredible.
—Nate
It wasn't enough. It was nowhere near enough. But it was all he could offer right now.
He placed the note on the pillow next to her and allowed himself one last look. Then he was out the door, racing against the clock.
As he hailed a taxi outside the hotel, his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Part of him wanted to turn around, go back to that room and consequences be damned.
But the rational part of his brain—the part that had been carefully cultivated by years in the corporate world—knew that wasn't an option.
He gave the driver the address of Carlisle Publishing's headquarters, his family's company. As they weaved through Seattle's morning traffic, he tried to focus on what this emergency meeting could be about. But his thoughts kept drifting back to Mel.
Her laugh. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about her writing. The feel of her skin against his. The way she gasped his name as she came, her body tight around him.
He shook his head, trying to clear it. He needed to compartmentalize. Whatever this was—was—with Mel, it had to stay separate from his professional life. He had responsibilities, expectations to meet. A legacy to uphold.
The taxi pulled up to the imposing glass building that housed Carlisle Publishing.
He paid the driver and stepped out, straightening his tie.
As he walked through the lobby, his protesting muscles made their opinion about last night's activities known with every step, and he was pretty sure he had pulled something in his lower back that no amount of Tiger Balm or triweekly CrossFit sessions was going to fix.
But damn if it wasn't worth it.
Problem was: he had to push those thoughts of last night aside. Because right now, he needed to be Nathaniel Carlisle, heir to the publishing empire. Not Nate, the guy who just had the best night of his life with a woman he barely knew.
The elevator ride to the top floor felt longer than usual. When the doors opened, he was greeted by his father's assistant, a harried-looking woman named Janet.
"Mr. Carlisle," she said, relief evident in her voice. "They're waiting for you in the conference room."
He nodded, steeling himself for whatever crisis awaited. As he reached for the door handle, he allowed himself one last thought of Mel. Then he pushed it away, locking it in a corner of his mind to be examined later.
He opened the door, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But as he stepped into the room full of stern-faced executives, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had left something important behind in that hotel room.
Something more than just a memorable night.