I was five minutes late to Roger's, the sports bar Alec and I frequented. We often spent Friday nights bitching to each other about our work week over a couple beers and burgers. That was the only place you could find the two of us openly getting along in public because Roger's was on the far edge of town where no one we associated with went, so we weren't concerned about our friendly burger dates - if you could call them that - being noticed.
The place was crowded, as usual, with football fans who'd just left the eleven o'clock game. I spotted Alec on the far side of the building through the mass of jersey-wearing beer drinkers. He was sitting at a small table, bottle in hand, surrounded by full booths near the corner.
"The traffic was a nightmare," I rolled my eyes at how frustrating it had been having to weave my way in and out of cars leaving the stadium.
Alec set his beer down, a smirk dancing across his lips. "Be honest," he said in a teasing voice. "You had to stop somewhere to take care of yourself because you couldn't stop thinking about how hot Saturday night was."
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, earning a smack on the arm from me. It didn't faze him though. Hitting his muscular arm was like throwing a punch at a brick wall. It didn't do shit to the brick wall.
I shook my head causing him to chuckle louder. I'd never tell him, but he sure was cute when he laughed.
The waitress chose that point to interrupt our exchange. I felt a twinge of jealousy at how obvious she was making it that she found Alec attractive. I put my hand on top of his on the table and slowly ran it up his forearm. She seemed to take a hint, even though the impression I was giving off was complete bullshit. Alec wasn't mine. I didn't know why I was jealous.
"What was that?" He cocked an eyebrow, that sexy smirk returning.
I realized my hand was still on his arm and quickly removed it. "What?"
Thankfully, he just shrugged it off and didn't say anything else on the subject.
His third beer and my first arrived soon after, and Alec decided then was the right time to inquire about why I had been pissed off.
"Sean Ashworth is on my last nerve," I told him after I finished relaying everything that had gone on in the meeting forty-five minutes prior.
Alec raised his eyebrows, sipping his beer. The waitress had brought over our burgers halfway through my spiel. I had yet to touch mine and he was almost finished with his. I was also only two swigs into my Budweiser and I just knew he was silently judging me for it, amusement written all over his face.
"Is that all?" he asked jokingly in response to my fifteen-minute speech. He hadn't gotten a word in edgewise the entire time.
I groaned and took a long swig of beer. "I'm really stressed, Alec. It's not that funny to me. Corbin and Hilliard are going to be furious if I don't pull this off perfectly."
He sighed and leaned closer to me. Rarely did I go to him to vent about anything. Actually, I often didn't vent to anyone. I'd try to brush it off and act like nothing was bothering me. Alec was probably surprised I'd decided to go into great anger-laced detail over our lunch. We almost never discussed business, mostly because we didn't trust each other not to take what the other said and run with it for our own personal gain. I had a sinking feeling I'd end up regretting telling him about my meeting with Sean but I chose to be optimistic about it, telling myself we were pretty good friends now and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize my professional endeavors.
"Well, it sounds like you're on the right track with the poster boards." Alec tried to sound cheerful. I wasn't feeling the optimism, however. "Corbin and Hilliard has graphic design artists, don't they? Just see what they come up with. And in the meantime, brainstorm the commercial while you wait."
He made everything sound so simple. Maybe it was and I was just stressing over nothing. Maybe I needed to relax and see the glass half full - the bright side. I had already acquired Rutherford Laurence and Sean Ashworth's interest. That was certainly worth something, right? I was halfway there already. At least that's what I wanted to convince myself of. Now I had to cram to come up with the perfect advertisements for Healthier Is Happier and get Sean to agree to use my material. No big deal, right? Ugh.
"I only have until Friday, though," I complained, taking an impressively large bite of my cheeseburger. "That's not very much time to brainstorm, Alec. What if I blow this one? The agency will be livid and I'll probably lose my job for losing Corbin and Hilliard's biggest, most important potential client ever." I slammed my food back down on the plate in frustration.
Alec's hand mimicked my earlier actions, gently grasping mine with a reassuring squeeze and sliding it up my arm, his fingertips lightly touching me in a soothing gesture. Like always, it felt as if there was an electric current zapping my skin with every second of physical contact he provided me.
It occurred to me that I wasn't just frustrated over work and fucking bald-ass Sean Ashworth. I wanted to nickname him Bald Ass-worth. I was also in urgent need of a relaxer. A relaxer named Alec Shaffers. I hadn't felt his lips on my neck or his body between my legs since Saturday, and it was beginning to take a toll on me, not having him every day.
That probably sounded dumb. I could have Alec pretty much any time I wanted, as long as one or both of us weren't wrapped up in a pressing matter. The problem was I'd gotten so used to having him that I was starting to have a hard time going a couple days without. He was my stress reliever. He was to me what alcohol and drugs were to other people. Sex with him was like temporarily escaping the pressures encompassing my life. He was my own personal getaway drug.
"Relax." The simple word left his lips in a sweet, velvety tone, caressing my ears as soon as I heard it. "You do exceptional work, Bree. I shouldn't have to remind you of that. You're a brilliant advertiser, and Corbin and Hilliard, as well as Rutherford Laurence, are lucky to have you even pick up a pen for them, much less all the other things you do."
His voice was caring and sincere. Rarely did Alec show his sentimental side. He had a saccharine streak that most people had no idea was there. He often showcased himself as a tough, driven, sometimes overly-masculine man with little to no tenderness. Most people believed that's exactly who he was. Boy, were they wrong.
I couldn't push away the sweet, warm feeling that arose inside my body at his words. I was practically swooning and forced myself to stop before Alec noticed the tiny hearts growing bigger by the second in my brown eyes. I regretfully reminded myself of our no-strings-attached rule. I had no business being intrigued by anything about him besides his physical attributes.
"Thanks," I finally responded, coughing awkwardly and brushing off my brief lapse of emotional judgment with a surprisingly long chug of my beer that earned a brow raise from Alec.
The remainder of our lunch consisted of small talk about people we knew mutually. Apparently Mike and Erin Arthur were getting a divorce.
"Shit, I'd divorce my wife too if her idea of cooking for a formal occasion was boiled eggs floating in tomato soup," Alec joked, laughing loudly as he polished off his drink.
I nodded. "Or any occasion for that matter."
While Alec spoke I studied his features. He was undeniably handsome. His sparkling blue eyes were extra dazzling in the midafternoon light streaming through the windows. His silky soft pink lips were tempting me more by the second to close the gap between us. They were parted slightly, making me crave those panty-soaking French kisses only he gave. His strong biceps were hidden from view, cloaked in black by a tight button-up. I began to daydream about ripping that shirt open and running my hands up and down his impressively sculpted chest and abs. His hair hung down over his forehead, partially wisp-ing into his eyes. I wanted so badly to run my fingers through it.
The sight of his broad shoulders evoked thoughts of gripping them while he lay on top of me, unraveling my senses more with every touch, kiss, lick, squeeze and thrust. Without realizing what I was doing, I leaned closer to him. I couldn't hear a word he was saying. My focus was minimally disrupted by the noise of the people talking around us, along with my attention being more on his crotch than his words.
I reached beneath the table, resting my palm on his knee. He immediately stopped talking, giving me an equally surprised and confused look with his brows furrowing in a soft frown. I knew he wasn't opposed to doing things in public. We'd certainly fucked against his car in parking lots and garages plenty of times. I doubted I was crossing any boundary lines with him, but he definitely wasn't expecting my hand below his waist, much less anywhere else.
"Bree." His frown deepened and he leaned closer, scooting forward in his seat in attempts to shield my actions. "What are you doing?"
His breath smelled minty, despite the burger he'd just inhaled that looked like it was swimming in mustard, and the three beers he'd downed with it. That only increased my desire to kiss him. Well, kiss was an understatement. I wanted to ferociously make out with him in front of everyone. For a split second, I envisioned Alec throwing me on the table and having his way with me right there.
My hand inched its way up his thigh, giving it a light squeeze. "You tell me," I winked concupiscent-ly, gripping his thigh harder than before.
Alec's eyes darkened, his tongue swiping over his lower lip in an enticing manner. I instantly craved running the tip of my tongue over his lip. He leaned in closer and I was sure he was about to press his lips to my neck. Instead, I felt his cool breath on my ear, softly moving my hair as he spoke, the sensation teasing me more.
"If you want something," he whispered flirtatiously, sending shivers up my spine. "Just tell me."
I swallowed back the moan trying to escape, not wanting to draw attention to us. I pulled back so I could look into his eyes but our lips were almost touching.
"Alright," I said quietly, feeling the waitress's eyes on us. "I want you, Alec."
His lips brushed ever-so-lightly against mine as he replied a simple, cocky, "I know," scooting back in his chair. My hand left his thigh and he stood up, adjusting himself in his jeans.
Before I could say another word, he threw down two twenties and was out the door, that confident smirk still plastered on his face.