Chapter 7

The drive to V with Matt had been uneventful. He had been a gentleman from the start, complimenting her, opening the car door for her, and generally doing all the expected first date rituals but Zoe was relieved when they pulled up to the red carpet entrance of V and the Valet opened the door as local reporters snapped blinding photos. Zoe found Matt generally likable but nothing seemed to draw her to him. As he came around the car to meet her, he slid his hand onto the small of her back and guided her up the red carpet walkway to the entrance.

The outside of V looked like a gray cube. Made of concrete, and with no windows on the front, a large black V stood out from the top corner the building. The V was backlit with white neon light creating a glow around the edges. The two story building looked simple, elegant, and understated. Two tall models with long blonde hair in tight black shift dresses stood at either side of the door with trays of drinks in their hands. Their red lips said "Welcome to V" in unison. Matt and Zoe both took drinks and walked into V to discover a large dark, gorgeous room with everything in black and gray. Black chandeliers of all different sizes hung from the ceiling in the center of the room, a bar ran along the East and West walls with a warm glowing light coming from under the black bar top and behind the bottles on the wall behind. The second story was a balcony that ran along all sides of the square building with cozy couches surrounding small tables, perfect for intimate conversation. The center of the downstairs was a large dance floor with tall tables around the edges, the place was crowded but not yet full. 

Matt was finished with his drink before they had made it to a table. He guided her to a table where he quickly introduced her to a group of lawyers he worked with, whose names she would never remember. They all had dates that looked like models and immediately Zoe felt out of place. He grabbed another round of drinks as their conversations continued. 

"So where did you meet Matt?" One of the blonde dates eventually asked Zoe. 

"We actually met last night, a mutual friend introduced us." Zoe felt even more out of place as everyone looked behind her instead of at her as she answered the question. She could feel the pink rising in her checks as the realization that she did not belong here set in. 

"Hello, Gentlemen." Zoe froze at the sound of his voice. She had heard him say so few words and yet it was unmistakably him. Matt put his hand on the small of her back and turned her body so she was facing David. 

"Hello David, thank you again so much for the invitations. The place looks amazing. Congratulations on the opening." Matt beamed, reaching out to shake David's hand. David cooly accepted, never breaking his face of stone, showing no emotion. 

"Thank you, and how could I not invite the legal team that got me this place?" His eyes scanned the men but his expression stayed, "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat. Please drink up and enjoy yourselves." His eyes met Zoe's for a moment, to her it felt like an eternity. She could feel her heart beat quicken as her desire for him slowly crept up from deep within her. David walked away into the crowd. 

With her head spinning, Zoe excused herself to the ladies room. As she walked up to the main one downstairs she saw an endless line and her panic increased. A tall model with a tray of drinks must have seen the state Zoe was in as she mouthed the word 'upstairs.' Zoe was grateful for the tip as she walked right in to the restroom that was hidden down a dark hallway in the corner of the upstairs balcony. It was quiet and empty as she placed her clutch on the counter and looked in the mirror. 

She wore her hair in big loose curls that rested just on her breast. He long black designer dress was borrowed from Kelli and while it hugged her curves perfectly, showing how her figure formed a perfect 8, she wished she had pinned the revealing slit up the side that went almost to the top of her thigh. She took a deep breath and sighed, there was no way she would see him again, she thought. He was the owner and it was opening night, his night would be handshake after handshake as he went around and followed the formalities of thanking everyone for coming out. Having caught her breath, she reapplied her dark red lipstick and headed down the long dark hallway to the railing of the balcony taking in the whole bar below. 

The balcony was empty and still. From there she could see the bar below was packed and more people were coming in the door. The music was low enough you could talk but not so low that it was forgotten, it was a mix of slow sultry rock songs and blues. She could see Matt grabbing another drink as he laughed with his friends from the firm. She did not notice David was next to her until he spoke. 

"They weren't supposed to let anyone up here tonight." She turned to face him, he somehow seemed even taller today as he looked down into her eyes. He was standing about a foot away from her and it gave her enough space to take him all in. His tuxedo made his frame look strong and even in formal attire his dark curly hair was just the right amount of messy. 

"I'm sorry, one of the girls-" Zoe began to explain.

"It's ok." He cut her off and took a step closer. Zoe could feel it again. She could feel the pull of him. Her body became tense as she tried to fight off the desire she had for him but she could feel the ache deep inside her rising up faster than she could control. 

He was inches away now and she watched as his eyes looked over every inch of her. She watched his face as he started at her black high heels, followed her leg up to the top of her thigh where the slit of the skirt began, and scanned her small waist up to the rise of her chest, along the soft skin of her neck, and finally he met her eyes again. His face was still stone but she could see his chest rise and fall faster as his eyes made their way to hers. She thought she could see desire in his eyes. 

He stepped closer. She could feel his breath on her face now and she had to lean her head back to look up into his eyes. He gently moved his hand to the small of her back, his touch was soft but powerful and it made her breath hitch. He used his hand to guide her away from the balcony railing and walked by her side as he led her to the dark hallway in the corner. 

She was aching for him. Every inch of her burning with desire. They were halfway down the hallway when he moved his hand away from her back. She stepped back from him, pressing her back against the wall. He moved towards her, almost wrapping his body around her but he still left the slightest bit of room between them. 

He leaned one hand above her against the wall, his feet were just enough apart that he had one on either side of her. With his free hand he took his forefinger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze. Her breath was racing now, she could not breath fast enough. Their eyes were locked as he lightly tipped her head back, she could feel herself becoming wet. Her body ached for his touch so much that she had to close her eyes as he moved his lips down towards her face. 

He did not kiss her. Instead his lips hovered just above her ear, she could feel the moisture from his warm breath on her ear lobe.

"Why did you run this morning?" He whispered softly. He nuzzled his nose against her neck and chills ran up her whole body. She had to stop herself from moaning with pleasure. Just being this close to him, just his touch set her on fire. 

"It's not right." It was a struggle to get the words out. He moved his head back and looked into her eyes. He searched them and she wondered what he was searching for. His face was still unreadable but his eyes were starting to let down their walls. 

He inhaled deeply, and set his jaw, mulling over what he would say next. 

"My understanding is that you just met Matt Allen. Am I wrong?" He asked cooly, and once again he was a statute standing over her, not a flinch betraying him. 

"No, you're right. I just met him. He's not. We're Not. It's not because of him or anyone else." Her thoughts were jumbled with him there. All she could think about was how it had felt to be with him, how he had made every muscle in her body radiate with pleasure. 

"Then what?" He waited. She could not find the words to explain it to him. The thousands of reasons she had listed last night and again this morning seemed meaningless when he was standing right here. Standing over her, just inches away, so close she could feel his warmth, she could feel his pull. 

And all the reasons and excuses were gone as she tilted her head back and brought her lips to his. As she leaned forward to kiss him, his right arm left the wall and wrapped around her waist as his left hand gently reached for the base of her neck, his fingers in her hair. The taste of his lips drove her wild. His kiss was strong, powerful but his lips were soft. His tongue played in her mouth with hers as he pulled her closer, leaving no space between them. Her hips rested just below his and she could feel him through his tuxedo. She pulled away from his kiss and her head fell back as she moaned with pleasure feeling how much he wanted her. 

He took the opportunity to kiss her exposed neck lightly from the top all the way down to her chest. He held her as she melted into him. He kissed her along the edge of her dress, right were the hem of the fabric pressed against the top of her breasts. He took his time slowly kissing her from right to left as she struggled to catch her breath. As he came up from the last kiss he used the hand at the base of her neck to bring her gaze forward to meet his. 

When their eyes met she could see his breath had quickened. She moved the arms she had wrapped around him to his coat button and gently unbuttoned it without letting her eyes leave his. She walked her fingers down to his belt and unlatched it slowly, softly. Quickly moving her hands to the button of his pants, she smoothly unbuttoned and unzipped them. She did all this without ever looking away from his eyes. They were alight with something she had not seen in them before. 

He did not move a single muscle as she reached for him. He closed his eyes as her long soft fingers gently brought him out. Thick and hard, she could feel his desire pulsing in her hand. He reached into his inside coat pocket and unwrapped a condom. As she placed the condom on him, he took a deep breath and moved his hands to her hips, gently he pulled her dress up and her lace thong down. 

She pressed herself against the wall, bracing herself for him. He lifted her just slightly and placed his right arm against the wall above her head and then he entered her. Slowly, purposefully he entered her. She gasped with pleasure and titled her head back. He pulled back painfully slow and then began the slow, steady thrusts deep inside her. She put her arms around his neck, bracing herself as the pleasure became to intense to stand. He slowly picked up speed and she could feel his thrusts from her head to her toes. The pleasure resonated through her body as she lost herself to him. As he picked up speed she lost her breath, every inch of her was on fire with pleasure, her mouth hung open as she tried not to scream with ecstasy. 

Just when she could not take any more of him, he moved his left arm under her, cradling her lower back and his right arm moved from the wall to behind her shoulders as he lifted her off the ground. He pounded into her quickly while holding her in the air. While holding her in his strong arms. She buried her head in his neck and she could her his quick breathing. She couldn't hold back the moans any longer as she started to reach her climax. She could feel him so deep inside her, he was pushing the air out of her, she could not breath. 

A blinding white light took over her vision as she came. Her head tilted back and he held her close as the pleasure washed over her like waves and her body squirmed in his arms. She heard his breath quicken and then he gasped as she felt him fill her with his pleasure. He leaned forward, pining her against the wall and pushing himself further into her. Once his breath slowed, he lowered her down softly and stepped away from her. 

"Wait fifteen minutes before you come downstairs." He said and then he turned and walked down the hall to the men's restroom. She stared at the wall in front of her and the list she had made herself the night before, the list of reasons why she should never have been with him in the first place, the list she had forgotten just minutes ago, came flooding back to her.

Chapter 6

Zoe did not know how it happened but suddenly she was running down the hallway towards the elevator. She had never felt so physically torn before. She was torn between succumbing to her aching desire for him and the regret she felt from how far she had already let it go. She was torn between wanting and dignity. So when he whispered softly in her ear the very words that had melted her the night before, she bolted.

She pushed past him and ran at full speed through the front door. She did not stop until she hit the elevator button. She pressed the button until the bell rang and the door opened. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her head was spinning as she got in the elevator. She turned to lean on the back wall and waited for the doors to close.

She could see him, standing in the hallway, eyes locked on her and for once his face gave some indication of what he was thinking. As their eyes met she could see confusion in his. She sighed in relief as the doors closed and the image of him was gone.

This could ruin her. Yet again she had let him drive her to a place that could ruin her professional life, her career. Not that she had a passion for property management, but it was a steady job that provided her with a nice place to live and enough money to support her art. She caught her breath in the ride down the elevator and tried to shake his eyes from her memory.

25 flights later and the elevator bell rang as the doors opened to the lobby. There stood graceful, gorgeous Maria talking coolly on the phone. She beamed her gorgeous smile to Zoe and mouthed the words “I’ll be right in.” As Zoe feebly smiled back and walked into the Main Office, where once again Cheryl was ready to pounce.

“What did she say?” Cheryl looked as though she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown as she ran up to Zoe and begged for an answer.

“I think he is going to take it. His assistant said she would be right in to do all the paperwork.” Zoe turned to the safety of her desk, hoping to hide in paperwork to avoid any more conversation with Cheryl about David Moore. She froze at the site of the most elaborate bouquet of two-dozen pink roses on her desk.

“Zoe!” Cheryl squealed with delight, “I could kiss you! You have no idea how huge this will be for us!” Cheryl was right, she did not understand all the fuss surrounded David Moore renting the penthouse. Their property had two Penthouse apartments and one had been rented for years, the other had just been made available three days ago and the phone had been ringing off the hook since then with clients demanding to see it. What was so important about David Moore renting this apartment? Wasn’t he just another rich 30-something with too much time and money on his hands? To Zoe, the clientele here were all the same; overly rich, overly arrogant, and too young to have earned the money themselves. But at that moment her mind was no longer on the pretentious clientele, it was on the mystery of the pink roses.

As Zoe walked slowly to her seat behind her desk she stared at the roses in bewilderment. As she sat down, she looked to Cheryl for answers.

“Oh! The roses! You, my dear, have been keeping secrets!” Zoe panicked, of course she had been keeping secrets. How could she tell her boss about the way David had held her steady over him, making her ache for him more and more as he slowly brought her down thrusting himself deep inside her. Steady, slow, and deep, making every part of her pulse with pleasure.

And there he was, walking in the office with Maria, looking as cold and stone faced as ever. Cheryl did not see them enter and continued; “I did not know you were going to the opening of V tonight. And who, exactly, is Matt Allen? Why am I only hearing about him now?”

Zoe was not sure if she should be relieved that Cheryl knew nothing about her and David or mortified that Cheryl was airing her personal business in front of David and Maria. Her only option was to take control of the situation; she turned to Maria and David, “Ready to start the paperwork?” Maria smiled sweetly but David glared at her, his usually cold face now burning with anger. He whispered something to Maria as she nodded in understanding.

“I have to be going, Maria will take care of things from here. Thank you.” David stated briskly and walked out of the office. Maria sat down in front of Zoe’s desk and beamed her soft gorgeous smile, “Let’s get David all moved in, shall we?”