Read Online Secret Desires by Crystal Cierlak - Free Book Online Page A

notes for the nth time, "there is just one Fitson property currently without any representation. A private club in the Hills called The Golden Palm?"
    James, who until that moment had sat in characteristically silent intensity, uncrossed his legs and reached into his suit jacket pocket. "The Golden Palm is off limits," he said, coolly regarding his retrieved phone. Every head in the room was turned to face him. "You have a lot of good ideas, Ivy, but we're not going to disassemble everything Natalie built just because she's no longer on the account. We can reevaluate in a few months if necessary."
    Natalie didn't dare look in Ivy's direction, but she could see enough in her peripheral vision to know the girl was wholly rebuffed and taken aback. Natalie's heart was replete with pride after James' unequivocal defense of her work.
    Audra, who looked somewhat astonished herself, rose from her seat and ushered a hand towards Ivy. "Thank you for coming in this afternoon. Let me walk you out." She cast a quick glance at Natalie and then at James, who had quietly accepted a phone call on the other side of the office. Natalie gathered her own belongings and tried not to watch as Audra shuffled Ivy out of her office. She almost felt sorry for Ivy.
    Almost.
    "Natalie?" James called out for her when they were alone again.
    "Yes?"
    He pocketed his phone and crossed the expanse of the room towards her. "I'd like to see you tonight."
    At that moment it hit her: she no longer had a work-sanctioned excuse to see him. Their entire relationship was now relegated to the confines of total secrecy. As soon as she left the building everything would change.
    "Did you really mean what you said? About not wanting to pretend?"
    He searched her face for a moment before answering. "I meant it."
    She took a deep breath, using the moment to gather her courage. Now that they were officially in the darkness of secrecy, she had to know something. "Are you going to ask me to choose between you and my job?"
    James brushed a few stray hairs off her forehead. "Let's not talk about that right now." He kissed her, sweetly and unhurriedly. She couldn't keep track of his mercurial mood shifts; maybe it was better that way.
    "I'll be home by six. If I'm not, there's a spare key taped to the underside of my welcome mat."
    The corners of his mouth picked up. "You're giving me a key?"
    "No," she chuckled. "Not yet at least."
    His face turned somber again as he stared at her as though he were staring off into the distance. She watched his eyes for any indication of what he was thinking, or feeling. She waited for him to say something , but he didn't.
    "What is it?" she asked after a long pause.
    "Nothing," he said, breaking himself out of the moment. He kissed her again, then pulled away and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "You really don't have anything personal on your desk?"
    Natalie shrugged. "It's not like I can put up a framed picture of you."
    "Hmm." He leaned in and kissed her again, lingering a moment longer than necessary on her lips.
    " Ahem ," Audra cleared her throat from the double-door entrance. "You're not going to have sex in my office, too, are you?"
    Natalie groaned. Her face flushed hot with humiliation. "I've got to get back to work." And never again look Audra Robertson in the eye , she added to herself.
    "I'll see you tonight," he promised.
     
     

NINE
    Natalie woke to the sound of James snoring softly by her side. Early morning light streamed in through the curtains and illuminated his honey colored hair against the soft cream-colored bed sheets. She barely remembered him coming over, just that she had passed out almost immediately upon returning home from work and that he had let himself into her apartment. He woke her for dinner then held her in his arms until she fell back into a deep sleep. It was the first time she'd actually spent the night with him without having made love; apart from their brief dalliance in his office earlier in the