Taking Care of Business. Kathy Lyons

       3

      SAM FINN’S HEART—and dick—leaped forward, but he didn’t move off the elevator wall. He feared if he shifted at all, nothing would stop him from grabbing Miss Julie Thompson and dragging her back to his cave, so to speak. So he held himself still and gripped the railing until his hands hurt.

      She had paused before strutting into the elevator, her pert chin lifted in challenge and her hips swaying slightly in anticipation. Was tonight the night? Finally? After months of foreplay, would he finally get up the nerve to push them to the next level?

      Nearly two months ago, Sam had also stood at the back of an elevator while she sauntered in. Later, he learned what her name was. Later, he figured out that she was the owner and creative force behind Web Wit and Wonder. Later, he realized that she’d been in her “creative” mode, dressing and walking with a flair that he found especially sexy.

      At the time, all he noticed was that she was a bright flash of yellow sundress, bouncy hair and strappy sandal attitude. All woman, very perky in all the best ways, and a night-and-day difference from the corporate stiffs he was about to face in his own boardroom. Then she had stuffed her delectable body close, he’d caught the exotic scent of sandalwood, and his dick had the normal, predictable reaction. He’d gotten a boner the size of the Sears Tower.

      Nothing unusual there. Every male above the age of eleven had suffered through an embarrassing erection. But then she’d done the unthinkable. She’d pressed backward against him. Far from being shocked and repelled, she’d actually, swear to God, squeezed him. Well, that’s what his lower half believed. And then, while his brain was scrambling desperately to hold on to sanity, she had stepped away. Seconds later, she was off the elevator while he was harder than granite. He’d needed twenty minutes before he could face his employees.

      It could have been an isolated incident, the kind of random thing that sometimes happened in a city the size of Chicago. It probably would have remained an isolated event if he weren’t owner of the office building in which they both worked.

      But he did own the building and he had access to all sorts of interesting security devices. Nothing intrusive, but it took less than a minute to learn everything official about Miss Thompson and her ad agency. And given that this was a building outfitted with the latest and greatest technology of the time, he could easily tie its security feed to his own laptop. There was no surveillance within her office suite. That would be a breach of privacy. But in the hallway outside her door? Absolutely. He knew when she came and went from her office, he knew what she wore, and most importantly, when she would be heading for the elevator banks.

      So the stalking began. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Had her caress been a product of his fevered imagination? Or would she welcome more? Could such a beautiful woman really want his touch? He had to know if he was imagining her response or if she was just into kinky, anonymous sex play.

      It took nearly a week, but he’d managed to arrange to be in another packed elevator with her. His heart had been beating triple time, but after a week of fruitless speculation, he’d had to put the question to the test. He’d reached for the elevator button by way of her breast.

      He’d tried to be subtle. If she started screaming, he could pretend he’d stumbled, it was an accident … He had an entire litany of excuses ready. He’d extended his hand, brushed across her breast and then pushed the button. And damn if on the way back, she didn’t “accidentally” fall forward enough that he was nearly cupping her.

      He’d almost collapsed. He had nearly convinced himself that she would scream bloody murder. That he’d be facing a sexual harassment lawsuit. But when none of that happened, his mind had simply shut down with shock. That, unfortunately, gave free rein to his inner stalker.

      He’d never gone for emotionless sex before. Never had an interest in casual hook-ups. His life was his robotics company, and his women had been relationships. He never guessed that he would spend two months trying to find a way to have sex with a stranger in an elevator.

      But maybe that was the point. Maybe he was ready for sex without pretense. Forget a meeting of minds and life goals. Julie Thompson was a bright splash of color in his very gray, very robotic world. Why couldn’t he walk on the wild side for a while? As long as she was willing, he was game.

      And best of all, he made sure he only connected with her when he was in his coveralls. He’d be damned if he let another woman have “sex with the billionaire.” He hadn’t thought there were that many money-hungry groupies in the world. Certainly not those who would go for a boring, nearsighted, robotics geek. But experience had taught him to be extra cautious about his identity. So, if Miss Julie Thompson wanted hot elevator sex, she was going to get it with a maintenance guy, not a CEO.

      So the stalking began in earnest. He watched when she came and left her work. It helped that she was as much a workaholic as he was. Their hours matched up nicely. Morning elevator mash-ups allowed for discreet fondling. And at night, when he was all alone in his bed, he played out scenarios that appalled his rational brain.

      But that was fantasy, and he was beyond tired of playing by himself. Tonight, she was here alone and he was more than ready to take it to the next level.

      She had turned her back on him with a sexy wiggle to her hips. The scent of sandalwood hit him and his blood went straight south. If he were sticking to his usual pattern, this was when he would come up behind her and begin fondling. Her ass, her hips, her breasts—didn’t matter. She was fantastic all around. Curvy, athletic without being obsessive, and just the right height for him, especially when she wore heels.

      But this wasn’t going to be a usual elevator encounter. It was late at night, they were the last ones in the building, and he had control of the elevator thanks to a new app he’d just installed on his phone.

      The elevator started moving and he could see her body change. Her purse slid down her shoulder to land by her feet on the floor. Her shoulders opened up and her chin lifted slightly. And best of all, her hand hovered over the Stop button. Right there was the invitation he needed. She wanted more, just like he did. Was she going to do it? Was she going to pull the button?

      Yes! She popped it out and a split second later, he initiated the app on his phone. Right on cue, the elevator jerked to a stop between floors, its security camera turning off at the same time. She gasped and stumbled, clearly surprised by the lurch. He caught her before she fell backward. His thighs braced her legs, and his arms went around her body, one over her right shoulder, the other curving around her lower ribs. She wore a soft sweater top that tied on one side. If he slid his hand across her belly, he could have her top undone with a flick of his wrist.