Alpha Billionaire Series
Baby Surprise Chapter 17

CHRISTOPHER

"Are you busy?"

Alicia's voice came through the phone intercom.

"Always, what do you need?"

"Never mind." I heard the hesitation in her voice. "I'll catch you later."

"Alicia, what is it?"

"Can I interrupt you? I only need a minute."

"You've already interrupted me. Come on in." She hadn't figured out yet that for her, I would always be interruptible.

She stepped into my office with hesitant little steps. I thought in the past month we had gotten past all of this skirting along the baseboards with me. But she was being as timid as she had the first week. "Sit down."

She shook her head with quick little movements. She was nervous, or spooked, or something.

I pulled my glasses off and rubbed my eyes as I sat back. I liked the soft smile on her face that I saw when I slid my glasses back on.

"Glasses really suit you."

"I'm glad, I like being able to see."

She shifted from foot to foot. This was going to take longer than a minute at this rate. She shifted her gaze around the room, always coming back to meet my eye, before quickly darting her eyes away.

With a flop of her hands, she finally started talking. "There isn't an easy way of doing this, so I'm just going to jump in here with both feet, and it's sink or swim from here on out. And, God, I don't want you to think I'm some kind of flibbertigibbet constantly changing my mind. But I'm changing my mind. But only if you are interested. Because I think I might be," she finished and then whimpered.

I couldn't help but laugh. Her angst and nervousness were endearing. She gnawed on her plump lower lip. She was exceptionally cute when she was nervous. I knew she didn't want me thinking of her that way, but how could I not? Especially when her pointed little chin quivered and she blinked those big eyes at me with those virtual fans of long lashes.

"This is harder than I thought. Can we talk later?"

"Sure, you have my schedule," I picked up the list of notes I had been going through, thinking we were done, and I was going to return to work, but Alicia just stood there.

I stood, not missing the hitch in her breath as I crossed the room to stand in front of her.

I crossed my arms and looked down at her. She continued to have a hard time meeting my gaze. I didn't have time for this.

I caught that pointed little chin of hers in my hand and held her face so that she looked at me. I was all kinds of tempted to lean down and wrestle that lip of hers away from her teeth.

"What is it you want from me?"

I knew I shouldn't be touching her. But she hadn't backed away, she actually took a step in closer.

She gulped, and I felt her pulse beat rapidly against her neck as I shifted my hand from her chin, to caress down the side of her throat. She was like a trembling rabbit.

I fought the urge to snap my teeth and make her jump. She needed soothing, coaxing.

"Alicia," I said her name in a breath.

"Can we meet after work? Talk then?" She gasped on a hiccup.

The sharp intake of air, startling, ignited a heat in me I hadn't felt in years.

"You have been very clear about not fraternizing with me outside of the office. This sounds like you've had a change of heart."

She licked her lips and nodded.

My control was on the very precipice. I had been dreaming about this woman in front of me for years. Remembering how she felt, how she tasted. I walked a razor's edge every day with her in this office. I was willing to play the long game, only now it seemed like I wasn't going to need that much time.

She looked down and took a step back.

"I might have been wrong about a few things. I didn't think that this was something we should go into here, at work. Would you be willing to discuss possibilities over a meal?"

I chuckled. Instinctively I reached out for her hair, I had been longing to touch it ever since she walked into that interview room. I stopped and pulled my hand back as I realized getting tangled up with her in the middle of my office may not be the smartest thing to do at the moment.

Later, we could get all tangled up.

"That sounds remarkably like a date. Are you asking me out?"

"Maybe?" She reached out and touched the hand I had left hanging in the air. "If you're still open to it, maybe?"

"I think that is a very good idea. When, and did you have a location in mind?"

"Tonight? Do you like sushi?"

"I know a fabulous little sushi place. And since this is a date, maybe, I'll pay."

She pursed her lips and her eyes flared. "I should pay, I asked."

"And you did a very good job."

"You don't have to be so condescending. I was nervous. Text me the location. I'll meet you there at seven." She turned to leave.

I caught her arm and spun her back to face me. She stepped into the turn, and we crashed together, stopping chest to chest. "You never need to be nervous with me, Alicia. And I am very glad you asked."

I searched her face. I wanted to kiss her, but she was looking at me with uncertainty and a certain amount of fear. Where was that bold woman who took me up on a one-night stand years ago?

We stared at each other for a long moment.

The phone at her desk rang in the distance.

"I should get that," she said feebly.

"You should." But I didn't let go of her arm.

"Christopher," her voice was a whisper. "Let me go."

I had let her go once before. I wasn't confident I would survive if I lost her again.

I released her arm. "Right, sorry. I'll text you the address. And seven sounds good."

I turned to step back to my desk, letting her step out of my office and close the door behind her. The hours until our date crawled.

I stayed at the office and fought against my inability to focus. Everything took twice as long since Alicia's mouth plagued my thoughts. I should have kissed her then and there.

When she showed up, in skin-tight jeans and a blouse that showed off more cleavage than should be legal, I almost swallowed my tongue. She was a beautiful woman. I saw it every day at the office. She was clearly playing down her looks and assets at work. Her hair was always as subdued as it could possibly be. She dressed modestly, exposing very little, wearing high necklines. She couldn't hide her figure, but she did not emphasize it.

But tonight, as she strode toward me, she emphasized everything I liked about her. She was all hips and skin, and her hair was a riotous mane of curls.

I blew out a heavy breath and rested my hand on my chest. She was stunning. This was the woman I had left behind. This was the woman I was willing to surrender everything to.

"Christopher," she said as she reached me.

I was still frozen with admiration. All I could do was look at her.

"Please tell me you are not trying to prank me because I don't know if I can handle going back to professional detachment."

She bit that plump lower lip again. I couldn't take it anymore.

"My turn." I stepped into her, sank my hand into her mess of hair, and claimed that mouth.

Her mouth was as soft and tender as I remembered.

Her smile when the kiss ended shot through me. She had to reach up and pull her hair away from getting caught on my watch. I laughed. Snared, willingly.

"Shall we?" I led her into the restaurant.

The sushi chefs yelled at us in Japanese as we stepped inside. We didn't have to wait and were seated right away.

"Do you like sushi? We could get a few different rolls to share," I offered.

"I was thinking of getting a bento box, and then maybe something with shrimp or salmon. But don't let me stop you from getting what you want." She placed her phone and small clutch attached to a chunky bracelet onto the table.

I narrowed my gaze at her. "You should mind your words carefully, Alicia. I plan on getting what I want."

She flushed and smiled. "So, I guess that means you are interested in seeing if there is anything that could develop between us."

I shook my head. "No, not could. I know we will be amazing together. No maybe's, no if's. We already know how compatible we are. And, as fortune would have it, we also work well together."

The pink of her flush still highlighted her cheeks.

Her phone buzzed.

"Sorry, let me check this." She picked up her phone. Her thumbs moved as she texted a few messages. She smiled back at me after she put her phone down. "Roommate had a question." "I'm glad you finally came to your senses."

She nodded. "I hope that's what's happening. But we need to take it slow this time. As you said, we already know that we are compatible, let's replace out the rest of it."

If slow and steady is what it would take to get her back in my bed, then call a tortoise.