Free Effortless by Lynn Montagano

you.”
    Narrowing his brows so the little patch of skin between them wrinkled, he sighed. “You’re right again. How do you do that?”
    “You forget that I know the truth about you, chief. You’re nothing but a big ‘ol softie underneath all those scowls and icy stares.”
    “I see.” He ran a finger along his lips. What that little movement did to me.
My. God
. “About that second thing on my mind.” In an instant he had me caged against the door. I gasped, not from his searing kiss but from the blind sticking in my ass.
    “Alastair, stop. There’s a piece of plastic in my butt.”
    Amused, he let me go, craning his head to see the offending material. “Not a fan of that then?”
    “Not particularly,” I deadpanned. Grabbing my belongings I led him through the now quiet newsroom towards the elevator bank. Out in the hallway, he walked in front of me. I got a nice eyeful of the way he moved with such fluid control. I caught his eye when I hit the call button. A second later he was on me, his hands holding my face as he kissed me unapologetically. My mind scrambled and drifted to that amazing place it went when we were lost in each other. Not seeing him for a few days enhanced the steady ache that grew at my core. My skin reveled in his firm grasps, warming quickly the more he touched me. We stumbled closer to the wall.
    “What if someone walks by?” I asked between kisses.
    A loud tone sounded signaling the elevator’s arrival. We barely pulled away from one another in time to walk in. Thank goodness nobody else was in there because as soon as the doors closed Alastair had me pinned in the corner and curled my right leg around his hip.
    “I hated being away from you,” he said, cupping my backside. The way his lips glided over mine with such love and passion made me lose all sense of time and space. “My Lia,” he whispered, pushing my skirt up. “What you do to me.”
    Our interlude was rudely interrupted by the elevator’s annoying tone yet again, signaling we’d arrived at the lobby. Alastair grinned and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, looking pristine and perfect and not like he’d just been making out in an elevator. I must have looked a mess but really didn’t care.
    The doors swished open and in walked none other than Brent Garrison. Embarrassed, I glanced at the digital display and saw we weren’t at the lobby but on the fifth floor. I smoothed my skirt down to make sure I was covered.
    Brent looked at me, then Alastair and smiled. “This is unexpected.”
    “Garrison,” Alastair muttered.
    “I was just talking to your lovely girlfriend earlier,” he said, ignoring Alastair’s tone. “I’m having a few friends over tonight. I’ve already extended the invitation to Lia. Has she told you?”
    I noticed Brent kept the ‘doors open’ button pressed as he spoke. Alastair aimed a suspicious gaze in his direction.
    “Thanks for holding the—” Stephanie trotted in breathless and stopped short. She looked from Brent to Alastair to me and remained silent.
    The elevator had turned into a portal to the Twilight Zone. Only Brent’s movement and the sound of the doors closing clued anybody in that we weren’t in an alternate universe.
    “So, I guess this means no Chinese food.” My voice sounded normal but I hadn’t a clue as to how I was able to form a complete thought.
    Stephanie opened her mouth, then shut it. She scrunched her lips together and blew out a sigh.
    “This is my fault,” Brent said. “I had no idea you ladies had plans. I went up to reconfirm with Stephanie and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Please, do me the honor of coming to my home for a little while tonight. It’s just a casual gathering. I’ll even order Chinese takeaway for you two.” He smiled.
    My hand warmed at Alastair’s touch, simultaneously giving me a rush and making me nervous. Lacing his fingers through mine, he squeezed. “What would you like to do, Amelia?”
    We arrived at the