Erected (Erector Set, Book One) Read online

  He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep, trying to ignore the soft female body next to him and the memory of the pleasure he’d given her. It seemed he’d barely fallen asleep before the beeping of the alarm on his watch roused him. For a moment he was disoriented, not sure where he was, but when he realized there was a soft female form lying next to him the previous night came back in complete detail.

  He wasn’t sure whether to be pleased with himself or embarrassed. On the one hand he felt as if he’d taken advantage of a woman in a vulnerable position. Definitely not his style. On the other, he knew he’d made her feel good and eased away the tensions of the day. What he did know for sure was he needed to beat feet asap.

  Easing himself off the bed, careful not to disturb Ness, he headed for the living room. As he was putting on his shoes and gathering his jacket and tie it occurred to him he should leave her a note of some kind. In the kitchen he turned on the small light over the stove, rummaged in a drawer for paper and pen, then tried to figure out what to say. Thanks for a good evening didn’t seem quite appropriate. Sorry I had to run sounded too abrupt. He chewed on the edge of the pen until he finally came up with what he figured was an acceptable message.

  “Hope you’re feeling better today. Take good care of yourself. I’ll call you in a little while to check on you. Maybe we can try dinner again. On me.”

  He scrawled his name and propped the note against her fancy coffee machine where he was sure she’d find it. Yawning, he took the elevator to the parking garage and pulled out onto a street with its streetlights still on but mingling with the first rays of dawn.

  * * * * *

  Ness rolled over in bed, rubbed her eyes and flung out one arm. And encountered an unfamiliar depression on the coverlet.

  What the hell?

  Pushing herself upright she stared at the space next to her. Yup, that was definitely the imprint of a body. And a rather large one. Shoving her hair back from her face with both hands she carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed. Lordy, she ached in every bone and muscle.

  Oh, right, dummy! The accident!

  And then it all came slamming back to her like a freight train on full throttle. Josh picking her up. Taking her home. Serving her dinner. And wine. Staying to make sure she was okay. The nightmare, And Josh…

  Ohmigod!

  She, Vanessa Bowen, vice president of marketing and public relations for a successful electronics company, high-powered, always in command, had let…had let…

  Even though no one could see her she covered her eyes in embarrassment.

  As if that could change things. Make it go away.

  Of course, he’d certainly been every inch the gentleman, picking her up at the accident, making sure she was okay. Fetching dinner. And then…

  Oh yes, Vanessa. And then.

  As if the stupid nightmare wasn’t enough, she’d lain in bed like some idiot Barbie and let him have his way with her.

  Except his way sure did feel good.

  Enough of that. Apparently he’d had second thoughts, too, because he sure hadn’t bothered to stick around. She stumbled into the bathroom, cast clunking on the floor and avoided looking in the mirror after she took care of business. Then she made her way into the kitchen. Coffee was definitely called for. Thank god for her very efficient Keurig coffeemaker. All she had to do was pop a K-Cup in the holder, press a button and presto! Coffee. Oh, and remember to put a mug under the spout, which she’d forgotten once and flooded the counter.

  As she pulled a K-Cup from the carousel that held them she saw a folded piece of paper lying flat next to the machine. She read it twice while she waited for her mug to fill with hot liquid.

  Okay, so he wasn’t a total ass. He’d left her a note and he said he’d call later. And dinner. He wanted to try again? She hadn’t wanted to do it in the first place but circumstances had sure altered that. And then of course there had been…that!

  Ness blew on her coffee to cool it a little before taking that first eye-opening swallow. Waited while it worked its way into her stomach and blasted her nerve endings awake. And tried to get her brain in gear. Dinner with Josh McCann? Candidate for bachelor of the year? A man who stood for everything she was determined to avoid?

  Of course you will, you idiot. Because you want more of what he gave you last night. A lot more.

  Cursing under her breath she took her brainless self back to the bedroom and picked up her cell to check for messages. Texting back to the important ones she headed for the bathroom. Maybe a good, hot shower would straighten out her brain.

  For the second day in a row Josh was having trouble focusing on his work. The Barnes folder lay on his desk, open to the preliminary notes. Next to it was a large sketch pad, depressingly blank. It was his habit to do some quick pencil sketches before moving to the drafting table and working up the designs for a project. Normally by now he’d be well into this thing, his pencil working furiously to keep up with his brain. This morning he simply stared at the blank page and it stared right back at him.

  All he could think about was Ness leaning against her destroyed car, determined to keep herself together. Eating the food he’d picked up and getting a bad case of the shakes. Drinking the wine he insisted she swallow. The nightmare. And his medicine to chase it away. He could still feel the smooth roundness of her breasts and the wet heat of her pussy as it clenched around his fingers. The spasms that rocked her as her climax overtook her.

  He wanted that again. And more. A lot more.

  Guilt picked at the edges of his brain. Had he taken advantage of her when she was vulnerable? He wanted to think she’d been a willing participant. And he’d certainly relaxed her.

  He also had no idea why he’d been so concerned over a woman he’d just met and barely knew. It wasn’t as if she was a close friend or even his current “attachment” who needed attention. He’d just been drawn to her in a way no other woman had reached him for a very long time.

  His first thought was to run like hell. His second was he needed to see her again. Needed to know if that unbelievable spark was real or imagined. And if it was real, what in hell he was going to do about it.

  A light rap on his open door jerked him to attention. He looked up to find his brother Alex approaching his desk.

  “That must be some heavy thinking you’re doing.”

  Josh tossed his pencil down. “Yeah, real heavy. Welcome back. How did it go in Phoenix?”

  “Just the way we hoped.” Alex dropped into a chair in front of the desk. “That sound you hear is me patting myself on the back.”

  “So we got the contract to design the mixed-use project.”

  “You got it. And I understand you wrapped up old Barnes nice and tight.”

  Josh couldn’t help grinning. “It worked out really well. He came in the next morning and signed the contract.”

  Alex nodded at the folder and sketch pad. “That what you’re getting started on? Doesn’t look like you’re making much progress.”

  “I know. My brain seems to be out to lunch.”

  “Uh huh.” Alex chuckled. “That look usually means a woman is involved somehow, but I don’t think I remember you being distracted this way before.”

  Josh shrugged. “It’s nothing. Don’t let your mind run in twenty directions. I just didn’t sleep too well last night.”

  I was busy having almost sex with a woman who hits me right where I live and wondering what the hell to do about it.

  “If you say so. I thought maybe you and Ty and I could chew over all this stuff at dinner tonight. About seven?”

  Tonight? No, not tonight, he had other plans.

  “I, uh, have an appointment tonight.”

  “Yeah?” Alex lifted an eyebrow. “With who?”

  Josh scrambled for an answer. “A possible future supplier.” Well, Prater did make all matter of electronics that could be installed in homes and businesses.

  “Oh? Maybe we should join you.”


  “No!” he nearly shouted the word, then dialed it way down. “No, it’s not necessary. If I could handle Barnes I can certainly talk to a supplier.”

  Alex looked at him strangely. “I guess. How about tomorrow night? You have an appointment then?”

  Josh made a show of checking his calendar. “No, tomorrow night’s fine.”

  “Good.” Alex pushed himself out of the chair and stood for a moment, studying his brother. “Catch you later.”

  As soon as his brother cleared the office Josh buzzed the central reception desk.

  “Hey, Janice. I’ll be locked in working on this new project most of the day. If anyone’s looking for me—including my brothers—let them know, okay? Can you have a sandwich sent up about one?”

  When he received an affirmative answer he closed his door firmly and dropped back into his desk chair. Not that he didn’t love his brothers. They had a great relationship both personal and professional, but right now he didn’t need either of them digging at his brain. Especially since he was having trouble straightening it out himself.

  Okay, maybe if he got the nitty gritty out of the way he could settle down and work.

  He had Ness’ cell phone number from her call the night before. Picking up his phone he texted her a brief message.

  R U okay? Sorry I had to cut out so early.

  In a few seconds a beep signaled an incoming text.

  No big deal. I’m okay. Few sore plcs but that’s all. Thx for asking.

  Well, that was pretty bland. But then, so was his own message. He thought for a moment then typed again.

  Glad I stayed last night.

  Okay, let’s see what she says about that.

  This time the wait was longer but the message shorter.

  Thx.

  Thanks? After what they shared? Did the episode mean less to her than it did to him? Usually when he spent any time at all with a woman he saw dollar signs flashing in her eyes and she bent over backwards—and in a lot of other directions—to latch onto him like a barnacle. Being rich wasn’t always an advantage. But Ness Bowen seemed almost anxious to be rid of him, despite the intimacy of the previous evening.

  Not happening. Definitely.

  Gritting his teeth, he typed in another message.

  Dinner tonight. Pick you up at 7.

  Not a question. He didn’t want to give her a chance to say no outright.

  But when his phone beeped again and he saw the message he ground his teeth.

  2 busy. Backed up w/rpts. & nd 2 get rental cr.

  Oh no, you don’t. You won’t get out of it that easily. Although he had no clue why the hell he should care. If she wanted to blow it off why was that such a big deal?

  No backing out. C U @ 7.

  He pressed Send then another thought struck him.

  Do u hv ride 2 rental?

  He didn’t have long to wait for a reply this time.

  Persistent. Hv ride 2 cr. OK. C U @ 7.

  All right then, Miss Vanessa Bowen. Prepare to be wined and dined and seduced.

  Chapter Four

  What on earth am I doing?

  Ness stood in her bedroom wearing only a towel, and surveyed her closet. Why should she care what she wore to dinner anyway? And why on earth had she left work promptly at five with deadlines looming to come home and get ready for dinner with a man she wasn’t even sure she wanted to see again?

  Because you do want to see him. At least once more. To find out if—

  Stop it! You’re not a horny teenager anymore.

  But she couldn’t wipe away the memories of last night. How gentle and caring he’d been. How unselfishly he’d given her erotic pleasure to relax her and take away the nightmare. Surely he deserved at least one more night, right?

  Quit simpering and get dressed.

  Casual or dressy? Feminine or business?

  God! Get a grip here!

  She’d popped ibuprofen on a regular basis during the day and the hot soak in the tub when she got home took care of a lot of the residual soreness.

  She finally chose black slacks with a watercolor silk blouse in a soft jade that brought out the green in her hazel eyes. Gold hoops at her ears and her favorite chunky gold bracelet. She had just clunked her way to the living room when the doorbell to her condo rang. She looked at the slim gold watch on her wrist. Seven on the dot. The man was punctual.

  She took a deep breath to settle herself, opened the door…and that breath got trapped in her throat. If she’d thought him mouthwatering before, tonight he was absolutely delicious. Better than chocolate. Gray slacks and a gray and black striped sport shirt were complemented with a black sports jacket and the unforgettable custom hand-tooled leather boots. But deadliest of all was his fuck-me smile and the look in his eyes that promised a night to remember. His gaze roamed from her face to her feet, dawdling at all points between and making her feel naked and exposed.

  “Wow,” he said at last. “Just as good as I remember. Ready to go?”

  If she was smart she’d slam the door, lock it and go hide in the bedroom. But her brains apparently deserted her where Joshua McCann was concerned.

  “All set.” She picked up her slim evening purse from the hall table, nudged him back into the hallway and closed and locked the door.

  He took her elbow as they headed toward the elevator and all during the ride down he kept it there, his fingertips very lightly caressing the crook of her arm. The movement sent ripples of sensation cascading through her body. She wasn’t sure if the pitch in her stomach was from the elevator ride or the feel of the man touching her.

  Tonight instead of his custom truck he was driving a Mercedes S-Class sedan, black like his truck. And his clothes. She wondered if black was his signature color or something. As he helped her into the car his fingers brushed against her thigh and lightning speared through her. Holy mother!

  “Just making sure you don’t bump the cast.” His mouth was close to her ear, his breath a warm breeze on her skin.

  She hoped she didn’t incinerate before dinner just from being near him. What was wrong with her, anyway?

  “I should have asked where we’re going.” She glanced at him. “I hope I’m dressed appropriately.”

  “You’re just fine.” He chuckled softly. “More than fine.”

  “So then, where are we going?”

  He merged smoothly into the moving traffic before he answered. “I thought maybe we’d try someplace a little special tonight. Quiet, where we can have good conversation.”

  “Oh.” Good conversation? Jeez, Ness, tongue-tied much? “And what’s the name of the restaurant?”

  “Don’t you like surprises?”

  She noticed he’d pulled onto the northbound interstate, not heading toward downtown. Okay. Maybe one of the new restaurants in the northwest part of the city.

  “Ness?” he prompted.

  “What? Oh. Surprises. Sure. Well,” she amended, “that depends.”

  “On what?”

  “If it has to do with business, not so much.”

  He reached over and closed his hand on one of hers. His fingers were lean and warm and the touch was like an erotic caress.

  “Trust me. Business is off the table tonight.”

  He turned on the radio and soft music filled the interior of the car. Jazz.

  Somehow I expected country music from him.

  “Don’t let the pickup fool you,” he chuckled.

  Ohmigod. Had she actually said the words out loud? What was wrong with her? She felt as if someone else had taken over her body.

  “I certainly didn’t mean to offend you.” She dug deep for remnants of the professional Ness, always in control, always cool-headed. Never rattled. “I really don’t care what you drive. This is nice. So is your truck.”

  “No offense taken. But just so you know, I drive the truck for business in case I have to spend any time on one of the jobs.” His voice was tinged with amusement. “Would you like me to change the station
?”

  “No!” She let out a breath. “No, this is fine. I like jazz.”

  “See? Something we agree on already.”

  Ness plucked at the fabric of her slacks. “I haven’t thanked you yet for taking care of me last night.”

  He moved his hand to rest it on her knee. “No thanks necessary. The pleasure was all mine.”

  Her cheeks burned. “I didn’t mean… That is, I mean everything you did…”

  She was just getting herself in deeper.

  He squeezed her knee, but left his hand there. “I understand. Don’t sweat. And like I told you, I was earning my white knight points.”

  “So you do this for all your women?” she pressed.

  This time his laugh was rich and deep. “All my women?” he repeated. “You make it sound like I have hordes camped outside my door.”

  “From all the pictures I found online one would certainly have that idea.”

  “Oh? So you’ve been researching me on the internet?”

  Drats. She just kept putting her foot in her mouth. At this rate she’d be doing all her walking on her butt.

  “Just mildly interested, that’s all.” She attempted a casual, offhand tone. “I think it’s only normal to find out about the person who helps you out in a bad situation.”

  He might have said more but at that moment eased off the road and stopped the car. Ness looked out the side window and stared.

  “Armando’s? Reservations here are like gold. Better, even.” She turned in her seat. “You didn’t need to do this to impress me, you know. Pizza would have been fine, too.”

  He laughed. “Not after I saw you in that outfit. It deserves something special. ”

  “I appreciate the effort but I still don’t know how you managed this unless you have blackmail secrets on the owner.”

  She was interrupted when the valet opened her door and helped her out of the car, being careful with her cast. Ness just stared at the awning and the jeweled glass doors with Armando etched in script. She wasn’t much of a one for gawking. In her position with the company she entertained clients—and had been entertained—in many expensive, exclusive restaurants. But Armando’s was…well…the bluest of the blue chips.