The Lost One (Lost Series Book 1), page 4
“Are you okay to walk?” he queries. I’m becoming a little short of breath from the proximity, so I just nod. I’m all giddy inside and excited that this damn fine piece of ass is interested in me!
Amazing!
He guides me back toward the bar and turns down a corridor. An anxious and uneasy feeling begins to settle within me. I don’t know him well enough; why did I agree to follow him?
I stop dead in my tracks feeling silly and embarrassed by my abrupt stop. He stops and the look on my face must be enough for him to realize I’m freaking out. He comes back to me, taking both my hands in his own, which calms me down, but those feelings are still there.
“Look, I’m just going to find my friend.” Pulling my hands from his, I turn to quickly walk back the way we came.
I hear him coming after me. “Wait!” he pleads, grabbing my hand again to stop me from going any further. “I was only taking you down here to my office to get a little peace and quiet. See, I’m the owner of the club and I figured you just needed a minute or two to take a breath and refresh before you leave. That way I know you will have your head about you and you will get home safely.” He is watching me intently. I just stand there. How stupid am I? I will have to learn to trust again one day and repair what’s been broken from my past.
I look up into those amazing eyes and say, “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. I find it hard to trust guys, especially after what happened to my…” I stop myself before I tell him my life story. Seriously! Telling this stranger about my life, and especially about Abby, is not like me. It’s not something I share with just anyone.
I can’t do this. I quickly sidestep around him, not looking him in the eyes because I know I’ll melt straight into them once again. I get past him before he grabs my arm, pulling me into his firm chest. The electrical current between us has my body tingling all over. It’s as though my body is waking up with a new desire, so strong I’m not sure I can keep myself composed for much longer.
“I would never hurt you,” he whispers in my ear with such force and determination. He places his hand on my cheek, I close my eyes for a second taking in his touch. Closing the space between us, he gently places his lips to mine. My heart races, pounding like a jackhammer. I’m sure he can feel it against his body. I taste the alcohol on his breath. My hands wrap around his neck and my body falls into him. Wanting more, I pull him to me, kissing him more forcefully. He reciprocates, running his hand up through my hair, holding the back of my neck. He trails his kisses from my lips down to my neck, and I release a slight groan.
He pushes me up against the wall, grinding his body against mine, working his kisses around my neck and back up to my mouth. I open, letting his tongue wander freely. He tastes so good; kind of reminds me of lime cordial. Mmm, my favourite.
His arms wrap around my waist. A feeling of safety washes over me, which is crazy since I just met him. Pulling away to catch my breath, our foreheads press together. He gives me another small kiss. I savour the feel of his soft lips and the taste of his breath. Letting out a sigh, I don’t want to leave his arms.
“There you are!” Flick yells, startling me. When she reaches us, her eyes dance over Corban. Then she looks to me. “Nice! What a hottie.” She smiles toward me and at him, and I can’t help but smile back at her. I look back at Corban; he is smiling as well. Wow, what a heart-melting smile.
“I have to go,” I say to Corban, who instantly looks worried and still hasn’t let me go.
“Will you be okay getting down the stairs?” he jokes, his face relaxing.
“Yes, I have Flick here to help,” I say, giving him a quick kiss and retreating with Flick. I look over my shoulder and catch his gaze watching me with a look that says he wants to come after me, but he doesn’t.
Realising Flick is talking to me, I turn my attention back to her. “Who was the hottie?” she queries, ogling me, waiting for answers. “I couldn’t see him clearly. I’m not sure if that’s because it was dark or I’ve had too much to drink, but he surely did look fine!” She giggles.
“He caught me as I fell down the stairs. I felt like such a fool,” I tell her, remembering that moment, but knowing I wouldn’t change it now since I probably wouldn’t have met Corban if I didn’t fall.
“Are you serious? You fell down the stairs!” she laughs at me.
“Shut up,” I say lightly, pushing her. We head for the door to catch a cab home. It’s close to four in the morning, and I’m beginning to feel totally buggered. I can’t get those blazing blue eyes out of my mind and his kiss…Oh, my goodness, talk about breathtaking! I so should have gotten his number. I’m totally kicking myself now.
“Where’s Liam?” I ask, registering he isn’t with us, as we climb into a cab.
“Oh, he is still there.” She is smiling like a fool. Something must have happened.
“Oh, my goodness! You pair totally made out, didn’t you?” I squeal at her laughing; this cabbie must think we’re nuts.
“Only a little and we have a date tomorrow night,” she replies excitedly. I’m glad I invited him now; otherwise, this probably wouldn’t have happened for a while.
Chapter Four
The feel of his soft lips on mine awaken every tingling nerve in my whole body with that small connection. Opening my eyes and gazing into those clear, bright blue eyes, I easily lose myself. What is that noise, the constant humming?
My phone continuously vibrates. I groan and roll over to get the call, but miss it. I check the time, 10 a.m.. Wow, what a sleep in. I think I needed it after this weekend, meeting the oh, so dreamy Corban. I am still kicking myself that I didn’t get his number. I have dreamt about our kiss the last two nights. He was gentle, yet very passionate. Oh, well, I need to accept he is gone now.
I have two missed phone calls from Mum and a message from Flick. Mum is probably worried since I haven’t spoken to her all weekend, which is very unlike me. We usually talk daily or at least text, but since Flick, Liam, and myself have been on the drink and partying all weekend, I thought not as I would only worry her and Dad, and I don’t want to do that.
I check Flick’s message.
Flick: Hey chick! WOW, that was one hell of a weekend! And you kissing Mr Mysterious!! Just letting you know that you might receive a call today from Case Constructions. They emailed me. They were really happy with you! YAY! Hopefully this is it! xoxo
P.S. You suck! You get to sleep in while the rest of us work.
Laughing to myself, I agree I am pretty lucky I don’t have a job just yet. I still have a headache from the past weekend. I text Flick back.
Me: Hey ya self! Sucks to be you! I just woke up, lol. Shut up about Mystery Man. Oh, and BTW, he isn’t Mystery Man. I did happen to catch his name. :) I’m so excited about the phone call. I hope it happens. I’m so over going for interviews. Hope you have a good day! Come over tonight. I’m cooking your favourite. Oh, and you need to fill me in on your date with Liam!
Deciding not to call Mum back just yet, I drag my butt out of bed, heading straight for the shower. Having a hotter than normal shower always helps me feel more refreshed and ready for the day. Stripping down quickly and jumping in the water gives me goose bumps, even scalds my body a little. Washing myself down with white musk body wash, I begin scrubbing away my weekend.
Stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in my towel, I head to my walk-in closet and grab a pair of jeans and a fitted navy t-shirt, just my style, nice and casual. I tie my hair in a ponytail. Catching a glance at my wrist, I can see the faded stamp from The Phoenix. Those damn things don’t come off easily. I place the tip of my fingers to my lips, closing my eyes, remembering Corban, the kiss, and the feeling of calm and safety; my heart swells. I know I probably won’t see him again, so I decide to try not to think of him.
My phone goes off again, another message from Flick.
Flick: Lunch? 1 p.m.?
Me: Sure! The usual?
I hit send and grab my keys and bag, lock the door, and head to the elevator. My phone goes off again. It’s Flick.
Flick: Yep, the usual :)
Flick and I go to this burger joint, Jerry’s, which is around the corner from her work, at least once a week; we love it. Good thing we aren’t girls who watch what we eat. Yum! My mouth begins to water; I can’t wait for a good feed.
Half an hour later, I’m walking down the main shopping strip, one hand carrying a few bags that hold a new pair of bright red heels and another with a new pair of jeans. It’s such a beautiful day. The light breeze and beams of the sun on my skin kind of make me miss Australia and its beaches, the smell of the salty air and hot weather.
I feel so happy, as if the sun is shining brighter than usual. When we lost Abby, I shut down and went into robot mode, doing the same thing daily: school, work, home, and look after Mum while Dad was away for work in the Army. She needed me to stay at home, pick her up, and be there for her, especially when Dad wasn’t.
When Mum came and told me it was time to pursue my dream of living in NYC, and practically kicked me out the door, I cried. I was scared of leaving them and being out on my own, but the following week, with the help of Mum and Dad, we began looking for apartments and I started applying for jobs. Before I knew it, I was here and I have the most amazing home with the help from my parents. I was so lucky to have found Flick or I would have been totally lost. My phone starts ringing. Crap! I’m late for lunch. Rushing into my bag, digging around to find my phone, I quickly answer.
“Flick, I’m so sorry. I’m on my way right now.” I’m met with silence on the other end. “Hello?” I ask.
“Hello… Yes, this is Helen from Case Constructions.” Crap! My stomach drops. I should have checked the caller ID.
“Oh, hi, sorry about that.”
“That’s okay, dear; I was calling to let you know we would like to offer you the job as personal assistant to our CEO Mr Andrews.”
Stopping in the street, my not-so-free hand is clenched tight in excitement. “Oh, my goodness! Really? Thank you so much for this opportunity!” My heart feels like a huge weight has lifted. A job, finally!
“We were very impressed with your resume and your presentation. Will you be all right to start tomorrow morning at eight thirty?” she queries.
“Yeah, sure, not a problem at all.” She proceeds to tell me where to go when I arrive, as I have to get an ID for the building. She will show me where I will be working and will introduce me to my new boss since he wasn’t at the interview. I’m excited and anxious all rolled into one.
After I finish with Helen, I quickly ring Flick and tell her I’m on my way and to order for me. I can’t wait to tell her my news.
Arriving at Jerry’s, I see her starting to eat. I race over, literally running to her like a school kid eager to share special news. I slide into the seat in front of her with a large goofy grin on my face.
“Guess what?” I squeal, maybe a little too loud as people turn to see what is going on. Meh, who cares? Take a photo, people!
“What?” she says, halfway through a mouthful. Coz she is so lady like. She sounds as excited as me, but I’m sure it is just sarcasm.
“Helen from Case Constructions rang me. They have offered me the job! I know you already knew that, and told me it was going to happen, but now it’s official. I’m so freakin’ excited!”
“I bet you are,” she says with another mouthful. She is so not a lady if you really know her. She seems prim and proper to those who don’t really know her, but to me, she can totally be unladylike.
“I totally thought one of those skinny model bitches would get it.”
“Nah, I knew you had it in the bag. You and your bloody Aussie accent, people love you. Now eat your lunch, woman, before the bun gets soggy,” she mocks in her attempt to copy my accent. I burst out laughing.
“Nice try.” I grin as she scrunches her face up at me and takes another mouthful.
I begin to think about what I will wear. I don’t even know this Mr Andrews. He is probably some fella who likes to look at the ladies instead of work. Flick did tell me he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.
We finish our meal and Flick goes back to work. She’s coming over later to tell me all about her date with Liam. I stay a little longer, trying to decide if I should buy a new outfit for tomorrow. Excitement is vibrating through me as I get up and go shopping again.
****
An hour later, I have another four bags in hand and plenty of new clothes to choose from for tomorrow. I’ve had enough of the shops, so I walk toward my car while digging in my bag looking for my keys. I’m not paying attention as I slam face-first into a hard chest. I stumble backwards on to the pavement. My body reacts to the touch and instantly I know who is in front of me. I can’t bring myself to look at him. I inspect my hands for grazes instead. My chest is pounding like my heart is trying to hammer its way out of my body.
“Ow! I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” I mumble, feeling rather embarrassed, especially now I have a throbbing butt to match my heart rate. My cheeks begin to warm up, and it spreads down my neck. Great! I look like a beetroot. Damn you, cursed pale skin!
I glace up through my eyelashes. I see a hand, his hand, extended toward me. My eyes move from hand to face and straight into those unforgettable eyes, Corban’s striking blue eyes. My heart rate hasn’t slowed, but instead goes up tenfold. My hands begin to shake as I reach out, taking his warm, gentle hand.
I can’t believe my Friday night ‘kiss and run’ is right here in front of me. His gaze penetrates into me, looking deeply into my soul. I’m standing so close to him; I want to bury myself and hide right now, perhaps burying myself in his arms instead. What am I thinking?
I can hear the slight rumble of a chuckle in his chest. “That’s okay; you can run into me anytime, Melodi. Just try not falling for me.” My eyes shoot up to meet that smile. Oh, that cheeky smile. It touches his eyes, brightening them, making them crystal clear and magical.
Remembering our kiss from the other night and me running away straight afterwards, I’m embarrassed. His tongue, his lips covering mine, and his mouth placing warm kisses along my neck… Oh… My body fills with new found pleasure, a need for him. I will myself to stop thinking these thoughts right now. They make me wanna grab his suit jacket by the collar and place his lips upon my own and feverishly kiss him once more.
I decide to go for casual. “Oh, hey, Corban. Sorry, just me being a klutz again, nothing new. At least this time there is no alcohol involvement.” We are still holding hands and my stomach twists with the connection. As small as it is, he has an effect on me and my senses suddenly become heightened within his proximity. I release his hand, taking a small step back, and drink all of him in. His hair is tied back like it was on Friday night. His nice black, pinstriped suit jacket is unbuttoned, revealing a white fitted button up shirt. His super toned, masculine body is clearly outlined, causing heat to slowly begin to rise within. How I want to run my hands through his hair and over his chest. Oh, to see his bare chiselled chest… Corban clears his throat, pulling me back from my daydream, or wish really. Totally busted.
“It’s okay. Are you all right?” He watches me closely, slightly amused.
“Yeah, just a bruised ego,” I reply with a small laugh rubbing my hands over my body nervously.
“What brings you to this neck of the woods?” Looking back up at him, I catch him watching my hands graze over my body. What can he be thinking?
He seems a little lost with my question. “Oh, umm… I’m looking for a gift for my little sister. It’s her birthday tomorrow. I’m not really sure what to get her. She’s a difficult one to buy for, any ideas?” He rubs his neck nervously, looking down, breaking eye contact with me.
“Cool! How old will she be?”
“Eighteen. Athena is the baby and is very spoilt,” he says, rolling his eyes, but still smiling.
Great, one of those rich families. “Ahh…okay, what about a nice ID bracelet or just a bracelet? I got that for my eighteenth, and I still wear it to this day,” I say, showing him my bracelet sitting as a reminder on my wrist, little does he know the meaning behind it.
I received it from Abby, and I gave her a locket with her name engraved on it for our eighteenth birthday. I will never remove this bracelet, not for anything. It’s a part of her that is always with me and will forever remain that way.
When they had searched Jacob’s place after Abby went missing, they found her locket there lying in a pool of blood. It was given back to me after the trial. It lives in my jewellery box. Thinking about it, my heart becomes heavy, like there is a ton of bricks weighing it down, making it hard to take my next breath. Tears prick my eyes, threatening to spill. I quickly close them, looking away from Corban, trying my hardest not to cry in front of him.
“Melodi?” Corban closes the small space between us in an instant. His soft voice is so close; I feel his breath on my skin. I can smell his cologne, which heightens my senses. Before I know what’s happening, he pulls me into a warming embrace, his strong arms holding me tightly against his warm chest. My arms reach under his jacket, wrapping around his firm waist.
I hear his rapid heartbeat matching my own. We stand for a little while. The tears never spill, but the lump is still sitting firmly in my throat, feeling as though I have swallowed a golf ball and it got stuck. I keep trying to swallow it away, but it just won’t go.
Corban pulls back, holding me out at arm’s length. His grip on my arms scorches my pale skin with his ever present touch. “Do you want to talk about it?” he queries, worry filling his beautiful features.
Clearing my throat and stepping back, I answer, “No thanks, it’s nothing. Sorry. Yes, umm…” My words are lost. “Yes, get the bracelet. I’m sure she will love it.” I clear my throat again, wishing this silly lump would go away. I’m not about to break down in front of someone who I hardly know. He will think I’m crazy, and I’m not about to open up to just anybody. They have to earn trust; I don’t give it freely.
