Alexander
I stepped closer, unable to resist the gravitational pull she seemed to exert on me. “If it doesn’t matter, why are we still talking about it?”
“You’re right.” She reached for her glass and drained the remaining whiskey. “We shouldn’t be talking about it
at all.”
I watched her throat work as she swallowed, transfixed by the curve of her neck, the way the dress hugged every perfect inch of her. She’d worn that dress deliberately tonight. Not for Jackson. For me.
“Another?” I offered, reaching for her empty glass.
Madison hesitated, then nodded. “One more. Then I should go.
I crossed to the bar, feeling her eyes on me as I poured another finger of whiskey into her glass. When I returned, she took it with slightly unsteady fingers.
“You should slow down,” I advised, noticing the flush creeping up her neck. “This is good whiskey. Meant to be savored.”
“I can handle my alcohol, Mr. Knight.” She took another sip, defiance flashing in her eyes.
“I’m sure you can, Ms. Harper.” I smiled, amused by her insistence on formality even here, alone in my penthouse.
Madison moved away from the window, carefully walking toward the couch. With each movement, the slit in her dress revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her thigh.
“So,” she said, settling onto the couch, “now that we’ve established Katherine is just business, are we done?”
I remained standing, studying her. “That depends. Are you dating Jackson?”
She laughed, the sound looser than before. The alcohol was hitting her system. “You really can’t let that go, can you?”
“I’m a persistent man.” I took a small sip of my whiskey, barely enough to wet my lips. I needed to stay sharp. Madison clearly didn’t share the same concern.
“No,” she finally said. “I’m not dating Jackson. He’s an old friend.”
“A friend who looks at you like he wants to be much more.”
Madison rolled her eyes. “Please. We went to college together. Had coffee. That’s it.”
“And dinner,” I reminded her. “Don’t forget dinner.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know about that?”
“New York is a small city.”
1/4
“For a small man, maybe.” She took another drink. “For normal people, it’s pretty big.”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her boldness. “Are you calling me small, Madison?”
Her eyes dropped briefly to my crotch before darting away, a blush coloring her cheeks. “Not in every way.
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. “I see the whiskey is working its magic.”
“I’m not drunk,” she insisted, though her slightly slurred words suggested otherwise.
“Of course not.” I sat beside her, close enough that our thighs almost touched. “Just pleasantly relaxed.”
Madison shifted, crossing her legs. The movement caused the slit in her dress to fall open, revealing a generous expanse of thigh. I forced my eyes away, focusing on her face.
“You never answered my question,” she said suddenly.
“Which one?”
“Why did you call me Katherine that night?”
I tensed. “I told you. I was drugged.”
“That’s not an answer.” She leaned closer, her scent enveloping me, something floral and distinctly Madison.” The truth, Alex. Just once.”
“The truth is complicated.”
“Try me.” Her eyes held mine, unwavering despite the alcohol in her system.
I sighed, setting my barely–touched drink on the coffee table. When I was drugged, my mind was… confused. That’s all.”
Katherine was part of my life for a long time.
“You still have feelings for her.” It wasn’t a question.
“I have history with her,” I corrected. “That’s different from feelings.”
Madison laughed, the sound sharp and disbelieving. “Right. That’s why you bid two hundred thousand dollars to have dinner with her.”
“For charity,” I reminded her.
“Bullshit.” She leaned forward, poking my chest with her finger. “You could have donated that money without the dinner.”
Her boldness was both irritating and arousing. I caught her finger before she could poke me again, holding it firmly. “Careful, Madison.”
“Or what?” she challenged, eyes flashing. “You’ll fire me? Go ahead. I’m an excellent project manager. I’ll find another job.”
The thought of Madison working for someone else made something dark and possessive curl in my chest. “I wouldn’t fire you.”
2/4
“Then what?” Her voice dropped lower, her eyes locked on mine.
I released her finger, suddenly aware of how close we’d become. “I should take you home. You’ve had enough to
drink.”
“Are you dismissing me, Mr. Knight?” The formality was back, but there was something playful in her tone now.
“I’m looking out for you.”
“I don’t need looking out for.” She finished her whiskey, setting the glass down with a decisive clink. “I’m a grown woman.”
“You’re also my employee,” I reminded her, though the words felt hollow even to my own ears. Madison had never been just an employee to me, not since that first night.
“Right.” She nodded slowly. “Your employee. Not your girlfriend. Not your…” She trailed off, waving her hand vaguely.
“Not my what?”
“Nothing.” She stood abruptly, swaying slightly. I rose automatically, my hands steadying her waist. “I should
go.”
“Let me call John to drive you,” I said, reaching for my phone.
Madison shook her head. “I can get a cab.”
“It’s after midnight. You’re not taking a cab alone.”
“So chivalrous,” she muttered, but didn’t pull away from my touch. “Always the gentleman.”
I felt my lips twitch. “I think we both know that’s not true.”
Her eyes met mine, something dangerous flickering in their depths. “No. You’re not always a gentleman, are you, Alex?”
The
way she said my name sent heat through my veins. We stood too close, my hands still on her waist, her body warm and pliant under my touch.
“Madison,” I warned, not entirely sure what I was warning her against. Or myself.
“What?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I should step back. I should call John. I should do anything except stand here, breathing in her scent and remembering how she felt beneath me and around me.
“You should go home,” I said, the words costing me more than they should.
“Is that what you want?” She stepped closer, eliminating what little space remained between us,
“What I want isn’t relevant.”
“Isn’t it?” Her hands came up to rest lightly on my chest. “Because I think what you want and what I want
3/4
might be the same thing right now.”
I gripped her wrists, intending to remove her hands. Instead, I found myself holding them in place, feeling her warmth through the thin material of my shirt.
“You’ve been drinking,” I reminded her. And myself.
“Not that much.” She leaned in, her breath warm against my neck. “Not enough to not know exactly what I’m doing.”
“And what are you doing?” My voice sounded strained even to my own ears.
Her answer wasn’t verbal. Instead, she rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine, hesitant at first, then with growing confidence when I didn’t pull away.
I should stop this. The thought flickered through my mind even as I released her wrists to cup her face, deepening the kiss. Madison made a small sound in the back of her throat, her hands sliding up to tangle in my hair.
She tasted like expensive whiskey and something sweeter, something uniquely Madison.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
