This Just This

Please. Just stop. One minute, Riana." She turned, an open questioning look on her face, thinking that it must be something to do with what they had just finished discussing about the marketing details. He took one step closer and she wondered if there was something in her hair. But he took just one more step closer, all the while his gaze on her face.

That last step put him in her space. Right in her personal circle and she instinctively took a step back. "No, please Riana. Just stay still, don't move." Her eyebrow rose, questioning... "Just humor me, I beg you." Those last words surprised her. They had a professional, friendly relationship, certainly not one that would warrant him using words like that. Confused, she waited. He waited. His gaze never leaving her face, "I.... um, I want to, just..." he said as he came even closer. Both his voice & his step hesitated just a little as he got close, so close that she could smell his aftershave.

That was not good. Up close and personal, he smelt delicious. But still she didn't cotton on, her eyes narrowing and face tilting as she waited for him to speak. Since she wouldn't (couldn't) look at his face, she tilted her head downwards, almost as if giving him her ear to speak into.

But he didn't speak. His breath shook lightly as he inhaled her scent, his eyes flickering down to where her collarbone dipped into the softest spot he could see. Thats where he would feel her pulse if touched. And he did. He just, ever so gently sought that spot where he would find a pulse. And then she did take a step back, inhaling sharply when his skin touched hers, "What the..?"!

He immediately raised his hand, "I, I didn't mean to offend you" he said. Faltering and quiet but confident. "I feel as if I can talk with you for hours, about anything and its been a year now... not a day goes by without my wanting to call you about inconsequential things." He reached for her hand, and pulled her closer to him as he spoke and stepped up so that her head tucked just under his chin. The fragrance of her hair enveloping him, her presence wrapping itself around him. "I needed to be this close to you... just stop Riana, don't move and feel this, do you feel it too?"

The truth was she hadn't ever felt anything remotely close to what he was describing. But now, with him standing so close she could feel him without touching him at all. They hadn't touched anymore than his finger on her collarbone and now he had even taken his hand away from hers. But he was standing so close that if she looked up they would be kissing.

She did not look up.

The entire world went quiet and still as she focused on him. Every sense tuned to him... the hairs on her nape standing up, her breathing deep, lips parted. She could see the hair on his chest peeking out where his collar button was undone. The seams of his shirt were stretching at the shoulders, she could have sworn she could hear his heartbeat. She raised her eyes to his mouth, funny how she had never noticed how sensuous it was. Her own lips parted... as her gaze traced his jawline where he had nicked himself while shaving. She could smell the cottony, detergent-y smell of his shirt mingled with that aftershave. Everything suddenly felt ever so heady .. she stepped back and finally raised her eyes to meet his, his gaze was steady, intent and still searching her face.

What she didn't know was that every muscle in his body was aching to reach out and hold her. As calm and controlled as he looked, he wanted her so much it actually hurt. Somewhere in his chest. It hurt more because he didn't want to want her. They were both in mutually loving relationships with their respective partners. But she aroused him just by walking into the open plan office and searching him out every time they had a meeting.

It was becoming difficult, until now. Until he finally had to do this and see. Make sure it was larger in his mind than in reality. But it wasn't. It had morphed into an obsession, almost surreal.

His eyes found the crease at her underarm where the skin would be so soft... the tendons in her neck, the curve where neck met shoulder, the rising and falling breast.

He could hear her breathing, feel the air as it met his jaw and neck. she said his name, softly, it's very utterance a question. To him it was like such a caress that he later she wished she hadn't said.

He could feel the tingling in his fingers as if they were actually tracing her cleavage, as if he was running his palm from her hand up-to her shoulder and then down to her elbow, as if his arms were wrapping around her... pulling her close and he was burying his face in her hair.

And her scent! That would be the end of him. Her perfume, mingled with her own scent, the wind around them - things he couldn't name but how he could smell them. He felt he could drink her up while nuzzling her neck. Part of him wanted to take here there & then, no foreplay, no talk, just a focused, animal like penetration. But there was a tenderness he also felt.

She took a deep breath and finally stepped back, her eyes involuntarily falling onto his arousal.. She blushed furiously and gasped. He was so aware of her that he didn't miss a thing, thinking she might turn and run. When she didn't, he reached for her hand, pulled her to him and finally kissed her as if there was no tomorrow.

Sensuous and sexy and warm and insistent, pulling first her lower lip then caressing her upper lip with his mouth, he plundered her mouth. She was completely bowled over by the way he kissed. His hands rested on the small of her back, as her knees wobbled she held onto his shoulders for dear life. Her entire body almost falling into him. As she gasped for air, eyes opening to search his, he kissed the corners of her mouth but barely a second passed and he was kissing her all over again. Somewhere at the back of her mind she thought she should respond or she should pull away but she did neither. She wanted to kiss him back but every nerve in her body seemed to be on fire and immobilized.

When he finally came up for air, she rested her forehead on his shoulder and tried to get a grip on herself. (Difficult with shaking knees). He finally took her in his arms and buried his face in her hair, holding her so close, so warm that she found herself relaxing into him. He willed his heart to slow down and calmed his breathing and she... she still clung to him, hoping her runaway senses would just stay.

When she finally looked up and at him, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

To be continued...