Carved in Stone (The Stone Series) (10 page)

             
“But all kidding aside, Aidan’s a very private person as am I, so I’d like to keep it low key at work for now. Besides, I want to be taken seriously at work, I want to be judged based on my performance in the job and not about whom I’m dating.”

             
Molly nods her head again, this time with understanding.

“
Well if you ask me, I think you both make the perfect looking couple, he’s so mouthwateringly handsome and you’re an incredibly beautiful girl Gabby, I wish you both all the best.”

             
“Awe thanks. Your so sweet Molly,” I say, giving her a quick hug.

             
“Damn,” Molly mumbles rummaging around in her huge leather handbag as we walk through the entrance to the lobby of Stone Tower.

             
“I think I left my wallet back at the Juice Bar.”

She crouches down and starts pulling things out of her bag
, spilling the entire contents of her makeup bag all over the marbled floor in the process.

             
Squatting down beside her, I begin gathering up the assortment of lipsticks, lip balms and eye shadow compacts scattered everywhere.

             
“How much stuff do you carry in that purse of yours, Molly? It’s like the beauty counter at Macy’s threw up here!”

             
“Ah thank God, here it is,” she says, waving a neon green wallet at me in relief.

Collecting
the last of the spilled contents, I reach up to hand them to Molly, finding her frozen partially raised up on her knees and staring towards the bank of elevators.

             
“Molly,” I call.

             
“Who’s that with your boyfriend… err…sorry, I mean with Mr. Stone?”

             
“Huh?” Leaning around the potted plant that’s currently blocking my line of sight, silently grateful the handbag spillage spectacle has partial hidden us from view, I see Aidan walking out of an open elevator. He’s smiling affectionately, nodding his head in agreement at something the exceptionally beautiful and statuesque woman-walking close beside him is saying. He says something back to her in return, causing her head to throw back in a graceful laugh. The sound is elegantly lyrical attracting the attention of several men standing close by.

             
“I wonder if it hurts to be that beautiful,” muses Molly, still gawking.

             
Tearing my gaze away from Aidan and the woman he’s with, I stare at Molly who’s cocked her head to one side staring openly at the both of them.

             
Suddenly mortified of being seen especially when I’m crouched ungracefully on all fours, I tug at Molly’s arm hissing, “Shh, get back down here.”

             
She crouches back down beside me and in unison as I’m pulling her along; we shift on our knees further around the large ceramic potted plant.

             
“Do you know her?” Molly whispers, now leaning to one side in order to see.

If this wasn’t so embarrassing
it would be comical, both of us kneeling in a crouch, hiding behind a huge pot, leaning our heads to the side so we can spy on my boyfriend.

             
“No. She was probably his two o’clock appointment,” I reply absently, leaning out further in order to study the woman closer.

             
She’s a lot taller than me, maybe five foot nine with long smooth honey blonde hair. She has on an exquisite cream shift dress that screams designer with a thin beige belt and matching beige pumps. Model face, flawless completion, large brown eyes, perfectly pouty lips coated in bright red lipstick and tanned legs that freaking go on forever!

             
Just looking at her makes me feel completely inadequate.

             
That old dratted
‘green eyed monster’
has my eyes narrowed into thin slits, the way she’s resting her hand on Aidan’s forearm – just a little too friendly and the way she’s leaning into him all doe eyed and longingly, the woman couldn’t be more obvious if she tried.

             
“She’s absolutely gorgeous but a little too touchy-feely for my liking, if you know what I mean,” says Molly, drawing my attention back to her. “If that was my boyfriend I would be so ‘
bitch get your hands off my man! Like yesterday’.
”

             
“Shh…don’t let them see us,” I urge, pulling Molly further around the potted plant. There is no way in hell, I want to been caught snooping on Aidan in the foyer of his freaking building.

             
Both Molly and I continue to stare wordlessly as Aidan ushers the blonde out through the entrance and onto to the walkway.

             
“Quick, lets get out of here before he comes back,” I plea, urging Molly to her feet and thrusting the purse in her hand.

Chapter
Nine

              The early evening traffic streams past me as I recline back, kicking off my heels and looking out the window of the sleek Porsche Cayenne SUV. I’m guessing Aidan has a thing for Porsches however this one, unlike his ultra white sporty two-door model, is large, roomy and all midnight black from the glossy paint work on the exterior to the soft ebony leather interior.

             
Tomas, as he introduced himself to me when I walked out of the lobby twenty minutes ago is Aidan’s driver, a friendly gentleman in his early fifties with dark brown hair styled in a short buzz cut, peppered with grey along the temples and kind hazel eyes. His broad New Jersey accent is thick and for a man his age, he’s surprisingly muscular and robust. His appearance and they way he holds himself has me wondering if he’s ex-military.

             
After a brief introduction and a few moments of pleasantries were exchanged, upon where I insisted he call me Gabby, Miss Stevens was way too formal and stuffy, we were on the road headed for Mia’s condo in Malibu.

             
I didn’t think I would ever get use to the formalities that surrounded Aidan with his employees. Tomas appeared hesitant at first but after pointing out that I wasn’t his boss therefore being called by my surname made me feel uncomfortable, he reluctantly assented with a nod and tight smile.

             
In the car I texted Mia in regards to my plans for the evening as promised, inwardly thankful she was working late so I didn’t have to see her face to face which would mean being subjected to more of the infamous Mia Inquisition. Besides, I was still reeling from seeing Aidan with the leggy blonde model hanging all over him in the lobby earlier that afternoon.

             
I annoyingly vacillated all afternoon between being insanely jealous of the woman and berating myself over being so insecure and possessive.

             
What on earth was I doing? I was
not
that kind of girl! I’m twenty-five for God sakes, I’m smart, confident, self-assured – I certainly don’t need to be acting like some needy, clinging girlfriend that sprouts into a green-eyed monster every time her boyfriend is around a beautiful woman.

             
Racing upstairs while Tomas waits in the SUV in the driveway, I shower, dress and apply my make-up in record time, grateful that I had washed and blow-dried my hair that morning so the style I chose to arrange it in only took a few minutes to do.               Throwing some clothes and other essentials that I will need for the weekend at Aidan’s into my overnight bag, I grab an apple from the fridge, lock up and head back down to Tomas who’s patiently waiting outside for me. The appreciative glance Tomas throws my way when I walk out gives me a much-needed boost of confidence at my choice of outfit.

             
The drive back to Stone Tower took a little longer than expected which was more than okay with me as I took advantage of the time to mentally chastise myself over my petty thoughts and get my head in the right frame of mind for the evening ahead. After all, tonight was our first night out together since getting back together and we had the whole weekend alone with no distractions, just the two of us – I couldn’t wait.

             
“We’re here Miss…. Gabby,” corrects Tomas quickly, when I raise my eyebrows at him.

             
“Thanks Tomas,” I smile warmly, hopping out of the SUV as he holds the door open for me.

             
“It was really nice to meet you and thank you for taking me home this afternoon.”

             
“My pleasure,” he says, returning my smile.

             
“Mr. Stone is waiting for you up in his office. When you’re both ready to leave, I’ll be driving you this evening so there’s no need to take your luggage up with you,” he says, reaching out, relieving me of my overnight bag.

             
“Oh… Okay. Thanks, again Tomas,” I reply, giving him another smile. “I guess I’ll see you shortly then.”

             
Smoothing out the skirt of my sleeveless lime cocktail dress, I tuck the pewter colored clutch under my arm and walk towards the bank of elevators that will take me up to Aidan’s office on the twenty-first floor.

             
Checking my reflection in the paneled mirrors of the elevator, I tuck back a couple of stray hairs that have come out from the single loose fish braid that hangs down low over my left shoulder. The dress I’m wearing is fun and flirty yet formal enough to be worn to a business dinner. The simple V-neckline is demure, the skirt is full and flares out from the waist and the flirty part comes from the two wide straps that crisscross at the back of the dress exposing a good deal of skin. The elegant pewter metallic three-inch heeled sandals I’m wearing match my clutch perfectly. The entire ensemble makes me feel sexy, confident and so ready to bury all those crazy emotional anxieties I experienced earlier this afternoon.

             
Being seven-thirty both Aidan’s receptionist and PA’s have all gone home, so the foyer on this floor is all but deserted with the exception of a cleaning crew.              

             
Inhaling a deep breath, I push open the frosted glass door to his office faltering a little in my step when I observe Aidan sitting behind his huge mahogany desk.               His hair slightly askew like he’s been running his fingers through the silky chocolate colored locks, his tie loosened, the top button of his dress shirt undone and sans the suit jacket. He’s bent forward, typing away at one of two state-of-the-art computers on the desk. His long fingers fly rapidly across the keyboard as he snaps into the communicational earpiece he’s wearing.

             
“Yes, I can see it doesn’t line up. This is what I pay you to do Paul so work it out. No, I haven’t got time for this now. I see… well it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Good.” His tone is abrasive, clipped and at the moment I’m really glad I don’t work directly under him – he’s kinda scary when he uses that tone of voice.

             
Sensing my presence, Aidan raises his head, our eyes locking onto each other’s. His beautiful face softens marginally as he motions for me to come further into his office by a flick of his hand.

             
“Bad day?” I mouth.

             
He rolls his eyes in response.

             
“Poor baby,” I mutter, giving him a sympathetic smile as I walk towards the black leather couch that line one of the walls in his office.

             
Instantly my mind recalls the last time I was here in Aidan’s office. Our fight over my promotion, the wildly erotic make-up sex we had – Aidan bending me over the very desk he’s now sitting behind. It was so freaking hot. This man literally leaves me swooning in a big old puddle of hormones every time I see him. Blushing, I clench my thighs together, self-consciously tugging at the hem of my dress.

             
“Hi button,” says Aidan, drawing my attention back to him. “I’ll be right with you, have a seat” he motions to the couch.

             
“Gabriella’s here, I have to go, but Paul, I want this resolved by nine am tomorrow morning, is that clear? Good. Call me first thing.” He ends the phone call by pulling off his earpiece and throwing it onto the desk.

             
“Problem?” I ask.

             
Sighing, he shakes his head, “Nothing worth mentioning. It’s been a long day and now we have to face dinner with some business associates when all I really want to do is take you home to bed and fuck you senseless.”

             
“What? You wouldn’t feed me first.”

             
“Oh I would feed you baby,” he purrs seductively. “In between round one and round two.”

             
“Come here Gabriella,” he orders huskily.

             
That low sensual tone of his never fails to elicit a response from me. Goosebumps tingle up and down along my spine as I stand and walk towards Aidan who’s now reclined back against the leather chair, running his gaze heatedly up and down the length of my body. Our eyes lock the same time he reaches forward, sliding his hands around my waist, gripping tightly then lifting me onto the surface of his desk. His palms glide down my hips, over the tops of my thighs then between, parting my legs as he rolls his chair forward fitting his body between mine.