Hardwired for Love

His dark eyes seemed to glitter when he lifted his head to look up at me. "Stella?"

"Yes?" I managed to squeak out.

His grin was positively sinful. "Best Valentine's Day ever."

***

Taylor sashayed into my cubical as I was logging onto my computer for the morning.

"Sorry about not answering your texts last night, girl. I had Donnie from Marketing tied to his bed while I spanked his ass with my new Hello Kitty paddle."

I winced and glanced up. "Not really the mental image I wanted to start the day with, Tay."

She shrugged and grinned. "He had little raised Hello Kitty imprints all over his butt when I got through with him."

"Ugh." I rolled my eyes.

"So...do I take the flurry of texts to mean that all did not go well with Richard?"

"You were right. He was a total ass monkey. But, the night actually turned out amazing."

"How so?"

My reply was delayed when the elevator dinged and Matthew stepped off. Our eyes locked, and the look he gave me almost singed my panties completely off. He walked straight toward my cubical, never looking to the right or left.

"Shit," Taylor breathed.

Matthew stopped a few feet in front of me.

"Hi," I whispered.

"Hi," he replied with a slow smile that seemed to scream, at least to me, that he was remembering every inch of my naked body splayed out before him like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Winking, he handed me a small envelope that I accepted with numb fingers. Without another word, he strode away down the hallway.

"Um," Taylor said. "Care to tell me why I just witnessed you and IT Guy perform the eyefuck version of Fifty Shades of Grey right here in the office? Yeesh, I thought clothes were gonna start coming off."

"Clothes don't come off in eyefucking," I responded primly, fingering the envelope.

"I thought you didn't like him," she hissed. "You said you didn't like him!"

Ignoring her, I pulled a folded piece of paper from the envelope.

Breakroom. 10 minutes if you can.

"I gotta go," I blurted and jumped up from my desk.

"What does the note say? Where are you going? Stella!"

"I'll explain later."

Taking off at a trot, I headed for the breakroom, completely unprepared when a hand shot out and wrapped around my arm, dragging me into a small supply closet.

Squeaking in surprise, I found myself face to face with Matthew.

"What happened to the breakroom?" I spluttered.

"It was a villainous ploy to get you alone, my pretty," he replied with a waggle of his eyebrows.

I glanced around. "And what if someone desperately needs toner, hmm?"

"I think the door accidentally got locked again."

"Well, darn."

He backed me up against a low table and kissed me until my heart was galloping. "So," Matthew said, releasing me.

"So," I repeated, tipping my head to the side. I wondered what his suddenly serious expression meant and felt my palms break out in sweat.

He stroked my cheek. "I like you, Stella. I want to get to know you better. Hell, I want to know everything about you. But only if that's what you want, too. Last night was one of the best nights of my life, but I can't help but feel a little bit like a creepy stalker, swooping in on your date and practically taking you captive so I could have my wicked way with you."

I turned my cheek into his palm. "You saved me from Richard the douche canoe, even if you were a creepy stalker. And besides, I had my wicked way with you, remember?"

"Don't get me thinking about you prancing down the hall in that red lingerie and those fucking shoes, or I'll have to stay in this closet all day with a raging hard-on."

I giggled and he continued, "I've been thinking. How about we have a Valentine's do-over tonight? I could take you to a nice restaurant--"

"No," I interrupted, causing Matthew to blink and surprising even myself. "Forget stupid Valentine's. No holiday, no pressure...just Stella and Matthew."

He smiled. "Come to my house tonight, and I'll cook you dinner."

"You cook?" I asked, startled.

"Oh, I have plenty of skills to show you," he murmured, pulling me close. "Wear those shoes again, and I'll make you something chocolate for dessert."

"You're the best creepy stalker IT Guy ever," I breathed with a happy sigh as his mouth hovered over mine.

"Damn right."