It Just Feels Right Ch. 01

His phone rang again. "Yes, Elle?" His personal assistant's voice chimed in his ear.

"Sir, the sales trainee at the Wimbledon branch won't be in today. Would you like to reschedule your lunch with that group for Tuesday or Wednesday? I need to send a memo out to all the supervisors."

He sighed. He had been putting off his annual 'meet and greets' with the new flock of trainees for weeks. "Uhh....Tuesday I guess. Might as well get it out of the way." "Very good, Sir. I've pushed everything else to later in the week as well."

"Thanks, Elle." He rubbed his forehead, his head beginning to ache.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Harding?"

"No, that's it. Thanks, and have a good weekend."

"You as well, Sir."

He pressed the 'end' button as he glanced up at the doorway. At least those morons were gone.

Shelly made the two-story climb to her apartment. She glanced down at her 'Welcome" mat as she unlocked the first lock, glad to see it was still there. She had to literally nail it to the ground to keep it from disappearing again. Once inside, she closed and locked the door, sighed and turned in a circle. 'What the hell are you doing?' she moaned to herself. She plopped down on her couch...the only piece of furniture in her living room suitable to sit on and let herself breathe for a second. This was not like her...doing such a rash thing...agreeing to stay with a stranger overnight. But, there was something about that man...something foreboding and yet indescribably attractive to her. He gave her goose bumps every time he touched her...and his voice...his voice was like someone pouring liquid silk all over her skin. Could she trust herself to behave? She smiled as she toyed with the idea of not 'being good' for once. Oh the fun she imagined herself having with that man...

A door slamming across the hall jolted her back to reality. 'Shit, I have to get moving.' As quickly as she could, she clamored off her couch and made her way to her tiny little bedroom. Throwing some clothes in her bag, she stopped in the bathroom to gather some essentials. Catching her reflection in the mirror she saw that her blouse had not escaped the morning unscathed. "Dammit..." she muttered as she stripped it off. Her skirt and nylons had to go too. She paused momentarily, noticing her ruined shoes.

As she took them off her feet, she held them in her hands, not having the heart to throw them away. Shelly clutched them to her chest for a brief second before placing them in the cupboard under the sink.

She glanced down at her tender hip and noticed that the redness was beginning to get darker. 'I'll have to put some ice on it when we get to...wherever we are going.' Not giving it another thought, she pulled a pair of jeans on, grabbed a shirt from off a hangar, slipped her feet into some sandals and headed towards the door.

As she stopped to lock it behind her, she heard people coming up the stairs. The corridor was quite narrow and there were three rather large men headed up the stairs. She flattened herself against the door as best she could to let them pass...being careful not to look at them. She closed her eyes and bit her tongue as she felt one of their hands blatantly pinch and pat her backside. 'Sometimes its best just to keep your head down and mouth shut around here...' Her landlord's words echoed in her head as she held herself back from slapping whoever had just groped her.

They walked by and continued up the stairs as one let out a wolf whistle. She smiled politely as she tossed a semi-polite glance their way and set her deadbolt. The men had paused on the stairs and she could almost feel them staring at her. Moving as quickly as she could, she put her keys in her purse and picked up her bag.

"Where you going lady?"

She didn't respond, and began to move quickly down the stairs. Whether she was just being paranoid or if there were actually footsteps coming down the stairs behind her, she will never know.

"Yo, we just want to introduce ourselves. Be neighborly and shit." Whoever was speaking evidently was not happy about her ignoring them. "Where you going? Rude ass bitch."

She didn't look back and practically jogged to the glass door at the entrance. Once she opened it, she made herself slow down...not wanting her handsome hero to see her all flustered. An immense sense of relief came over her as she got outside and saw that he was still there. She shook her head and plastered a smile on her face as she heard the door open behind her. Again, she resisted the urge to look back. She rifled through her purse with her spare hand until she found her can of mace. Her fingers curled around it as she continued walking. Adrenaline surged through her as she struggled to keep herself calm.

It wasn't long before he saw her re-emerge in a pair of dark denim jeans and fitted black top carrying an overnight bag. He could have sworn he noticed a limp in her gait. The look on her face was...confusing him. She was smiling...but looked frightened. What was she scared of? Him? He squinted and tried to read her face again as he noticed the men coming out the door...the same men that had been watching her before.

Shelly had picked up her pace and he noticed one of the men nodding in her direction. She had one hand in her purse as the group began to follow her. Something flared up in him. Mike got out and walked around the side of his car, wanting to make his presence known.

She saw him and smiled. He smiled and waved back at her. His eyes were shaded with his sunglasses as he turned his gaze on the three approaching men. The one in front caught saw him and held up his hand slightly to the other two. Mike slowly shook his head at the men...staring at them menacingly as they stopped. He stood taller and took a few steps in their direction.

Shelly was only twenty feet from the car now. He stepped back and opened the door for her.

"Thank you, Sir." She smiled shyly at him as he took her bag from her hands.

"Most welcome, Madam." He smiled back at her as he closed the door. He turned again and saw the group of men still standing there. He walked around the front of his car...watching them the entire time, ready for almost anything. Finally, the 'ringleader' nodded at him, puffed his chest out and turned around.

Mike continued to watch him as they slowly sauntered back into the building. Once they were inside, he reached in his window and hit the button that popped his trunk open. He tossed her bag in and came back to the driver's side door, his eyes glued to the apartment building entrance door. He stood there for a second, waiting. When they didn't reappear, he opened the driver's side door and climbed in. He didn't want her coming back here. Ever.

Once back in the driver's seat, he noticed she had changed into a nice pair of sandals. "Awww...you ditched the carwreck heels?" He didn't want her to know what might have been going on back there. Anger was still coursing through his body at the thought of someone else thinking they could touch her...so he tried to keep the conversation light in an attempt to calm himself down.

She smiled, slipping him a sideways glance. "Yes...it was their time."

"What was it you said about them?" Mike was merging back into traffic as he asked.

"Oh...it's no big deal. My mom bought them for me when a while ago. She said they were shoes I could conquer Chicago in." Her wistful tone told Mike that they meant much more to her than she was letting on. She sighed. "But...oh well. They're just shoes, right?"

"They were very nice shoes, Michelle." His hand returned to her thigh...resting there, making her stomach do flip flops.

She bit her lip as she leaned back in the seat, noting that he had used her formal name. "They were indeed." She realized she was shaking and willed herself to calm down.

Thankfully, they settled into an oddly comfortable silence as she gazed out the window. She closed her eyes and felt her body relax. Mike's hand was back on her thigh...and for some reason, it made her feel better. That was, until her phone rang, startling her and making her jolt up in the seat. She gasped as pain shot from her hip down her leg as she fumbled to find her phone in her purse.

Mike's head turned towards her as his hand tightened on her thigh. "You ok?"

"Yeah...I'm fine." She gritted her teeth...trying to will the throbbing away. "Just trying to find my...ah!" Her hand closed around her IPhone at the bottom of her purse. One look at the screen and she knew she was in trouble. She shot Mike an apologetic look "Do you mind if I take this?"

"Not at all." He smiled and returned his eyes to the road...and his hand to the gear shifter.

"Hi Dad." She closed her eyes...preparing for the scolding. "I know...I know...I'm sorry. I was just getting ready to call you. Yes. Yes, ahh Jerry called you. I know what to do, Dad. I'm fine...just a couple bumps and bruises." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sorry," she whispered to Mike as her father's voice continued to rattle off through the phone.

He chuckled as he shook his head at her...signifying that he didn't mind. Mike watched her out of the corner of his eye as she tried to calm him.

"I'm fine Dad. I had a flat...and the jack broke...and then the guy hit it. Well...a nice man had stopped by to help me...and he ended up pulling me out of the way. I know. I know, Dad. Well no...because if I would have maced him, I'd probably be dead right now!"

Mike laughed out loud as he turned them left, speeding through the city on their way to his house.

"Yes...no, I said I would look after him." *More shouting from the phone* "Dad...he saved my life...it's the least I can do." *Louder shouting* "Of course not! I have all of his info..." *Shouting continues* "And so do the Police!" *Shouting increases* She had to hold the phone away from her ear...cringing as she saw the smile on Mike's face. "Dad....dad...I'm fine...please. Please chill out!" Finally the volume of the conversation decreased as she talked her father into calming down. "I promise, I will call as soon as I know." She let out a sigh. "I will. I will. I will! Love you too. Bye, Dad."

She put her phone back in her purse and slowly turned to look at Mike. "Sorry about that."

Mike grinned. "No need to be sorry. If you were mine, I'd be protective of you too. Can't blame the guy."

Shelly smiled. "He's always been that way. He also says 'thank you.'"

Mike nodded his acceptance. "My pleasure." He took a breath and exhaled slowly as he glanced over at her. "He raises a good point though." He crooked an eyebrow as he glanced over at her. "You are in the car of, for all practical purposes, a stranger...headed to stay at said stranger's place overnight." His hand gently squeezed her thigh again. "Kind of careless, don't you think?"

Shelly sat back, pondering the question. He was right, after all. She was shocked to realize that she had only met him 2 hours ago...it felt like much longer than that. "I guess." She looked out the window...noticing that they were moving into the "rich" section of town. "But...like I told my Dad...the police have your information. If anything happens to me, they'll know where to look."

"But it could be too late by then." Mike had a wicked, teasing look in his eyes.

"I'm not scared." She flexed her thigh underneath his hand. "What can I say? I have this need to repay my debts." Shelly smiled back at him...still not feeling like she was in any real danger. "Besides... there's always the mace in my purse."

"Ahhhh yes....but what if it's a different kind of danger you find yourself in?"

She smiled back at him, loving the devilish glint in his eyes. "Well... if all else fails, I do have a pretty good right hook."

"Duely noted." He smiled as he realized the mace must have been what she had been digging for in her purse when those assholes were following her. What a smart girl. "I can assure you, you are safe with me. Well...from unwelcome violence anyway." He squeezed her hand before releasing it back in her lap as he downshifted to pull up to a gate that gave them entry to a long driveway. Shelly was caught up in the scenery. It was the first time she had seen an actual lawn since she arrived in Chicago.

"This is beautiful." She murmured as Mike pushed a button on his steering wheel to open one of his garage doors. His house was nice...very nice. It wasn't a mansion, but it was big, and in a gated community. It looked to be at least two stories with a triple garage and a huge yard. As he pulled the BMW around the side of the house, towards the opening garage door, Shelly was reminded of what it was like to live in an actual house.

"We're here." Mike smiled, finally feeling himself relaxing.

She smiled back at him...genuinely glad that she was with him.

He parked the car in the garage, and as she went to unbuckle herself, Mike told her to sit still. Shelly immediately froze...it never even crossed her mind to question why. He got out, and she heard the trunk open and close. Then he opened her door, offering her his hand. She smiled. "You know...I'm supposed to be the one looking after you." She took his hand and climbed out, wincing slightly at the pain in her hip again.

Mike noticed and pulled her close to him. "How about we recuperate together?"

"That was not the deal."

She giggled as he closed the car door, then gasped as he backed her up against it. He placed her bag on the floor and took her purse from her hands, setting it on the hood of the Beemer. His body was against hers as she felt his breath on her face...She gasped as she felt his fingers tucking her hair back behind her ears. "Can I tell you something, Michelle?" He had her pinned against his car with his lower body...and her body was quickly reacting to him.

Her voice shook as she answered. "Of course."

"I've wanted you since I first saw you." He reached up and opened the clasp on her barrette...releasing her hair and letting it flow to its full length. His hands settled on her narrow waist as he looked deep into her eyes. She couldn't have looked away even if she wanted to, which she most certainly did not. Her hands crept up...feeling the solidness of the sides of his chest as he leaned in closer. He mumbled something under his breath before he placed a chaste and tender kiss on her mouth...letting his lips linger there.

Shelly felt her heart pounding and her insides clenching as Mike leaned his head down so his mouth was right next to her ear. She tilted her head to him as he inhaled the scent of her hair. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on his sides. He groaned softly as his lips brushed her ears. "You can tell me to stop anytime."

Mike's groin pressed up against hers instinctively as he took a deep breath. His scent was overwhelming her, and she felt her knees get shaky as his hand began to glide down the side of her body. "Does this hurt?" His voice was husky as his hand settled on her bruised hip.

She answered with little more than a whisper. "Not at the moment."

She felt his face change into a grin as he pulled his head back to look at her...his arms now linked behind her back. "Good." He leaned forward and kissed her softly again, his eyes burning into hers as he leaned his head back afterwards. "You are beguiling, Miss Kourting."

Shelly smiled back at him...loving how he felt against her. "I could say the same for you, Mr. Harding." They stood there...the sexual tension between them extremely obvious to both of them.

Mike knew he wanted her. Hell, he had known that ever since he heard her cuss like a sailor that morning...but he had to reign himself in. She wasn't one of the Chicago party girls that he could bed and forget. She was basically an innocent...and he had to go slow.

For a second, she thought (hoped) he would kiss her again...but he closed his eyes for a couple seconds, shook his head and then slowly turned and picked her bag up. The spell was broken. A bit disappointed, she grabbed her purse off the hood and took his outstretched hand as he led her into the house.

They entered a large hallway and were soon greeted with barks and whimpers of excitement. "Ah...he knows I'm home." Mike opened a sliding glass door and a large golden retriever bounded into the house. He jumped up on Mike as his body shook with excitement at seeing his master unexpectedly. Shelly smiled, reminded of her own dog back in Nebraska. Mike scratched and petted the dog for a few seconds before bringing him to meet her. "Ace, this is Michelle." She bent down and held her hand out for him to sniff.

"Hi Ace." She smiled and patted his head once she had passed his inspection. "It's nice to meet you!" The dog instantly warmed to her and soon was licking her cheek as she scratched him behind the ears. "Alright you old coot...that's enough." Mike grumbled.

Shelly laughed as she rose back up to her feet. "He's wonderful."

"Yeah," Mike shooed him back outside. "He's pretty awesome if I do say so myself."

"How long have you had him?"

Mike picked her bag up and motioned her to follow him. "Oh...maybe six years? I got him as a pup from the shelter."

She grinned. Being an animal lover herself, it impressed her even more to know he adopted instead of buying from a breeder. 'Could this man be any more perfect?'

She followed him through a maze of rooms until they reached a "small" bedroom. He sat her bag on the bed. "Will this work for you?"

Even though the room wasn't huge, it was still bigger than her entire living room in her dinky uptown apartment. "Oh yes..." she chuckled. "This will be...great, thank you."

"Good." He took her hand and led her back out the doorway. As they passed each room again, he called out "Living room....dining room...bathroom...closet...den...bathroom...kitchen...and master bedroom." He winked at her as he pointed in the direction of his bedroom. "Feel free to make yourself at home." At her flustered look, he continued. "We could always both stay in here you know...the bed is much bigger...would be easier for you to keep an eye on me."

Shelly smiled and playfully shook her head. "You're naughty, Mr. Harding."

He smiled menacingly at her. "You have no idea."

She laughed and shook her head at him again. They stared at each other for what felt like hours, but was probably just a few seconds. Mike stepped forward and slowly traced her jawline with his knuckles...settling his other hand on her waist. His lips came close to hers again as he stared into her eyes. "Is there anything I can get you?"

She stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips closer to his. "Actually, yes."

He made a rumbling sound in his chest as his lips brushed hers. "And what is that?"

Shelly smiled as she looked at his perfect mouth. "A glass of water please...you need to take some Tylenol."

He smiled back at her, trying to hide his frustration. Eventually, he stepped back and sighed. Mike took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as he motioned towards the kitchen. "After you."

After they had both taken something for their respective injuries, Mike decided it was time for lunch. Shelly found that it was much easier for her to stay focused if she kept her distance from him, so she made sure to keep herself on the opposite side of the kitchen island as him.

He knew what she was doing. He smirked as the water for the pasta he was making for lunch started boiling. She really thought that if she stayed physically away from him, that she wouldn't want him. He chuckled to himself. 'Oh you silly, beautiful, delectable, feisty girl... I've already got you in my sights...and I know for a fact that you want and need it worse than anyone I've met in a long time.'

Shelly flashed him a smile as he threw her a glance over his shoulder. She made her mind up then and there. If the opportunity arises, she was totally going to have sex with this man. It had been MONTHS and she couldn't remember the last time she had been so attracted to someone. Just this one time she was going to let herself go...let herself have a good time. She had spent nearly her entire adult life being the good one, the respectable one, the responsible and level-headed one. So just this one time, she was going to do what she wanted to do. And she wanted him. He had some kind of draw.... some kind of power over her. It was scary...but incredibly exciting at the same time.