Cowboys & Bosses

by Piper Sullivan

  I frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m just trying to figure out if you need a brain scan, an asylum or just a good hard shake.” She looked at me like there was something wrong with me. “You’re going behind her back to buy up a company she already said she doesn’t want to sell to you, and you’re surprised she doesn’t want to get naked with you?” The eyeroll and head shake said it all.

  Was I being unreasonable to think she could set aside our business dealings while we pursued the physical attraction between us? There were plenty of women who could separate business and pleasure and I mistakenly assumed that Poppy’s tough girl exterior meant she could handle it. “I guess I was wrong about her.”

  Lacey shook her head. “Oh no, big brother. There is no about her in this scenario. You are just plain wrong. Any woman who isn’t upset by that, wants something from you.”

  Shit. “I hate it when you make sense. It fucks up my whole world view.”

  The sound of my sister’s laugh always brought a smile to my face. “That’s just a bonus, Blake. Seriously though, just leave her alone.”

  I should, but as certain as I was of that, I was equally certain that I wouldn’t leave her alone. I couldn’t. Poppy Masters intrigued me and I was hungry to know more. “That’s not going to happen, Lace.”

  “Fine. Then can we talk about Greta the Great and her take on modern outdoor gear?” When she got all excited and going like this, there was just one thing to do, sit back and wait for the hurricane to blow over. “If you had any fashion sense at all, you’d fire her. Barring that, it would be helpful if you told her how butt ass ugly this is,” she said, tossing out glossy photos of everything from ski gear, sunglasses and thermal clothing. But they were all in brown, orange and yellow.

  “Mustard yellow?” She gave me a knowing look.

  “Exactly. It looks like a seventies key party went to Mt. Everest, killed itself and came back as this shit.” She was so disgusted her face twisted into a scowl that was hard to ignore.

  “It’s not that bad.” It wasn’t. Not really. The colors were bland and kind of outdated. “I’ll talk to her.”

  “You always say that and we both know you won’t.” She shook her head, blond curls tumbling around her shoulders giving her a youthful look I knew she hated. “I had to try, but I know when I’m beat. Catch you later.”

  “Are we still on for dinner on Wednesday?”

  She shrugged. “I’ll let you know.”

  So far I was batting zero for two when it came to the women in my life today. The good news was that things could only go up.

  Poppy

  “I’m only going to be gone for the weekend and I’ll be working the entire time.” Spending the weekend in Los Angeles sounded a lot more fun than it actually was. I was looking forward to it though, seminars on everything from new trends in adventure and outdoor sports, new tech for performance apparel, marketing and all kinds of other speakers, classes and workshops geared towards those in the adventure sports field.

  “I’m not worried about that, but you never mentioned it.” She said she wasn’t worried but Maple sounded worried.

  “I forgot and when I came to let you know there were sounds coming from your place that I don’t want to know about. I sent you a text.”

  She scoffed. “Next time call, Poppy. I hate those damn text messages. Unless you throw in an eggplant or cucumber,” she said with a naughty giggle.

  “Hanging up now, old woman.”

  She laughed. “I’ll show you who’s old,” she told me and I closed my eyes, imagining her shaking her fist at me the way she did when my mouth was smarter than hers. “Have fun, Poppy. Do something outrageous, preferably not during one of your workshops.”

  “Sure thing, Grandma. I’ll order a salad and fries together, shock the hell out of everyone!” I had no plans to go wild or crazy. I would go to the seminars and workshops, eat and luxuriate in that big bed with an ungodly sheet count. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

  “I love you too, honey.”

  The call ended and I sat on my hotel bed, wondering why in the hell I came to this thing. I mean, it was essential because it was my responsibility to Out & About Apparel no matter what I decided when my twelve months were up. But that didn’t mean I wanted to be reminded of anything OAA right now. Blake was close to reaching his goal which meant I was close to failing.

  But still, somehow, I was still thinking about the way his mouth and his hands felt against my body. The sexy low growl he let out when he was turned on. More thoughts I shouldn’t be having. At all. I pushed them aside, took off my clothes and took a shower. The trip to LA had been long and warm, and I needed to feel refreshed for tonight’s welcome dinner. There would be plenty of industry people around and I hoped to pick up a few tips from each of them.

  By the time I made it downstairs to the large ballroom set up with two bars on opposite ends, my nerves were frazzled and I wanted to go back to the airport, back to Portland and back to my own home. But it had to be done, so I grabbed a whiskey neat and scanned the room in search of a group to start my mingling. Networking, Talia had called it. I wasn’t a big fan of networking, as much as I appreciated the necessity of it. I hated any kind of forced interaction.

  But I could fake it with the best of them. And I would.

  Any minute now.

  “Another whiskey neat, please.” Then I would go find a group and insert myself into their conversation.

  “Fancy meeting you here.” I froze at the sound of Blake’s voice, hoping like hell that there was some hallucinogen in the whiskey that made me hear things that weren’t there.

  Nope. It was Blake in all his blond haired, blue eyes glory, wearing a panty melting smile as he leaned against the bar. “Blake,” I said coolly.

  “Is that how you greet all the men who’ve had their tongues down your throat?”

  “As a matter of fact, it is. Have a good evening.” I grabbed my glass and left a tip before putting some physical distance between Blake and I.

  “Poppy, wait!”

  Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. I walked even faster, grateful I didn’t have on heels to slow me down. “Not interested,” I told him when his shadow began to overtake mine.

  “Just listen one damn minute,” he growled, grabbing my arm and twirling me to face him.

  I yanked out of his grasp. “Don’t manhandle me.”

  “Shit, sorry.” He raked a hand through his hair, seemingly sincerely sorry. “Look, I just want to talk.”

  “We don’t have anything to talk about.” I don’t know why I was so mad when this was exactly what I’d expected from him. Hell, I predicted it. But to know he was kissing me up against the wall one day and quietly buying up shares behind my back for a hostile takeover. Of my company.

  “I never lied to you about what I wanted.”

  He hadn’t. “I never said you did.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  I shrugged. “There is no problem, as I said. So if you’ll excuse me, I didn’t come here to see you.”

  “What if I said I came here to see you?”

  “Then I’d say you miscalculated.” There was no reason for him to track me down when he was well on his way to getting what he wanted. Not that I planned to let it go without a fight, but that wasn’t the point. Blake was no different than the other men who’d tried—and failed—to get in my pants. A few pretty words and a blinding smile was supposed to make a girl forget good sense. Well, Blake had come close, but he’d played his cards too soon.

  Or maybe he hadn’t counted on me finding out about the shares so soon.

  One hour. That’s how long I gave myself to mingle and network before I made my escape.

  * * *

  “So we meet again,” Blake said as he invaded my personal space at the hotel bar. “Must be fate.”

  Though I sneaked a look at him from the corner of my eye, I did my best to ignore him. I wasn
’t mad anymore, not really, but that had more to do with the alcohol than Blake. He was a snake and just like you couldn’t blame a snake for being a snake, I couldn’t really be mad at him for doing what he did. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. Or him. Even though I was starting to like him.

  A little.

  “Ah, so you’re still ignoring me I see. That’s too bad. I was hoping we could have a drink together, maybe flirt a little until it was time for bed.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Are there no other women here whose pants you could scam your way into, Blake?” He looked taken aback by my question and oddly hurt, but we both knew it was the truth.

  “You don’t have a very high opinion of yourself, do you?”

  That pulled another laugh from me because it was so typical. “Of course I have low self-esteem, right? I guess it’s better than being a lesbian, because those are the only options for my lack of interest in a guy like you, right?” He opened his mouth to apologize but I stopped that shit quick. “I think very highly of myself, thank you very much. I just don’t make a habit of sleeping with people I don’t trust.”

  “But you are interested,” he said with confidence, not arrogance. He took the seat beside me, facing me so the scent of his cologne invaded my senses the same way his body took up all the extra space between us. “I could remind you. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about those kisses Poppy, because I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

  I motioned the bartender for another drink and then glared at Blake, feeling a little bit tipsy and more than a little bit reckless. “If I sleep with you will you go away?”

  He blinked, shocked as hell if his gaping mouth and wide eyes were any indication. “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Why in the hell would you ask me that?” He seemed angry. Well he could keep his anger because I had plenty of my own.

  “Like you said, Blake, we want each other. Clearly. And nothing I say seems to deter you so maybe if I just give in, then afterwards you’ll get bored or lose interest, stop calling and leave me alone.” Women complained about it all the time, that men often seemed less interested once the chase was over so maybe that would work in my favor. He said nothing for so long that I felt like a fool. A silly, rejected fool. “See you around Blake. Or not.” I made it inside the elevator before he caught up with me.

  His hand shot out and smacked against one of the closing doors, a sexy slanted smile on his mouth. “You couldn’t possibly think that I’d let you go after that.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know you, Blake, how could I possibly know?” My legs wobbled and I told myself it had nothing to do with the sexy secret agent look he had going with his tie undone and a few buttons exposing a golden vee of skin that had my tongue slicking over my bottom lip. The more I thought about this, the more sleeping with Blake seemed like a perfect plan. None of the women I knew looked back fondly on their first sexual experience and I didn’t think mine would be any different. At least it would be pleasurable. Talia often told the story of her romantic expectations only to find herself sore and unsatisfied. However this ended up, I would probably hate him.

  Yep, perfect.

  “You know I want you,” he said, stepping into the elevator, sucking out all of the oxygen and taking up every empty inch of space. “How could I resist an offer like that?”

  “S-s-s-so you agree? One night and then you’ll leave me alone?” I hated the stutter but Blake was a potent man, closing the distance between us. His hands gripped my shoulders, his hips pushed against mine until I was nestled between the corner of the elevator and a big, sexy billionaire who was trying to take my company. By any means necessary.

  His mouth slanted over mine, instantly deepening the kiss. Dominating my mouth. Blake kissed with his whole body, effectively setting me on my fire. Or maybe I was melting. Either way, I felt my body grow heavier, sink into his. Into his kiss and let his body envelop mine. Let his mouth devour mine.

  The bell dinged. “Ahem.”

  Blake froze and stepped back, a satisfied smirk on his face when he turned to face the middle aged couple frowning at us. “Good evening folks. This car is all yours,” he told them and pulled me out of the elevator and down the hall.

  “I am perfectly capable of walking on my own, thank you very much.” I tried and failed, to break free of his grip.

  He tugged harder. “What would be the fun in that?” Damn him and that insatiable smile. “Oh look, here we are,” he grinned and stepped back so that I could see we were right in front of my room.

  “How did you know my room number?” My arms crossed over my chest to let him know that while some women may be impressed by this behavior, I was not.

  “I have my ways.” Of course he used that smooth honeyed voice guaranteed to make my knees go weak.

  “For the record, I’m not impressed. You want to know something, ask me. If I don’t share it with you, then I don’t want you to know it.” With a finger in his chest, I hip checked him and slid the key in my door. “Are we clear?”

  “Crystal,” he whispered in my ear, taking advantage of our positions to nibble my ear and leave a trail of wet heat down one side of my neck. “Right now, I’d agree to just about anything Poppy, that’s how bad I want you.”

  I wanted him too, more than I’d wanted a man in a long time, and that scared the hell out of me. I was committed to this night with Blake, but with his hands and mouth on me, I could barely get the door open and I knew that as ready as I was, I could never be prepared for this. For the feelings and sensations going through me. “Stop distracting me.”

  His deep chuckle sounded against my back as one hand slid the length of my right arm, taking the card from my hand and opening the door in one smooth move. “Why would I want to do that when you’re so sexy all distracted and flustered?” His mouth touched my skin again, setting me on fire. Everywhere.

  Then we were inside my hotel room. Alone. Together. My heart raced but my body thrummed with pleasure. “You don’t need to bother with false flattery, Blake.” I took a step back from him, making sure he could see how serious I was in my eyes as I removed my shirt. “I’m a sure thing.” There. That was the confident sexy woman I needed to be tonight. Maybe, all night.

  His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared in an intriguing mix of lust and frustration. “You are sexy, dammit. If you don’t believe me, why do you want to sleep with me?”

  “I don’t need to believe you to want your body.” And I also didn’t need fake but pretty words to make me believe tonight was more than what it was. It was one night of lust. Satisfying a physical need. Nothing more. “So?”

  He wanted to say something more, but wisely, didn’t. Instead he walked over to me and cupped my face. “Are you good?”

  “Of course I am,” I told him, taking a step back and smacking his hand away.

  “You’ve been drinking.” It was sweet of him to worry about it, but the last thing I wanted was to find more things to like about him.

  “You have too. If you don’t believe me, there’s the door.”

  “Such a fucking smart ass,” he growled and captured my mouth in a kiss that started at holy fucking shit this is happening, and only went up from there. His mouth held mine captive, delved deep as our tongues collided in a clumsy dance of lust and want and need. A deep driving need that pulled me closer to the edge. My body came to life under his roaming hands, my skin tingled and my nipples puckered when he gripped my hips and pulled me closer.

  I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped, that he swallowed even as he chuckled. “Blake,” I moaned even as I wished I hadn’t.

  That one word, one tiny little moan changed everything. Blake hauled me in his arms and instinctively my legs wrapped around his waist as he carried me to the bed. “I love the feel of your legs wrapped around me,” he said, telling me all the things he wanted to do to me as he peeled off every stitch of my clothing. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

  I d
idn’t want to be flattered by his words but my body refused to listen. Heat flared from my center all the way out to my arms and legs, to the follicles of my hair. There was a deep throbbing ache between my legs as moisture gathered.

  Blake licked his lips. “First thing I want to hear is you screaming my name.” And he dropped to his knees at the foot of the bed, pulling me by the thighs until my legs draped over his shoulders and I was completely exposed to him. Bare and glistening and wide open.

  “Blake, you don’t have to,” I insisted because though I was familiar with what he was doing, I also felt self-conscious about having his face buried between my legs.

  “No one has to, Poppy. But the sweet sounds you make will be even better than the sweet nectar of your pussy.”

  I pulsed and clenched at his words, and when his thumbs parted my folds and his tongue slid between them, my entire body exploded at the pleasure. His tongue, hell his mouth, was a magical thing that somehow sent me up into the stratosphere. Nothing had ever felt like this, not even my few clumsy attempts at intimacy before this moment. Nothing. Ever. “Blake,” I moaned over and over, my back arching into him as he lapped me up, ate and licked at me until my body vibrated and trembled. And then his mouth closed around my tight, swollen clit and those trembles and vibrations combusted. A brilliant explosion of colors behind my eyes, a symphony of sensations from head to toe, the entire time his tongue never stopped. It slowed to a beautiful, exquisite torture, I was powerless to fight.

  Not that I wanted to.

  He sucked my clit one final time, causing another orgasm that made my body convulse violently. “Oh, Blake! Fuck!” His laugh sounded in the quiet room, the vibrations pulsing against my skin.

  “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He gave me one last lick and stood, quickly undressing while I watched. Sapphire eyes turned as dark as the midnight sky and held me captive as he revealed more and more of his well-muscled body to me.