by Laura Lee
Said boss’s hand was now slowly creeping up the back of my dress. I dug my heel into his shoe even more but lost my footing when he made his way under my lace panties.
I reached out and grabbed the rail when he slipped his middle finger inside of me with no hesitation whatsoever. I should’ve been pissed that he’d touched me as if he had every right to, but I couldn’t, because it felt so good. I could just imagine his shit-eating grin when he’d discovered how shamefully wet I was, knowing it was for him.
The elevator was at capacity, but it still stopped on almost every floor on the way down to the lobby. Each time, we had to wait for the doors to open and then close before continuing our descent. Mr. Maxwell pumped his finger in and out of me the entire time, keeping a slow enough pace to avoid making any noise. I gasped when his index finger began circling my clit, causing the lady in front of me to briefly look back. I could feel my face flushing. I couldn’t believe this was happening right now; I was equal parts mortified and aroused.
When the elevator finally—finally—reached the lobby, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Mr. Maxwell was hot on my tail this time, trying to get my attention without causing a scene. Right before I reached the exit, a familiar-looking woman walked through the door, flashing me a toothy smile. At least I’d thought it was directed at me until she spoke.
“Ronan! This must be my lucky day. Now I don’t have to go upstairs to find you.”
“Cressida,” Mr. Maxwell greeted the busty brunette. “This is a surprise. What are you doing in L.A.?”
I froze.
She pressed her giant boobs into his bicep. “I have a lingerie shoot this afternoon. I thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted to come watch. And if you were free afterward.”
That’s why she looked familiar! Of course, she was a freaking model.
Cressida leaned into him farther and whispered something in his ear. I couldn’t hear what she said, but Mr. Maxwell smirked so I was guessing it was dirty. He briefly looked my way before leaning into her ear to reply. What an asshole! This man literally had his finger inside of me two minutes ago and now he was cozying up to another woman.
I wasn’t going to stick around any longer and torture myself. With one final glare, I whipped around and left the building. Well, if I needed an incentive to quit this man, that was it. Fuck him. He could have as many models as he wanted. All I cared about was that he wasn’t going to ever have me again.
CHAPTER TEN
RONAN
I remember when life seemed so simple. I’d wake up, hit the gym, log a good twelve to fourteen hours in the office, and go to sleep. Occasionally, I’d meet someone like Cressida Cole and have hot, no-strings-attached sex whenever the opportunity arose. I didn’t need to worry about anything other than my company, my family, and myself. Life was good.
Predictable, but good.
Ever since Quinn Montgomery had walked into my life, my days had been anything but simple. She was always keeping me on my toes. I never knew what she would say or do that would both turn me on and piss me off. That woman had a body made for sin and a mouth made for taping shut. Every day with her was an exercise in patience and self-control.
Obviously, I had deficiencies in both areas.
It had only been one hour since I’d touched her, but it felt like a fucking month. I was acting like a damn junkie, craving his next fix. Willing to do anything to get it. Christ, I finger fucked her in a crowded elevator, in my place of business nonetheless, simply because I couldn’t not touch her. You’d think I would’ve been able to control myself after spending the morning jerking off in my office, but if anything, that had only made my desire stronger.
All it had taken was one whiff of the vanilla fragrance wafting off her skin and I was half hard. I couldn’t stop replaying images in my head of sinking into her tight little body. But it didn’t stop at the memories. My fantasies were worse than ever. Now that I knew what fucking her actually felt like, my imagination went into overdrive.
Whenever she spoke, no matter how mundane the topic was, my brain had her moaning beneath me. When she sat in the chair in front of my desk to take notes, I’d picture her hiking up her skirt and pleasuring herself for me. Fuck, the worst was when she glared at me, which was more often now than it had ever been. Seeing that fire in her eyes made me think about releasing all of that pent-up aggression with our bodies. I had fucked plenty of women in my thirty-five years—more than I’d like to admit in my twenties—but no one, and I truly mean no one, compared to Quinn Montgomery.
It irritated the fuck out of me.
I scrubbed a hand over my face and sighed. I didn’t know where the hell to go from here. The only thing I knew for sure, was that my attraction to my EA wasn’t going to go away on its own. I should’ve taken Cressida up on her offer. She was a beautiful woman and a fantastic lay. Sadly, my dick wasn’t even the slightest bit interested. As Cressida whispered her filthy proposition in my ear, all I could think about was finishing what Miss Montgomery and I had started in that elevator.
When her mocha eyes had flashed with jealousy as I’d talked to another woman, my inner caveman puffed his chest out. I wanted to drag her into a dark corner and fuck the envy right out of her. Show her that I didn’t want anyone else; that she could have me whenever she wanted. It took a Herculean effort not to chase after her when she’d left the building.
I didn’t think it was possible, but each new encounter with Miss Montgomery was even hotter than the one before. I didn’t understand how two people who couldn’t stand each other could be so explosive in bed. Not that we’d ever got around to using a bed, mind you. Fuck, now I couldn’t stop thinking about all the deliciously dirty things I would do to her if I had her spread out on a mattress.
My dick was instantly alert and ready to go. I groaned as I adjusted myself through my slacks, willing the damn thing to go down. Miss Montgomery should be back from lunch any minute and tenting my pants would send the wrong message. Plus, I was determined to avoid any more mid-day jerkoff sessions. I was a grown man, for fuck’s sake. I needed to stop acting like a teenage boy who’d just discovered his dad’s porn stash.
It was ridiculous the number of times I’d sworn off sex with Miss Montgomery only to throw caution to the wind the next time I saw her. The elevator incident should’ve been enough motivation to stop, considering how risky that had been for both of us, yet I didn’t think either one of us knew how to quench this thirst we had for one another.
Perhaps the only solution was to propose some sort of arrangement. At this point, I thought the damage had been done—it certainly couldn’t get much worse. What harm could come from continuing to fuck each other until one or both of us decided they’d had enough? I supposed there was only one way to find out.
***
Miss Montgomery was acting strange. Ever since she’d returned from lunch, she’d been flitting around the office in an exceptionally cheery mood. We’d had back to back meetings, so I hadn’t had the chance to speak to her yet and it was making me anxious. Her unusually sunny disposition wasn’t helping matters. It drove me crazy that I had no idea what—or who—was responsible for it.
When we returned from our last meeting of the day, I decided to confront her.
I leaned against the doorway in between our offices. “Why are you in such a good mood?”
She flashed a blinding smile. “Do I need a reason?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Considering you’re normally a raving bitch, I’d say yes.”
Miss Montgomery returned my glare. “Well, if you must know, I spoke with your sister-in-law over my lunch break and we made plans for the end of this week.”
“What kind of plans?”
She started powering down her computer. “Not that it’s any of your business, but if you recall, Avery wanted to introduce me to a friend of hers. She’s having a dinner party Friday night so we can make that happen. Which reminds me, I’ll need to leave by five that day.”<
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“Is that so?”
She locked her desk drawers. “Yes, that’s so. I rarely ask for time off, so my request is not unreasonable, as I’m sure Human Resources would agree. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure everything is wrapped up before then.”
I clenched my jaw. “Didn’t you learn your lesson from your little coffee shop friend?”
“What lesson?”
I rolled my eyes. “That going out with other men is pointless.”
She parked a hand on her curvy hip. “And why’s that?”
“Because you and I both know whoever you go out with will never measure up. Like it or not, you’ll be wishing he were me.”
Miss Montgomery laughed derisively. “You give yourself way too much credit. I’d love to meet someone who knows how to be a gentleman. Someone who wouldn’t be selfish in bed.”
My eyes ran the length of her body and back up again. I didn’t miss the way her nipples beaded from the attention. “Miss Montgomery, why are you lying to yourself? You don’t want a gentleman. You want someone who can go toe-to-toe with you. And we both know you’re well ahead of me on the orgasm count, so the last thing I am in bed is selfish.”
She scoffed. “You’re delusional, that’s what you are.”
I gave her a lascivious grin. “If you think anyone else can own your pussy like I do, maybe you’re the delusional one.”
“Don’t you have somewhere to be right now?”
“My dick would certainly like to be in your mouth, if you’re offering.”
“That will never happen. But now that you mention it, I’m a big fan of blowjobs. If all goes well at this dinner party, I’m sure my date will be more than happy to oblige.”
Over my dead fucking body.
“It’s your loss. Although, now that I think about it, Cressida is also a big fan of blowjobs. And she’s fan-fucking-tastic at it. The woman has no gag reflex. Plus, she has the sweetest cunt I’ve ever tasted. We’ll probably just skip dinner tonight and go straight to dessert.”
I had zero plans with Cressida—or anyone for that matter—but I couldn’t resist lashing out at Miss Montgomery. The thought of any other man getting near her with his dick made me insane.
If I wasn’t mistaken, she seemed wounded, but that was quickly replaced by rage. “Fuck. You.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I think I’ll pass now that I have a better offer on the table.”
Her face reddened. “Great. Have a fan-fucking-tastic time with your model friend. I’m glad, actually, since I’m assuming this means you’ll leave me the hell alone from now on.”
Not likely, sweetheart.
I nodded toward the door leading to the hallway. “I believe you were leaving, were you not?”
Miss Montgomery grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. “Absolutely. I’ve met my quota for putting up with assholes today. Goodnight, Mr. Maxwell.”
The look she gave me before walking out the door said she’d hoped I’d have anything but a good night. Unfortunately for me, I had a feeling she was going to get her wish.
The moment I knew she was out of earshot, I walked into my office and dialed my brother.
He answered on the first ring. “Ro, what’s up?”
“I need in on this dinner party Friday night.”
I scowled when Liam’s boisterous laughter carried through the line. “I don’t think so.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Why the hell would you want to come?” he challenged.
I raked a hand through my hair. “I need a reason to spend time with my family?”
“You do when I suspect the real reason you want to attend is because a certain leggy blonde will be there.”
I scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. This has nothing to do with her.”
“Sure sounds that way to me.”
“Well, then you need to get your hearing checked.”
Liam laughed again. Fucker. “Aw, little bro, are you jealous?”
“No,” I denied.
“Right. Well, if it makes you feel any better, don’t take it personally. Avery set this up as a couple thing. Everyone who’s coming is in a relationship, except for Quinn and Smith.”
“Who the fuck is Smith?” I growled. “And what the hell kind of name is that anyway?”
“He’s a friend of ours—another publicist. Avery thought he and Quinn would get along, so she decided to play matchmaker.”
I frowned. “What happened to ‘People’s Sexiest Man Alive’?”
I could practically see my brother’s condescending grin. “I totally made that up to get under your skin.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Did I stutter?” Liam asked. “I was giving you shit, Ronan. You were getting pissy about Avery setting Quinn up with someone. I saw an opportunity to fuck with you, so I took it.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“So my wife likes to tell me often,” he laughed. “Although, you don’t really have room to talk. We’re cut from the same cloth, you and I. You know, for someone who supposedly doesn’t give a shit about Quinn’s love life, you seem awfully invested in this whole thing.”
“I don’t give a shit about her love life.”
“Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that, bud.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to alleviate the sudden tension. “Whatever. I don’t have time for this shit.”
“Hey man, you’re the one who called me.”
“God only knows why.”
“Because you love me. And I’m one of the few people in your life who tell it like it is. You wouldn’t know what to do without me, buddy.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled. “I gotta go. Have fun at your dinner party.”
“Oh, I will. I’m sure Quinn will, too. Bye, little bro.”
I threw my phone on the couch cushion beside me as the line went dead. I thought about crashing their dinner party, but only for a second. Liam was fucking relentless when he got a bug under his ass. Always had been. If I showed up at his house Friday night, I’d never live it down. And the last thing I wanted to do was prove him right that I did, in fact, give a shit about Miss Montgomery’s love life.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
QUINN
“Quinn, welcome.” Avery stepped to the side and gestured for me to enter her home. “Follow me. We’re all out back.”
We crossed through an open floor plan to a wall of disappearing glass doors. My jaw dropped when I stepped outside and saw their back yard. It had an expansive lawn, colorful flowers, and lush palms everywhere, creating a private oasis of sorts. There was a multi-layered deck, the lower one showcasing a rectangular pool, with an upper deck that held multiple seating options. Off in the distance, I could see a basketball court and I had to push back images of my boss getting sweaty on that patch of asphalt.
“You have a beautiful home,” I told Avery. “It looks like something out of a Home & Garden magazine.”
She brushed her long, dark hair aside and smiled. “Thank you. I can’t take credit, though. Liam and I work so damn much, we hired designers.”
I returned her smile. “Well, you hired well.”
Avery laughed as we walked to the outdoor dining area. There was a polished teak table, with miniature Edison bulbs strung along an overhead pergola. I was sure when the sun fully set, they would afford just enough light to see while still remaining dim enough for ambiance.
Avery gestured toward me. “Everyone, this is Quinn Montgomery. Quinn, these are some of our other friends. You already know Liam, and then we have Susannah with her husband, Ted, Ceri and her fiancé, Ryan, Brenda with her husband, Scott, then at the end, we have Smith Walker.”
I nodded to everyone in greeting as Avery pointed them out from left to right. The only open seat was right next to Smith, the man I was here to meet. When I approached his end of the table, he stood up to pull out my chair.
“Thank you,” I said as I sat down.
“You too.” I returned his smile.
Smith was definitely interested; of that I had no doubt. He was an excellent conversationalist too, asking thoughtful, but not too intrusive questions. Every now and then, I’d catch him gazing at me with lust-filled eyes that I so desperately wished I could return. He was certainly a handsome man. Some would even say gorgeous. But was I attracted to him? Nope. Not even a little.
All I could think about throughout dinner was that Smith’s eyes weren’t the right color—that stunning blue that bled into turquoise as you approached the Caribbean shore. He didn’t have a perennial dusting of stubble lining his jaw, like he couldn’t possibly bother to shave that morning. His lips were far too thin; I felt zero compulsion to nibble on them.
God, what was wrong with me?
I hated Ronan Maxwell. I could not stress that enough, but when I closed my eyes at night, or when my fingers trailed down my abdomen, ready to give my body the release it so desperately sought, he was all I could think about.
We had an upcoming business trip to tour the new properties. How in the hell was I going to survive that? Sure, we had traveled together quite a few times, but that was before we’d had sex. Although I had fantasized about him for years, I never knew exactly what I was missing before now, which made a huge difference. How was I supposed to resist him when we’d be in such a romantic location? I swore there was just something in the Hawaiian air, where the moment you stepped off the plane, you felt more relaxed. Less inhibited. The last thing I needed was to lower my guard around Ronan Maxwell.
As much as I hated to admit this, he’d hurt me. Logically, I knew that he owed me nothing and I was being unreasonable. We weren’t in a committed relationship; he could date whoever he wanted just like I could. And I definitely egged him on—I couldn’t seem to stop. But it still stung, knowing he went out with Cressida Cole.
I couldn’t figure out exactly when it had happened, but I was emotionally invested when it came to Ronan Maxwell, despite my head’s vehement protests. There’d been a persistent ache in my chest since that day. I wasn’t a fool; I saw the way she looked at him. There was no way she wouldn’t have had sex with him that night. I couldn’t stop wondering what they were doing at that very moment. If he was touching her in the same way he had touched me. If she felt like she could never get enough, just like I did. I drank an entire bottle of wine that evening just so I could fall asleep.