“Then I’m glad I managed to catch your attention. Thanks for coming out this way. I got completely lost and then the tire blew out.”
Alexis cursed under her breath and swallowed back the torrent of words on the tip of her tongue. Now wasn’t the time to start babbling. She tended to do that when she was nervous or guilty. Right now, it stemmed from the worry that he might know just what she’d been doing for the past eight hours.
“Gmphf, closer to ten hours if you ask me,” she mumbled under her breath.
“What’s that missy?”
“Oh, I’m just annoyed with myself.” She offered him a bright smile.
“Well, let’s get on the road, shall we? You don’t wanna be late for your first day at a new job, right?”
“No, I don’t. My luggage is in the trunk,” she mumbled, wondering just how she was going to make it through the day; especially, since she’d not slept a wink. Luckily, her caveman had fallen asleep an hour ago, which had offered her the chance to slip away.
After a short drive through the mountains, David parked in front of her new home for the foreseeable future. A neat one-bedroom cottage was in the resort itself, specifically designed for housing employees. It was luxurious and roomier than she’d expected.
“This is the executive housing,” David explained when he noticed her glance around. “A little bigger than the rest but they are all equally comfortable.”
“I’d say,” Alexis agreed. Her glance swept over the open plan living area, which consisted of a dining room, a den and a well-equipped kitchen. The glass sliding doors lead to a large patio overlooking the snowy mountains. The furniture was dark oak, with comfortable black leather sofas and décor was in autumn colors. Overall it was warm and welcoming.
“The bedroom is through here with an en-suite bathroom. That door leads to a fully equipped study. The phone is directly connected to the switchboard of admin block. Dial #424 for the restaurant if you’re too lazy to cook and they’ll deliver your meal to your door,” he explained as he turned to step outside. “I’ll be back in forty minutes to pick you up.”
“Thanks again for coming to fetch me.”
“No trouble, missy and welcome to the Silverstone Resort.”
* * * * * * * *
“My apologies for the delay, Alexis,” Felicity Eckard, the HR manager said while they were walking toward the CEO office suite on the top floor.
Silverstone was a luxury ski-resort in the Tenderfoot Mountains in Colorado. It was previously known as the Keystone Resort, before it was bought by her three bosses, the CEOs—Noah Harris, who was the primary owner, Logan Case and Mason Walker.
“Mr. Harris was delayed this morning and arrived late but they’re ready for you now. He just returned from a trip, so I imagine he might be jetlagged.” She smiled at the startled look on Alexis face. “Don’t worry. They’re very professional and have made huge improvements over the past two years since they took over.”
Hearing that Noah Harris had been on a trip, rang warning bells in her mind. Her stomach flipped when they entered the luxurious reception area and were greeted by the CEO’s personal assistant—a platinum blonde, no less. She appeared somewhat flustered when she looked up.
“Felicity, I was just about to call you. He’s in a mood this morning and you know what that means,” she said beneath her breadth, rolling her eyes in the direction of the heavy wooden door on one side of the room.
“Ah, yes,” Felicity chuckled. She was in her early fifties, but looked not a day older than forty. Their CEO’s mood didn’t seem to faze her in the least. “You better keep coffee coming then.”
“Ugh, don’t I know it. He’s been here fifteen minutes and has already finished three cups! No wonder he’s got so much energy.”
This time Alexis’ tummy did a number of somersaults.
Stop it, Alexis. It’s nothing but coincidence.
“Hi, I’m sorry for my rudeness. I’m Emily Collins and I imagine we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” she said with a smile and shook Alexis’ hand. The other one waved toward the door. “You better get in there before he comes looking for you again.”
Felicity laughed at the look on Alexis’ face. “Don’t be alarmed. Their moods are a source of amusement more often than not—even among themselves. Noah, well, his bite is definitely worse than his bark but he’s not an unreasonable man. He does, however expect all the employees to give their all.”
“Well, then we should get along splendidly,” Alexis said with some trepidation. Her sixth sense, which was never wrong, warned her that her entire life was about to take an unexpected turn.
Well, her life had been at crossroads for the last couple of months. The company she’d worked for in Los Angeles had been bought; the writing had been on the wall. Especially, since her job as senior public relations manager was given to the new owner’s niece. Nepotism sucks, for sure. Alexis had been selective while finding a new job and had ultimately found her way to Colorado—much to the dismay of her two best friends. Alexis had made the difficult choice though. She was thirty-three years old, single and it was time for a change; maybe even find a Mister Right, if she ever wanted to have children.
She’d left behind the bright lights of LA for a chance at achieving her dreams as far as her career was concerned. She still had to pinch herself when she’d been appointed as the PR director of this very exclusive and successful resort. Felicity had personally conducted the interview in LA and they had immediately established rapport.
“Shall we?” Felicity yanked her back from her introspection. She rapped on the door and held it ajar for Alexis to precede her.
Two men, sitting on comfortable sofas on one side of the room, rose when they entered. A third man stood in front of the window with his back toward them. With the sun shining through the window, Alexis couldn’t see much beyond his shape, which was humongous.
“This must be Alexis Moore? Welcome to Silverstone. I’m Logan Case,” one of the two men who approached her said. An electric shock shot to her brain the moment his hand touched hers. Her gasp was muted by a quick cough. He stared at her intently, his thumb drawing a small circle on the palm of her hand.
She was mesmerized by his hazel eyes that peered at her from beneath masculine eyebrows. They shone like sunlight on polished stone, filled with a wealth of curiosity. His tousled dark blond hair fell over his forehead. He had high cheekbones and a square jaw, which was covered in neat stubble. He wasn’t classically attractive but had rugged good looks which caused her eyelids to flutter. His full lips curved upward when she swallowed visibly. He was lean, but she detected the ripple of muscles beneath the well-fitted jacket.
“Morning Alexis. I’m Mason Walker.”
Her gaze was drawn sideways when her hand was caught in another large hand. She could feel his calluses against her palm and knew this man liked to work with his hands. He had a stocky build but every inch seemed to be carved in steely muscles.
Oh my. He’s got silver eyes.
She blinked a few times to make sure she wasn’t mistaken and watched a slow smile spread on his sexy face. Upon closer inspection she realized that his eyes were deep gray but had the twinkle of polished silver. And he also had a shaved head. Alexis had never been attracted to bald men, but this one had such a compelling presence; she couldn’t help but feel her stomach roll in reaction.
His wide shoulders, long legs and chiseled jaw added to his hunky attractiveness. There was something about him that hinted of his untamable individuality, which was far removed from the tedium of a conventional male.
“Oh . . . ahem,” she had to clear her throat when she realized they were waiting for a response from her. “Pleased to meet you too,” she responded, flustered at being caught staring, unsettled by the instant chemistry she felt toward the two men.
She noticed the man in front of the window straightening at the sound of her voice before he slowly turned around to stare at her. With the glaring sun still beh
ind him, she couldn’t make out his features.
“And this is Noah Harris,” Felicity introduced him with a sweep of her hand in his direction. Felicity had been watching the interaction between the three of them with interest.
The first thing Alexis noticed about Mr. Harris was his shoulders; his black jacket was well cut and was left stylishly open over a crisp white shirt. He stepped forward—the tallest of the three—his long legs appeared strong and she could see the muscles rippling in his tree-trunk thighs. His head was held high in an autocratic tilt. Alexis couldn’t take her eyes off him.
She gulped and then couldn’t breathe when he stepped out of the shadows. He raked his charcoal eyes over her. His long hair was tied back neatly behind his nape. His bushy beard was now shaped neat and short.
“Oh, fuck no!” Alexis exclaimed. Her voice was strained.
His one eyebrow lifted in a sardonic arc while he folded his arms over his wide chest. She took one look at his tight lips and hightailed toward the door.
“Noo! Lemme go!” she shrieked when he caught her around the waist before she had taken two steps. She kicked back with one heel and felt it connect with his shin and grunted in satisfaction.
“Jesus!” He spat in her ear. Her victory was short lived. His arms tightened around her waist, cutting her breath off with a short ‘Humph ”.
“Don’t piss me off any further, Miss Moore ,” he spat out her name. Alexis quieted in his arms. He turned around, still holding her; her feet dangling off the floor. She felt heat bloom over her cheeks in embarrassment.
The three people watching didn’t bother to hide their amazement. It wasn’t every day that they witnessed the usually contained CEO react this way.
“Put me down,” she hissed through tight lips, refusing to meet his eyes.
“No.”
“Damn you. This is embarrassing. Let. Me. Go ,” she demanded once more.
“So you can run away—again ? I don’t think so,” he snapped irritably.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn—”
“Kick me again, luv and I will strip your pretty skirt off and spank your ass,” he warned in her ear. “And then, if you beg me nicely, I’ll fuck you. Again, and again.”
“I . . . oof, wouldn’t beg you to fuck me if you were the last man on earth!” She snapped at him in a whisper but she refrained from using her heels again—just in case.
“No? But you did it so prettily last night.”
And there it was. What she’d been waiting for; a reminder that her future had just blown up in her face.
What are the damn odds? That the caveman who fucked my brains out last night is also my new boss?
“Well, whaddaya know, Mason. It seems our friend and our new employee, know one another. What are the odds of that happening?”
Exactly my thoughts!
“I am sorry, Noah. I had no idea that you and Alexis knew each other,” Felicity said with a worried frown. There wasn’t a policy against employee relationships, but the CEOs always maintained a professional distance. Up to now.
“Neither did I,” he muttered under his breath. “Thank you, Felicity,” Noah said over Alexis head. “We’ll take it from here.”
Alexis didn’t like the tone of his voice. It didn’t bode well for her. She smelled doomsday up ahead.
Well, Mister Caveman, if you think I’m gonna lay down and let you walk all over me, you’ve got a surprise in store for you.
Alexis should’ve known that Noah Harris exerted power and control without even trying.
Chapter Four
There was silence once the door closed behind Felicity. Alexis didn’t move. The two men were watching them with interest. The mighty Noah caressed her underneath her boobs while he still had her clamped against his chest with her feet dangling in the air.
“Put me down,” she snapped at him over her shoulder.
“Are you going to run again?”
Alexis stubbornly refused to respond. She felt him shrug against her back.
“I guess I’m not putting you down then.” He walked to his chair behind the massive mahogany desk. “Sit down, mates. Let’s get this behind us.”
“What are you . . . for goodness sake! Let me up.” Alexis began to struggle when he sat down with her on his lap. His arm tightened around her waist. Her eyes widened when he delved his hand between her legs, pulling her skirt higher as he went.
Logan and Mason’s eyes lowered and both groaned when her silk stockings, held up by black suspenders, became visible.
“Need some help with this one, Noah? We’re quite willing to lend a helping hand,” Mason asked in a gruff voice.
Alexis clamped her thighs together, trapping Noah’s hand between her legs.
“Let go of me . . . you . . . you fiend! Neanderthal! Libertine!” She shrieked when Noah chuckled in her ear. She was embarrassed that the two men were getting more than an eyeful of her legs and crotch, for that matter!
“Enough . Keep still, Alexis,” his grave voice grated in her ear and her body obeyed instantaneously. “That’s better. Now, spread your legs until your knees are hooked over mine. No, I don’t want to hear it. Do as I say,” he hissed in her ear.
Again, her body did as commanded. Alexis fumed and tried to understand why she was following his instruction blindly, and offering an enticing view to the two men.
“I love the black lace panties, but I would prefer her without any. Damn, you’re beautiful, Red,” Logan said, almost in a daze.
“Where did you find this gem, Noah?” Mason wanted to know while his eyes seared every inch of her body.
“Oh, I didn’t find her. She found me,” he said colloquially.
Both men seemed amazed.
“When?
“Where?”
The questions were fired at the same time.
“Last night. She arrived at my door; little Red, running from one wolf . . . to another .” Noah finished with a lascivious tone.
Alexis couldn’t move, even had she wanted to. Noah had widened his legs and entrapped her thighs against the chair. His fingers drew small circles on the insides of her thighs, slowly moving closer to her pussy; his hands much too familiar.
“She what?”
“You ate her?”
Again, the questions were fired off simultaneously.
“She didn’t give me much choice. She fainted.”
“I don’t blame her. You’re a fuckin’ troll with a tooth ache most days.” Logan and Mason laughed at Alexis’ expression. “Yeah, we know what he looks like in his natural habitat. He’s cleaned up a bit this morning, though.” He said, gesturing toward Noah’s beard which was now neatly trimmed.
“I had an accident and believe me, had I known what was waiting for me behind that door, I would have much rather stayed in the car and frozen to death!” Alexis snapped in annoyance.
“That’s not what you said last night, luv. Matter of fact, I do recall quite a number of ‘please’, ‘fuck me’, and ‘harder, damn you’, throughout the night.”
“Stop ! You . . . let me up. I won’t run away. This is sexual harassment,” Alexis said in a cold voice. Enough is enough.
“Very well, but don’t test me, Alexis,” he drawled before releasing her.
She couldn’t get off his lap quickly enough. She spun around and glared at him; hands on her hips.
“You, Noah Harris, are nothing but a caveman. Fred Flintstone could take lessons from you. You have no idea how to treat a lady!”
His eyebrows rose in an insolent arc while the other two barked with laughter.
“Exactly what we’ve been telling him,” Logan said.
“For one thing, never kiss and tell . . .” she pointed between him and her, “It’s just not done!”
“Relax, my pet. These two would’ve known anyway.”
“Yeah, I am peeved you didn’t call us last night, might I ask why?” Mason wanted to know and chuckled when her eyes widened.
“Did y
ou just call me ‘pet’ and what . . . why would you have—”
“Because, we are more than just partners in business. We’re best friends and like to . . . play together.” Noah informed her.
“Play together? You mean, even . . .”
“Yeah, Red, even that,” Logan said with a chuckle.
“Fuck me,” Alexis muttered under her breath.
“Again? I would’ve thought after last night you’d quite—”
“Don’t you dare say another word! Not one more word,” she snapped at Noah.
“Well, I’ll be damned. Never thought I’d see the day we meet a woman who isn’t scared witless of you, Noah” Mason said in awe.
Alexis stumbled to the sofa and sank down. She lowered her face in her hands.
What the fuck am I going to do now? I can’t work here. Not after last night . . . with him.
“We have a problem, or rather, I have a problem.” Noah’s voice penetrated her mind, but she didn’t move. He wasn’t talking to her. At least she didn’t think so. All she could think of was that she would have to find another job. Close by . Because Alexis instinctively knew that she and Noah Harris weren’t done with one another. Not by a long shot.
Not if I have anything to say about it.
She lowered her hands and slumped back in the seat. “We play together.” She straightened and looked over her shoulder.
“Play together? As in, foursomes?” She managed to croak.
“Yes, Red. Most of the time and sometimes, simultaneously,” Mason intoned in an amused voice.
Her head snapped back.
Holy fucking hell! Why am I not running out the door and all the way back to LA?
“And that, gentlemen, is our problem.”
Alexis heard the words, but her mind was in shambles.
“What do you mean? You don’t want to share this time?” Mason wanted to know.
“Jesus, Noah, you can’t be serious? After all these years?” Logan jumped up and began pacing.
“For fuck sake, no, of course not. Our problem is that our new PR director is about to become my sub and our . . . playmate.”
Say Yes (Their Command Series Book 1) Page 3