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by Sienna Grant

  Twenty-Eight

  Reagan

  Stepping into my long blue dress, I inch it up the length of my body, threading my arms through the straps. It’s a long royal blue off the shoulder bodycon dress with a split sitting mid-thigh. As soon as I saw this dress, I knew it was the one. I didn’t want any kind of lines to be seen so I left my bra off, but I also couldn’t wear panties, because no matter what type I tried on, you could see panty lines. Not that Everett will mind anyway.

  Before I go get my shoes, I plug my curling iron in to heat up. As I looked around the ten-by-twelve space, I can see how it would seem a little crazy to any normal person. All forty pairs of heels are in their own little pigeon-holes, one side contained all my evening clothes, and the other my work clothes. There is a chest of drawers for all my casual clothes and underwear. On each wall is a full-length mirror so I can get full view of everything I wore before I stepped out.

  I grab the heels I want and set them by the door before doing my curls.

  I spray some Paco Rabanne around my neck, put on some simple jewellery and I was done.

  My cell chimes with a message and I assume it will be Everett making sure I’m not running late. When I look at the screen, I see that it’s from Ruby: Don’t forget to give any sexy and wealthy men my number.

  I can’t help but giggle at her insistence.

  Locking my screen, I place my phone my clutch bag and slide my feet into my heels. Just as I’m doing one last check in the mirror, there’s a knock on the door. I look through the peephole and see Everett in his tux. He looks so sexy. I could stand here all night admiring him. His hair is styled to perfection; it’s always styled nicely, but I can tell he put that extra bit of effort in. I watch as he slides his hands into his pockets and looks around. Knowing I haven’t gotten the full view I crave; I yank open the door. My eyes roam up and down his body, and when our gazes meet, I can see the want and desire he has for me.

  “Wow.”

  His hungry gaze travels over me as he steps closer. With our bodies touching, he slips his fingers just inside the split in my dress, his touch warm as it caressed my skin. “You are fucking stunning, Reagan Quinn.”

  “You’re not so bad yourself, Everett Brooks.”

  His other hand cups my bare ass. “No panties?”

  I lean in and place my lips at the shell of his ear. “And no bra.”

  “Fuck it, let’s stay here?”

  “Not a chance. Do you know how much I paid for this dress?”

  “I’m sure I can reimburse you.” He runs the tip of his nose across my cheek to my ear. He growls in the back of his throat. “You smell amazing.” He bites my earlobe before sucking gently. “I’m sure it would be much more fun to strip you naked right here, but we better get going.”

  Lifting his hand to my face he softly pinches my chin with his finger and thumb. “I have something for you. Turn around and close your eyes.”

  Everett places his lips on the sensitive part of my neck and then kisses down my spine. I hear a box snap shut but keep my eyes stayed closed a little longer, until I felt the coldness of what I think is jewellery being placed around my neck. Everett places his hands on my shoulders and guides me into the bedroom. “Open your eyes,” he breathes into my ear.

  My eyelids flutter open to my reflection. The dainty platinum chain around my neck is so beautiful, I almost tear up. Twelve diamonds sit in a straight line, sparkling as the light catches them. Instinctively, I spin around to face Everett, my hands going to his hard chest. I push my lips to his. To hell with my lipstick. With his arms wrapped around the small of my waist, he pulls me closer and I let him push his tongue into my mouth. I reluctantly pull as Everett leans back.

  “This is beautiful. Thank you so much.” I tell him.

  “Anything for you.” Everett gives me a full-on smile, “Now let’s go so you can show it off.”

  When we make it to the sidewalk outside my apartment, a limo is idling at the curb. I swear, if this man shocks me anymore tonight, I’ll have no breath left.

  “Your chariot awaits, ma’am,” he says with a smile and gleam in his eye.

  The driver opens the rear door for us, and with Everett’s arm held out, I slide along the leather seat and over to the other side, waiting for Everett to join me.

  Once Everett is inside and the door has been closed, the limo slowly pulls out into the New York traffic.

  Twenty-Nine

  Reagan

  From the moment we stepped from the limo he hired for us. Everett has kept his hand on the bare skin of my back. I feel like a superstar, like I should be walking the red carpet of the Oscars, not attending a dinner soirée with the rich and important people of New York’s finest businesses.

  Just looking at the hotel from the outside, you can tell just how regal it is. The Plaza Hotel is one of the few hotels I’ve never stepped foot in. At around five hundred dollars a night, I’m not about to either. I make a pretty penny, but five hundred dollars on a room… I’m not that loaded. I look up in awe and admire the Plaza’s vaulted ceilings and beautiful hanging crystal chandeliers as we enter the lobby. This place is very much all elegance and charm. There aren’t many places that can stun me.

  “Reagan,” Everett whispers in my ear, bringing me back to the present. “Are you ready??”

  I turned to look at him. “Yes, of course.” With his hand still firmly placed at my back, we enter through the large double doors as the maître d’ greets us with a smile and a polite nod.

  A waitress hands us a glass of champagne while Everett gives the maître d’ our names, and soon we were being escorted to our tables. With a quick glance around at the guests already seated, I am so glad I picked this dress. Everett holds out his arm for me and I loop my hand through.

  Because we’re here for business, we are sat at separate tables. I’ll be sitting with Hicks Life Solutions and Everett will be seated with EB Pharmaceuticals. As Everett and I go our separate ways, I see Mr. Hicks and his wife seated at the Life Solutions table. He is a good-looking man for his age. With his short, graying hair and gray beard, he has the whole George Clooney look about him. With a polite smile, I shake Mr. Hicks’ hand and am introduced to his wife, Amelia. They’re such a good-looking couple, I’m almost jealous. Amelia has straight dark brown hair, she’s small and petite dressed in a stunning dark blue gown. I can’t see much of it as she is sitting, but the part I can see is absolutely beautiful. Amelia pats the seat next to her and asks me to sit with her. It’ll be nice to talk with another woman.

  I think most of the employees from Hicks are here who need to be here. Two of the shareholders and their significant others arrive, taking their seats. That leaves just one seat empty.

  Taking a sip of my champagne, I wonder who the empty seat is for—maybe my plus one? Amelia’s voice snaps me out of my thinking.

  “You look absolutely stunning, Reagan.” Her soft hand settles on my arm. “My husband told me how pretty you are, but his description didn’t do your beauty justice.”

  I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and cover my chest with my free hand. “Oh wow, thank you.” I feel quite taken aback at that compliment. I try to hide the fact that I’m blushing by taking another sip of champagne.

  “So, Reagan, I see you arrived with Everett Brooks,” Mr. Hicks says from the other side of his wife. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other that well.”

  “Terry!” Amelia scolds him.

  I smile at Amelia and shake my head. “It’s fine, Amelia, really.” Terry Hicks isn’t the kind to think before he speaks, no matter who he’s talking to.

  A tapping on the microphone grabs everyone’s attention and the chatter comes to a stop, giving me a small reprieve from having to talk to Terry about my personal life.

  The main speaker starts off the night by thanking everyone for coming out and for donating, then goes on to cover the details of the auction. Just then the sound of a door clos
ing echoes around the large room. The speaker is cut short, and everyone turns to see who’s walked in.

  What is she doing here?

  I look over at Terry Hicks, but I get nothing back, he just ignores me. Margie teeters down the walkway in her high heels and short tight-fitting dress and takes the empty seat at our table. I smile at Margie, then turn back to listen to the speaker.

  Once the auction is over, Terry goes in for the kill. “So, Reagan, Everett Brooks? What’s the story?” I’d so hoped he’d forgotten the whole subject.

  I take a sip of champagne, giving myself time to think, and look at Margie, but she’s too busy taking in the ambiance around her to take any notice of us.

  “No story,” I answer Terry. “We’re just friends who shared a limo.” As much as I would have loved to tell him we were more than that, I wasn’t sure how he’d take that.

  “I’m not sure I like the thought of my CEO being friends with major competition. I’ve heard around that it’s a little more than just friends sharing a limo.”

  “Really, I have no idea where you could’ve heard that. And anyway, you were the one who introduced us. Besides, you and Everett go way back, and he’s helped you out more than once in the past. Why shouldn’t we be friends?” I tried to answer with a minimum amount of spite in my voice, but it was a little hard. No one ever said you couldn’t have any sort of relationship with a person from an opposing company, you just couldn’t fraternize with staff from the one you worked with.

  Margie had finally stopped looking around and her eyes are on me as now she takes small sips of her champagne. I’m beginning to think that I know where Terry Hicks got his information. But why would she do that to me?

  Her gaze moves around the room again, until they finally land on Everett and her eyes widen. The casual observer wouldn’t be able to tell, but I could. There’s a slight sparkle in the depths of her dull brown eyes, and a barely there smile, grazes her lips as her gaze falls back on me.

  Grinding my teeth, I shift my gaze away from Margie and whatever game she’s playing to return to my conversation with Terry.

  “So, Mr. Hicks, am I allowed to ask where this information came from?”

  “Just something I heard through the old corporate grapevine.” He forces a smile my way. “And you’re right, Everett and I do go way back, but this is business—my business—and I’d prefer my chief executive not fall into the trap of Everett Brooks and his charms, shall we say.”

  “I’m sure,” I reply in a sarcastic tone, forcing a polite smile back. For some reason, I look at Margie again. She’s watching me a little too closely. Feeling a little more than uneasy, I grabbed my purse and stand. “If you’ll all excuse me for a few moments.” I turn away from what felt like the firing squad and headed to the ladies room.

  I shove the restroom door open, the door crashing off the wall before shutting behind me. I spend a minute or two standing at the sink and just look at myself in the mirror. The diamonds in my necklace twinkle, putting a smile back on my face.

  I’m washing my hands when the restroom door opens. I don’t take much notice until I look up and saw Everett walking toward me. “What are you doing in here?” I ask with playfully narrowed eyes.

  “I came to see you. You looked irritated when you walked out. Plus, I couldn’t wait to get my greedy hands on this delectable fucking body of yours.” His palms rest on my hips. My breath hitches, just at his touch. “I’ve been watching you, salivating, wondering when I could touch you.”

  “It seems everyone is watching me these days.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, nothing. Ignore me.”

  He tugs me closer until the hardness of his length is against my back.

  “Everett, not here,” I gasp. “Mr. Hicks is already asking questions about you and me.”

  “It’s none of his business,” he says into my neck, his lips finally settling behind my ear.

  “You tell him that.”

  “My pleasure. Why were you irritated?”

  “He kept asking questions about how close we were and said that he’d heard through the grapevine that we were more than friends.”

  He turns me in his arms and rests his hands on my hips. “I repeat, it’s none of his business.”

  “Well, I felt a bit weird about it all.”

  “Forget it. Forget the small-minded bureaucrats. How about we get out of this place and enjoy the rest of the night, just the two of us. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds perfect…but I can’t.” I step closer to him and firmly plant my lips on his. He takes over the kiss, dominating it as he always does, pushing for more until I am out of breath and dizzy just on his taste.

  I groan and reluctantly take a step back. “I have to go. Hicks will think I’ve gotten lost.”

  “Tell him you got lost with me.”

  My hungry gaze follows his tongue as it licks along his lips. It makes me want to say to hell with Terry Hicks.

  “He’d love that.” A chuckle comes from the back of my throat. “I really wish I could, but I have to go.” I would love to stay in here and enjoy Everett, but I can’t. I’m sure Terry will have a thousand questions for me when he notices we’ve both disappeared.

  “Okay, you go first.” Before he lets me go, he pulls me back in for another kiss, wrapping an arm around my neck.

  A creak sounds behind us, and we turn toward the door as it opens. I quickly jumped away from Everett as the door opens wider.

  Thirty

  Reagan

  My heart was beating out of my chest by the time the door is fully open. The relief I feel when I see it’s an older lady neither of us knows is indescribable. The scowl she directs at Everett for being in the ladies’ restrooms has me turning my face away and giggling into his shoulder. The lady coughs and huffs loudly as she walks past us, I can’t help but laugh even more.

  Everett shushes me before kissing me on the cheek. “I’m going before the daggers she’s throwing manage to hit me.”

  I nod and watch him strut out of the restroom. That man has such a sexy swagger, I had to stop myself from going after him and dragging him back into one of the stalls.

  Once the door has shut again, I turn back to the mirror and gently brush along the sensitive skin beneath my eyes, wiping away the moisture that had gathered there from laughing.

  I reapply my lipstick and ready myself to face the Spanish Inquisition.

  With a painted-on smile, I enter the room and take my seat again.

  “Are you okay, Reagan?” Amelia asks, looking a little concerned.

  “I’m fine.” I wave a hand and smile back. “Thank you.”

  “Why don’t we finish this champagne and order another bottle?”

  “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” I reply, laughing. “You’ll have me dancing on the tables and all kinds…”

  Amelia tops up our glasses, finishing off the bottle.

  I lift the glass and rest it against my bottom lip as I catch a glimpse of Everett getting up from his chair. He starts to walk toward us. Oh shit. He greets other executives as he passes but never stops. I keep my eyes forward as he makes his way around the table, the tip of his finger stroking along my back, as he reached Terry. I take a sip and put my glass back down, because if he keeps doing that, I’ll be spilling it everywhere.

  “Everett, what a lovely surprise. How are you?” Amelia greets him with a full smile as she stands, and Everett kisses her cheek.

  “I’m good, thanks. You look stunning, as always.” He returns her smile, his charm shining bright.

  Amelia sits and smiles, winking at me.

  “Terry, you old dog, how are you?” Everett asks, holding out his hand to him.

  Terry stands and shakes his hand. “Less of the old, young man.” Terry smiles. It’s the first time I’ve seen him do it all evening. “I’m alright, thank you.” Terry Hicks has some nerve. He spoke about
Everett like he was the enemy, and now here he is smiling, shaking hands, and joking with him.

  “Reagan.” It sounds like his voice has taken on a deeper, more gravelly tone when he says my name. I go to stand, but he’s already hovering over me and dipping down to kiss my cheek. Knowing that my boss and Margie are watching makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong. I can’t just ignore him; honestly, no one ignores Everett Brooks. His presence is even bigger than his ego.

  I pick up my glass and try to ignore his sexy stature as he speaks with Terry.

  “I was wondering, Reagan, what would I have to do if I wanted to be a chief executive?” Margie’s voice is loud enough to cut into Terry and Everett’s conversation. They both turn to look at me.

  I almost spit out my champagne. I’m stumped by this sudden inquiry of hers. Tackling one thing at a time, I swallow the champagne in my mouth, then prepare to answer my assistant. “Well, firstly, with lots of hard work. You’d need a master’s in management…

  “What about you, Everett?” My jaw clenches when she moves her attention to him. “Do you have any advice for me?”

  “If you want to go further in your career, maybe look at night classes. You’ll still be earning an income and you can pay for your classes for your master’s degree.”

  I tried to stop myself from reading too much into all this. I’m not a paranoid person. I know I can do my job and had no worries about that, but it threw me as to why she’d want to ask about becoming a CEO all of a sudden. I glance at Ev, who’s gone right back to his conversation with Terry. I aim a grin at Margie and lifted my glass to her before I take a sip.

  “Why don’t we have lunch, say, Tuesday. I think I’m free.” My ears perk up when I hear Terry extend an invitation to Everett.

  “Yeah, sounds good. Give my assistant a call on Monday and she’ll put it on my schedule,” Everett replies with a grin.

  “Reagan. If you could do that for me?” Terry asked.