She put her hand on it, holding it with confidence. He wondered how many of those she had held, but then he stopped thinking all together as she stroked slowly up and down. “Oh, Destiny.”
She smiled as if she knew that she had all the power in the world right now. She could walk out of here or she could let him do nasty things to her. No safe word necessary.
He truly hoped that she wouldn’t walk out.
She let him go, then slid her panties down her legs. He gasped. She was completely naked. For him. A small smile played across her lips.
He sat on the bed, pulled her onto him so she was straddling his lap. He kissed her as his thumb found that spot that would drive her wild. He’d never met a woman that wasn’t putty in his hands when he rubbed her clit. They went wild when he licked, but he wasn’t ready for that.
Her head fell back, her body arched up so her tits were right at his mouth. Don’t mind if I do. He tasted them again. Her body stiffened. She was close so he put one finger inside of her, stroking inside and out. Her fingers curled into his shoulders, then a keening sound came out of her.
He was glad he had no neighbors. She might have woken them up. Her vagina clenched around his finger as her body convulsed. She stopped breathing for a moment then resumed in large gulps.
He’d done well. He knew that. He waited for the aftershocks to finish before he flipped her over onto the bed. She didn’t move except to center herself on the bed.
She watched him as he dug for a condom in the nightstand. He came up with a glow in the dark one.
Her giggled distracted him. “Glow in the dark?”
“Yep.”
“Now you see it. Now you don’t.”
He laughed at the visual. He liked the laugh during sex. It could be very funny or very serious. He was glad she could see the humor. She reached out before he could put on the condom.
“Allow me.”
She sat up, using two hands, and rolled it onto him. Her fingers were doing magic. He almost came right then. That would have been embarrassing.
Instead, he was able to slide into her and stop for a moment. She was warm and wet and he could camp here if he didn’t have obligations. But he did, so he pulled out then pushed back in, her body arching to meet his every stroke.
Her breathing became ragged, her fingers dug into his back. She made that keening sound again. Then her body clenched around his, milking him of his orgasm as she clearly went over the edge.
He gritted his teeth as he groaned, thrusting a few more times until he was empty.
***
Destiny woke and knew it was early morning. Light was just coming in the window, but her bedroom didn’t face that way. It faced a brick wall. Wait. This wasn’t Hoboken. There were no sounds of traffic or ambulances.
This place was quieter than that.
That’s when it all came back to her. She moved her head to look at her bed partner. He was snoring, sleeping on his back. The covers were mostly off of him. She could see his impressive chest. He definitely worked out.
As much as she’d love to lie here and admire him, she needed to get home to shower before work. At least her car was here. She slid carefully out from under the covers. Thankfully she found all of her clothing so she dressed in the hallway, hoping no one else was here.
Minutes later she was starting her car, then driving away from the cottage that had been the site of her first one night stand. She wasn’t sure if she’d do that again, but he’d been a good and patient lover.
She’d lost track of how many orgasms she’d had. That sex might hold her over for a year or more. She hadn’t even been looking for someone when she entered the bar. No, she’d wanted a quiet drink to digest all that Yuri had told her yesterday.
He was dying. He was giving the company to his son. She was supposed to make that transition smooth. If the son didn’t want her as an assistant, she would get a generous severance. Enough that she could take her time looking for a new job.
The thing was, she didn’t want to work for anyone else. Yuri had seen her the day she interviewed. She was fresh out of Penn State and nervous. He’d walked through the lobby, stopping to say hello.
She’d chatted with him, not knowing who he was. He went on his way, the Human Resources person interviewed her, then offered her the job on the spot. Not the one she’d applied for, but as assistant to the CEO. The salary had been more than she’d ever expected to make and would go a long way to pay for her grandmother’s medication.
She jumped at the chance, then spent the next day worried that she wouldn’t do a good job. Yuri had been a boss and mentor. He’d showed her amazing patience and now she didn’t want to work for anyone else. What were the chances that she would find another boss like him? Nil.
And now his son, whom she’d never met, would take over the company. At least he couldn’t fire her outright. Yuri had already given her a letter of recommendation in case she needed it. He wouldn’t let her down. She knew it.
This son was an unknown quantity.
She pondered this as she drove her car back to the apartment in Hoboken with her grandmother. When she entered the apartment, she could smell bacon.
Wanda, the day home health aide, was cooking breakfast. “Is Gram up yet?”
“No, I’m about to go wake her.”
“Give me ten minutes to get a shower.”
Wanda just smiled. A young girl from Trinidad, she didn’t judge. Just laughed at whatever happened. Destiny was in and out of the shower before her grandmother came down for breakfast.
She was dressed for work and butterflies populated her stomach. Today was the day.
“You look more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers,” Gram said.
“My boss told me he’s leaving the company to his son. Yuri is sick and he wants to retire. I’m meeting the son today. I’m nervous,” Destiny said as she sipped her coffee.
“You should still eat.”
Of course Gram would push food. It was her answer for everything. Boy broke your heart? Eat pie. Lost your job? Have a casserole. It was amazing that Destiny wasn’t the size of a house.
“I’ll be okay, Gram, really.”
“No man is going to kill my appetite,” Gram said.
No man was going to mess with her grandmother either. The family rumor was that Gram’s husband had pissed her off so she put something in his food. He died two days later. Her Gram never spoke about him ever. Everyone knew not to ask her.
“I need to get to work. I have to get there early to make sure everything is in order.”
“You probably did that before you left, Destiny. Stop worrying. What’s supposed to happen will happen.”
She kissed her grandmother’s cheek, feeling how thin her skin was, then left for work. She parked her car in the spot she’d earned. Not the front row, but the row behind it. All of the executives had a spot. Their assistants had the row behind them. The rest of the company could jockey for the rest of the spots.
She gathered her purse, then strode into the building. Alman Enterprises took up the whole building in a town in New Jersey with a view of Manhattan. Destiny was glad not to work in the big city. She preferred New Jersey where she grew up.
The building was abuzz with a different energy. Had Yuri’s son made an appearance already? She swallowed hard, squared her shoulders and pushed the button for the elevator. Yuri’s office was on the top floor of the four-story building.
Whatever is going to happen, is going happen. She was safe either way even if she didn’t want to look for a new job. She wouldn’t be homeless. She wouldn’t be jobless for long. She had to believe that.
She settled at her desk, knowing Yuri wasn’t in yet, but would be soon. She straightened everything she could straighten then pulled out the report that she’d give to Yuri’s son when he arrive. It outlined the whole company.
She’d done it herself.
Now, to wait for Yuri and his son.
Chapter2
Nik woke up alone and for once he was disappointed. He might have wanted to get to know Destiny better. He would have made breakfast and small talk. Learned her last name. Now he had no way of contacting her.
Maybe that was for the best. This was a nutty time in his life and he had no room for love. Or even a friend with benefits situation. The sex had been great, but that could have been because he needed it so badly.
He showered, then dressed in a suit. One he hadn’t worn in years. This wasn’t a suit for the FBI. This was a suit his father had insisted he had. Nik contemplated shaving, but then chose not to. Might piss off his father, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear anything the man had to say. He knew this had something to do with the old man retiring. Nik wasn’t sure he was the person for the job of CEO, but his father would insist.
It was his legacy, his inheritance, he’d say. How could he tell his father he didn’t want his inheritance? That Nik’s life was out in the field.
Except for the fact that Nik had taken a leave of absence, he knew he’d get back to his job busting the bad guys.
He would. He just had to wipe the image of Mark’s death out of his brain first. That might take some time. A few beers and, if he could figure out how to find her, a few more nights with Destiny.
He knew her license plate number and what type of car she drove. He could get her address and lots of information about her. As he left his cottage, he knew he’d do that tonight. He wasn’t ready to let go of Destiny.
Was she his destiny? He chuckled. She was destined to be in his bed for a few more nights. That was it. Nik wasn’t the marrying kind. He liked field work too much and that was hard on a marriage.
Though Mark had been happily married. Not anymore.
He shook away thoughts of Mark as he uncovered one of the three cars his father left for him to drive. He’d left one at the bar so Destiny could drive. He’d figure out how to get it back later.
Today he would take the Maserati. The engine sprung to life like an animal waking from a snooze and ready for its day. The hum of the cylinders was intoxicating. If they’d just make one in manual, Nikolai would be a happy man.
He parked the car in one of the executive spots. Right next to his father’s Bentley. His father sat on a bench outside the building that had a view of Manhattan. Close enough to be there at a moment’s notice, but far enough that the rent was cheaper. His father owned the building, though, so rent wasn’t a problem. Property taxes were more of an issue.
He stopped in front of the man who had raised him. His father was looking thinner, his hair a little more silver. The spark had gone out of his eyes. He hated to face his father’s age. It meant his own mortality, too.
“Taking in some sun?”
“It’s September, boy, we only have a few more weeks we can sit outside.”
Nikolai cocked his head. Yuri Alman wasn’t a stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of guy. What had brought this on? “Shouldn’t we get started?”
“I wanted to chat with you out here for a moment. About the other reason I called you home.”
“Oh?”
His father patted a spot next to him. Nikolai obeyed and lowered himself to the bench.
“Someone is stealing money from me,” Yuri said.
“You know this for sure?”
“I have my hand in everything. Maybe not the decision-making, but I know where my money goes. I still have a firm handle on that.”
Nikolai grimaced. That was a subtle dig to his own financial mishaps in the past. He’d paid off all of his debts. He’d also be very rich if he took over his father’s company.
“Okay. Any ideas who?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t need you.”
“Fair enough. Will I have free rein to do this how I want?” Nikolai asked, knowing his father would stick his nose into it whenever he could.
“Yes. This is your skill set. Not mine.”
Nikolai chuckled. “That hasn’t stopped you in the past.”
Yuri smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I promise, I won’t meddle. Just give me updates.”
“Deal.”
His father stood and Nikolai followed, embracing his father. The man’s arms were weak and it wasn’t like hugging a bear the way it had been all of his life. Was his father sick?
“You’ll have to meet my assistant first. She will be your navigator for this whole process of running this company. I couldn’t have been this successful without her. Don’t judge by appearances.”
“Okay.”
He had no idea what that meant, but he was keeping his mind open. His father led him into the building. They took the elevator to the top floor. The doors opened onto a plush office. No one could get up here without Yuri’s permission. Only his top people had offices here.
“My assistant must be getting some coffee. Let’s go through to my office.”
“Is your assistant part of the investigation?”
His father stopped just inside his office door. “She is not. She is above reproach.”
No one was above being investigated in Nikolai’s mind. He would just be more discreet with his father’s assistant. He suspected she was an older woman who lived with thirty cats. That would be the only way someone could do that job. If she had a life, she wouldn’t be able to devote so much time to Yuri.
Yuri sat behind his desk. Nikolai sat on one of the leather chairs in front of the desk. His father had good taste, he thought as the chair practically cradled him. Comfortable, but not good for getting work done.
Yuri looked up at the door. “Oh, here she is.”
Nikolai shifted in his seat and looked right at the woman he’d slept with last night.
***
Destiny’s mouth went dry. She stood in the doorway, looking at the man she’d had sex with last night. What had supposed to be anonymous sex. Never to be seen again.
And here he was.
“Destiny?” Yuri said.
“Good morning, Yuri,” she said, entering the room like a skittish animal. What was she supposed to do in this situation? Was she supposed to admit she knew him? Then there would be explanations. That would be awkward and awful.
Nik made her decision for her. He stood, strode over to her, and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Nikolai Alman.”
She looked into his eyes and saw a little bit of pleading. Guess he didn’t want his father to think they knew each other. She shook his hand back. “Nice to meet you Nikolai. I’m Destiny Brown.”
He nodded at her then moved to sit back down.
“Sit with us, Destiny. You and Nikolai will be spending a lot of time together in the next few months,” Yuri said.
That made Destiny’s heart speed up. She thought about how wanton she’d been last night. Holy crap. She’d given the man a blow job. Her first ever. Only because she didn’t think she’d ever see him again.
And now all she can see is the size of the man’s penis as she has to tell him all about running Yuri’s company. At this moment, Destiny wanted a hole to open up and suck her into it. Nikolai had a serious look on his face, so he wasn’t enjoying this either.
“Destiny? Are you okay?” Yuri said.
She cleared her throat, strode to the seats and sat down. “Yes, sorry. Guess I didn’t get enough sleep last night.”
“Well, you need to try harder at that. I need you in top shape to take care of my son. You’ll have to attend to whatever he needs,” Yuri said.
Destiny almost choked. Attend to his needs? Nikolai turned a smile her way. That wasn’t helping. “I’m sure I’ll be better tomorrow. Sorry, I’m not at my finest.”
“Okay. So let’s get down to it. Destiny knows everything there is to know about the company. She also knows a lot about the personal life. Destiny, please close the door.”
Nikolai was on his feet. “I’ll do it.”
He returned a moment later. He stared at Yuri, not giving Destiny a glance, which she appreciated. Right
now, all she could remember were the sounds she’d made as they had sex last night. She swallowed hard, dragging her concentration to the present.
What hellish thing did she do in a former life to have this happen?
“Nik, the part of this I haven’t told you, is that I have cancer. I will probably survive it, but I want to expend all of my energy fighting it. That’s why I called you back to take over the company.”
Nikolai’s mouth dropped open. That was pretty much how Destiny had felt yesterday. That’s what had her fleeing to a bar last night. That’s what had her fling herself into Nikolai’s arms last night. Again and again.
He hadn’t been kidding about doing nasty things either. She’d loved every one of them. They had all made her forget about how her life was going to change soon.
“Oh, my, Dad. I had no idea,” Nikolai said.
“I’ve just been diagnosed. I have a good prognosis, but you understand that I’d rather be at home with my wife than here.”
“Of course, Dad. I get it. I’ll do what I can to make this easier on you.”
At least Nikolai was a good son. He seemed as if he was willing to run Alman Enterprises for Yuri. Still, she wasn’t sure that she would still have a job at the end of this. Why would Nikolai want to keep her around? As a memory of their one night?
What a mess. The first time she sleeps with someone she’d picked up at a bar and he’s the boss’s son. Her new boss. What the hell? Yuri went on, talking about what he envisioned for the next few years of the company.
“Of course, when you run it, you can do what you want. It’s yours and I understand if this isn’t what you want to be doing.”
Nikolai frowned, then glanced at Destiny. “Let’s just say that I’m not sure what I want to be doing. I’m at a crossroads, so this might be good timing. I’ll find out if I can hack it as a CEO.”
That didn’t warm her heart. He was doing this out of duty and doing it because he had nothing better to do. Nice. Guess she better update her resume.
Her Russian Billionaires - The Complete Billionaire Romance Collection Page 40