Forbidden: Alpha Males and Taboo Tales (The Naughty List Bundles Volume Two)

by Raminar Dixon

  Well, she thought, squaring her shoulders and turning back to her closet, so much the better. She should be glad that sexual tension would not be one more thing to add to the worries about tomorrow’s meeting. With resolve, she chose a flattering black sheath dress that hit her legs just below the knee and a tailored dark red blazer. Her favorite pair of dark red pumps completed the outfit. She would wear her dark sable-colored hair down, she decided. Happy with her decision, and relieved to have made the choice, she worked for about forty-five minutes longer on her preparation for the meeting before turning the lights and crawling into bed.

  The next morning at ten-thirty, Kendra stood in the front atrium of the building that would house the future Taylor Green Group. Her portfolio bag in hand, she strode to the front desk and asked for the Taylor Green offices.

  “You know they aren’t open to the public yet?” the bored-looking guard asked.

  “Yes, I know,” Kendra replied. “I’m the designer. I have an appointment with Mr. Taylor and Mr. Green.”

  “Eighth floor,” he drawled. Kendra thanked him and headed to the elevators. On the way up to eight, she took a few deep breaths and quickly checked her reflection in the mirrored wall. The elevator dinged, announcing her arrival, and she stepped out into the hallway. The door directly in front of her announced the location of the future Taylor Green Group.

  Kendra tried the door and found it unlocked. Stepping through, she found herself in a large, open area with tall ceiling, refinished wood floors, and one exposed brick wall. A blank slate, good bones, warm. she thought. Good. Taking a few steps into the space, she noted the quality of the lighting and the placement of windows, and began to imagine different ways the space could be used. No one seemed to be here yet, so she took advantage of the time to herself to walk around. Her practiced eye began to see the possibilities: areas for gathering, areas for welcoming clients, possible areas for executive offices. She was deep in thought when a deep voice behind her said: “What do you think?”

  Kendra jumped and let out a little squeal as she whirled around, coming face to face with Reid Taylor. He grinned at her, his eyes twinkling, as color rose to her cheeks. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you!”

  Reid Taylor was dressed business casual, in a slate-blue oxford that complemented his eyes and sharply tailored black pants. His sleeves rolled up to the elbows, he was clearly in “work” mode. His strong jaw, chiseled features, and sensuous lips made Kendra catch her breath. He was much more handsome in person than in any pictures she had seen.

  “That’s… that’s quite alright, Mr. Taylor,” she croaked, struggling to get herself under control. Clearing her throat, she stuck out her hand. “I’m…”

  “Kendra Nash. Yes, I know.” He took her hand in his large, warm one and held her glance with his. “Have you been here long?”

  Kendra’s breath quickened at the heat of his skin, but she forced herself to focus and return his gaze, with what she hoped was a professional expression. “I just got her a couple of minutes ago, Mr. Taylor. Since no one seemed to be here, I thought I’d take advantage of the time alone to get some first impressions of the space.”

  “Yes, sorry no one was here to meet you at the door. Kieran and I were in the back looking at some of the catalogs your agency sent over. Hey, Kier!” he called, glancing toward a hallway to the side. “Ms. Nash is here!”

  “Coming!” said a voice down the hall. Kendra heard footsteps, and then Kieran Green emerged, dressed in a light blue oxford, dark grey pants, and a dark red tie. His broad shoulders tapered down to a lean waist and slim hips; even just standing in front of her, she could glimpse the muscular thighs hidden by the fabric of his trousers. “Ms Nash,” he said, his eyes quickly traveling over her figure before coming to rest on her eyes. “Very nice to meet you.” He took her hand in his, and an electric current seemed to flow directly from his grasp to her sex. Oh, God, she thought dizzily. “Mr. Green,” she managed to squeak.

  “Please, call me Kieran,” he responded, holding her hand for just a moment longer than necessary.

  “And call me Reid,” Reid added. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together; no need for formalities. May we call you Kendra?”

  The sound of her name in his mouth reminded her of melted butter: hot and velvety. She found herself imagining how it would taste to kiss him. Breathlessly, she responded, “Yes, of course.”

  “So,” Reid continued, his arm making a sweeping motion toward the room. “What do you think of the space?”

  “Very interesting,” she said honestly. “I already see a lot of possibilities for a firm that has sustainability and tech-forward thinking at its core.”

  “I’m impressed,” Kieran said. “Why don’t you let us show you the rest, and then maybe you can tell us a little more about your ideas.”

  Kieran led the way through the arched doorway to the left where he had come in, taking her into a back hallway with smaller conference rooms on either side. The space had character, without being so quirky as to be limiting. As they toured, Kendra asked questions about the kinds of spaces they needed, the number of employees they would have in the space, and whether they should be planning for future expansion of personnel. When they had finished the walk-through, they sat down in a smaller conference room in the back. The room boasted the only furniture in the space: a wide, rectangular glass-topped conference table with six Herman Miller chairs sitting around it.

  “So, Kendra, tell us more about your ideas,” Reid suggested, leaning forward in his seat.

  “Well, as I said before,” she said, taking a seat across from them, “I see a lot in this space that responds to your tech and sustainability pieces. Consciously or unconsciously, I think your choice of space reflects your future identity as a company.” Both men were giving her their full attention, and Kendra found her confidence surge as she continued. “There are many directions we could take this. One option is to decorate the space with repurposed and reused objects from Chicago’s past: schools, gymnasiums, other notable spaces. I see custom made furnishings made from found objects, mixing twenty-first century materials and technology with respect for history and sustainable practices.”

  “Wow,” Kieran said, looking at Reid. “That sounds fantastic. What do you think Reid?”

  “I think it’s a great idea,” Reid agreed. “I can definitely see what you’re saying about this space reflecting the identity of our company. Kendra, that’s genius.”

  Kendra glowed with pride. “I’m so glad you think so. Now, I have many options of sources for furnishings, and a few custom furniture makers who do very much what I have in mind. Now that I know the direction we seem to be going, I’d like to take some photos and dimensions of the space. I can bring some mockups to our next meeting.”

  “That sounds great!” Reid said. “How long do you need?”

  “Not that long,” Kendra replied. “I can have something for you by Thursday or Friday of this week, if you’d like.”

  Reid looked at Taylor, and something seemed to telegraph between their gazes. Kieran gave a slight nod to Reid, and Reid returned the nod, one corner of his mouth going up in a slight, unreadable smile. “How about late afternoon on Friday?” Reid asked. “Say, five o’clock?”

  Kendra wondered for a moment at the timing of the meeting. Don’t they have plans for Friday evening? she mused. Not that I do, of course, social butterfly that I am. She pretended to think about her calendar for a moment, and then replied: “Yes, that will be fine. Should we meet here?”

  Kieran glanced at Reid with a slight grin before saying: “No, let’s meet at my place. It’ll be more comfortable. And I can have Marina prepare dinner for us.” He reached for a legal pad on a shelf and scribbled a few lines before ripping off the top sheet and handing it to Kendra. Examining it, she noted the Hyde Park address before tucking it into her briefcase.

  “I’ll walk you out, Kendra,” Reid said, standing and pulling out her chair as she stood up.
Kieran told her goodbye – again, holding her hand just a second or two longer than necessary – and watched her with an unreadable expression as she exited the conference room with Reid.

  “Kendra, it’s been a pleasure,” Reid said as he escorted her to the elevator. “I sense the beginning of a beautiful relationship.” The smile he gave her was dazzling. Kendra murmured an assent and stepped into the elevator. When the doors had shut and she was once again alone, she exhaled in relief. God, they’re so gorgeous. How am I ever going to work with the two of them for the next few months?

  Back at the office, Marilyn was eager to find out how things had gone with the Taylor Green Group partners. She was pleased with Kendra’s report, and raised her eyebrows significantly when Kendra told her about the Friday evening meeting. “A meeting at Kieran Green’s home?” she repeated. “That sounds… interesting…” She smirked at Kendra, who laughed.

  “Oh, come on, Marilyn. They want to meet at Kieran’s house because there’s no furniture in the space.”

  “Yes, but you could always meet at either Reid Taylor or Green Media. It sounds like ‘Kieran’ and his business partner are taking an interest in you.”

  Kendra scoffed. “Right. I’m sure I’m exactly what they’re looking for in a woman.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” Marilyn observed drily, looking her up and down. “At any rate, it sounds like things are going extremely well. Keep up the good work.”

  Kendra spent many hours over the next few days living, eating, and breathing the preparations for Friday’s meeting. During her self-imposed breaks from working on the project, she found herself googling their names and staring at pictures of them, sometimes alone, sometimes with one or another lithe, leggy female. Though the images she saw filled her with uncomfortable feelings of jealousy, she did notice that the two men seemed to have an issue with commitment. Both Kieran and Reid were rarely seen with the same woman twice, and the press had never linked either of them to any particular woman for any length of time. With all the focus of her waking hours devoted to Reid Taylor and Kieran Green, it was perhaps unsurprising that she found herself dreaming about them, as well. One night, after a particularly long day, Kendra fell into a fitful sleep, and found herself in a luxurious, warm-toned bedroom with rich furnishings and a king-sized bed. She looked down in surprise to see the revealing red lingerie she was wearing. “Do you like it?” a voice asked.

  She looked up to see Reid staring at her with lust in his eyes, his shirt unbuttoned to reveal muscled pecs and a flat washboard stomach. “Yes,” she whispered as he came to her, engulfing her in his arms and bending to give her a deep, probing kiss. Lowering her onto the bed, he moved on top of her, pushing aside the thin fabric to expose her breasts, which he began to lick and tease. Kendra gasped, and moved her hips against his bulging hardness, making him moan with desire. He lifted his head and growled, “Kendra, you are irresistible. I have to take you. I can’t wait any longer.” She felt the throbbing between her legs as he moved on top of her, spreading her legs to take him inside her. She gasped with longing as he entered her, and soon her need overcame her as she exploded around him, crying out against his shoulder.

  The waves of pleasure eventually subsided, and Kendra could feel his rhythm slow as he brought her gently back to earth. Kendra raised her eyes to meet his, and saw that it was not Reid, but Kieran’s face looking back at her.

  Kendra woke up with a start, her heart racing and her sex throbbing and wet. Desperate with desire, she reached between her legs and quickly began to stroke between her glistening folds, swirling a finger around her swollen nub. Seconds later, she shook with the force of her orgasm, which left her panting and spent.

  The next morning, Kendra awoke embarrassed by the dream she had had the night before. She tried to dismiss it as too much focus on the project: Of course I’m dreaming about them now; I spend every waking moment thinking about them. She told herself sternly that she would not think about where her fantasies had taken her. Business, Ken. Strictly business.

  Still, she left early from the office on Friday to go home and prepare for the big meeting, and made a point of shaving her legs. Just a confidence booster. She slipped into the only matching bra and panties set she owned, and found herself staring at her old enemy, the closet, again. Fretting for a moment about what she could wear that would be both casual and professional, she opted for a pair of dark jeans in a cut she knew was flattering on her, a pair of crocodile skin heels, and a turquoise top that brought out the creaminess of her skin. A touch of makeup and lipstick, and she grabbed casual blazer and her portfolio bag and walked out the door.

  Half an hour later, Kendra pulled up in front of Kieran Green’s mansion. It was like something from a movie – gorgeous, meticulously landscaped, and stately. She wondered how one man could inhabit such a large space by himself. She parked her car and walked up to the massive front door. A large iron door knocker was set into the middle of the door, but there was also a more modern doorbell with an intercom system to the right, which she pressed. To her surprise, Kieran himself answered the door instead of a servant. He was wearing a white oxford, untucked, and a worn pair of jeans that seemed molded to his lower body. His casual attire unsettled her for a moment, and she tried not to glimpse at the of his chest that the partly unbuttoned shirt offered her.

  “Kendra, welcome!” he said warmly, letting her in. “Reid is already here. Come into the living room and join us.”

  Kendra followed him, stealing glances at the curve of his ass. “So sorry to start your weekend off with work. We’ll try to make it worth your while,” he continued, looking back at her with a twinkle in his eye. Kendra blushed and said nothing.

  Kieran ushered her through the hallway into a large, richly appointed but comfortable room. Reid was sitting on a large leather couch, a glass of scotch in his hand. Like Reid, he was attired in an untucked oxford and khakis. He stood as Kendra walked into the room. “Kendra! It’s great to see you again. Thanks for coming!”

  “Hello, again, Reid!” Kendra replied, smiling a bit nervously. Reid indicated a spot next to him on the couch, motioning for her to sit. “Drink?”

  “Um…” she hesitated.

  “Oh, come on, Kendra, it’s the weekend. Have a drink with us,” Kieran urged with a smile.

  “Okay,” she conceded. But not scotch. Maybe… a gin and tonic?”

  “Coming right up!” Kieran smiled, turning to a wet bar in the corner. “Marina has made us some dinner for that until later in the evening. Afterwards,” he said, giving Reid a significant look which Kendra didn’t notice. “That’s completely fine,” she responded. “I’m not at all hungry.”

  Kieran handed her the drink and she took a sip, relaxing a bit as the warmth of the alcohol moved through her body. “Mmm, thank you, Reid. You mix a fine G and T,” she said, feeling a bit braver now. She relaxed against the couch, and then suddenly was aware that Kieran had sat down on the other side of her, so that she was flanked by the two billionaires. Sitting there between them, it was though an electric current was running directly from them to her, setting her senses on high alert. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably – was it her imagination, or could she feel the heat radiating from their bodies?

  She coughed, embarrassed at her body’s reaction and hoping she wasn’t blushing. “So, she said a little too loudly, “should we get to work?” She leaned forward and reached for her portfolio, but Kieran reached out to stop her, taking her hand in his. An electric charge ran through her at the contact and she suppressed a gasp. “Let’s just sit and enjoy our drinks for a while, Kendra. We have something we’d like to … talk to you about. Something less business, and more pleasure.”

  Kendra glanced at Kieran in confusion, and then at Reid. Both of them were looking at her with the same slight smile and unreadable expression. Not knowing what to respond, she took another drink of her gin and tonic, welcoming the warmth flooding her body. “Um… what sort of thing?”


  “Well,” Reid said, turning toward her and glancing at Reid. “Reid and I have been talking quite a lot about you since our meeting earlier in the week. We’re both extremely impressed. You’re intelligent, driven, beautiful, and incredibly sexy. You might say we’re both quite taken with you.”

  Kendra stared, clutching her glass in disbelief. She struggled to keep her composure as she fought to understand what he was saying. He couldn’t possibly be telling the truth. She glanced at Kieran, who nodded his agreement. Are they mocking me? Is this some sort of elaborate joke? She suddenly imagined the two of them as asshole frat boys in college: were they the types who mocked the fat girls, tricking them into believing they were interested so they could shame them when they were gullible enough to believe it?

  “I don’t know what you are trying to do here,” she said stiffly, setting down her drink, “but it’s quite unkind of you. Perhaps it would be better if you worked with someone else at Marilyn Gilmore Design.” She reached down to collect her portfolio, but Kieran stopped her. “Kendra, he said, “what are you talking about?”

  Warily, she looked up into his concerned face. “I may not be the caliber of woman you are used to gracing the society pages with, but I do have some dignity. I don’t know what makes you think that your looks give you the right to mock other people.”

  “What?! Kendra, this is not mockery.” Now it was Kieran’s turn to redden. “We are completely serious. We both find you stunning.”

  Reid broke in, meeting her gaze intently. “Kendra, Kieran and I have known each other for a long time, and we’ve learned that we have… very similar taste in women. Despite what the ‘society pages’ like to suggest with their photo spreads, we both find the fashionable stick figures who populate the parties we are required to attend rather… uninspiring, to say the least. When you walked in the door of our new offices, we both struggled to keep our composure. We’ve been talking about how fucking gorgeous you are ever since.”