by Jani Kay
And fucked we had.
On every conceivable surface, in every possible position. Three nights a week.
But my favorite place was undoubtedly the exquisite four-poster bed I’d specially had carved from dark Australian Jarrah wood that took center stage in the middle of the vast open plan room. It had taken seven skilled craftsmen a full three months to create the masterpiece, but it was worth the wait and every penny I’d invested in it.
There was nothing else on the planet like it. Instead of the usual elaborate swirls or fat-cheeked cherubs, this bed had naked forms of men and women engraved on the headboard and pillars. It was as decadent as it was a work of art.
And Montana was right. I loved being there on that bed with my forbidden fuck buddy.
It was our dirty little secret.
Chapter 3 — Montana
Life couldn’t get any better. Sated and out of breath, I let Levi hold me close while we both came back to earth. Being thoroughly fucked by a man with the stamina of a marathon runner was as close to an out-of-body experience as I’d ever get.
He rubbed small circles up and down my spine, his slow movements so relaxing that I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into his body until I surrendered and gave in to that small pleasure, allowing my heavy eyelids to close. A deep sigh reverberated through my whole body as his fingers worked their magic.
This.
This is surely what heaven is like.
I loved sex. And sex had never been better than it was with Levi. But this part—the part after a mind-blowing orgasm or two—had become my favorite. Worn out, sore, and a little breathless, I could just soak up the raw energy that emitted from Levi’s strong body. I loved how safe and protected I felt in his arms, as if nothing and nobody else mattered. And for a few hours it was true. When we were together, we left our ‘normal’ lives outside the door. We were simply two people who appreciated and enjoyed one another’s bodies. We didn’t have to pretend or think of anything cute or sweet to say.
His lips moved against my skin. “Big day tomorrow?”
“Mmmm,” I hummed, too exhausted to speak.
“The interview?”
I slung a leg over his and nuzzled closer to his neck. I loved the smell of his skin after sex. I inhaled deeply to get a hit of testosterone, pheromones and sweat. “No shop talk. It’s against the rules,” I reminded him.
“I’m just interested in what you do, babe. I’m not trying to fish for intel on your company.” His voice was calm and level. Convincing.
I grinned against his skin. “Good. Because as fucking sexy as you are, my lips are sealed, and you’re not getting anything from me.”
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I have my spies for that.”
“And we have ours. So we’re even,” I said, with a small satisfied smile twisting my lips.
It was our fierce competitive natures that caused the sparks to fly whenever we faced off in the boardroom, causing quite a few eyebrows to lift. If only they knew that we were drawn to one another like magnets, that it was all a farce and that we couldn’t fight the chemistry that buzzed between us even if we tried.
If anything, it was a huge turn-on. If we’d opposed one another in the boardroom during the day, we’d fuck even harder that night when we got together behind closed doors.
His hand spread wide at the back of my neck so that his thumb and index finger could massage the tender knots in my neck and shoulders. I purred like a kitten, loving every moment of the sweet torture under his strong fingers.
“Even? I’m glad you think so but I’m not too sure about that. Do you know that of all the challenges I’ve faced in my life, getting you into my bed was one of the biggest?”
I cracked an eyelid open to stare up at him. His face was solemn and his jaw set squarely.
“Hmmm . . . I’m not sure I can believe that. I’ve seen you in action. You thrive on challenges, Mr. Barrington. They’re what you have for breakfast.”
He chuckled. “Everything is different with you. Usually I can walk away if something doesn’t go my way. But with you . . . I wanted you in my life, and I wasn’t giving up.”
I pulled my head away slightly so I could get a glimpse of his steel grey eyes. I’d always been one for reading people through eye contact, so I needed to make sure he wasn’t just saying shit to make me feel good.
I swallowed hard. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “My billions are useless. Unlike most women, cold hard cash and everything I can buy for you didn’t make you fall into my bed. For the first time in my life I had to use more than money to get what I wanted with a woman.” His lips brushed against my cheek. “You really made me work for it.”
I traced the back of my hand along his jawline. “And so it should be. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.” I let my words sink in before I continued. “I learned that at a very tender age. Growing up in poverty isn’t much fun, and it sure teaches hard lessons.”
“That’s pretty tough for a kid. I’m sorry you had a hard childhood.”
“Hey, I’m not looking for pity. It made me tough and resilient. Like iron being forged in an oven to harden the steel. The toughest steel makes the sharpest swords, you know.”
“Did you have anybody to help you through those times? Other family?” It was the first time Levi had ever questioned me about my childhood. I’d told him questions of a personal nature were off-limits when we first got together and so far he’d stuck to it.
Yet there was something different in the air between us that night. A shift of sorts I didn’t quite understand. First the invite to stay and now delving deeper into my private life. Normally I’d cut him off, but I was in an introspective mood, something that always happened around the time of my birthday, so I was being lenient in ways I’d not been before.
I closed my eyes and for a brief moment let the memories flood through me. “No. It was just me and my mother. On days she couldn’t cope with life, she’d watch old movies on repeat and cry her eyes out.” A jolt of pain shot through my heart. Nothing had changed; recalling the past still undid me. “But strangely I found comfort in watching those old movies with Mom. One particular character stood out above the rest and I identified with her. Guess who?”
“Tell me. I’m no good at guessing.” Levi’s voice was low and soothing as he continued rubbing my back.
“Scarlett O’Hara. The part where she vows to never go hungry became my inspiration. I swore to myself I’d have a successful career and never live in poverty again.”
He sucked in a breath. “No wonder you’re so darn tough at meetings. I’ve never seen a woman so fiercely determined and tenacious as you. My old man made the mistake of his life when he didn’t snap you up immediately and let the opposition get their paws on you.”
I gave him a wry smile. “I know. But it turned out better.”
“If you mean that I had to chase you down for weeks before you even gave me the time of day outside work—”
“Now that you mention that, I never understood exactly why you were so determined to bed me. Surely you had . . . have women falling over themselves to be with you?”
His fingers moved lazily down my body, rolling a nipple between his thumb and index finger in a way that made me squirm.
“Why, you ask? Um, let me see . . . maybe it had something to do with no woman ever saying no to me before, and my ego was fucking crushed.” He leaned toward my breast and bit the hard nub with just enough force to make me jerk. His tongue swirled around the tender flesh, lavishing it with care. When he was finally done, he looked up at me and smiled. “But more than that . . . there’s just something about you that I find totally irresistible. I thought if you have that much fire in the boardroom, if you know with so much certainty what you want, then you’re the perfect woman for me. The ideal fuck buddy.”
I hated that term. It sounded so damn sordid. I wrinkled my nose at him, showing my disdain wi
th his word choice.
“What? It is what it is, babe. And it’s perfect for our situation, regardless of what we call it. We could call it ‘friends with benefits’, ‘the arrangement’, or something equally fancy, but at the end of the day for all practical purposes, we’re no-strings-attached fuck buddies, and it works for us. Who cares about semantics when the sex is so fucking awesome?”
My logical side kicked in. “You’re right. Neither of us have time for relationships or dating or any of that ridiculous romance stuff. There’s no point in wasting time on bullshit, is there?”
“See? That’s what I love so much about you. You think like a man but you’re in a heavenly female body. Jesus, do you have any idea how hard it is to find a woman like you? Most girls want to tie a man down as soon as possible. They strangle the relationship with fairy-tale expectations of romance, which ultimately leads to a wedding and babies and finally divorce. Our way is far better.”
“I’m not sure that was entirely a compliment but I’ll take it. Yeah, who has time for that kind of life when there are more exciting things to do? I can’t think of anything worse than to be tied down to one man for the rest of my life. I’m glad you came up with our arrangement. So far, it’s been amazing.”
“It has. We want the same things. What can be better than unlimited exclusive sex with someone we trust and enjoy? Works for us.”
I kissed the bridge of his nose. “Sure does. But I need to go now. I have a humungous day tomorrow and I need a few uninterrupted hours of beauty sleep or else I’ll be a grumpy bitch in the morning.”
Levi’s eyebrows drew together. “Must you really go? I was just enjoying our chat. Usually we’re so busy fucking we don’t have time for conversation. You’ve never told me anything about your childhood before.”
I shrugged. “There really isn’t much more to know. I’m boring as batshit.” I tilted my head so I could take in his beautiful face. “But yes, I really need to go.”
With a swift movement I rolled away from him to the edge of the bed and got to my feet. If I stayed a moment longer, I might just have been tempted to break the rules and stay. TV cameras were unforgiving. I needed to get to sleep soon or risk looking a hot mess during my interview.
“You couldn’t be boring if you tried.” He chuckled softly, but then his expression turned serious. “I bet there’s a lot more underneath that well-composed exterior. Something tells me I’ve just scratched the surface with you, Montana, and that there’s much more than you’re willing to show me.”
Casting my gaze to the floor to avoid those deeply penetrating eyes, I searched for my panties under the bed. Luckily they were right by my feet, so I swept them up and slipped them into my skirt’s pocket. I couldn’t be bothered putting them back on when I’d just be having a shower and going to bed as soon as I got back to my apartment.
Straightening my back, I gave Levi a crooked smile. “Exactly why I don’t want a husband. Too many questions.”
Chapter 4 — Montana
Loosening the top button of my woven dove-grey-and-white Chanel jacket, I shuffled in my chair until I was comfortable and crossed my legs, showing off their length while plastering an enormous smile on my lips. My hands were folded loosely on my lap, and I was confident that I looked sharp and professional.
I faced the camera. I’m ready.
Three.
Two.
One.
“You’re live,” a male voice said into my earpiece.
Regardless of how many interviews I’d done, my nerves ate at the insides of my stomach. I’d learned how to keep my hands from trembling, but my knees were like jelly.
“Good evening Miss Marx and welcome to ABN.” The handsome host in the expensive tailored suit leaned back in his chair as he appraised me from head to toe.
“Please call me Montana. We’re like old friends already, aren’t we, Jake?” I smiled warmly at the camera. I’d been a guest on American Business Network, or ABN, before for winning an award. “Even the viewers know me a little by now.”
Jake shook his head. “Actually, we know surprisingly little about you, Miss Ma . . . Montana. Since it’s your one-year anniversary coming up at Drake & Sons, I went through the old footage of previous interviews. I was surprised to find that you mostly evaded questions about your personal life. But since we’re friends, as you rightly said, I want to go back a year, if I may.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. What to do? If I protested too hard he’d become suspicious and maybe dig deeper than I’d like him too, so perhaps if I indulged him at first, I could steer the questions in the direction I wanted.
At least I can try.
“Sure, Jake, as long as your questions are business-related, fire away,” I said with a laugh, hoping my high level of anxiety wasn’t transparent in my voice.
Jake licked his lips like he was onto something, and I couldn’t help clasping my hands together briefly before taking a deep breath and purposely unfolding my hands, resting them in my lap to appear more relaxed.
“Interesting . . . and I don’t know how I missed this before—” He paused to give me a shit-eating grin which sent a shiver down my spine.
Deep breaths, Montana. Deep breaths.
I nodded to encourage him to continue. Not that I really wanted him to; I was petrified of what he may have dug up. If my arrangement with Levi Barrington ever became known, my career was well and truly screwed. Levi may have had enough clout behind him to recover from the scandal, but it would spell the end for me at my company and I loved working at Drake and Sons.
Fighting the urge to wipe my clammy palms on my designer skirt, I straightened my back as I waited for Jake’s big question. My heart thudded in my earpiece and small droplets of sweat broke out on my skin. God, I hoped everyone watching would put the profuse sweating down to the strong camera lights burning down on me mercilessly. I could practically feel my hair frizzing under those warm lights, so a little perspiration would appear natural.
Industrial espionage was a huge thing at Drake & Sons. I’d signed a tree’s worth of paper on watertight contracts in which the company had the right to claim my firstborn and every other child for the next ten generations. They didn’t make it to the top ten in the Communications industry without being thorough and meticulous.
Bernard Drake and his two sons had accepted me into their fold as if I were family. They treated me like a valued member of their team, but as surely as what I was sitting there—one wrong step and I’d be out on my ass. That was just the way our business worked. It wasn’t a game and it wasn’t meant to be fun.
All the goodwill, all the hard work—everything would mean nothing if the boss thought I was sleeping with the enemy and leaking company secrets during pillow talk.
They’d never understand that Levi and I had sex only and never discussed business. I mean, who’d believe such a ludicrous story? Both Levi and I would be the first to be skeptical if we heard of such a preposterous idea. Rival companies each stayed on their own turf. That was just the way it was done. Until Levi and I broke the rules . . .
Jake’s voice broke through my apprehensive thoughts. He smiled like a cat who’d just scored a large bowl of cream. “I understand from a trusted source that you actually interviewed at your biggest competitor before you were offered a position at Drake and Sons. Is that true? And if so, why did you favor the smaller father-and-sons business when you could have scored bigger and better at the number one company?”
I almost sighed with relief. So far this wasn’t too tough to answer. I smiled sweetly at Jake, making eye contact and holding it.
I’m not afraid of you.
Okay, that’s a total lie, but fake it till you make it, right?
“I applied and interviewed at both companies on the same day. I wasn’t partial to either at that point, but certainly eager to get into a Fortune 500 company.”
Jake smirked. “I’ll bet. For a small town girl, landing a job at either the number te
n or number two company would be an enormous achievement.”
Even though it was meant to sound like a compliment, it wasn’t. I gritted my teeth and smiled, determined to keep cool. You condescending prick. I got the job because I’m smart and I worked my ass off. It doesn’t matter where I came from.
I didn’t miss a beat. I gestured toward him with a sweep of my hand. “Well look at you, Jake. Who would have guessed a small-town boy could become a TV star?”
Jake’s eyes widened, and the smirk slid from his face. I’d hit a nerve alright. Thanks to my photographic memory I’d remembered an article I’d read in a magazine a while back. The writer had alluded to Jake’s humble beginnings. If it wasn’t confirmed then, it certainly was now.
It takes one to know one. I could spot anyone who grew up in a small town a mile away, regardless of how hard they tried to hide it or how polished they appeared to be when they moved to the city. There was always something that gave them away, from the type of food they preferred to their favorite music or a turn of phrase. Obviously Jake had the same misplaced talent.
I wondered what it was about me that gave it away? I’d certainly never offered that information to anyone.
Not that there was anything wrong with growing up in a small town. I’d loved it when I was a kid; playing outdoors till dusk and knowing all the kids in the neighborhood were bonuses in my opinion. It was what had happened there that drove me away, not the place itself.
Jake’s tone had an icy edge to it. “So tell us how you landed your job to become the first female executive at Drake and Sons. And why you chose them over Barrington-Essex? I’m assuming you had a reason for your choice? I mean, who wouldn’t go for the number two company over number ten if given a choice.”
I cleared my throat before answering. “Interesting question, Jake. Let’s just say there was more scope and better chances of growing at Drake and Sons. My work could really make a difference and help the business go up the charts. I thrive on challenges, and that’s exactly what I get from my current position.”