Not Just Business

by J Cartwright

  The guys both seemed impressed so far, but that paled in comparison to the awe I felt whenever I was around them.

  Although I wasn’t sure what to expect during that first interview, I’d been blown away by their shear presence. Both of them were incredibly commanding, taking control of any situation whenever they needed to.

  Taylor was charming, tall and athletic, with dark hair and green eyes that made my knees go weak. He was devilishly good looking, the bad boy, and I knew he was a player, but he always took my breath away.

  Chris was calm and level headed, his deep brown eyes thoughtful and kind, his brown hair cut short. He was always immaculate, those neat little suits hiding away his huge frame, a body I craved, lurking beneath the folds of the fabric.

  Once I’d gotten over how good looking they both were, I’d been swept up in the storm they created when they were together. The way they spoke, the way the energy flowed, it still left me a little breathless.

  Ideas formed between them, and whenever they said they were going to do something it always felt like nothing in the world would stop it from becoming a reality.

  It was that vision and passion I loved, but now I couldn’t help but feel I would never really be a part of it.

  “There you are,” Chris rumbled, holding the door to the small office I’d hidden away in open.

  His eyes were fixed on me, his kind smile making me ache for him.

  There was something about him that made me want to open up, to share all of my troubles. It was definitely one of his most winning features.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know you were looking for me,” I said, trying to hide how I was feeling.

  Slowly, he walked into the room, pulling up a chair on the opposite side of the table.

  “Been looking all over for you,” he said with a smile. “This place really is a maze.”

  He was right about that. They’d rented the building and were in the process of completely renovating most of the space to accommodate their vision, but it was slow progress. There were plenty of floors, and more than enough work to be done.

  “So, what’s bothering you today?” He asked, blunt and straight to the point.

  It was another one of the things I loved about him, how straight forward he was. Chris didn’t play games, not like Brad had, but there was no way I was ever going to let myself fall for someone like him.

  I’d sworn off guys and that was the end of it.

  “It’s nothing,” I lied. “Just got a bit of a headache.”

  He saw straight through me. His lips curved ever so slightly and he leaned across the table, narrowing the gap between us. As he did, I felt my chest go tight, the ache in my stomach growing to new heights.

  OK, maybe I could make an exception for him!

  That’s when it struck me. It didn’t matter what I wanted, what I craved, he was out of my league, they both were. Brad was as dull as they got, but even he had grown bored of me.

  If I couldn’t keep someone like him, then what the hell chance did I have with either of these incredible guys?

  Before I knew it I was crying, warm tears spilling free. I’d bottled it all up, the frustration getting the better of me, bursting free before I could stop it.

  “Shit, Emma, I didn’t mean to upset you!”

  His voice was so full of concern that it made me cry even harder. Now I wasn’t just crying, but I was full on sobbing.

  Chris was on his feet in a heartbeat, his arms going tight around me as he pulled me close. The feeling of his body against mine, his strong arms holding me tight, it made me feel safe, helping me to calm down just a little.

  Leaning my head against his huge chest I sucked in a deep breath, the scent of him filling my lungs.

  God he smells so good!

  “Brad broke up with me last night,” I choked. “He just ended things and now I’m being a stupid idiot.”

  Leaning back, Chris brushed the tears away, tracing his thumb against my cheek.

  “You’re not an idiot, he is,” he said. “Seriously Emma, you’re an incredible woman, and Brad’s a fool for letting you go.”

  His words chased away some of the doubt I’d been feeling, but I was still hurting.

  “Thanks Chris, that means a lot.”

  “I mean it Emma,” he said, his face just inches from mine.

  I was suddenly very aware of how close we both were, the heat of his breath tickling my face. It was just my emotions running wild, but for a second I almost leaned in and kissed him, but then I thought better of it.

  I’d sworn off men, and besides, he was my boss.

  “Right,” Chris choked, clearly realizing how close we were as well. “You need something to take your mind off Brad, so how about you join me and Taylor tonight for a few drinks or something?”

  “Really?” I asked, a little surprised at the invite. “You don’t mind me tagging along?”

  His smile lit up his face, making my heart beat just a little faster.

  “Hell no, you’re always welcome to join us.”

  Welcoming the distraction, I accepted the invite, trying my best to convince myself that I was only going along to take my mind off my breakup.

  “I’d love to,” I said, knowing that there was no way I could ever convince myself that this had anything to do with Brad.

  Chapter 4

  Chris

  It definitely wasn’t my smartest idea to invite Emma out with us, but there was no way I could just let her sit there crying like that.

  Emma was absolutely incredible, every single thing about her making me fall more in love with her every day, but nothing would ever happen between us. That didn’t stop me from wanting to look out for her, and when she’d started to cry, it just broke my heart.

  How Brad could let her go was absolutely beyond me, but it was his loss at the end of the day.

  Tonight was just about making Emma feel better. That was all.

  It didn’t matter how much I wanted something to happen between us, or how much Taylor wanted the same. We were adults, and we were her bosses, so nothing would ever happen.

  Besides, the biggest obstacle was the damage it would have on our friendship.

  We’d never been into the same woman before, but Emma had won us both over. Taylor wasn’t the kind of guy who would ever settle down, but the way he was about her was different. He didn’t just see her as another conquest, but something more.

  “Can you believe what a dick Brad was to let Emma go like that?” Taylor asked beside me as we waked along the sidewalk.

  The evening was cool, the sun setting slowly on the horizon as we walked together. We’d finished up at work and then gone our separate ways, Taylor swinging by mine before we headed on over to Emma’s apartment to meet her.

  “I know, crazy right?”

  It still boggled my mind that anyone could ever walk away from someone like Emma. Not only was she the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, but she was incredibly fun to be with.

  When we’d first met her in the interview we had both been blown away by her energy. She was bubbly and bouncing all over the place, and before we knew it, we were captivated by her, hanging on every word she said.

  The three of us made an amazing team, Emma completing what I had with Taylor, and to my surprise, I found myself valuing her as much as I did my best friend.

  “Seriously, the guy must be messed up or something,” Taylor added. “You know this means she’s back on the market…”

  Shoving him, I groaned audibly. “No, this doesn’t mean anything for either of us.”

  He shot me his most winning smile, a shiver of excitement ripping through me at the look he shot me.

  “Oh come on, don’t be such a spoil sport!” He said. “She’s the kind of girl I could see myself settling down for!”

  “Yeah right,” I chuckled. “You’ll never settle down!”

  I was only half joking, but there was more than a little truth in what I was saying. Taylor was a
player, the kind of guy who loved his women, and I wasn’t sure he would ever settle down.

  It was a turn off, not the kind of thing I was attracted to anyway.

  For as long as I could remember, I’d been comfortable with my sexuality, experimenting with both men and women, and as much as I found Taylor attractive I’d never really thought of him in that way.

  He was incredibly good looking, but the idea that he would never want to settle down and try for anything serious always put me off. Then there was our business and friendship, far too complicated for my liking.

  “I committed to you didn’t I?” He asked sarcastically. “Tied to you for the rest of my life now! That’s better than marriage.”

  “You’re tied to me for as long as we are in business together,” I sighed, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. “I better not catch you moving on to another business partner.”

  He grinned at me, stopping for a brief moment.

  “Hell no, you’re my one and only.”

  “Oh shut up you idiot,” I said, punching his arm. “Sometimes I wonder why I bother to put up with you.”

  “Because I’m amazing and you can’t live without me?”

  I laughed, but he was right. We both completed each other, and I couldn’t imagine going into business with anyone else.

  “Right, Emma’s place is just across the road,” I said, switching topics as I pointed at the apartment block across from us.

  Taylor stared straight ahead, shooting me a sidelong glance before crossing the road, leaving me to follow behind him.

  “Best behaviour tonight Taylor,” I warned. “She was really cut up about the breakup earlier, so no saying anything stupid like you normally do.”

  “I’ll be good, I promise,” he said as we walked into the apartment.

  A few seconds later we called the elevator, stepping inside it after a brief wait.

  I looked at Taylor, admiring how good he looked tonight, fighting down that familiar sense of attraction I felt whenever we were together.

  He was a very good looking man, tall and athletic, his strong jaw coated in dark stubble. The grey suit he was wearing hugged his strong frame, and his smile seemed to make him glow.

  The chime of the elevator told us we had arrived, the metal door sliding open slowly. We stepped out and turned down the hall, stopping just outside of the apartment door.

  Knocking slowly, we waited for a moment, my eyes going wide when the door swung open, revealing the most radiant sight I had ever seen.

  Emma stood in the doorway beaming at us both, her blonde hair tumbling down over her slender shoulders, her slinky little black dress hugging her slender body. Blue eyes blazed with mischief as she looked at us, her glasses perched on her nose.

  “Hey guys,” she purred, giggling and taking a step back to let us in.

  “Well hello to you!” Taylor said, his voice filled with awe as he looked at the beauty. “What happened to Emma? Where did you put her?”

  Cursing him silently, I elbowed him in the side.

  “Can’t let the team down now can I?” She asked. “Karla, these are my bosses, Taylor and Chris, guys, this is my roommate Karla.”

  Prying my eyes away from Emma I looked across at her roommate who grinned back at us both. Her eyes were fixed on us, sizing us both up.

  “Nice to meet you both,” she said. “Emma’s told me all about you.”

  “All good things I hope?” Taylor teased, winking at Emma.

  “Some of it,” Karla laughed. “Now you guys better take good care of her.”

  “We’ll do our best,” I promised, smiling back at her before turning my attention back toward Emma. “You all set?”

  She nodded and then the three of us were on our way, my heart pounding in my chest.

  If I’d thought Emma had looked good before, now I was completely blown away. She was stunning, even more incredible than I’d ever seen her, and right then I wasn’t sure I could keep my hands off.

  Chapter 5

  Emma

  It was only drinks but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to unwind and relax, especially since it was with the guys. The look on their faces had been well worth the effort I’d put into getting ready for the evening.

  Their jaws had practically dropped, eyes bulging when they saw me in the doorway. Suddenly I’d felt a hell of a lot better about myself, some of those nagging doubts slipping away.

  Brad had really knocked my confidence, but the way my two bosses looked at me made me feel just a little more like myself again.

  Fortunately, that feeling only grew as the evening went on.

  “So come on, what on earth happened for Brad to let someone as amazing as you get away?” Taylor asked, winking playfully across the table at me.

  We were in some fancy bar I’d never been to before, the three of us sat around a small table as the sound of music washed over us. It had been an age since I’d been out, and sharing a drink with them was a very welcome distraction.

  “Someone as amazing as me?” I laughed. “Has he been drinking already?”

  Turning to look at Chris made my heart do a little leap. He looked at me and smiled, the warmth and affection eating away at my defenses.

  So much for swearing off men!

  When they looked as good as these two did, it made it almost impossible to resist. They both looked as amazing as always, but tonight they were all mine.

  They’d taken the time out to make sure I was OK, both of them staring at me, waiting for me to answer the question. I could see how much they both cared, and that made me fall just a little deeper into my silly little craving.

  “I think he was born drinking,” Chris pointed out. “But he does have a point Emma. You are amazing, so what on earth happened?”

  That made me blush. He wasn’t joking or messing around, he was deadly serious.

  “You guys really think I”m amazing don’t you?”

  The question slipped from my lips before I could catch it and a heartbeat later I felt like crying. It was so unlike me to be all needy like that, but after last night, I just felt fragile.

  “Of course we do,” Taylor said. “We both do. Since you’ve joined our team things have felt better than ever. We both love having you around, and Brad is an absolute idiot for not seeing how good you are.”

  “See, sometimes he talks sense,” Chris added with a grin.

  Laughing, I filled them in on how Brad had arranged to meet me, dumping me in the quiet little cafe. They both groaned when I told them the story, exchanging a long look between themselves before focusing on me again.

  “What a dick,” Taylor said. “Seriously!”

  Grinning, I felt an odd warmth in my stomach. “Thanks guys, and thanks for inviting me out tonight. It’s good to let my hair down and just forget about all this crap.”

  “Anytime,” Chris said.

  Looking back and forth between them both, I wrestled with the dilemma of who I would want more. They were both so perfect, and there was no way I could decide.

  Taylor was always flirting and acting like there was nothing in the world that could stop him. I loved his casual laughter and his easy presence, how much fun he was to be around, but then Chris was just as attractive in his own ways.

  Whenever I got talking with Chris, it felt like we were connecting. Unlike the easy banter I shared with Taylor, Chris was always deep, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

  He was easy to talk to and share some of my deepest secrets with, and I felt so comfortable with him.

  When they were both together, those qualities seemed to merge, each of them shining brighter because of it. I loved it, and I loved being with them.

  Taking another long drink, I realized I’d better call it there. My head was all over the place, and even though I knew nothing would ever actually happen between any of us, I couldn’t help but want it.

  Now Brad was gone I was left feeling free, that sense of freedom only empowered by
the way the guys were with me.

  “How are you guys still single?” I asked absentmindedly.

  They both laughed, turning to look at each other before focusing on me again.

  “Seriously, Taylor is never going to settle down,” Chris sighed. “He’s the shag and forget kind of guy unless you haven’t noticed.”

  I grinned at them both, knowing all too well what Chris was saying. Oddly, Chris was staring at his business partner, a look of longing on his face. It was like he hated that Taylor would never settle down, and not because that lifestyle bothered him, but because of something else.

  I’m just reading into things. Definitely had far too much to drink!

  Wishful thinking and my fantasies running wild, that was all it was.

  “Just not found the right lady, that’s all,” he said, shooting me his most winning smile.

  Whenever Taylor looked at anyone like that, they were putty in his hands, and I was no exception.

  Right then he was exactly the kind of guy I wanted to hook up with. One night of hot passion with him would definitely help to take my mind off my breakup.

  Why does he have to be my boss?

  “What’s your excuse?” I asked Chris.

  He shrugged those huge shoulders and I felt just as turned on looking at him as I did when I looked at Taylor.

  Damn girl, get a grip!

  “Married to my work as Taylor always tells me,” he answered, grinning brightly at me before elbowing his friend.

  “That and have you seen the state of him?” Taylor teased. “Looks like he hit every branch on the ugly tree.”

  “Shut up you idiot,” Chris laughed, glaring at Taylor.

  They teased each other a little more, leaving me to watch their exchange, my longing for something to happen bubbling up beyond all control. It was a ridiculous thought, I could never chose between them.

  Maybe I don’t have to…

  Heat unlike any other flared between my legs. I wanted something fun, something incredible, and right then the idea of spending the night with them both was the most appealing thing in the world.