“That’s kind of cool,” I say, picturing lipstick microphones and rings that release poison.
“Some of it is pretty lame, but some of it is neat. You can check it out, if you’d like.”
“That’s okay. I can help you.”
“I’m good. I’m not necessarily a good cook, but I can make a decent clam linguine. I want to take a cooking class and learn how to make other things.”
“That sounds fun. I wouldn’t mind doing that. I can make fajitas and a few other Tex-Mex things, but mostly I order well.”
“Me, too.” She checks her pasta. “So, I understand you have a stalker.”
I shrug. “Apparently they don’t like that I dated my previous boyfriend.”
“Why do you think that?”
“The first threat included his football jersey.”
“He played football?”
I nod. “For the Goldminers.”
She pours the noodles into a colander in the sink. “Wow, that’s a serious football player.”
“He dumped me for a cheerleader on the news,” I say, trying not to sound bitter.
“Some men have no class.”
I knew I liked Kate.
“They don’t. But I haven’t seen Bobby in a while, so they worry it’s a crazy stalker I don’t know—maybe someone even Bobby has never met.”
“Are you seeing Jackson?”
“Not really. He’s my boss.”
Her brows crease. “Jackson’s not your current boyfriend?”
“No,” I say, because he’s not. But Kate’s so easy to talk to, after a moment I’m telling her everything. “We went on a trip to one of his properties in Hawaii last weekend, and we fell into bed together. But I’ve seen the way his love life works. So, I’ve decided I can’t work for him anymore and watch him eventually move on to other women.”
“I can’t even imagine. Needless to say, the women who work for Jim could kick my ass, but they are all married to other guys who could probably kick Jim’s ass.”
“That’s not true,” Jim says. He puts his arm around Kate’s waist and kisses her forehead.
This is a side of him I’ve never seen before. He’s always so firm and professional. Nothing ruffles his feathers, and God knows he knows all about Jackson and me and doesn’t flinch. But with Kate, he’s all smiles and flirty. It’s the exact opposite of his professional kick-ass disposition.
Jackson stands next to me a little possessively, and I’m secretly grateful. With all this abundant love, it feels a tiny bit awkward.
I watch Kate mix the pasta and sauce, and I’m in awe. As she plates our lunch, she says to Jim. “Oh, I forgot the bread. Can you grab it from the oven?”
Jim jumps up and when he opens the oven, smoke escapes. “I don’t know if this is going to work.”
“Shit! I burned the bread again.”
We laugh as we watch the blackened loaf smoke.
“It’s perfect. Bring it over to the table,” Jackson says.
We have a pleasant lunch, even without bread. I enjoy the way the guys take off on a conversation, and Kate and I do the same with a completely different topic. When we’ve finished eating, Jim moves Jackson and me to the living room while Kate cleans up. I offer to help, but she refuses. I wouldn’t mind putting off this conversation.
“Thank you for lunch,” I say as I take a seat on the couch.
“I’m glad you came. Kate likes to meet the people I spend so much time with. I am getting a bit round in the middle, though.” Jim smiles, and while I haven’t seen him without a shirt, I don’t think he has an ounce of fat on him.
“I presented Jackson with an idea this morning for a job in Austin,” I tell him.
“I have a counterproposal.” Jackson sits next to me on the couch and takes my hand. “I would be lost without you. I never would have made it through the patent application or getting funding for the solar film without your help and expertise.”
I shake my head. “I can’t stay,” I whisper.
“How about a compromise?” Jim offers. I look at him and feel Jackson’s grip on my hand become tighter. “The estate in Hawaii needs some overseeing.”
“What about the majordomo?”
“Jason Crier was wooed away by the City of Honolulu,” Jackson says. “He hasn’t left yet, but he called me yesterday and gave me his two weeks’ notice. What if you were to go over and help keep the staff working? You can oversee some of the renovations, do some of the project-management work your position requires, and we’ll hire someone to answer my calls and manage my calendar.”
I sit back. Move to Hawaii? “How long do you expect me to be in Maui?”
“Well, you’ll need to interview for a new majordomo and make sure everything is taken care of, and that should also give us a chance to do some more in-depth searching to solve your situation here.” Jim brushes at an imaginary spot on his thigh. “We still think the person behind this is someone in Bobby Sanders’ world.”
“I’ve seen the stack of Polaroids and emails Bobby had printed, so I imagine there are a lot of possibilities.”
“We have a behavioral specialist who used to work on tracking people with the FBI, and she’s amazing,” Jim says. “She’s on it.”
“When would I leave?” I stare down at the carpet, not sure it’s a good idea. No friends and all by myself in Hawaii sounds lonely.
“We can go tomorrow night,” Jackson offers. “I’ll work from Maui next week and help you get set up.”
“You don’t need to do that. I’ll be fine. Would it be okay if I go on Monday or maybe Tuesday?”
Jim nods. “I’ll send Brian and his family. That way he’s with you for the next few weeks.”
“And Gabby and her boyfriend are welcome, too,” Jackson adds. “I’ll fly them out for a long weekend, if you’d like.”
I nod. “So, this is what you’ve decided?”
“Corrine, I know this isn’t what you envisioned, but do you really want to go back to Texas?” Jim asks.
“I don’t know. I think this is totally overblown. Once I leave, whoever is doing this will move her fixation to Collette or back to Bobby.”
“While that may be true, we certainly can’t be sure. We’d rather be safe than sorry,” Jim says.
The two of them continue to talk logistics. I excuse myself and go to the restroom. On the way back, I see Kate working in a home office.
“Is this where you get to work every day?” I ask.
She laughs. “No. If it were, I’d never leave my job, and I’d work for days nonstop. There just isn’t enough time in the day. But these days my office rents space downstairs from Clear Security.”
“At least you don’t have to deal with traffic.”
“Not now, but we’re growing. We may have to branch out, which gives Jim heartburn. He likes me close.”
I chuckle. “Jackson is surprisingly the same way all of a sudden.”
“He likes you,” she says.
“He likes anyone with a set of tits—sorry to be so rude.”
“I think he likes more than just your tits. He’s worried whoever is stalking you is serious.”
I shrug. “I think we’re heading out, and I was just told I’m going to Hawaii with Brian and his family.”
“I’m jealous. I hate the gray this time of year. I’m ready for spring and sunshine.”
I nod. There are certainly worse places to be, but I don’t like feeling that I’m not in control of my life. At least it’s just temporary. “I sometimes miss the Texas sun,” I tell Kate. “Not in the summer with humidity, but certainly in the winter.”
After I return to the living room, Jackson and I say our goodbyes and meet Ben downstairs.
As we drive back to Jackson’s apartment, he reaches for my hand. “I’m really sorry about Valerie. She told me she had information for me and needed my help. Given that Jeremy had shopped my plans around town, I thought that might be why she was calling—not for a date. I promise.”
I nod. “I’m not happy that Valerie called and that you went running, but I was upset because you lied to me. You said you had a business dinner. And even if it wasn’t that, you could have said, ‘I got a call from someone who’s telling me a startup may have gotten our solar film plans. Can we meet later or have dinner another time?’”
He leans his head back but doesn’t let go of my hand. “I haven’t been in a relationship in a very long time. I’m going to make mistakes. It isn’t because I’m trying to be a shit; it’s because I’m out of practice. I haven’t had to explain myself to anyone for a while.”
“That’s fair. And now you know why I’m weird about money—and about being controlled. But you’re putting me on a plane to Hawaii for the foreseeable future, which I am trying to accept. But once that project is over, I will look for work elsewhere.”
We arrive at Jackson’s building.
“Thanks, Ben,” he says as we exit the car. “See you in the morning.”
He doesn’t let go of my hand as we go up to his apartment and into his home office. “Don’t worry. I want to fuck you in every room and on every surface of this apartment, but until you’re ready, I won’t touch you.” He lets go of my hand and offers me a file.
I open it up. It’s a notice of stock options. Jackson’s offering me twenty percent of the company.
I look up at him, confused.
“Jeremy had fifteen percent, which we moved over to Cheryl. I now have thirty-four percent, and SHN owns eighteen percent, leaving thirteen percent to employees. I’m giving you twenty percent—five from the employee portion and fifteen from me. I will still remain the majority holder, but the shares are yours. You can have them even if you leave Soleil Energy, and there’s no vesting. But without you, we’ll be lost. You’ll also see in those documents that you’re getting a raise. Emerson Healy did a salary survey of senior-level admin, and your position often pays twice what you make. But you also do a lot of project management, so I’m almost tripling your salary. You don’t need me or my money. I know that. This isn’t a handout or something to make you feel obligated to stay. As you can see from the paperwork, I requested this the day we received funding for the solar film. I’m just correcting a mistake. You have not been compensated appropriately. You’re valuable to Soleil and to me. Please don’t give up on us yet. We need you.”
Chapter 24
Corrine
I stare back at him. My salary just tripled, and I now own twenty percent of Soleil Energy? How is that possible? Why would he do that? I sit down and look through the pages. There is no vesting period for the options, nor are there any requirements for me to stay. Just like he said. It’s all done.
“Why?” I search his eyes. “This is not the way to apologize.”
“I get that.” He comes over and sits next to me. “I’m not trying to manipulate you with money. The options remain yours whether you stay or go. You’ve earned them.”
“I’ve only worked for the company for a little over a year.” My mind is reeling. This is worth at least a million dollars, and if the solar film is successful, it will be worth a hundred times that. This is too much. My breathing starts to quicken, and I’m paralyzed.
“Corrine, you’re the secret to my success with the solar film. You may not have developed the product, but you moved us significantly ahead with our patent application. And the biggest part is that you put together the entire proposal for SHN, and they approved our request for more than what I expected. Plus, you did all this without complaining to me about extra work or how little you were paid. You were underpaid compared to others in your position, and that was my mistake. You’re well-liked and respected. This was not a decision I made lightly, and this was put into motion long before we went to Maui.”
“I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know what to say, other than thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I know I shattered your trust. I will earn it back, but I won’t sleep well knowing you’re in danger here in San Francisco. Please help me with the estate in Maui for a few weeks—six weeks tops. You have internet and cell phone coverage there, and you can work by the pool.”
I nod.
“Just don’t work in your bikini. That attracts too much attention.”
I look at him, confused. But he isn’t expanding.
“I’ll notify the flight crew that you’ll be flying back to Maui on Monday morning. Does that work for you?”
“As long as that works for Brian and his family.”
“They went this morning on a commercial flight. They’ll meet you there. Brian’s getting a few security upgrades started that Jim is suggesting.”
“Okay. I’ll be ready to go whenever the plane’s ready.”
I get up and move with Jackson toward my bedroom, still not sure what to make of the news. Three weeks ago, I never would have thought this was possible. Now I’m moving to Hawaii, and I’m flush, with no strings attached, for the first time in my life. I’ve scoured the paperwork. Jackson put this in motion because of my work as his assistant. Not anything else. I’m feeling pretty good. I still don’t know what this means for us or our future, but I feel like I can breathe, and maybe trust myself a little.
He’s still holding my hand as we walk down the hall, and when we approach, he pulls me into his room. It looks the same as it did the last time I was here. As soon as we enter, I’m on him. His lips press firmly against mine for a moment before our tongues begin to dance. We stumble back, closer to the bed, and start undressing each other. The lust and desire building over the last two days is all about to come to a head; it’s carnal.
Eventually, while his T-shirt and jeans remain, I stand in front of him in a white, lacy bra and matching thong.
“You’re so beautiful.” He grasps my breasts, which relieves the ache of my need. I struggle with the buttons on his jeans, and it isn’t long before I push them and his boxers to the floor. Then he’s standing naked, his cock ready for me.
I reach for his bare chest, and I feel his muscles tense. I need him like a woman crossing the desert needs water.
He pulls me in close, his hands squeezing my ass roughly. He hoists me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He pushes me against the wall, and our kiss is electric as it becomes more intense. More passionate. More urgent.
He carries me to the bed, and I kneel before him. His cock is big, beautiful, veined, and achingly hard. I need to taste it, to feel it deep inside my mouth.
“You don’t need to do this,” he groans.
I stroke his cock. “I want to.”
He stands, facing me on the bed, where I sit on my knees. I lean down and lick the head of his cock, and I can taste the pre-cum. Salty and musky. Holding his balls in my hand, I take him into my mouth until he hits the back of my throat.
I look up at him, and his eyes are hooded with lust.
I relax my jaw and push him farther down my throat. His jaw tenses, and his hands run through my hair and caress my back. I begin to slowly bob and suck. His hips undulate with the rhythm he needs as he fucks my mouth and moans.
“I’m going to come,” he announces.
I don’t stop, so he pulls away. “I’ve missed you, and I want us to go all night.” He places his finger under my chin and guides me back to my knees.
Kissing down my neck, he plays with my breasts. He unhooks my bra and reaches for my nipple, squeezing and pulling before he takes it into his mouth and sucks.
I shudder with pleasure.
Slipping my thong over my hips, he leans me back to pull them off. Opening me wide, Jackson’s fingers caress my legs and explore.
“You’re so wet.” He circles my clit, and I moan his name. He sucks my clit deep into his mouth while his fingers pivot in and out of me, urgently. He’s watching me watch him, and I play with my own nipples, pulling and twisting. The overwhelming sensation brings me to my pinnacle quickly.
He continues to lap up my juices, and it sets me on a path to come again. “I ne
ed you inside me, baby, right now,” I moan as he continues his work on my clit.
He smiles and kisses me as he snakes himself up to my mouth. I can taste my own musk on his lips.
He lavishes my breasts. “You’re beautiful in every way, but these are my favorite part of your body.” I enjoy the sensation as he plays with my nipples. “It’s easy to get lost in them.”
“Do you have a condom?” I ask. I need him to fill me. I’m so close again to my second climax.
He gets up on his knees, opens the side table drawer, and pulls out two. “These are my last two. I’ll need to go get some when I pick up dinner later…much later.”
I watch him rip open the package and roll it over his cock. I marvel at his size and beauty. I know men aren’t supposed to be beautiful, but his hair is tousled, and there’s a slight sheen of sweat on his chest, which is perfectly sprinkled with hair.
Gripping my hips, he spreads me wide and rubs his cock up and down my slit. He pushes in slow, and I flinch as he stretches me. He stops. “Is that okay, baby?”
I’ve lost my ability to speak, so I nod as I try to adjust.
“We don’t have to do this.”
I shake my head and take a few deep breaths. “Keep going.” He rocks his hips slowly, moving in and out, each time diving deeper until he hits my cervix.
“Faster,” I groan.
He moves faster and harder, pushing me deep into the bed. My orgasm builds. “Fuck me, Jackson! Deeper! Make me come!” My breathing is deep as the head of his cock hits the right spot. “Oh, that feels so good.”
“Come for me, baby.”
As he ruts in and out, his finger diddles my clit, and it sends me over the edge. “Ohhhhhhh…Jaaaaaaaaacksssssoooooon.”
My entire body shudders as my orgasm overtakes me in waves. My toes curl as he finishes, and all the tension leaves my body.
His hips stop rocking, and he moans. “Arghhhhhhh.” He collapses next to me out of breath. “God, you’re amazing. You clamp down on my cock like a vice when you come, and it’s such a rush.”
Royally Flushed: Tech Billionaires Page 19