“I never would have suspected you of all people would think so little of yourself. Learn something new every day.” Jon shook his head and with a rub of his unshaven scruff on his chin, he reclaimed my hand.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I was still processing his words and my brain hadn’t even had time to tackle the warm touch of his fingers as he pulled me farther down the hall.
He responded with a grunt. Finding a door, he turned the knob and opened the door to discover a darkened broom closet. It was well organized with wraparound shelving neatly lined with cleaners and towels. A few buckets and a step stool were pushed against the wall. Just enough room inside for two people.
“You want me to go into that small dark room with you?”
He nodded and his mouth fell open as if he wanted to say something but then hesitated.
“It’s about the joke, isn’t it? I’m sorry. It was stupid. Trust me, I’ve been kicking myself about it ever since.”
Jon took a step toward me and I felt the heat of his body as there wasn’t even an inch between us. He leaned toward my ear and his hot breath fluttered my hair over my cheeks. “You need to stop thinking and start doing. Let me do the thinking for you.” His fingers tightened for only a moment before he let go.
My head had a harder time with that than the broom closet. How could Jon squeezing my hand cause my core to clench? And I could tell my panties were wet, too.
“Are you going to lock me in there?” I clasped my hands in front of my crotch as if he could see the effect he was having on me.
One corner of his mouth curled and there had never been anything so sexy on a man.
“No, of course not, Emmie. I’m going in there with you.”
Why was my heart pounding harder in my chest?
“Okay . . .” I said and went willingly inside a small dark room with a man I didn’t know that well. These were the types of bad decisions my sister made, not me. And yet, I wanted to be inside the room with him.
My clit pulsed, and I glanced around the dark broom closet. It wasn’t sexy and most likely, a little dirty but something about this whole scenario was crazy hot.
He stood in the doorway and stared at me.
“I thought you said you were coming in here with me?”
Jon smirked and stepped inside, closing the door and turning on the light switch.
He placed his hands behind his back like a teacher about to give me a lesson. And as he stepped forward, I noticed his eyes darkened to slate.
Was he going to kiss me?
I hoped so. I’d get down on my knees and pray to every god that ever existed if it helped get the man’s lips on my mouth. Perhaps if I pretended to pass out, he’d administer mouth to mouth?
It worked in the movies.
“Have you ever had an orgasm, Emmie?”
Um, what? Where did that come from?
“I can’t believe you just asked that. Of course, I’ve had orgasms before, Jon. I’m twenty-eight for God’s sake. Why? Have you?” I snorted.
I may be a virgin, but that didn’t mean I had no clue how to pleasure myself.
“Yes.”
We stared at each other for a minute and it was both confusing and hot at the same time. It felt like he was analyzing me so he could fuck me. I had no idea why that would turn me on, but it did.
“Here’s the thing, Emmie. I want to fuck you.”
Called it.
Now it was time for me to narrow my eyes at him.
“Then why didn’t you have sex with me last night? I was naked and willing.”
“I thought it was a joke?”
Oh shit. I have to backtrack.
“Yeah.” I nodded with wide eyes. “Of course. Why would I have crawled around the floor naked if it wasn’t a joke?” I snorted.
“You crawled on the floor?”
I folded my arms in front of my chest. “That’s not important, Jon. What’s important is why now?”
He groaned and his head fell back for a moment. When he lifted it again, he stood a little straighter. Fixing his tie, he said, “I thought I made a mistake last night. I rarely drink, Emmie, because people lose control when they drink. And the one thing I can’t handle in life is losing control.”
I nodded. “I know what you mean.”
Running a business meant controlling a lot of pots. It was exhausting, but I was the boss. It was my job to make sure everything was done right.
“No, you don’t. You have no idea what I mean by control.” He raised his hand to my chin and rubbed his thumb across my lower lip.
I shivered at his touch and I arched my back. His eyes dipped to my chest, and I wished I wasn’t wearing my wool coat. I had only come to the restaurant to pick up a pizza and take it to Niki’s to help her move into her new condo.
Why couldn’t I have left my coat in the car?
“Then what do you mean?” My voice wavered as he pulled his hand away.
Jon took one last sweeping gaze down my body before he turned and opened the door. As he stepped out, he turned back and said, “You’ll find out tomorrow at noon.” Then he left.
I was left standing there confused and so very wet.
FOUR
Jon
“Did she actually say she wanted Dinger?” I calmly spoke into my cell phone as I rode the elevator up to Emmie’s office for lunch.
“Not by name, no. But who else could it be? The man had flowers delivered to her at the pizza restaurant yesterday. He knew we were trying to get Kaitlin as a client,” my sister said through the phone.
Fuck Doug Dinger. He may be a big Hollywood agent, but he was a terrible person. The only way he got clients was by stealing them. The man couldn’t spot talent if it flew a plane into his Hollywood Hills mansion.
The elevator pinged and the doors flew open to a wide space with a desk near a wall of windows. There was a woman currently on the phone sitting at a sleek, modern desk near a door. She glanced over at me and smiled.
I grinned back. That was the trick I had learned long ago and why I was a great agent. Kindness killed.
In this industry, everyone was either angry about something that fell through or desperate for a job. No one liked those feelings. But that’s where I came in. I was the breath of fresh air; the man with a smile and a shoulder to cry on.
I wasn’t pretending; I did care about my clients. But there were times I wanted to be the one who barked out the orders. The one creating the movie instead of filling it with actors.
“Did Kaitlin refuse our offer?”
“Not completely. She said she had to think about it.”
I hated Dinger. This had his stink all over it.
“I’ll figure something out. But right now I’m meeting someone for lunch.”
“Another client? I told you to tell me if you were thinking of going after another—”
“No. It’s with Emmie Delarosa.”
“What? That’s perfect,” Tabitha squealed through the phone.
“Why would having lunch with Emmie be perfect?”
“She was at the restaurant yesterday. Kaitlin saw her pick up a pizza at the takeout register and wouldn’t shut up about it, remember?”
I tried my best to act like I had no idea I knew Emmie was at Pizzeria Atlantic yesterday when Kaitlin fan-girled about her. I wondered if she liked Emmie more than I did.
“I think I remember her mentioning Emmie.”
“Anyway, if you could speak to Emmie about getting Kaitlin on her new Vidtube channel, then Dinger can suck it.”
That was tempting but the last thing I wanted was to think I was using Emmie. There was no doubt about it, I was going to fuck Emmie. I had a semi right now just thinking about how I planned to toy with that sexy body of hers. Thankfully, I was smart enough to separate work and pleasure.
I never wanted Emmie to think I was sleeping with her so she’d hire my client. Just the thought made me sick—that’s a Dinger tactic.
“I’ll s
ee what I can do. Got to go.” I didn’t wait for a goodbye, something my sister rarely offered—that courtesy was reserved for her clients. Family was second in her eyes. The woman ate, drank, and slept her job.
Clearing my throat as I approached the desk, the woman with the short red hair and fuzzy sweater looked up.
“Can I help you?”
“I believe Ms. Delarosa is expecting me. I’m here for a lunch meeting.”
Her brow furrowed as she stuttered, “Um . . . Lunch meeting. Uh, I don’t seem to have any meetings scheduled. Let me take a look.”
She tapped away on her silver laptop. “I’m sorry, sir. There’s nothing here. Her next appointment isn’t until one thirty. Are you Janice Macintosh from Mid-A Advertising?”
“No, my name is Jon Harrington. I’m with Harrington Talent Agency.” I reached into the breast pocket of my gray suit and pulled out a business card. Leaning forward, I placed it on her desk with a grin.
She picked up the card and examined it. Her blue eyes flickered between me and the card a few times.
She was thorough. That was a good quality to have in an assistant.
The assistant pushed out her chair and stood. “Excuse me, I’m going to ask Ms. Delarosa if she forgot to inform me of the meeting.”
I nodded and watched her go. Making my way over to the windows, I stared out at the view of downtown Libertyville. It was attractive in a small-town sort of way. Despite the size, there was a lot of power in this town. I thought Hunter Six was crazy when he moved here, and my sister even more so when she opened her talent agency right in town. But when I reluctantly moved here a year ago from New York City, I realized why people came here. My sister insisted that if I wanted to stay with the agency then I had to move to the headquarters, and I was now thankful I had listened to her.
Big money flew under the radar in this quaint town.
There was noise coming from Emmie’s office. It sounded as if something fell over and then I heard yelling. I stepped toward the door but when I was almost there, the door flew open. An out of breath and slightly disheveled Emmie stood there smoothing down her skirt.
“Jon, I do apologize. I had completely forgotten about our appointment.” Her hair was down like at the New Year’s party. Wild and mixed with the sparkle in her golden eyes, I couldn’t help but picture her as that lioness she described.
Maybe that was what I imagined when she told me she had crawled around naked in her bedroom. Either way, she looked regal and breathtaking.
“Perhaps I wasn’t clear about the time,” I lied.
It was a test. How would Emmie respond to my fib knowing full well I specifically stated noon. It was currently 12:03.
She bit her lip as she pushed her chin out. “No, it was my fault . . . you said noon. We are acquiring a movie studio and it’s not going to plan. Anyway, that’s not important. Please come inside.”
A movie studio? That’s interesting. I might consider breaking my rule of no sex mixed with business if I could get my idea for a movie through to her.
I had told no one about it. It was my little pet project and I had hoped to discuss it with Niki, Willa and Emmie’s other friend, since she’s an actress. But perhaps I’d go straight to the top—the head of a movie studio.
“If that will be all, Ms. Delarosa?” the red-headed assistant asked as I stepped into Emmie’s office.
“Yes, Cynthia. Thank you for your help with my chair.”
Cynthia nodded and I noticed her pink sweater was bunched up around her stomach.
The door closed, and we were alone in Emmie’s office. It was exactly what I pictured her office to be. Everything was white except for the large blue desk in front of a window at the back wall and a few blue and yellow knickknacks.
It said power with a feminine flair.
“I like this.” I waved my hand around the room then walked over to the leather chair across from hers and sat.
“Thank you. Did you wish me to order something? I can get Cynthia to get takeout.”
I sighed as I took her in. Her body language told me she was nervous, yet she tried to convey confidence, keeping her back ridged as she sat.
Relaxing back, I steepled my fingers to my chin. “Let me get down to business, then I’ll take you out anywhere you wish to go.”
Her eyes widened. I had caught her off guard. Good.
“Sure, we can talk shop. I thought you wanted to discuss something other than business but if you were interested in me hiring one of your acting or musical clients we could discuss that?” She opened up her laptop and tapped a few keys.
“That is something I’m interested in but I came here today to discuss something a little more personal.” It was time to rip the bandage off. I leaned forward, clasping my hands on her desk. “I want to fuck you. I wish to work your body to the point that when I glide inside your soaked pussy, you moan my name as you come.”
The typing stopped. Emmie was frozen in place for a moment before she stirred. Her head lifted and there was an unusual mix of desire and fear in her eyes.
I hadn’t been with a lot of women, which was due to my unique tastes. And I wasn’t about to have sex just to get off, so it was important that I found the right woman to please. I had to be certain they understood what they were getting into with me.
“I, uh . . . I don’t think I heard you right. You wish to, um . . . make love to me?”
“No.”
Her shoulders sagged and I couldn’t tell if she was relieved or disappointed.
“I wish to fuck you. There’s a difference.”
She nodded and a crease formed between her eyes. “Of course. Yes, you’re right.”
She made several facial expressions over the next few moments which ranged from concentration to confusion to finally, amusement?
I had enough of her giggles. “Are you all right, Emmie? I understand if this is too much, but I like to be upfront with women before anything happens.”
“Yes, everything is fine. Why wouldn’t it be? I know the difference. Of course, I do.”
“You can say no, if you wish. I won’t be hurt. This is like a sexual contract—both parties agree to sex and nothing more.”
“Boy, did you pick the wrong Delarosa sister for this,” Emmie mumbled.
“I met your sister. I don’t think I did. She’s beautiful, but—”
“But she turned you down. I get it.” Emmie frowned and twisted her fingers together.
I stood and walked over to her side of the desk. What was with this woman? She had to know how incredibly sexy she was. There must have been dozens of men who threw themselves at her feet.
As confident as she acted around people, I was beginning to wonder if it was all an act.
Leaning against the desk, I reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. I noticed she leaned into my touch and that made me hard. I had a semi before but now, my cock was like steel.
“You didn’t let me answer. I was saying she’s attractive but you’re gorgeous. Your body was made to wrap around mine.”
FIVE
Emmie
“Oh, honey, I’m begging you. Fuck him silly,” my sister said as she chowed down on another jellybean.
I had no idea how she ate so many sweets and never gained an ounce. Yet, if I indulged in one piece of my mom’s dulce de leche, I swear I went up a size.
I leaned closer and whispered, “But I’m still a virgin.”
She was about to pop a red bean into her mouth when she stopped and turned her head to me. We were hiding from Ma in the exercise room.
With a house so large, I decided to make one of the extra bedrooms an exercise room, though it was never used . . . unless I needed to get away from Ma.
Issa turned on the black leather bench and tossed the jellybean back into the bowl. “You didn’t have tester sex before he left?”
I threw my hands in the air. “What the hell is tester sex?”
“You know, when you’re thin
king of having sex with a guy, so you let him go down on you to test him out. If he has no idea what he’s doing down there, then you know never to have sex with him. Trust me, it works.”
“I nearly had a heart attack after he told me my body was made to be wrapped around his yesterday. I barely remember making up a lame excuse about another lunch appointment I had conveniently forgotten I had made. I don’t think he bought it, but he was polite enough to leave. I haven’t spoken to him since.”
My sister let out a sigh. Her usual disappointment in my life on full display. I was too rigid and cared too much about what others thought of me. Time and again, she’d lecture me. You’d think she was the older sister, not me.
“What happened to agreeing to take risks? This is a perfect opportunity. From what you said, he wants casual sex. That sounds perfect to me. You can pop your cherry and get some good stress-relieving sex out of it from a hot guy, and then move on. No complicated entanglements.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you’d find it perfect. I’m not like you, Issa. I thought I could just go out there and have sex with someone and get it over with, but the more this is becoming a thing, the less I want it. Maybe he realizes I’m a virgin and that’s his thing.”
“Banging virgins? Like taking their virginity, putting a notch on his belt, and then moving on? If that’s true, then he’s gross and you should definitely not pick him to take your V-card.” She frowned and grabbed a few jellybeans, eating them as if they were both disgusting and addictive at the same time.
“None of this is helpful.” I got up and walked toward the window which overlooked the front driveway. I saw our gardener, Jacob, in jeans and a puffy black coat, writing on a tablet. He usually came to inspect the grounds once a month during the winter. Today was his day.
That’s when I noticed a red sporty-looking car pull into my driveway. The door opened and I gasped.
“What? What’s wrong?” I heard Issa from behind.
She had abandoned her beans and was behind me before I could answer.
“Oh my God. He’s even hotter than I remember. I really hope, for your sake, that he isn’t a virgin thief.”
Mogul (Price of Fame Book 3) Page 3