by Jess Dee
“So you think that ignoring the situation makes it easier for all of us?” Vi asked with a disbelieving laugh. “You think we’ll all be able to tuck it neatly away and focus on work, as if nothing happened?”
“That’s the reason we’re here, so easy or not, that’s what we’re going to do.” Declan wasn’t dwelling on the blowjob. He wasn’t dwelling on how fucking much he liked touching Noah. Kissing him, blowing him. And he wasn’t dwelling on how fucking much Violet turned him on. How fucking much she’d always turned him on.
He was dwelling on nothing but work. End of story.
“Right, I’ll just pretend there’s nothing sexual going on here. I’ll pretend there are no silent looks passing between the two of you, speaking volumes without words. Yeah, that’ll be easy. No worries.” She held up her iPad. “See, it’s all good. I’ve opened up Word, and I’m ready to go.”
“Excellent. Then that makes two of us. Noah? You ready?”
“God, Declan.” Violet sounded exasperated. “That was sarcasm. I’m not ready to work. Not even close. In fact I’m having serious doubts I can work with the two of you anymore. We’ve crossed an invisible line, and we can’t just cross back over. I can’t erase what I saw or keep a professional distance knowing what I know.”
“What is it that you know?” Noah asked before Declan could respond.
Declan glared at Noah, willing him to shut up.
“What is it?” Violet gaped at Noah. “Seriously? You want me to answer that?”
He nodded. “I do.”
Her eyes blazed and she grimaced, as though conflicted about whether to answer or not. And then she obviously stopped being conflicted. “Okay, here’s what I know. I know you…” she pointed at Noah, “…get off on men…no, on Declan sucking your dick. And I know that an audience doesn’t deter you from getting off. If anything, it increases your excitement.” She turned to face Declan. “And I know you loved blowing Noah. You relished the taste of him in your mouth, and you thrilled in his release.”
Declan pursed his mouth and forced himself not to respond. He also forced himself to forget how good Noah had felt in his mouth, how incredible he’d tasted…
“I know that you, Declan, were so wrapped up in the act, you didn’t even register my presence in the room.”
Declan focused on fighting the urge to flee.
“I also know…” Violet’s voice tapered off.
Noah leaned forward. “You also know what?”
Shut up, Martin!
She squared her shoulders. “I also know that as intensely intimate and private as the act was, you, Noah, were fully aware of my presence the entire time, yet you never tried to stop Declan. You never warned him or let him know I was there. You never even flinched. You just watched me watching you, and I believe that made the whole experience even more satisfying for you.”
Noah smiled. A big, fat, smug smile that Declan wanted to smash off his face. “You’re right. On all fronts except one.”
Violet raised a brow.
“Dec knew you were there. He knew it the second you walked into the room.”
What the fuck? Noah had gone there? Asshole.
Violet sat up straighter. “Pardon?” She looked at Declan. “You did?”
Declan shrugged noncommittally. He wasn’t touching that question with a ten-foot pole. “I already told you, this conversation is over. We’re working now.”
“He knew,” Noah repeated, “and he loved it.”
There were times Declan hated Noah.
“So did you,” Vi said quietly to Noah. “And that, more than anything, makes it difficult to go back to sustaining a professional relationship. With either of you.”
“Tell me something.” Noah turned the full force of his devastating gaze on Violet.
Declan almost felt sorry for her. Noah had a hypnotizing way of trapping someone with his hazel eyes. Declan had been his victim more times than he cared to remember.
“I enjoyed that blowjob,” Noah said in that smooth, easy tone of voice. “Immensely. Dec loved it, although he’d rather cut out his tongue than admit as much. The question is, what about you? Did you find pleasure in it?”
Violet didn’t answer, but a strange squeak erupted from her mouth.
Noah lowered his voice a notch. “Did you like watching Dec suck my cock?”
Her jaw fell open.
“Did you get off on it, baby?” His voice was now a soft caress, and Declan felt it shiver down his chest to his stomach and lower.
A strangled sound emerged from Violet, and her face turned blood red again.
“Fuck.” Declan glared at him. “You’ve crossed a line, mate.”
“Uh-uh.” Noah shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving Violet’s. “It’s like Vi said earlier, the line was already crossed. I’m just clarifying that you and I weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the blowjob. Violet was right there with us the entire time. Weren’t you, baby?”
“Can you please stop calling me that?” Violet snapped.
“You don’t like the endearment?”
“What I like or don’t like has nothing to do with us. With you, me and Declan.”
“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong. What you like has everything to do with us.”
What the fuck?
“Okay, that’s enough.” Violet stood and glared at Noah. “I made a mistake.”
She had?
“I should never have voiced my concerns. I should just have kept them to myself. Now I’m taking back everything I said. Declan was right. This conversation needs to be shut down fast.”
“Doing a one-eighty on us?” Noah challenged.
Violet shrugged. “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. But I’m changing mine for a reason.”
Noah raised a brow. “And that is?”
“Regardless of what I observed, I’d very much like to continue working with you. The only way I can do that is by removing anything personal from our professional relationship. So, for my sake, and the sake of our work, I am officially ending the conversation.”
Well, halle-fucking-lujah.
Violet crossed her arms over her chest. “From here on, we’re playing it Dec’s way. We’re going to sit down and focus on your business and marketing plan. We’ll talk about EOL and nothing else. More than that, we’re going to behave like adults and pretend nothing happened out of the ordinary. So, Dec?” She gestured towards the chair he’d vacated. “Take a seat. Noah, pull up the document Declan asked for and let’s get down to business.”
Fine with Declan. He took his seat and flipped open his MacBook.
“Coward,” Noah said quietly.
Declan didn’t bother looking up, although he knew Noah was talking to him.
“To reiterate,” Violet said, “we’re here to make Exclusive Online Luxury the first stop for every Australian shopper on the Net.”
“Are we?” Noah asked, obviously not in the least bit interested in dropping the conversation. “Is that our only objective?”
“Shut up, Martin.” As if demanding it had ever shut his partner up before.
“Scared of what you might discover if we continue talking about this, Dec?”
“I’m not kidding.” Violet was all business now. She stared down her nose at Noah. “One more personal word on the subject, and I’m leaving. Ending all business dealings with EOL permanently and not looking back. It’s your call.” She fixed him with a deadly gaze while she waited for his answer.
“Don’t leave, baby.” Noah smiled slowly and lifted his arms in surrender. “The conversation’s over. For now.”
“My name is Violet.”
His smile broadened. “Don’t leave, Violet.”
She gave a sharp nod. “Okay then.”
And with that, the three of them got down to work. And they did okay for about twenty minutes, until the waiter arrived with their lunch and uncorked the wine Declan had ordered.
And it was that wine that chan
ged everything.
Chapter Five
Declan had covered all bases, foodwise. Noah watched the waiter spread salads, sliced fruit, a platter of cold meats, a cheeseboard, pizza, crispy fresh bread and a variety of dips on the table. He’d even ordered a bowl of hot chips because he knew Noah couldn’t get through a day without a fix of his French fries.
The waiter left after uncorking three bottles of wine. A red, a white and a sweet, sparkling option Noah suspected Vi would like.
He was right. Before the door closed behind the waiter, she’d sucked down her first glass, and while he and Declan helped themselves to food, Violet busied herself with a second.
“Good choice,” Violet complimented Declan, raising her glass in a toast. “I wish I’d known the winery made Moscato when I was here for your we…uh.” She swallowed and quickly corrected herself. “…The last time I was here.”
Declan’s shoulders stiffened at her unintentional reference to his wedding.
Violet turned the label to face her. “Rolling Hills Estate Wine. Meant To Be, Moscato. She picked up another bottle. “Perfectly Placed, Pinot Grigio. I like their marketing. Their labels too.” She showed the third bottle to Noah and Declan.
The white label sported an impressionist painting of two rolling hills, with the names clearly printed in a sloping maroon font.
“Blended Lives, Cabernet Merlot,” Noah read out loud. “Clever.”
“I’d love to meet the brains behind these labels,” Violet mused. “Whoever dreamed up the names is a genius.”
She polished off her wine, and Noah poured her another glass. He helped himself to the red, while Declan chose the Pinot.
Violet stared at the fruit salad for a good few seconds before taking a plate and helping herself to a healthy portion of Noah’s hot chips.
“Oi.”
“Problem?” Vi looked up at him. The tension that had rolled off her half an hour ago had dissipated, thanks in part to the work they’d done and in part to the quick consumption of two glasses of wine.
“Those are mine.”
She held one up for his inspection. “This chip is yours?”
“Sure is.”
“Oh, right.” Violet popped it in her mouth. “Not anymore.”
“You ate my chip.”
“My chip now. This one too.” She consumed another one.
“That’s it? You’re just going to help yourself to my chips without a word of explanation?”
“Oh, gosh, no. I’d never do that.” She leaned forward and lifted a bottle of Heinz ketchup off the table. “I’m going to help myself to your tomato sauce too.”
Noah narrowed his eyes. Playful Violet? The flirt who’d first caught his eye? He hadn’t expected to see her today. Not after that conversation. “First my chips, now my tomato sauce. God knows what else you’d help yourself to given the opportunity.” He grabbed the bowl of remaining chips and set them on his lap, propping them between his legs, out of the way of marauding hands.
Violet looked at him in disbelief. “Did you just hide the bowl from me?”
He blinked innocently. “What bowl?”
“You’re not a very good sharer, are you?”
No, he never had been. But when it came to Violet and Declan, he could learn. “Not when it comes to my chips.”
“How old are you, exactly?”
He grinned at her. “Thirty-three.”
“Thirty-three going on four.”
“Can I have my chips back now?”
“These chips?” She held up two from her plate.
“Those. And the rest.”
“Sure. Just as soon as I’m done with them.” She dipped them both in tomato sauce and devoured them, one taunting bite at a time.
Noah watched, spellbound. She might be out to taunt and tease, but she looked ridiculously alluring focused on each strip of fried potato. “You have a mean streak.”
“You have a greedy streak.”
“Possessive rather than greedy.”
“When you possess an entire bowl of chips, it’s greed.”
“Not the entire bowl,” he observed. “You managed to take half of the chips out.”
“Half? Huh. Maybe five—in total.” She popped two more in her mouth.
“Then explain how you just ate your sixth chip.”
“Are you counting?”
“Not even. But I can see at least seven more on your plate.”
She snorted daintily. “You are. You’re counting my chips.”
“I’d never be that pedantic.”
“Good, then share the rest of bowl.”
He blanked his face. “What bowl?”
“Sheesh, you’re not even eating them. You’re just hogging them on your lap.”
“They feel good there.”
“I bet they do. They’d feel better in my mouth. Taste better too.”
Noah flashed her a wicked smile. “You’re welcome to come on over and test that theory.”
“Why not just pass the bowl back here?”
“And miss the opportunity to have your mouth on my lap? I don’t think so.”
She glared at him. “You realize I wouldn’t actually use my mouth to take the chips? I’d use a fork. Or my hands.”
“Your hands are good. Just no fork.”
Violet rolled her eyes. “There are way too many responses to that. For the sake of propriety I’m going to sit here and not answer at all.”
“There’s no need for propriety around me,” Noah assured her. “You can respond any way you like.”
“I’d like some more chips.”
“I know you would. Pity I’m going to finish them all.” To prove his point, he shoved three in his mouth. “Mmmm.”
“Child.”
“Gnmph thmmmhhh.” Hard to talk around a mouthful of food.
“Little child.”
Noah closed his eyes, let his head fall back and took the time to relish his favorite snack. When finally he swallowed, he looked at Violet with smug satisfaction.
She stared back at him with her mouth open and her hand pressed to her chest. Twin spots of color brightened her cheeks.
“What? What did I do?” He looked to Declan for guidance.
Declan stared too, his sandwich suspended in midair. He shook his head, his eyes narrowed, his gaze a stormy grey. “You have no fucking clue, do you?”
“About what?”
“The chips,” Violet murmured. “They have the same effect on you Declan does.”
“Huh?”
“No fucking clue,” Dec muttered and turned his attention back to his sandwich.
Violet pushed her plate over to Noah and fanned her face. “Now that I know what the chips mean to you, I solemnly swear to never come between you and your food again.” She glugged down her Moscato.
Stumped, Noah looked at both of them. The light, teasing atmosphere was gone. In its place the air crackled with sexual energy.
The rest of lunch was eaten in silence. Violet snacked on the fruit and wine, while Declan put away two sandwiches. Noah finished the chips then tackled several slices of pizza.
Tension still rolled off Declan, but Violet seemed to unwind further. She slouched just a little, sipping idly on her wine. Her speculative gaze was pinned on Declan, and she held it there for so long he eventually looked up at her with a question in his eyes.
“What?” Dec asked.
Violet chewed on her lower lip. “Nothing. Well, something. I’ve been wondering…” Her voice sounded different. More relaxed now, like her posture.
“Wondering what?” Dec asked.
Violet tilted her head to the side. “Wondering if Tori knew.”
And there it was—the can of worms everyone had been studiously avoiding.
Declan’s shoulders stiffened. “Knew what?”
Violet gestured with her free hand, motioning between him and Noah. “About this. About you and Noah.”
“There is no me and Noah.”
She let out a spluttering laugh. “Ah, right. Yeah. No you and Noah. Got it.” She snorted. “Not.”
Declan narrowed his eyes, looking from her glass to the three-quarters-empty bottle to her face. “Are you drunk?”
“No!” She stared at her glass. “Well, maybe. But tipsy, not drunk. I don’t get drunk.”
She’d certainly never gotten drunk at a business meeting before. Or tipsy. But then, Noah conceded, proceedings of this meeting hadn’t gone according to a strictly business agenda.
“Yeah.” Dec nodded. “I can see that.”
“So, did she?” Vi pressed.
Declan stilled. “Did she what?”
“Know about you and Noah?”
He didn’t answer.
“She was always confused about why you called it off. Why you ended things so suddenly. But this would explain everything. It would clear up a lot of questions Tori had.”
When Declan remained silent, Violet turned to Noah. “It would explain things, wouldn’t it?”
Acutely aware of Dec’s discomfort, Noah attempted to sidetrack her. “I thought you’d declared the conversation closed?”
“Oh, shit.” Violet slapped her hand over her mouth, looking appalled. “You’re right. I did. I decreed it so, and now look at me. Opening it up all over again.” She turned apologetically to Declan. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business whether you discussed it with Tor or not.”
Declan nodded, and without answering, stacked the empty plates in a pile and pushed them to the side.
“Okay, let’s focus on marketing for a while,” Violet said, all business again. “I’ve broken it down into a few categories, to help determine exactly what we need and whom we’re going to market to. Starting with purpose. Noah, why don’t you tell me what your primary purpose is for advertising EOL?”
Noah thought about it. “We want to educate consumers about EOL. Let them know exactly what we sell, how accessible we are, and by default, how accessible the products are.”
“Great.” Violet tapped on her iPad. “Education of public. Dec? You on board with that? Anything you want to add?”
“Pricing,” was Declan’s response. He looked no less tense now than he had minutes ago. His mouth was pinched, and fine lines radiated from his blue eyes. “We don’t just want consumers to know about us. We want them to know we offer the best prices on the Net.”