#1 Rival

by Gephart, T

  “You drive a Ferrari?” I didn’t bother trying to hide the shock. “How much are you getting paid?”

  Even though we hadn’t known each other before coming to work at Moss, Byrne and Carter, we’d been hired at the same time. Brought in as a powerhouse duo or some other bullshit recruitment line, and as far as I knew our offers had been identical.

  But if he could afford a freaking Ferrari, then one of us was getting severely underpaid. Probably the one who didn’t drive an Italian sports car if I had to take a guess.

  “Feeling a little worried I’m making more than you?” He opened the passenger side door, waiting for me to get in. He rolled his eyes as I stayed in my spot, my wide eyes darting between him and the shiny car. “Relax, it was a gift from my brother.”

  He gave me a tight smile as I slid into the soft leather tan seat. The interior even smelled expensive as I watched him walk around to the driver’s side and climb in.

  “Eric?” I buckled my seatbelt, probably not needing positive confirmation on exactly who had played Oprah with the fancy cars.

  “Yes, Eric,” he clipped, inserting the key in the ignition and starting the engine.

  He was definitely a drug lord.

  “Well, that was nice of him.” My fingers ran over the leather interior as we pulled out into traffic. “I love my sister but she’s never given me a car. What does he do again?” I casually threw out, hoping that in the midst of regular conversation something would slip.

  “Business,” he volleyed back with a one-word answer that gave me absolutely nothing.

  I look a deep breath, trying to look casual as I gazed out of the windshield. “That’s a pretty wide area, want to narrow it down a little?”

  “So, I tell you he bought me a Ferrari, and you’re suddenly interested in him. Subtle, Harper. Very subtle.” He speared me with some serious side eye and laughed.

  “Please, Roman.” I couldn’t believe he’d think I’d be that shallow. “I was trying to make conversation. But for the record, it would take a lot more than a car for me to be interested in your brother.”

  Oh, I was interested, just not for the reasons he thought. While he assumed my questions about Eric were in hopes of snagging me a rich guy who might dazzle me with presents, I wanted the deeper, darker story that he seemed intent on not telling me. He might not know it yet, but all of that was changing.

  If he wasn’t going to give me the lowdown on Eric, maybe I could get a read on the other two. He’d already told me the youngest was in college. I figured they had tried to keep him insulated, hoping he’d go legit. That hadn’t worked out so well for Michael Corleone in the Godfather, let’s hope young Alex Pierce didn’t end up being the worst of the bunch.

  “So, what about your other brothers then? Dave and Nick, right?”

  “You paid attention.” He nodded as he shifted gears. “They’re in the same line of work as Eric.”

  I knew it.

  “Like a family business?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Not you though.”

  “No, not me. Are you done with the inquisition?”

  No.

  “Yes.”

  It was clear that when it came to his family he was tight-lipped and evasive. Which would make sense, considering the nature of the family business.

  Deciding I should probably try to ply him with a little wine before I attempted to cross-examine, I eased back into my seat and listened to the purr of the engine.

  We turned onto a side street and found parking not far from Niko’s, the noise from the restaurant spilling out onto the street.

  “This is Niko’s?” Roman’s brow knitted as he craned his neck to see. “This crowded, noisy shithole is where you want to eat?”

  “You said I could choose.” I unhooked my seatbelt. “So, let’s go before we lose our table.”

  I’d intentionally chosen somewhere crowded. I figured if it was noisy and impersonal, the sexual tension might be kicked down a notch too. Hopefully he’d relax a little, like he did at our first dinner at Heart and Vine.

  “You’re afraid to be alone with me.” He smirked as if reading my thoughts.

  I rolled my eyes, blowing out an exaggerated sigh. “Could your ego be any bigger? The food is good here, it’s relaxed—the venue has nothing to do with you.”

  He unhooked his seatbelt, tipping his chin to the entrance. “So we’re here because of the food?”

  “Why else?”

  My answer had seemed to satisfy him as he popped open his door and climbed out of the car. I joined him on the sidewalk, adjusting my dress as he locked the doors.

  He had an intrigued look on his face as we walked to the host station in silence. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but I had a feeling he was up to something.

  “Hi, do you have a reservation?” The hostess who greeted us looked like she’d had better nights.

  “Yes, I have a table for two booked—”

  “Excuse me, do you have a takeout menu?” Roman interrupted before I could give my name.

  “Yes, we do.” The hostess gave Roman an appreciative smile. “You guys want to order to go?”

  “No.”

  “Yes.” Roman drowned out my rebuttal, taking the menu he’d been handed and pulled me to the side.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed, too annoyed he was changing my plans to notice he’d put his hand around my waist.

  “You said you liked this place because of the food.” He looked around the room like he was disgusted. “So we’re getting the food and then we’re getting out of here. Your place or mine, I don’t have a preference.”

  My jaw tightened, as did my hand around his forearm. “I’m not going home with you.”

  “Fine, your place it is.” He decided with a sweep of his hand. “Now hurry up and order, I’m hungry.”

  I was just about to argue when his phone buzzed, the soft beeping coming from his pants pocket. He slid it out, looking at the screen before silencing it and sliding it back in.

  “Girlfriend?” I asked curiously, my hands anchoring on my hips.

  “I told you I’m not dating anyone,” he answered, looking at the menu he’d been handed as the phone once again beeped.

  “You can take the call, you know,” I offered, curious to know if he was avoiding the call because of the caller or because of me. “Whoever it is, they are obviously trying to get ahold of you.”

  “I’ll get to it later.” He dismissed it without even looking up. “What’s not going to get us food poisoning in this place?”

  He was infuriating, I wanted to take that menu he was so intent on reading and shove it right down his throat.

  “I think food poisoning might improve your disposition.” I glanced at the menu, having already decided I was ordering the braised chicken with a baked potato. “You should try the steak, I hear it comes with a side of joy.”

  He laughed, his hand moving lower on my hip. “Steak it is then.”

  We placed our order to go against my better judgment. And after a heated hushed argument at the counter, I paid, collecting our food so we could return to the car. In less than thirty minutes, I was going to be faced with the reality of being alone with Roman in my apartment.

  He’s an asshole, I reminded myself.

  And you hate him.

  My body unconvinced that either of those two reasons were good enough not to sleep with him.

  “I’m not sleeping with you,” I said the minute I was sitting in the car. “We’re eating, talking and then you’re leaving.”

  “Whatever you want, Harper.” He grinned as he pulled out into traffic. “Anything we do will be your decision.”

  I HAD TALKED A GOOD game.

  Kept the conversation innocent enough on the entire drive and even managed to wrangle out that his parents were divorced. His father had remarried but his mother hadn’t, and it would be a cold day in hell before he’d ever take the walk down the aisle himself.r />
  I assumed this was because of his forced marriage to his South American mafia princess but there was a reasonable possibility I’d been wrong about that.

  Firstly, if they were going to force her to marry someone, they would have chosen a better candidate.

  Roman was too visible, his career too exposed to be able to harbor a secret, possibly illegal, immigrant wife. They needed him for important things like beating a RICO charge or helping legitimize the millions in drug money. The wife would be wasted on him.

  It was more likely that I had an overactive imagination and was overly suspicious. That, and sleep deprivation, chased with copious amounts of caffeine didn’t exactly set me up to make the most rational of choices. Maybe I was trying to rationalize insanity to explain away my attraction to Roman. Because the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded. Just the marriage part, everything else was still plausible until proven otherwise.

  And I pretended it didn’t thrill me that the threat of his fictitious forced marriage was over, and I didn’t have to wear the stain of his infidelity on my soul.

  Not that we’d slept together—it was a fine line, and I knew I was dancing on it—but it still made my skin crawl that I might be party to someone else’s deceit. Fictional forced marriage or otherwise.

  And even though I reminded myself of the dinner-talk-no-sex plan, I had barely gotten into my apartment when he slammed the door shut behind us and pushed me up against the wall. The paper bag that housed our dinner tumbled to the floor as he pressed his mouth against mine. His hand moved to the back of my neck and pulled me closer.

  “We’re not supposed to be—” I stalled out, the rest of my sentence getting lost when I felt him hard. “We were supposed to be having dinner.”

  “Then tell me to stop.” He rubbed against me. “Because there is only one thing I want to be eating right now, and they didn’t serve it at Niko’s.”

  It was wrong.

  So wrong.

  Oh God, then why did it feel so good?

  “Roman.” My back arched, feeling more of him as my body made contact. I wanted to tell him to stop, but I couldn’t make my mouth say the words.

  “God, I want you.” He sucked against my skin. “More than I’ve ever wanted any woman.” There was a gentle bite against my collarbone. “And all I keep thinking about is peeling this sexy fucking dress off and being inside of you.”

  “That isn’t a good idea,” I said for my benefit as much as his. “I don’t even like you.” My attempt to rationalize not making much sense as I continued to kiss him.

  “Then hate me and fuck me,” he whispered against my mouth, his teeth pulling against my bottom lip. “I promise I’ll make you come harder than you did on my hand.”

  I yanked at the waist of his tailored pants, desperate to touch him. My fingers fumbled for the zipper, pulling it down roughly as my hand wrapped around him.

  “Fuck,” he growled through his tight jaw, breathing heavily through his nose as I stroked. “That feels so good.”

  “Bedroom.” I kicked off my shoes, the dinner forgotten as my fist locked around his shirt and pulled him to my room. “And the first time you made me come wasn’t that great, I’m expecting you to make good on that promise to be better.”

  “You going to continue to be a lying bitch?” He grabbed my ass, hauling me onto his body as he carried me to my bed.

  “Stop talking and kiss me.”

  My fingers busied themselves at the buttons of his black shirt, each one revealing a little more toned, tanned skin underneath. It was even better than I remembered it, the hard lines rippling under my fingertips.

  He tossed me against my mattress, pulling his shirt off and throwing it to the floor. He turned on the lamp on my nightstand, his beautiful muscular skin catching the light as he flexed. “When I get you naked, we’re going to have sex, so think carefully about what you want.”

  “If your mouth is going to continue to move, Roman, please find a better use for it.” I stretched out on the bed, pulling him down on top of me.

  He pushed aside the front of my dress exposing my puckered nipple, his head bending as his tongue swirled around it. “Like this?”

  “Yes.” My back arched, loving the feeling of his hot breath on my skin. Whatever my reasons were for not sleeping with him, they no longer mattered.

  I knew there wasn’t a deep emotional connection.

  I knew there would be no long lasting relationship,

  But if all either of us wanted was sex, maybe we could push all of that other stuff aside and just enjoy each other for a while.

  And I would take the repercussions and serve my penance as long as he continued to make me feel good.

  Oh, how he made me feel good.

  “If you are fond of this dress, then I recommend you take it off now.” His impatient hands yanked at the back trying to find a way out of it.

  “Don’t bust the zipper, give me a minute.” I awkwardly reached around and got it started, his hands taking over and pulling it down the rest of the way.

  “Get it off.” He fisted the fabric, pulling it over my head before tossing it to the floor. His hungry eyes devoured my mostly naked skin as he stripped off his shoes, socks and pants. The hard ridge of his cock strained against the front of his boxer briefs.

  “You wear this for me?” His finger flicked at the edge of my lacy black thong. “Hoping I’d see it?”

  His hands grabbed me around the waist, flipping me over before he rubbed his erection along the seam of my ass. “I hate to disappoint you but I’m not interested in lingerie. I’m after what’s underneath.”

  “It wasn’t for you,” I lied, my hands fisting the sheets either side of me as he slid down the thong. The limited coverage the fabric had been providing gone, exposing me—completely naked.

  “You are such a liar.” He smacked my bare cheek, the heat of his open palm replaced by his lips. “And I don’t think I’ve ever been harder in my life.”

  I wasn’t sure if he meant that, or if they were words he said to every woman, but I was too turned on to care. I allowed myself the fantasy, that he meant those words just for me.

  With his hands on my hips, he lifted my ass, forcing me onto all fours. I didn’t have time to ask him what he was doing, his tongue lapping my heat as he thrust in a finger.

  “Fuck, you taste so good.” His tongue ran the length of my pussy, getting me wetter with each pass. “I could eat you all night.”

  “More,” I begged, my face pressed against the mattress as I bucked against his mouth. Not being able to see what he was doing heightening every sensation.

  He didn’t stop, using his mouth and his tongue to bring me closer; every cell in my body feeling like it was going to simultaneously explode.

  “Condom,” he barked out, his fingers still inside of me as he moved further up the bed. At some point he’d stripped off his boxer briefs, his naked skin blanketing me from behind. “I need to be inside of you now.”

  “Top drawer.” I thanked Morgan and her safety-first mentality, pointing to my nightstand where I hoped she’d put more than one.

  With a quick hand he dove into the drawer and pulled out the box, grabbing me around the waist when I tried to flip over with a very firm, “No.”

  “I want you like this.” He held me still as I heard the packet tear. “Exactly like this.”

  With one steady thrust he filled me, his hips grinding against my ass as his fingers dug into my waist. I couldn’t move, the sensation overwhelming me.

  “Harper?” He stopped, his breathing heavy. “You okay?”

  “Yes,” I moaned, slowly circling my hips. “Don’t stop.”

  He growled as he started to move again, picking up speed. “You feel amazing. Every single inch of you is fucking amazing.”

  I wanted it to go longer, for the tingles in my body to last all night. But it felt too good, whatever control I had was lost as an orgasm exploded inside of me.

&n
bsp; “Yes,” I screamed into the mattress, my body bucking against him. “Oh my God, yes.” I said it over and over, unable to stop.

  “Lauren.” He said my name, my real name, as he pumped harder and faster, the heat inside of me continuing to rise. “You feel too good.”

  He came with a shout, both of us shaking as we collapsed on the bed. Our arms and legs were tangled as I felt him slide out, our matching breaths panting as we lay together in a mess of limbs.

  I rolled over to face him, my skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat. “I wasn’t supposed to sleep with you, jerk.”

  “Then I won’t spend the night. I’ll fuck you a few more times, and you can sleep alone.” He pulled me closer as his mouth went to mine. “But go ahead and tell me you didn’t enjoy it. I’ll be ready in a few minutes for round two, and you bitchy gets me hard.”

  “You are a sick individual.” I pushed roughly against his chest. “And that is never happening again.”

  I wish I knew I meant it. Wish I had the sort of willpower to know I would chalk it up to a bad decision and we’d go back to spewing obscenities against boardroom table. But no man had ever made me feel that good, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it to stop. Even if it was the biggest mistake of my life, oh God, did I want to do it again.

  “Tell yourself whatever you need to, Harper.” He shifted on the bed. “But we both know that it’s not going to stop.”

  As I went to argue, he placed his fingers on my mouth. “Save it.” His thumb pressed against my lips. “And the next time, I’m going to watch you while you come.”

  He replaced his hand with his lips, kissing me before lifting himself off the bed. “I need the bathroom, I’ll be back in a minute.”

  “It’s the first door on the right.” I rolled onto my back so I could watch his perfect ass walk out of my bedroom.

  I hadn’t had a chance to appreciate his body before. I had tried to twist around and see, but mostly I gave up, pressing my face against the bed as he took me from behind.

  But I felt him.

  Felt his big, toned body dominating mine, and what I saw in the few seconds before he’d walked out the door was unbelievably outstanding.