Exposing the Bad Boy

by Nora Flite

  Maximal hiring me had been the best day of my life. I'd fought tooth and nail through college to make a name for myself, and when I'd met Corbin Mathews at a press conference, I'd coerced my way into his favor.

  He'd hired me on the spot, so I'd left school without finishing my degree. From there... I'd just stopped caring about dating. I was chasing the tail end of success; money was my passion, climbing the ladder my thrill.

  Until the other night, I'd forgotten just how good it felt to be kissed.

  In that glimmering plane carrying us through the sky, I was still scared, but now it was muted by something else.

  Something more pleasant.

  Pike turned me towards the wall. He stood behind me, his chest pressing into my shoulders and skull. Through the rumbling engine, I closed my eyes and listened. I could hear—feel—his heart.

  “Lift your arms,” he whispered.

  I did as he asked, holding my breath as he bent close to weave around my body. I was afraid he'd hear my pulse, or that I might inhale his scent and simply collapse against him.

  Get a grip, I told myself.

  It wasn't going to happen. I was too lost in his presence.

  Deft fingers clasped the last of our gear together. When it was all said and done, I was firmly held with my spine to his torso, arms and legs free to do as they wished.

  Pike spoke again, and that time, I bit my tongue. “When the door opens, we'll step out together. You won't have to think about anything but the fall. I'll handle the rest, alright?”

  My mouth was a wasteland. I needed water badly. “You do know for sure when to open the chute, right? I mean, with me here, does that change anything? Will it be harder? What about—”

  His laugh rippled through his limbs, dancing into mine. I was glad he couldn't see me biting my lower lip.

  “Everything will go fine,” he assured me. “This isn't my first time. Don't be scared, you just have to trust me. Can you do that?”

  Turning so I could see him from the corner of my eye, I nodded. And it wasn't entirely a lie. I trusted him more than myself, at this point.

  Over the speaker, Marris's voice crackled through. “Doors opening in ten, get ready, kids!”

  In seconds, the side of the plane split open, peeling away to reveal a canvas of sapphires.

  The sky was waiting for us.

  I gasped, grateful I had Pike to stabilize me.

  “This is it,” he said over the engines. “No turning back. It's time to fly.”

  Fly. What a pretty word for the terror in front of me.

  He nudged me, encouraging me to walk towards the ledge. The closer I got, the faster my heart—my body and soul—began to tingle. This wasn't something I'd ever imagined doing. The phobia of heights—especially planes—had been cut into my sanity since I was young. Against all logic, I stood on the brink between stability and an endless fall into eternity.

  My voice came out, but barely. “You make this look so easy. How do you do this all the time?”

  “How?” He brushed my hair off of my neck, tucked it under my helmet. His intentional contact lifted new goosebumps. “You've got it all wrong. My struggle is in not doing this.”

  I itched to turn around. I wanted to face him, to catch a glimpse of the bravery I knew was in his stare. Pike Moss feared nothing, and maybe, just maybe, if I could witness his strength...

  I could experience it, too.

  “It's time,” he whispered into my eardrum.

  I couldn't tear my eyes off of the steep drop. “Wait.”

  Pike's voice scratched at me, raw and unhinged. “I can't wait. Not any more.”

  My heels came down, I dug in with all my strength. I couldn't do this, I wasn't him—I wasn't crazy! Back away from the ledge, my mind demanded. Run and grab hold of something. Just don't jump, don't go out there!

  One simple push of his muscular legs, and Pike sent us tumbling into the void.

  Right away, the sensation of falling yanked my insides up into my skull. Wind ripped at my hair, my face, ignoring my helmet and goggles. I had no control. I never had no control.

  Even when Pike confused me, left me hot and flustered, I still had something.

  Not now.

  Not here.

  The sky was a cruel mistress, and she didn't care who I was. To her, everyone had the same fate. We were all hugged by gravity, choked by speed in her presence..

  I suddenly knew I was screaming. Tomorrow, my voice would be scratchy from the strain.

  If there was a tomorrow.

  Shit shit shit what the fuck am I doing dear god someone save me! Thoughts ran too fast; I caught none of them.

  Around me, arms circled and held me close. They dug in, grounding me to the one thing that wasn't my oncoming death or the insanity of falling.

  Pike was the only stability up here.

  “Shh,” he said into my ear. I don't know how I heard him over the roar. “Calm down, Ellie.”

  Ellie.

  “Calm down,” he hissed again. “Open your eyes... and just look.”

  Were my eyes shut? They must have been. I peeled them open, trying to focus on Pike's embrace and not on where I was. How could he do this all the time? What made someone seek out this sort of terrible stunt?

  In my fibers, his voice swam. “Look,” he said again. “And just feel.”

  Below me, the greens and yellows of the Earth appeared. From so high up, it could have been an oil painting. Around us, as I adjusted to the velocity, I swore I was floating.

  The sky was a sea of colors. A blue that made everything brighter, more alive. Beyond beautiful.

  For a moment... I understood.

  My eyes were open to the wonder.

  Inhaling sharply, adrenaline kicked in—took on a new meaning. I was falling, yes, but I wasn't going to die. Pike would save me. I trusted him... I had to.

  What I was left with was the frantic, pumping tempo of endorphins. They cradled me as closely as Pike did, gave me armor. Awareness.

  I was a queen of the sky, welcome here. What was I so afraid of before?

  “You're laughter sounds much nicer,” he shouted.

  When had my screams become laughter?

  Suddenly his hands left me. My panic started to rise, but his words calmed me. “Get ready! Don't tense up too hard, I'm pulling the chute!”

  Invisible strings ripped at me, pulling me back towards the clouds. I squeaked, unsettled by the tension of the parachute spreading. Inertia ended, air currents allowing us to float towards the ground below.

  The breakneck speed was gone. I actually missed it.

  I can't believe I just did that, I thought as we descended. I jumped out of a plane.

  Every vein was alive, lava in my cells and my eyes. I wanted to laugh and shout and scream, to express the primal insanity that had woken up in my belly.

  “Lift your legs!” Pike snapped.

  I wasn't fast enough. We landed hard, skidding on the grass. In seconds I was twisted up, spinning over the dirt and lifting clumps of grass. Covering my face with my arms, I coughed, dazed and somehow too aware. I might have been hurt, but I didn't care. I felt...

  I felt invincible.

  On my stomach, cheek in the grass, I heard Pike's voice. His weight was on me, then it was gone. He must have unclipped us and stood up, I reasoned.

  “Ellie? Ellie!”

  Strong hands rolled me over. His body blocked the sun; my own private eclipse. “Ellie,” he said again, mere inches away. I could see each tiny hair on his sharp jaw, the specks of silver in his blue irises. They reminded me of the sky.

  I smiled. “Hi there.”

  Breathing out in the wake of my humor, he brushed dirt from my cheek. “Are you alright?”

  The corners of his lips reminded me of the smooth edges of a violin; musical, talented, expensive. I ached to play him like an instrument. What song would he make for me after what we'd just done?

  He called me Ellie.

  I saw m
yself in his stare. The tension was reflected there, but even if it hadn't been... I would have acted. I was too gone, a bundle of energy that needed to be expressed. If I did nothing, I suspected I'd simply explode and fade away.

  Sitting up on my elbows, I slipped my lips over his. It wasn't a gentle kiss. It couldn't be, not with him.

  He stiffened, giving me the terrible premonition he was about to stop us. Instead, he breathed out, the stress from a million years of holding back. Palms ripped my helmet away, and I copied him, yanking off his goggles and gear.

  Pike crushed me into the pebbled ground. I could have been falling all over again. Gravity melded us into one being of lust and hunger. Ignoring my jeans, the warm length of his already rigid cock made itself known.

  Shivering, I arched into the contact, thrilling with the knowledge he was so excited.

  Breaking the kiss, he grazed teeth from my cheek to my ear. “Fucking hell,” he growled against my temple. “My heart is going to explode. Are you trying to kill me?”

  “Don't be scared,” I teased. “Don't you trust me?”

  Freezing, his eyes flashed over mine. They wrecked the new cockiness I'd cultivated from completing the jump. How brave could I be with him burning through my layers like this?

  Crouching low, he cast me in his shadow and his scent. “Sugar, if anyone should be scared here, it's you.” His voice crept through me with precision. “When I'm done with you, you won't be able to fucking walk.”

  Sparks exploded in my brain. They went deeper, making me squeeze my thighs. Pure, unfiltered arousal was turning me into a puddle.

  “In fact,” he went on, dragging a hand down my ribs. “I bet you're dripping right now, and I haven't even done a thing yet. Maybe I should check, hmn?”

  My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. I wanted him to feel me. Pike was thrashing my demeanor aside. Already I was writhing, and the wetness between my rubbing legs said he wasn't wrong.

  Focusing was a challenge; especially with his smirk right there, and his erection grinding on my thigh. I'd have a bruise from it, but who the hell cared?

  Reaching up, I started to peel his shirt away from his throat. In the sunlight, his ink was glossy as his brand new helmet had been. I traced one of the designs, followed it along his collar bone. Under my touch, Pike groaned. “You like those, huh?”

  “Yeah,” I said, not caring that he knew. I'd never suspected I had a thing for tatts, but Pike's enhanced every solid edge and dip of his muscles.

  He sat up, kneeling over my hips. Behind his head, the sun was a halo. It didn't fit him one bit.

  At this angle, the length of cock in his pants was straining in a clear outline. It looked too big for his jeans, surely it was causing him discomfort.

  God, trying to fit that inside—it would cause me discomfort. I'd never seen a man so—well, gifted. Hung? I didn't even know what to say, my stare was locked right on it.

  Holy fuck.

  “Do you want to see more?”

  Blushing furiously, I licked my lips once; twice. “Yes,” I breathed.

  His fingers hooked under the edge of his shirt. I caught a glimpse of abdominals, each one begging to be caressed. I'd taste each one if he would just let me.

  The squeal of tires filled the air. My neck twinged with how fast I jerked around, staring at the car coming our way. Pike saw it, too. I wondered for a moment if he would stop his strip tease. The smirk on his delicious lips taunted me, dared me to be the first to end this.

  I couldn't. I just couldn't be the one to call this off.

  Finally, he dropped his shirt down and rolled off of me. My chest thrummed, heart working against my ribs. Straightening my clothes, I scrambled to stand as Marris hopped out of the car. “You guys alright?” he asked, hurrying over. “They radioed in to say you landed, but then everyone lost sight of you.”

  Dusting dirt off of my jeans, I hoped Marris didn't find my crimson cheeks odd. “We're fine, I didn't lift my legs in time and we crashed a little, but no injuries.” Just some horny desperation, Doc. That's all, I thought sarcastically.

  Marris turned towards Pike who was rolling up the chute. “Everything is really fine?”

  “Yeah. Nothing happened that wasn't... supposed to.” Pike tossed me a knowing glance.

  I looked away, kicking the ground.

  “Well, good!” Relieved, the pilot helped pick up all of the gear. “How was it, Ellie? Did you enjoy it?”

  Smiling sideways, I shook grass from my hair. “It was more than I imagined it could be.”

  Nodding, he said, “I'm glad. Well, let's get you two back to the lot and on your way. I have some invoice paperwork for you to sign before you go.” Marris spun, moving out of earshot and packing items into his trunk.

  Somewhat alone, I aimed a sly smile at Pike. “Speaking of paperwork...”

  He pursed his lips. “You've really got your eye on the prize, huh?”

  “Oh, so now you think you're a prize?” I chuckled.

  Stepping close, the base jumper ran his fingers along the side of my neck. “Well,” he said softly, leaning painfully close to my lips, “You certainly wanted to unwrap me.”

  Coughing, I broke away and power walked towards Marris and the car. “Anyway! Let's uh, let's get back and I'll set up a meeting for you to sign everything at Maximal.” Climbing into the car, I tripped—recovered as fast as possible.

  Smooth, Ellie. Real smooth.

  Behind me, I heard the telltale sound of Pike's amusement.

  He could laugh all he wanted. I'd made it happen.

  My perfect record remained.

  Pike Moss was mine.

  - Chapter Eight -

  Pike

  The marble statue glimmered in the sun. I wasn't much for surfing, but the sight of it made me want to escape off into the cool waves of the ocean.

  Shaking my head, I hurried up the stairs towards the building. Ellie had told me to come to Maximal to meet her boss. And, of course, to sign the infamous contract; a contract won by her sheer determination.

  The skydive. Oh, what a hot fucking memory that was. High on adrenaline after the fall, I'd been on the cusp of kissing Ellie myself. She'd been the one to initiate.

  Her plump, wicked mouth... the goosebumps on her throat... Everything was fresh grass, crisp air, and the twang of her little gasps.

  Lust wasn't a strong enough word to define my urges.

  This insane need to conquer her body and melt her sweet thighs—what could I label this feeling? Obsession?

  Yeah.

  That word came pretty close.

  Fixing my painful erection, I shoved my way into the air conditioned building. The floor reflected my image back to me, keeping me company as I approached the front desk.

  A woman perched there, thick glasses not fitting her heart-shaped, virginal face. She looked fresh out of college. Hell, fresh in general.

  There was a pen between her fingers. Spotting me, she slid it into the corner of her mouth and smiled. “Hello there,” she said, rolling her chair closer. “Welcome to Maximal Headquarters. I'm Becky, how can I help you, Mister...?”

  An echo of my old self flickered up. The temptation to make this girl blush and giggle, and maybe see how long it took for her to slip me her number. Oddly enough, my heart just wasn't into it. It wasn't like me to hold back. Must be exhaustion. I grabbed at the excuse. “I'm Pike Moss. I have a meeting with a Mr. Mathews?”

  “Oh!” Sitting up sharply, she tapped a button on her headset, speaking to someone I couldn't see. “Sir? Mr. Moss is here to see you.”

  Mr. Moss. The name was too formal. That was why Ellie hated me doing it to her. Calling her Miss Cutter. I'd known, but seeing her so flustered was too fun.

  Becky nodded to the air, then looked towards me. “Mr. Mathews says to go right on in. And, again...” Her voice was smooth as butter. “Welcome to Maximal. You'll love it here.”

  Winking, I reached for the wide doors she gestured at. “So far,
it's been a lovely start.”

  The hallway was short, a second set of doors splayed open at the end. Through them, I saw an office lit up like a Christmas tree. Sunshine filled the place, making it glow. There, sitting behind the exact sort of desk I'd expect from a man who ran a company this big, was Corbin Mathews.

  I knew it was him, even before he stood and offered me a hand. “Pike Moss,” he said, grinning. “I'm Corbin. Nice to finally meet you.”

  “Same.” I clasped his palm, then settled into the chair he pointed at. “Fancy office. Must cost a fortune.”

  He snorted into his fist, bemused. “You're blunt. I like that. Yes, this whole place bleeds money. But,” he said, twirling a finger idly. “Isn't that just LA?”

  I slid deeper into the chair. “That's my experience, yeah.” Everything about this situation was out of my element, but my face didn't show it. After all, Maximal wanted me. I had all the power here. “It seems weird,” I said softly.

  Corbin arched an eyebrow. “What does?”

  “Talking about money bleeding away.” My grin was subtle. “It's like shouting out your weakness, when you're supposed to be swaying me to your side with the promise of money.”

  Spreading his hands on his desk, Corbin considered me—then laughed. “Bleeding money would be a problem if we weren't drowning in it.” Leaning back, he crossed his legs. “Now, let me be blunt; we both know the cash isn't what drew you here.”

  “No,” I agreed, “But I'd be lying if I didn't say it helped sweeten the deal.”

  Flashing his teeth, Corbin reached into his desk. The stack of papers he slapped in front of me had a significant weight. “I like a man who gets to the meat. Okay, so here's the situation. You sign here, and you're agreeing to become the face of whatever product we throw at you. Soda, chips, pink fuzzy sneakers—anything.”

  He's not as charming as Ellie, I thought idly. Speaking of which... “Is Miss Cutter not going to be joining us?” I asked.

  Corbin hesitated, his fingers wagging a pen. “She doesn't normally sit in on the contract signing, no. Why, would you prefer her to be here?”

  Yes. “No,” I said flatly, reaching for the documents. “I can handle this. It's fine. So, I work for you, and you'll what—have me selling candy while I jump from buildings?”