Tempting the Boss, Collection 2

by Ruby Carew

  Their conversation about her future is put on hold when Mr. Elliott must go to an important business meeting where he’ll be discussing a possible partnership with another company. Bella accompanies him to the out-of-town meeting, but when they arrive at the CEO’s house, Mr. Elliott discovers that the other company has been sold… to an old rival of his.

  Bella knows how much this company means to Mr. Elliott, who built it from the ground up, so when the negotiations with Winston Hawthorne begin to crumble, Bella knows she has to do something. No matter what happens to her job, she’s willing to do anything she can to help him save the company.

  Can Bella make an offer that will convince the sexy new partner to sign on the dotted line?

  If you love stories about forbidden office affairs, especially with a sexy boss, then following Bella and Mr. Elliott’s tempestuous affair is an erotic roller coaster you’ll definitely want to ride!

  From Tempting the Boss: Obsessed

  “You said you had something important to talk to me about,” I said, desperate to know what it was about.

  “I think we should talk about it after the meeting.”

  “No, please. I really want to know. Is it… about our arrangement?”

  He stared at me, clearly seeing the anxiety in my eyes.

  “Okay, yes, it is. This arrangement isn’t quite working out the way I’d thought.”

  My chest tightened.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that originally the idea was to alleviate the sexual distraction. That having sex in the office would help me—help both of us—keep our focus on the job. But that’s not what’s happening. Ever since that first time in my office, I’ve become obsessed with you.”

  I could feel the car slowing down. Then it turned.

  “Ah, what the fuck,” he said, “I thought we had a few more minutes before we reached the hotel.” He zipped up his pants and straightened his clothing. “I’m sorry, Bella. I shouldn’t have started this conversation now.”

  I followed suit, pulling my skirt back down and adjusting my blouse.

  Oh, God, it sounded like Gina was right and he was going to let me go.

  The car pulled to a stop and the driver got out.

  My heart pounded.

  A moment later, the driver opened the door. I got out of the car, followed by Mr. Elliott, and stepped onto a stone walkway that led to an enormous mansion. I smoothed down my skirt, very conscious of the fact I still wore no panties.

  “What are we doing here?” Mr. Elliott asked the driver.

  “Your office contacted me and told me the meeting was moved to the CEO’s residence. He’s waiting for you inside.”

  Mr. Elliott turned to me and frowned. “I’m sorry, Bella. We’ll have to finish this discussion later.”

  The car pulled to a stop and a moment later, the driver opened the door. I followed Bella out of the car, my gaze following the movement of her delightful ass.

  I still hadn’t given her back her panties and I could tell she was self-conscious about being naked under her skirt. She kept smoothing it down as she stood on the stone walkway outside the large mansion.

  “What are we doing here?” I asked the driver.

  “Your office contacted me and said the meeting was moved to the CEO’s residence. He’s waiting for you inside.”

  Damn. The meeting wasn’t scheduled for another half hour and I had intended to finish this conversation with Bella beforehand. I didn’t want to leave her in suspense. But I wasn’t going to give her the news in a five second conversation before meeting Elliott Enterprise’s potential new business partner.

  I turned to her.

  “I’m sorry, Bella. We’ll have to finish this discussion later.”

  I grabbed my briefcase from the back seat, then walked up the steps to the double doors with an intricate design in glittering bevelled glass, Bella by my side.

  The trip here had been a delight. Making love to Bella on my lap. Slow and relaxed. Building to a powerful release.

  I should have started the conversation then, but I’d been selfish. When she’d fallen asleep in my arms, my cock nestled in her warmth, I couldn’t bring myself to wake her. For the rest of the trip, I’d been hard and aching inside her. Her round breasts pressed tight against me, her soft breathing, and the feel of her silky hair against my cheek had made me feel like this was home. A place of comfort and blissful delight I never wanted to leave. And her occasional murmurs when I’d twitched inside her kept my cock hard and ready.

  God, I would never get tired of being with this woman.

  But right now, I had to get my cock under control. This meeting was pivotal to the success of Elliott Enterprises.

  I knocked on the door and a moment later it opened.

  “Hello, Jake.”

  At the familiar, smiling face in front of me, shock jolted through me.

  Winston Hawthorne.

  “Good to see you again.” Winston smiled and offered his hand.

  We shook, then his gaze turned to Bella.

  His brown eyes lit up. “And who have we here?”

  “This is Bella Grainger, my assistant. Bella, this is Winston Hawthorne. We went to college together.”

  His gaze glided the length of her and jealousy seeped through me.

  “Welcome, Bella.”

  He offered his hand and sent Bella that charismatic smile of his. Bella wrapped her fingers around his and they shook hands. I could see it was having an affect on her. It could just be nerves, but I didn’t doubt for a minute the power my old friend had to befuddle a woman on first sight.

  Winston was all about the competition, whether for women, sports, or business success, it didn’t matter. He played to win.

  But winning Bella away from me was not an option.

  I wouldn’t allow it.

  “I came here to meet with Hammond Smith,” I said.

  “Yes, I know. Come in and let me explain.”

  I gestured for Bella to enter the house and I followed, then we walked through the large foyer to double doors leading to a large dining room, the table set with three places.

  “I know you didn’t have time for dinner before you drove here, so I took the liberty of having something prepared,” Winston said. He pulled out a chair. “Bella.”

  She sat down and he pushed the chair in place, then sat at the head of the table. I sat at the place across from Bella.

  “I know you and Hammond have been discussing a possible merger for the past few weeks,” Winston said. “What you didn’t know was that I was already in negotiations with him to buy his company. He couldn’t tell you about that, of course. He couldn’t tell anyone until the deal closed.”

  “So you brought me here to tell me the merger’s off?” I asked, annoyance bristling through me.

  “No, not at all. When he told me you’d approached him, I told him to proceed with the discussions. He kept me informed and I think it’s worth us talking.”

  The idea of going into partnership with Winston was unsettling. Hammond Smith, who was getting on in years, had been happy with the idea of being a silent partner. Or so I had believed from our meetings. But Winston, on the other hand, would want to be active in the decision-making. I wasn’t sure I wanted to share the reins of the company I’d built from the ground up with someone as headstrong as Winston.

  A woman in a neat black dress and white apron stepped into the room with a cart. She placed a bowl of soup in front of each of us, then opened a bottle of wine and filled our glasses.

  As we ate, Winston made small talk, asking about the trip here. He told us he’d cancelled the hotel, assuming we’d stay at his house tonight so he and I could really get into the discussions.

  The server cleared away the soup, then brought the main course. Filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and asparagus tips.

  “Hammond and I hadn’t agreed to the final terms,” I said, “but we were closing in on a seventy-thirty split.”
/>   Winston laughed. “You weren’t anywhere near closing in on those numbers. I’m afraid you’re looking at closer to fifty-fifty.”

  I shook my head. “There’s no way I’m going to lose controlling interest.”

  I knew that this was a secondary company for Winston and he hadn’t sunk his heart into building it like I had.

  “I understand that.” He smiled and gazed at Bella. “Maybe there are other benefits that could be worked out to convince me to make a concession in the percentage split.”

  I felt a quiver down my spine as Mr. Hawthorne gazed at me, a glint in his eye.

  God, the man was devastatingly handsome with his lean, broad-shouldered body showcased in his designer suit, chiselled features that rivalled any Greek god, and deep brown glowing eyes that seemed to peer through to my soul.

  When he looked at me, like he was now, it felt intimate, as if everything in the world melted away except me. That I had his full and total attention.

  Was he considering me such a possible benefit?

  “But right now,” he said, his gaze still locked on me, “I think we should put business aside and enjoy a relaxing dinner.” He smiled. “So, Bella, how long have you been Jake’s assistant?”

  “It’s only been a short time actually. I’ve been working as a temp for him and he recently promoted me.”

  “You must be happy for the full-time position.”

  She shifted in her chair. “Well, I’m not an employee.”

  Her chest ached. And from the conversation Mr. Elliott had started in the car, she wasn’t even sure if she’d be on contract much longer.

  “Really?” His eyebrows arched. “So there’s no real commitment then. Interesting.”

  I glanced at Mr. Elliott nervously. Had I said too much? I’d only spoken the truth, answering Mr. Hawthorne’s questions, but the annoyance simmering in Mr. Elliott’s eyes made me feel as if I’d done something wrong.

  “Winston, Bella’s employment status isn’t any of your concern.”

  “Except that I need a good assistant and I know you always hire the best. If you aren’t planning to give her a permanent position, I’m willing to hire her. She’d probably be interested in a stable position with a good salary and a full benefits package.”

  Mr. Hawthorne’s gaze turned back to me and the heat simmering in his eyes took my breath away. I was sure that the benefits he was suggesting included more than health insurance and paid vacation.

  Suddenly, I became very conscious of the fact I had no panties on. I could imagine his hands gliding over me, his lean body pressed close to mine, those full lips of his brushing across my cheekbone.

  He had an air of authority just as potent as Mr. Elliott’s. Despite Mr. Elliott’s commanding presence, he’d always had a gentlemanly attitude toward me. I had a feeling that Mr. Hawthorne, on the other hand, would be ruthlessly domineering.

  I could imagine him demanding I drop to my knees in front of him, then pulling me hard onto his cock as he thrust it deep into my throat. I think he’d be the type to bend me to his will, then punish me with relish if I strayed even the slightest from his commands.

  I drew in a breath, trying to stay calm under his keen scrutiny. He could read it all in my face, I was sure. The fact that I was imagining him dominating me. That the thought turned me on, more than I even realized myself.

  A slow smile spread across his face.

  “I think we should get on to our business discussion,” Mr. Elliott said abruptly. “If you’ll show us where we’ll be sleeping, we’ll let Bella get settled in, then we can begin.”

  Mr. Hawthorne nodded. “All right.”

  *

  I followed as Mr. Hawthorne led Mr. Elliott and I down a hallway to a double door. As I followed them inside, I glanced around. It was a large suite that had two bedrooms separated by a living room with a comfortable sitting area, a desk and a meeting table.

  “I think you’ll be comfortable here,” Mr. Hawthorne said.

  “Yes, it’s very nice,” Mr. Elliott said. “Bella, I won’t need you for the rest of the evening so you can relax here while Winston and I discuss business.”

  “Of course, Mr. Elliott.”

  “The staff have gone home, but if you want anything from the kitchen, help yourself,” Mr. Hawthorne said. “And there’s a television in the armoire.”

  “Thank you.”

  I set down my purse and laptop bag on the floor beside the couch and sank onto the soft upholstery.

  Mr. Elliott followed Mr. Hawthorne from the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  All I could think about was how worried Mr. Elliott looked. Clearly, he wasn’t happy about this change and I couldn’t help worrying that his business was on the line.

  I understood that he wouldn’t want me in their high level discussions, but I still felt left out. Of course, I was still reeling from the fact that it looked like Mr. Elliott was going to let me go. He’d started to discuss it in the car, but now I had to wait on pins and needles to find out my fate.

  I puttered around for a bit, watching a couple of sitcoms on television. It was too early to go to sleep and I didn’t think I’d be able to anyway. I wanted to wait up for Mr. Elliott, hoping he’d finally finish the discussion he’d started in the car.

  Finally, I pushed myself to my feet and began to pace. I headed to the door, deciding to check the kitchen for some juice or soda. I retraced my steps down the hall, then turned in the direction of the kitchen.

  As I walked, I heard male voices coming from a doorway just ahead. It must be Mr. Hawthorne’s office. I stopped short, a little uncomfortable with walking past the doorway.

  I heard Mr. Elliott’s raised voice protesting some proposal Mr. Hawthorne had made.

  I pulled my shoulders back and walked quickly past the room to the kitchen, keeping my gaze straight ahead.

  As I entered the kitchen, I was greeted by the smell of coffee. There was a full pot in the coffeemaker. Did Mr. Hawthorne believe the talks would go on well into the night?

  I looked in the cupboards and found some herbal tea, then filled the kettle with water. As soon as it boiled, I dropped a tea bag in a mug and filled it with hot water.

  I sat on one of the high stools at the marble counter, sipping my tea.

  Mr. Elliott walked into the kitchen, raking his hair back from his face, his expression grim.

  “Taking a break?” I asked.

  “Winston had to take a call,” he said distractedly. “We’ll start again in a few minutes.”

  “There’s a pot of coffee,” I said. “Or I could make you some tea.”

  He nodded as he walked to the coffee machine, then poured himself a cup. He put in some cream then leaned back against the counter and sipped, gazing off into space.

  “How are things going?”

  He sighed deeply. “I’ll be honest. If he pulls this deal, it’s going to be bad. This was the last link in a chain of negotiations with several companies for a major new project, and without the extra capital and expertise EcoGoGreen Industries can bring to the table, Elliot Enterprises will be in a very difficult position.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Elliott. Is there anything I can do?”

  He glanced up from his cup, then frowned.

  “I’m sorry, Bella. I shouldn’t be telling you this. It’s not something you should have to worry about.”

  “I’m glad you told me. I don’t want to see the company… or you… in trouble. I’ll do anything I can to help.”

  “Really?”

  Startled, I turned to the doorway. Mr. Hawthorne leaned against the doorjamb, his arms crossed, his big, masculine body totally relaxed.

  As his gaze swept over me, my stomach fluttered.

  He pushed himself from the doorway and stepped into the room. “I’m sure there are a great many things you could do that would help change my mind.”

  Mr. Elliott glared at him. “Leave Bella out of this.”

 
“Why? You’re not happy with the percentage I’m offering you. If I saw more value in the deal, then I might shift the numbers.”

  “Bella is not part of the negotiation.”

  “She could be. And don’t look so shocked,” Mr. Hawthorne admonished. “You have her in a temp position. I was serious when I said I need a good assistant, and I’m willing to give her a full time position.”

  The attraction of a full time position was strong, but I wanted to stay with Mr. Elliott. And with the glitter in Mr. Hawthorne’s eye, I wasn’t sure he was just talking about me being his employee.

  He walked to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup, then moved to the counter and sat on the stool beside me. His proximity had my hormones humming.

  “She’ll have security and benefits, and if we seal the deal, I’ll be taking an office at Elliott Enterprises headquarters with you, so she won’t even be leaving the company.” A devilish smiled turned up his lips. “We could even share her. I would think everyone would be happy.”

  Quivers raced through my body.

  “Share me?”

  He chuckled. “You know I’m just talking office duties. You look like you think I’m going to drag you into my office to have sex.”

  My cheeks flushed hotly and I couldn’t help glancing at Mr. Elliott.

  Mr. Hawthorne’s gaze pivoted from me to Mr. Elliott and back again.

  “Fuck, really? You two are having an office fling?” His gaze locked on Mr. Elliott. “Jake, I thought you never got involved with an employee.”

  Mr. Elliott’s jaw twitched.

  Mr. Hawthorne turned his stool to face me, a slow smile spreading across his face.

  “Okay, I’ll lay it out. I am very attracted to you, Bella, and I was hoping that if you became my assistant that we might take things further. The fact that you and Jake are… together… would discourage me, but the fact that he hasn’t offered you a full-time position has me stumped. So…”

  His gazed locked onto mine and my heart pounded at his intense scrutiny.