by Red Garnier
Lucy stiffened at the same time Holden did.
They stopped dancing and for an endless moment they stood motionless on the dance floor, their gazes clashing. “W-what does he mean by that?” Lucy asked shakily, not knowing if the clenching in her stomach was dread, excitement or a little of both.
“It means I’m getting you Finrod Tech, Lucy.”
Lucy in business mode would have demanded, “How?” Was it a hostile takeover or did he make a direct offer? And if the latter, how much? But Lucy in her vulnerable, totally-in-love-with-Patrick-Holden mode merely asked, “Why?”
He didn’t flinch when he answered. “Because you want it, and I want to give it to you.”
How did he even know about Finrod Tech? “Holden…” she began, still not understanding the strange and completely unorthodox workings of his mind.
“Lucy.” It was a low, barely audible whisper, and it was filled with emotion.
She froze, rendered breathless, speechless and motionless by the gleaming sparks in his eyes as he framed her face in his hands.
“I’m in love with you.”
Her legs weakened, and she could only remain on her feet because she was holding onto his neck so tightly. When she opened her mouth to speak, words failed her completely, her lungs seemed to malfunction and there was a constricting pain in her throat.
Holden’s hands were shaking as he held her cheeks, and his coal-black eyes glimmered with intensity as they raked over her face. “I want you to have it because I love you, because I want to make you happy—I want to give you anything, everything you want,” he said roughly, his face raw with emotion.
Her eyes stung and she had to swallow in order to speak. “I just want you,” she whispered brokenly.
He hissed out a breath, as if relieved. “I know,” he said raggedly, shoving her face to his chest and wrapping his arms around her. “I’m yours.”
She wasn’t sure if it was only seconds or eons later that she whispered, despite the huge ball of fur in her throat, “Holden, I love you too.”
His arms squeezed her so hard that, had she not been a puddle of liquid at this moment she was sure he would’ve shattered her bones. “Let’s go home.”
“Home”, as it turned out, was her tiny apartment and her inviting queen-sized bed.
Her room was pitch-black when they entered, and after a flurry of movements and materials flying in the air as they hurriedly discarded their costumes, the room fell silent. For hot, heady minutes the only sounds in the room were her low, breathless moans and the soft rustle of bed sheets as Holden slowly rocked his hips against hers. He kissed her, his lips strong but gentle, his tongue caressing every nook and corner of the surrendered cavern of her mouth.
Her fingers kneaded the muscles of his back as she urged him closer, until his chest was pressed firmly to hers, her breasts flattened by his weight. His throbbing member was buried deep, so deep inside her. There was no way to get closer but they tried, pressing harder. She arched her hips and wrapped her legs around his hips, tightening, pulling. Closer. His hips moved with hers in unison, blending in a gentle rhythm until neither of them knew nor cared where one body ended and the other began.
The gentle way he made love to her, the tender, loving words he whispered in her ear, sent her senses into a sweet, aching oblivion, where she knew nothing but his hands, his tongue and his hot, fevered skin against hers. And him inside her. And his love—like a blanket, covering, protecting, sheltering her.
“Are you there baby?” he asked in a husky voice against her ear as he withdrew then slowly inched his thickened penis inside her again. “I can’t stand it. I’m so hot, so crazy…”
Lucy couldn’t breathe much less speak, so she merely clawed her nails into his back and lifted her hips higher for him so he could take her completely. Possess her. Claim her. Come for her. Come with her. They came in a massive explosion, breathing out each other’s names. And she was his, all his, body and soul.
Holden fell beside her and rolled onto his back, hauling her body along with his until she was settled firmly by his side.
Striving to recover her breath, Lucy wrapped an arm around his chest and pressed her body against his warmer one. “Your mother won’t even believe this,” Lucy whispered softly, wondering what Irene would say about this delightful, unbelievable, supremely wonderful turn of events.
He both smiled and snorted, his chest heaving when he did so. “All that woman cares about is her precious Pipsqueak.”
Lucy craned her neck to stare at him in awe. “You know about them?”
“Of course I know. Another reason why I wanted to send her to a hotel. Last time she was here I got sick and tired of chaperoning all the time.”
Lucy giggled, and not able to ignore the temptation his lips posed, ran one finger along the plump flesh of his bottom lip. “She’s old enough to take care of herself.”
“Yeah, but Pimwick? I’d bet a broom would be more interesting.”
“Maybe he’s different with your mom,” Lucy said positively, recalling Irene’s words at the spa. “Maybe with her he’s fun and…gossips like a girl.”
“Gossip? Pimwick? Honey, my mom uses torture to squeeze every scrap of news and information out of him.”
She was shocked speechless for a moment. “What sort of torture?” she asked innocently.
Holden scowled, the image of his mother and Pimwick not a pleasant one. “That’s none of my business,” he said, “and I don’t think either of us wants to know.”
She giggled and buried her face in the warm crook of his neck, making him grin.
“Tell me about Finrod,” she said as casually as she could, but her heart began to flutter in her chest.
Holden chuckled, the rumbling sound causing a delicious vibration in his chest that reverberated in her whole body.
She bit back a laugh. “I’m curious!”
“If you kiss me, I’ll tell you.”
Propping herself up on one elbow, she gave him a quick but thorough peck on the lips before pulling away and smiling down at him. “There.”
He growled in displeasure and fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her face to his. Seizing her lips with his, he began a delicious, thorough exploration of her mouth, so pleasantly dizzying she whimpered when he pulled away.
“I made them an offer they couldn’t resist.”
His lips were fascinatingly sensual, and Lucy dazedly watched them move as he spoke. “Hmm, you’re too good to resist,” she whispered, kissing him again, now doing the exploring herself. His mouth was impossibly warm, and though she was fully aware of its power, it was slick and soft as it moved along with hers.
His hand ran aimlessly up her back, sending little shivers down her spine. When she pulled away, she sighed and pressed her face to his chest.
“The paperwork’s begun…the company’s already being transferred to your name. It’s yours, beautiful. Whether you want it or not.” He kissed the top of her head for emphasis, as if that were the end of the conversation—and of course he had the last say.
She looked up at him with a mixture of awe and indignation. “Has there ever been a time when you didn’t get your way, Holden?”
He frowned thoughtfully. “No,” he said at last. Then he smiled his trademark full-of-it smile—the one that caused the most havoc in her insides. “And is my sexy, beautiful, intelligent new head of mergers ready to go to work on Monday?”
“No,” she said impishly. “I’m ready to go to work tomorrow.”
His eyebrows lifted at that. “Now that might be a problem, because I’ve got plans for tomorrow. Plans that involve you, I’m afraid.”
“Oh?”
He nodded seriously. “Big plans. Saturday plans. Plans involving some of this…” He kissed her forehead, a loud dry kiss. “And this…” With equal flair, he kissed her nose. “And this.” He smacked his lips to hers noisily.
“I have to say I like your plans,” she admitted, her lips curving into a s
eductive smile. “You think just like I do, Patrick Holden.”
“Hmmm,” he said, brushing his lips to hers. “What am I thinking now?”
“You’re thinking…you want to kiss me?”
“No.”
“No?” She sat up on the bed and scowled down at him. “Why not?”
His grin was all arrogant satisfaction. “Try again.”
“You can’t be ready to do that again so soon?”
“Well, I admit I think about doing that with you all the time, but this other thing I’m thinking about is much more important.”
“Well, it beats me!”
He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She fell on top of his chest, the full length of her body sprawled over his bigger one, her face a hairbreadth from his. As he placed his hands possessively over her rump, his smile faded and his gaze sizzled with intensity. “I’m crazy about you. When you got so pissed yesterday and left—you scared the shit out of me. Don’t ever do that again, Divine.”
She smiled, a mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes. “I hardly ever get pissed, and I really doubt anyone could scare you. And I can’t imagine why anyone would ever want to leave a big bully like you.”
His eyes searched her face, and he looked a bit worried. “Is that what you think of me?”
Wouldn’t you know it, his mother was right after all—he was insecure. And Lucy found it impossibly endearing. Her smile faded and as she looked into his beautiful black eyes, her heart swelled. “I love, admire and respect everything about you, Patrick,” she whispered softly. “And try as I might, I can’t even remember when I’ve ever been so lucky.”
His hands caressed up and down her back and a cocky smile returned to his lips. “Ask the nut at the costume shop.”
She laughed at his words then quickly sobered. Head of mergers and acquisitions at Holden and Investors…and owner—dear Lord, could this be happening?—of Finrod Tech.
Wow.
When she’d imagined herself standing at the top of that tall corporate ladder, never, in her wildest imaginings, did she picture Patrick Holden hauling her up, then holding her hand and standing tall and proud right beside her—which frankly, was billions multiplied by trillions to the millionth power better.
Nine of Pentacles.
Hmm.
Seems the old woman was right. Lucy would have never believed it. Who would’ve thought being Holden’s assistant would turn out to be so incredibly, positively, absolutely…divine?
About the Author
Red Garnier is the author of multiple novellas for St. Martin’s press, erotic romances, and contemporary romances.
@redgarnier
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www.redgarnier.com
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Also by Red Garnier
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Taken by Him
Bound by Him
Kept by Him
Bared by Him
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Paper Marriage Proposition
Wrong Man, Right Kiss
Once Pregnant, Twice Shy
The Satin Sash