by Aimee Duffy
It seemed the tent in his pants was a permanent fixture. He needed a distraction. ‘Have you always lived in New York?’ he asked her.
Georgia swallowed a mouthful of champagne. The way her slender throat moved didn’t help his current situation.
‘No, I grew up in Jersey. After my mom died I left town and went to university in the city. Haven’t looked back since.’
Shit. ‘I’m sorry, Georgia. I didn’t know.’
She shrugged, but didn’t meet his eyes. ‘It was a long time ago. My mom was the only family I had until I moved here and met Shey and Eloisa. We live together. They’re like the sisters I never had.’
All this time she’d worked for him and he had no idea she was an orphan. He’d never have guessed, not with the side of herself she fronted to the world. He took her hand on top of the table, wanting to offer her… something. He knew how hard it was losing a parent. And he was about to lose another. Her strength gave him hope that there was life after loss. Pity his father couldn’t see shit the same way. ‘That must have been tough.’
She smiled at him, but her eyes were sad. ‘It was, but she was older when she had me.’ Georgia shrugged. ‘She was still too young to go, not even sixty yet, but Mom had led a happy life. Even if my dad hadn’t been around. I miss her, but know she wanted me to make something of my life. Leaving Jersey and moving here was all because of her. She taught me how to survive.’
Admiration for her warmed him up in a different kind of way. She made it all sound so easy. Even though she lost the only family she had, Georgia picked herself up and moved on because she knew it’s what her mother would have wanted for her. Yeah, his father could definitely learn a thing or two from her.
‘How’s your father doing?’ she asked.
Max turned to her. Genuine concern creased her brow. After her confession, he found he wanted to share some of himself with her. ‘Not good. He’s been getting worse since my mother died.’
His next drink was harder to swallow. Since he was a kid his father had always told him there was nothing in the world that compared to meeting the woman of his dreams and spending every day of his life worshipping her.
But then when she passed away, his father might as well have too. He didn’t think he had anything to live for, not even the business. Why the old man still insisted on overseeing the parties was anyone’s guess.
It was like his life ended the day his wife took her last breath and every day since he was hopeful that he was one step closer to being with her again.
It wasn’t healthy, and after Clarissa Max knew how wrong his father had been. A guy needed more than love in his life, especially since the feeling could change so easily.
‘I’m sorry,’ Georgia said.
Max didn’t reply. This wasn’t how he wanted tonight to go, far from it. Her confession made him realize just how fragile life was. It had been a week since he’d visited his father, and the ache to see him couldn’t be curbed by his anger this time.
Instead he forced himself to focus on his surroundings, then Georgia. Tonight he’d wanted to get her so hot she changed her mind about his proposition. And deep down, he wanted to be her first. He knew she wasn’t a virgin, but in a lot of ways she was. She’d never experienced pleasure, which was a crime. A testament to just how selfish his sex could be.
But after their heart to heart…
‘Max, we’re not here to depress ourselves to death. Let’s change the subject, ‘kay?’
That was a plan he could get behind. ‘We should mingle.’
He finished his drink in one go, ignoring the slight burn in his throat. When she did the same, he couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out.
‘What? If it’s good enough for a guy—’
He pulled her close then, cutting off her protest. Sliding his hands up her arms, he wondered what she’d do if he kissed those shiny lips. God, she was strength, temptation and distraction wrapped up in his most lurid fantasy. ‘Have you ever tasted bourbon?’
‘No.’ Her pupils dilated and he could feel her tremble.
‘Would you like to?’
She licked her lips, making them even shinier. Her hands slid up his torso, and he mentally cursed the layers of clothing he wore. He wanted to feel her skin on skin, tongue on skin, over and over.
She grabbed his tie, pulling him so there was only the tiniest gap between their faces. His mouth parted on a gasp and she inhaled.
‘It smells kind of smoky, just like your eyes look right now.’
Max couldn’t speak. Blood roared in his ears, drowning out the sounds of the music and conversations around them.
Georgia trailed her tongue the length of his lower lip, and he felt the fiery touch right down to his growing erection. She stepped away then, leaving him panting.
‘I like it.’
He had no idea if she was talking about the taste of the drink, or the way she’d licked him. Max didn’t care which it was, as long as she did it again.
Picking up her clutch she said, ‘Let’s mingle.’
He was about to veto that idea and suggest they bail, but then Clarissa broke away from the crowd with Marcello’s hand in hers.
‘Hello, Max. I didn’t expect you to come.’
* * * *
The tension in Max was different to what it had been when he was talking about his father. Hell, it was different to what it had been a second ago, when she’d stroked his lip with her tongue. She’d done it to lighten up the conversation. But also because of an uncontrollable urge to taste his lips. And it had been heaven, which Georgia suspected had more to do with the man than the drink. And Max had been tense with arousal.
But now, face to face with his ex and the man who’d stolen her from him, Max didn’t look strained from holding back his arousal, this tension was full of anger not lust. His jaw was tight, his expression eerily void of emotion, and his expressive eyes were hard.
The beauty who had just interrupted them had to be Clarissa. She was more stunning than Georgia had feared. With long black curls, a tall willowy figure and a killer red dress, Georgia felt like one of the seven dwarfs facing off against Snow White.
Max’s tone was too casual. ‘I’ve no idea why you would think that, Clarissa. Marcello, good to see you again.’
She tried to keep the surprise off her face as Max shook hands with the man who he no doubt hated. She now understood why he didn’t want to face the happy couple alone, especially after Clarissa’s cutting comment about not expecting him to come. He didn’t want either of them to see how much they’d hurt him.
‘This is Georgia Lewis,’ he introduced her, pulling her closer with a possessive hand on her hip.
She smiled politely, even as Marcello’s dark, creepy gaze dropped to her breasts. Yeah, they were bigger than his date’s, but did that matter when she was the most gorgeous woman in the room? Max stiffened at her side and his hand curled into a fist at her hip. She hid the evidence with her arm.
With her sweetest, cavity-inducing smile, Georgia cleared her throat. ‘Clarissa, would you mind teaching your date some manners? It’s rude to ogle the breasts of someone you’ve just met.’
Max relaxed his hand and coughed, trying to hide his laugh. Though the beauty queen’s mouth gaped, she tightened her hold on Marcello’s hand until her knuckles turned white. When he smiled at her, Georgia could see why Clarissa was attracted to him. He was very handsome and had classic Italian features – probably the charm to go with it too.
Still, something about him made her skin crawl.
‘We’ll catch up with you later,’ Max said.
The lovebirds didn’t seem to notice them leaving. Clarissa had leaned close to her date and whispered in his ear. He wrapped his arms around her, but Georgia could see the stiff set of her shoulders.
Max tugged her toward the dance floor and she gave up her peeping Tom act on his ex. He grinned down at her as he pulled her into his arms. Reaching up and wrapping her arms around his nec
k was too easy, like she’d done it a hundred times before. The amusement in his eyes made it hard not to smile back at him.
‘I thought your cutting mouth was reserved for me only.’ He led her through a slow dance, swaying her around the others with light, easy steps.
Georgia kept up easily, even though dancing like this wasn’t something she was used to. ‘No. Everyone and anyone who deserves it.’
His grin got wider and her heart stuttered. He pulled her close again and she didn’t fight it, knowing how good it felt pressed against him. With Max, she didn’t have to call the shots, or take the lead and wasn’t that sexy as hell?
Georgia rested the side of her face against his chest, trying to convince herself it was merely for show, to make her guise as his date more believable. Didn’t work, but right now she didn’t care. Max responded by holding her closer. With one hand he trailed his fingers up and down her spine, making her shiver.
‘Tell me something,’ he said after a few minutes.
‘Depends,’ she replied.
His chest rumbled with a silent laugh, and it seemed to resonate through her, lighting her nerve endings and making her clit throb. God, the touching was a bad idea.
Georgia noticed the thinning crowd and lifted her head to see he’d led her over to the other side of the dance floor. They were as alone as they were going to get and anticipation fought against the unease that slithered down her spine in place of his fingers. She looked at him, and his deep-in-thought expression didn’t help ease the trepidation.
‘It’s personal,’ he warned.
Georgia swallowed. They hadn’t agreed on this being more than an extension of work and she couldn’t blame him for assuming. After all, she’d let him touch her, let him pull her close. She’d even licked his mouth, for fuck’s sake. But she hadn’t made her mind up on it being anything more. Or was her body deciding for her?
‘Relax,’ he said, stroking her lower back. ‘It’s not what you think.’
Georgia straightened up and pulled her arms from his neck. He caught her wrists, his thumbs lazily drawing circles over the veins, sending delicious currents through her. God, no man had touched her like this. No man had turned her on this much. Could Max be the one to give her what she’d never had?
‘Easy.’ His expression turned serious, but he didn’t release the gentle hold he had on her wrists. ‘Do you always take the lead with men?’
The question caught her off guard. ‘What business is that of yours?’
The corner of his mouth twitched, pissing her off and giving her the strength to pull her arms free. He didn’t seem deterred by her anger.
‘It’s not, but you seem more sure of yourself when you do. I’ve been thinking.’
She crossed her arms, tucking her clutch under her elbow. ‘About whether I like it better on top? I thought we’d been through this, I can’t—’
‘Maybe that’s the problem,’ he said, deadpan serious. Her chin dipped. ‘You try to take control, thinking it will be easier to get what you want. Have you ever thought of surrendering that with someone? Letting them take the lead.’
Well, yeah. About a minute ago, but she’d been thinking about dancing.
Her face burned and she was right back in the moment in her office when she realized he’d read the email. She darted a glance around, but they weren’t in hearing distance of the other guests. Didn’t stop the shame burning up her neck. Max came closer and she leaned back. He didn’t try to touch her, which was smart. Her anger was simmering right below the surface.
‘Georgia, imagine surrendering that control to me. Imagine letting all the worry about everything go until there’s nothing left but my mouth and hands on your body. Teasing, nibbling and sucking you all over.’
Before she could stop it, the fantasy formed – but it wasn’t like others she’d had. She was on a huge four-poster bed with her wrists bound above her head. Max was on top of her, his mouth hot and teasing against her collarbone as he toyed with her nipples. They pebbled and heat flooded between her legs. She closed her eyes, lost in the faux sensations, until his arms came around her for real.
Her eyes snapped open and she shoved at his chest as panic tightened her throat. Though he loosened his hold, he didn’t let go.
‘People are watching,’ he warned.
Her heart was beating so hard, pumping scorching blood through her veins. The pounding between her legs almost hurt and she squeezed at her thighs to get relief. But this was crazy, she wasn’t submissive.
‘Max, that’s not what I want.’ The lie didn’t convince either of them, so she tried again. ‘I’m not some…some…submissive who will kneel at your feet.’
She’d read enough of those kind of romance novels to know that much. Some of the scenes had turned her on, but the pain… She shivered.
‘I’d never want you to, but just now whatever you were imagining turned you on. Georgia your skin flushed; you were panting and swaying so much I had to hold you up.’
She couldn’t look into his knowing eyes, instead she focused on his black tie. The pain was a deal-breaker, but other things? Georgia didn’t know. The thought of his tie around her wrists while he had her in all of those different ways did turn her on.
‘I’m not a submissive,’ she said again, her voice hard and firm.
He tilted her chin up until she was forced to meet his eyes. They were soft, unexpectedly kind and full of understanding.
‘That’s a label, honey. One that gets misused all the time. You’re strong, confident and extremely sexy. Giving up control in the bedroom doesn’t make you any less of who you are. Different things turn different people on.’
‘What do you like in the bedroom?’ she asked, desperate to get the subject off her.
Max smiled and she focused on his mouth. She’d never wanted anything as much as she wanted to kiss him then. Her whole body burned with the need to know what it felt like. What being with him would feel like.
‘I like control, which is how I know we’ll work. All you have to do is let me have it, and I’ll make sure you get what you need.’
Chapter 4
Georgia struggled to focus through the lusty haze as Max guided her around the room, introducing her to the designers and their dates. She wanted more champagne, maybe even a bourbon to calm her nerves.
Her mind kept slipping to all the ways Max would take control of her body – if she let him – which didn’t help with the meet and greet. Every time he touched her it became more possessive, or maybe that was all in her head.
Could he be like those dominants she read about? He wasn’t flashy, didn’t have billions in the bank – but the chain of stores was well on its way. Since he moved to New York after successfully launching the Briggs in LA, his forward-thinking had meant the accounts were looking better every year.
And he’d managed to get her here tonight, even though she hadn’t wanted to come.
Plus he’d told her he wanted to control her in the bedroom, turning her on more than she thought possible.
‘Everything okay?’ he asked, low enough for only her to hear.
They were now speaking with a woman she thought was called Melissa, who was pretty, in an understated way. Max had said she designed their Foxy underwear line – which Georgia was wearing at that very moment.
She nodded, not trusting her voice to tell the lie.
Max frowned, then turned back to Melissa and her man. ‘Will you excuse us?’
They said their goodbyes and Max led Georgia in the direction of the exit. They’d been at the party for a few hours and she was more than ready to get out of there. Shey and Eloisa were hitting the town tonight and wouldn’t be back for hours, but she needed her friends. Max might think it was fine for her to be some kind of submissive, but she didn’t and she needed to confer with her besties.
‘Are we leaving?’ she asked hopefully.
He nodded, but his attention was snagged by Marcello, who had stepped out of the crowd
in front of them.
‘Leaving already, Briggs?’ he asked.
Max tugged her closer, his posture changing so subtly she doubted the man would notice, but Georgia could feel his muscles tighten across his back.
He surprised her again by clapping Marcello on the shoulders, with a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Party’s almost over.’
Marcello ignored him, his attention flickered to Georgia with that smile that lit up his whole face. ‘Pity, I hoped to have at least one dance with you.’
Max stiffened beside her, but before he could lose his cool Georgia used her best weapon against creeps like him. ‘Marcello, even if you didn’t make my skin crawl, I wouldn’t let your tiny hands near me for all the money in the world.’
His smile vanished. ‘You’re only saying that because you haven’t had the chance to be with a real man.’
The dig against Max pissed her off. And him too, if his scowl was anything to go by. Without thinking, she stuck the final knife in. ‘I just feel bad for Clarissa. After having Max, then being stuck with what little you’re packing, she must be kicking herself. Where is she by the way?’
Marcello’s scowl turned deadly and Max pulled her back.
‘Watch yourself, Marcello.’
The warning in Max’s voice was delivered in a similarly cutting way. The other man stepped back with a strained smile. Max led her into the hotel’s lobby. Her heels clicked on the marble floor along with the staccato slap of his loafers.
She tried to gauge his mood, but his expression was unreadable. Shit, had she taken it too far? As well as making her skin crawl, the fact that Marcello had the gall to flirt with her in front of Max had made her want to hit him where it hurts. But she shouldn’t have brought Clarissa into it. Her stomach flipped at the idea she’d hurt Max, but for some reason it was the idea that he wanted his ex back that was crushing her insides more.
The cool air hit her face like a slap the second Max opened the door for her. He released her waist, then took hold of her hand. Instead of taking her to the front of the building where the limo would pick them up, he pulled her along the sidewalk.