Provoke Me

by Cari Quinn

  “Who was that?” she demanded the moment he ended the call.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he said lightly. His forehead bore enough tension lines that she knew the phone call hadn’t gone well.

  “Was that the Sinclairs?”

  “Maybe. C’mere,” he said, sitting up and drawing her closer with a quick tug on her hands.

  She stood between his knees, frowning down at him. “Why can’t you ever be straight with me? Do you have any idea how it makes me feel to have you shut me out at every turn?”

  “I like smelling me on your skin,” he said, pressing a kiss between her breasts. Then he let out a breath. “That was Mr. Sinclair. I sent him a proposal with some of your ideas. I suggested meeting with you to see what we could come up with as a team.”

  Kelly struggled not to hyperventilate. “You did what?”

  “I suggested we have a meeting to discuss some of what you mentioned—”

  “I heard what you did. But I can’t believe you did it. You liked my ideas? You took them seriously? I got the feeling you thought I was talking out of my ass.”

  “Well, I’m not sure about the feasibility of trying to integrate e-books into our plans. But discussing things and getting everyone’s views on the table is a reasonable start.”

  “But…” she prompted when he fell silent.

  “But the Sinclairs aren’t biting. They like our current model and want to stay the course. I’ll try again,” he added. “I don’t give up easily.”

  “Why would you push for a platform you don’t believe in?”

  “I never said I didn’t believe in it,” he said, smiling a little when she sniffed. “Okay, maybe I indicated that. But I’m curious to see what we can come up with. I did a little research and I think you may be right. Whether I like these new developments or not, we can’t ignore current conditions. Right now, e-books look like the future of reading. And the future will soon be here.”

  Kelly took a breath. “I’m…surprised.”

  “Why? This isn’t the first time I’ve asked for suggestions from the staff. Nor the first time I’ve taken steps to see how they could be implemented.”

  “Yeah, but this is riskier than offering free whole cookie samples like Leigh came up with at the last management meeting. E-books could change our whole business. Actually, they are changing it.” She rubbed her damp hands on her hips, warming up to her topic. “I’ve been reading some things online about how bookstores are coming up with new niches to get people in the door. If we promoted a rare books section, for example, and touted our ability to get any title still in print—and maybe even some out of print, if we utilized used outlets—we could get the collectors into our store too.”

  “Keep going.”

  Excitement brewed in her belly at his interested expression. “Another possibility is beefing up our local interest section. If we focused on spreading our reach to authors in the area, inviting them to do more readings and events in store—” She stopped when he turned away and picked up a pen and pad. “What are you doing?”

  “Writing some of this down.” He motioned for her to continue. “Keep talking.”

  She continued, the ideas she’d kept inside since their meeting spewing out of her mouth like a geyser. The thoughtful look on his face spurred her on. He seemed genuinely intrigued, eager even.

  When she’d worn herself out, she sat beside him on the bed, suddenly remembering she was naked. She looked down at her herself and laughed. When had this familiarity sprung up between them?

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I just talked business with you for twenty minutes in the nude. Actually, no. I just lectured you about business for twenty minutes in the nude. My boss.” She rubbed her forehead. “God, I must be dreaming.”

  “We’ve been getting naked together for a week. You normally have multi-night dreams?” He leaned over and kissed her shoulder.

  “Longest dream of my life.” And the best, she added, though she kept that part to herself.

  “Let’s hope neither of us wakes up then.”

  She slowly shook her head. “I just had incredible sex.” She didn’t miss his grin. “Now I’m sharing all the disordered thoughts in my head about my favorite subject with the man whose opinion about books I respect most. Whose ability to get to the point in about thirty seconds flat is incredibly admirable. Tell me that’s not a dream.”

  “You admire me?”

  “Well, technically I said I admire your judgment, but I suppose one could extrapolate and say I admire you too.” She looped an arm around his neck and gave him a quick kiss.

  “I admire you too. All of you. Head to toe.” Spencer sank his teeth into her lower lip then slid back to regard her seriously. “That’s why I took your ideas to the Sinclairs. I’ll do more research on what you mentioned today. If it pans out, I’ll present what we’ve just discussed to them too. And I’ll keep pushing it, Kelly. I don’t do well with stonewalls, not when I’m pretty damn sure we’re on the right track.”

  She swallowed around the insistent lump in her throat. From sex to laughter to business and back again, he’d already taken her on the wildest rollercoaster ride of her life. Soon she wouldn’t be able to climb off, not without surgical extraction.

  “No one’s ever listened to me before,” she said quietly. “Not like you do.”

  “Their mistake,” he said, squeezing her thigh before he nudged her back and stood. “I’ve made plenty, but I won’t make that one.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything. You’re a huge asset to The Book Nook, and it’s about time the Sinclairs know it. I told you there will be a management position opening soon. There’s no one else even half as qualified as you are. I’ll be telling them that as well. And yes,” he said, overriding her interruption. “I know I made that snide comment. It was just that. You’ve always been management material. And yes, I’m breaking every damn rule by having this conversation with you, especially when you’re so adorably naked.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “So be it. Sometimes the spirit of the law is more important than the letter.”

  She blinked back the film in her eyes. He definitely wasn’t the most giving of men, but when he finally opened up, the emotion in his voice was palpable. That he believed in her that much meant more than a million declarations.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Don’t thank me. You’ve earned it.” He took a rare deep breath, as if he were gathering himself, and stroked a hand down her cheek. “Since you’re feeling charitable toward me, I have something to tell you.”

  On the other hand, she took a lot of deep breaths. Like right now. “Lay it on me.”

  “You, ah, came in my office one night. Late.”

  She didn’t follow him, but fine, she’d play along. “Okay.”

  “I wasn’t there.”

  Still nothing. Then realization dawned, quickly and painfully. Oh dear God. “But you—I thought—no one was around. Oh shit!”

  When he grinned broadly, she stared at him as if she’d never seen him before. Then again, when had she ever seen him look that pleased? “I installed a video camera in my office. Temporarily. And you just happened to be caught in a very compromising position.” While she sputtered, he knelt in front of her and cupped her knees in his hands. “Sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen. Thank you for giving it to me.”

  “Giving it to you? I didn’t give it. I didn’t know… Oh my God.” She covered her face in her hands.

  He pried them away. “You gave it to me,” he said softly. “Because believe me, no one will get that disc away from me even if they have to bury me with it in my cold, dead hands. It’s mine.”

  She pursed her lips. Why was she so mortified? She’d become a semi-regular at a voyeurism club. So he’d seen her touch herself. He’d seen that and more in the past week anyway. But something about it happening in his office, before they’d been lovers… “
You don’t think I’m some sort of weirdo?”

  “Well, yeah, but I don’t mind.” He laughed as she smacked his shoulder. “No, I don’t. I still can’t believe you went for it at work, but hell, I appreciate your creativity.”

  “Thank you.” She nodded, trying to keep a straight face. “That means a lot coming from my boss.” After a moment, she bit her lip. “It was sexy? For real?”

  “Oh yeah.” The heat in his eyes told her succinctly that he wasn’t lying. “Someday I may even let you watch it, if you’re a good girl.”

  “I’m always good.” She blinked innocently. “Especially when I’m bad.”

  “No arguments there.” He rose and looked at his watch. “Now, Ms. Crossman, I do believe you’re extremely late. Your great boss can only overlook that for so long. Especially since his sister is your immediate supervisor and she’ll scream his ear off if she’s down a manager much longer.” The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Plus I’m pretty sure you’ll need to stop by your place to change for work, as much as I liked that red dress on you.”

  Kelly grinned and got to her feet. “Indeed. Speaking of my red dress, where’d you put it?”

  * * * * *

  The evening came more quickly than he wished. If he’d ever anticipated a business meeting less, he didn’t remember it. He didn’t even know why. The Sinclairs visited every few months and usually liked to spend a few hours with him, going over the numbers, discussing their vision. Tonight was actually an excellent time for a meeting, what with all he and Kelly had discussed that afternoon. He was determined they hear what he had to say.

  He liked them well enough and always enjoyed talking about the store—he was damn proud of how well they were doing with the expansion and otherwise—but tonight’s get-together filled him with dread. He’d mentioned the meeting to Mr. Sinclair that afternoon, trying to feel him out, but he’d gotten the distinct impression the man had no desire to discuss it. Something felt very off.

  And when a gorgeous brunette clad in a sapphire-blue slip dress strolled up to the corner table he’d arranged for them at Retreat, the very same table where he’d sat with Kelly and her friends the night before, he understood why.

  “Hello, Spencer.” Diana’s smile reminded him of the sun’s rays glittering on the Atlantic—blinding, beautiful and impossible to stare at for more than a moment without getting a headache. “Long time, no see.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Spencer’s gut knotted and for the briefest instant, his cock stirred. He couldn’t help his instinctive reaction to her now any more than he’d been able to five years ago. Her voice was all smoky suggestion, offering nights of pleasure and mornings without recrimination. But her eyes were the same cold, flat blue.

  “Diana.” His voice was cool, remote and devoid of any expression. “I was expecting your parents.”

  “They decided to go to Jamaica for the week rather than spend it here, looking at dreary books.” Her mouth flattened when he didn’t rise to pull out her chair as he always had. After a long moment, she took the seat opposite him.

  Kelly never let him get to a door or a chair first. She was used to doing things for herself. One way of many she and his ex-lover were as different as summer and winter.

  “I’m surprised to hear you call the books dreary. Our profits exceeded our projections by one percent this quarter. In this economy, that’s huge. Not to mention our margins, which improved by—”

  She laughed.At him. “It’s always business with you, isn’t it, Spence? Even with everything that’s between us, you can’t bother to take a minute to catch up with an old friend.”

  He tapped his thumb on his thigh as he worked at keeping his face neutral. “If you were a friend, maybe I’d take a minute. At best, you’re an ex. At worst, you’re inconsequential.”

  Her teeth flashed. “You wish.”

  He waved away the waiter who attempted to take their drink order. No way was he staying.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as soon as they were alone again. “If your parents are unavailable, I’ll contact them to reschedule.”

  “Impatient, aren’t we, darling?” She leaned forward and clasped her hands between her breasts, the tips of her blood-red nails skimming generous flesh. “Have a hot date?”

  He thought of making love to Kelly earlier, of inhaling her laughter in between kisses and sharing sandwiches in the car during the ride back to work. Then they’d gone at each other in earnest in the parking lot, where anyone could have seen.

  She made him feel too much. But he couldn’t resist her. He didn’t want to try.

  More than anything, he wanted to be spending this last night before he left in her arms. Hearing her voice, swallowing her moans. Kelly was the living, breathing, unbearably exciting present. Diana was his very dead past.

  “Yes, actually, I do. So if this isn’t about business, I’m leaving.”

  “I recognize that hungry look. You used to look at me like that almost as often as you got a hard-on over something to do with the store.” Her meandering fingers moved dangerously close to her nipples. “You always were insatiable.”

  “Only when I didn’t get what I need. I’m remarkably satisfied now.” Even though it wasn’t close to being true, watching her stiffen was worth the lie. He made a show of glancing at his watch. “I’m running out of time. Is there a point to this visit?”

  “I’d hoped we could share a meal, reminisce a bit, but you’ve never been one to enjoy idly passing the time. Glad to see some things have remained the same.”

  You’re so wrong. But he said nothing.

  “My parents are getting older and they’re starting to think more about retirement. Since my circumstances have changed,” he shot his gaze to her ring finger and saw that it was bare, “reclaiming my position in the business has re-entered the conversation.”

  Keeping his cool meant not thinking too hard or too much about what all this might mean. “Why? You never gave a damn about the store.”

  “You still call it ‘the store’ as if we’re this quaint little operation. As if we don’t have five locations, with four more opening by the end of the year. Some might see us as biting off more than we can chew, especially now. But that proves how committed we are. It also shows we’ve moved way beyond your narrow conceptions.”

  “When I came on board, there was only the one, the second being built,” he said in as even a voice as he could manage. “If you forget the first, the rest don’t matter. So you’re toying with working at the store again,” he said deliberately.

  “Not toying. The decision’s been made. I’m going to be Virginia’s new regional manager.”

  He stiffened his spine against the fury he wouldn’t let loose. She couldn’t be serious. She’d lost her goddamn mind.

  “I must be hearing you incorrectly. I’m going to be the new regional manager in Virginia. That’s been in the works since shortly after ground broke on the new stores.”

  “Not any longer. I was originally offered the position as regional manager in South Carolina, but those stores are barely off the ground. Virginia’s almost ready to roll.”

  “Of course it’s almost ready to roll. Who the fuck do you think got it that way? Those two stores in Virginia have been mine since day one. The plan has always been to—”

  “Plans change, Spence. That’s business.” She glanced at her naked left hand. “That’s life. My parents love me. They want me happy, and Virginia’s where I’ll be happiest. You can take the RM position in South Carolina or you can stay here. Or,” she licked her lips with one slow roll of her tongue, “you can come to Virginia with me. I’ve been told Roanoke’s your special focus. I could create a district manager position for you.”

  “How generous.”

  Rage didn’t begin to cover the tumult of emotions crashing through him. Anger, betrayal, disappointment—hell, he was running the whole damn gamut.

  “What I want is the position I was given. I was suppos
ed to manage those stores until they were turning a profit, the first year at least. How are you going to step into a situation you’ve been completely out of for half a decade? You don’t know what we’ve done or our plans. You don’t know the staff. You don’t know a goddamn thing about what it will take to make those stores succeed.”

  “Ah, but if you come with me, I will, now won’t I? You’ll be rewarded handsomely, I assure you.”

  The predatory gleam in her eyes let him know without a doubt his compensation would go far beyond money. His stomach soured. God, had he really been in love with this woman? Or had he deluded himself into thinking the crazy infatuation he’d felt for her had been love? Did he even know the difference?

  Maybe this was a good object lesson for him all the way around.

  “Your parents and I reached an agreement that I would take over those stores. If you’re telling me that agreement is being revoked without cause, that’s a violation of the law.”

  “Did you sign anything?” His silence caused her to smile, slowly. “Oh darling, didn’t I teach you anything about getting everything on the dotted line? Verbal promises don’t hold up in court.”

  “You think not? The law says otherwise.”

  “Good luck proving your case. If you want to drain your resources on a no-win situation, that’s your choice. But I wouldn’t recommend it.” She shook her head as if he were so pathetically ignorant she couldn’t even be bothered with annoyance. “My parents have come to appreciate you, Spencer, but you’re not blood and I am.”

  He reached for the cell phone tucked in his jacket pocket. “Let’s just see if your parents really agree with all of this, shall we?”

  “Go ahead. Call them.” Her expression never changed. “But keep in mind they nearly fired you after they discovered our affair. I’m the one who saved your ass and begged for you to be allowed to stay. And I walked away from my own job to give it to you. Because of me, you got exactly the position you wanted.”