Until now she hadn’t noticed that the only time she’d seen him so animated recently was the night he’d tossed Connor out. Otherwise, his eye color seemed dull. Having an identified target seemed to give her father his fire back. “Hear him out,” she suggested. “You’ll have your turn.”
“I need to see the bylaws. Where the hell are my bylaws?” He yanked open the bottom desk drawer.
“Section eight,” she replied. “The CFO can call an emergency meeting. So can a quorum. And section eleven, board members serve at the discretion of the chairman, which is you. But all immediate family members automatically have seats if they’re over the age of twenty-one. And spouses are also included.”
“Damn Helene had her fingers in that, too. That clause wasn’t in there until we got married. Always was a conniving opportunist.”
“That’s my mother you’re talking about,” she reminded him. “I think she’s quite clever.”
“I never said she wasn’t.”
Finally, Lara sat. “You will always be heard. You will always be valued and respected. But it’s time we considered some different directions and strategies. And if you want time to be on the golf course, you’ve earned it.”
“If you think I’m staying away while that Donovan bastard sits in this chair—”
“I think he’d find it too uncomfortable. And so would I.” After checking her watch, she said, “We’re due in the conference room at five. We will start without you if necessary.”
* * * *
Lara Bertrand, his future bride, was a force to be reckoned with, and Connor had never been prouder.
At four-thirty, he’d stepped off the elevator on the eighteenth floor of the building that housed BHI. Helene had been waiting for him, and she’d shown him to Lara’s office.
The place had taken him aback. He was accustomed to seeing her in her personal surroundings, and the wide space with clean lines and its lack of clutter surprised him, showed him another dimension to her. The more he saw, the more he appreciated her.
She’d said the meeting with Pernell had gone as well as could be expected, and she had no predictions about the way he would behave at the board meeting.
Together, the three of them had walked to the conference room.
She’d already had water, agendas, copies of the corporation’s bylaws, notepads and pens placed at each setting. True to Helene’s nature, a plate of chocolate chip cookies had been set on a credenza, next to a pile of napkins.
If he’d had any doubt of the pair’s ability to get things done, they’d have vanished in that moment.
The projector had been set up for his slide show. The whiteboard was empty and pens were lined up in the tray.
Lara and Helene greeted each board member as they arrived, and they introduced Connor. Between his brother’s research, his own reading and information gleaned from Helene and Lara, he was able to smoothly interact with each member.
At five o’clock, each person had taken a seat.
By five after, Pernell still hadn’t arrived, and Lara grabbed her phone and excused herself from the room.
When she returned, Connor was unable to read her expression. People started talking among themselves, and he heard whispers as they wondered about Pernell’s absence and what Lara intended to do about it.
She waited five more minutes before she stood and thanked everyone for their attendance. Her voice rang with authority, and the board members looked to her for leadership. Despite the fact that this was a position she’d maintained she didn’t want, it obviously came naturally.
He sat back now and watched her.
“Last week, Connor Donovan approached us with an offer to purchase the communications division.”
He noticed she hadn’t placed the blame on her father, an astute and adept move.
“On further reflection, I’d like us to reconsider the offer. Yes, it’s low.” She looked at him. “But it’s an excellent place to begin. Ultimately we may decide it’s not in BHI’s best interest, but we owe it to ourselves to look at it. I will have a copy for you at the end of the meeting, but with your permission, I’d like Connor to give us a short presentation, outlining potential benefits.”
For the next hour, Connor went through his slides. His team had done an excellent job of animating the presentation. Thompson had admitted that they’d gotten some help from a couple of Julien’s associates in his new movie division. In fact, Connor recognized the music that played at the end as a more refined version of Julien’s theme song.
Regardless, it was both showy and informative.
He answered dozens of questions, and provided some quick math on the whiteboard.
When there was a natural break, Lara stood, as they’d planned. “BHI has had three quarters of losses, as you know. The time has come for us to fully explore the changing landscape of our business to create a workable and profitable future. We need to be ruthless and unflinching in our expectations and vision. We need to offload unprofitable divisions, sell them if possible. And we need to focus on the things we do well. Transportation, shipping, logistics, energy.”
Mary, the woman at the far end of the table stood. “Pretty snazzy graphics, Lara and Connor.” From her tone, it wasn’t a compliment. “But we need more than cute cartoons.”
One person laughed a bit nervously.
“Of course we do,” Lara agreed. “Which is why you’ve got the last year’s financials in your packet.” She opened the manila folder that was in front of her and she had Helene distribute a new set of papers. “But since it can be difficult to make sense of it, I brought this.” The page showed the last five years’ profit and loss statements converted to a chart, by division. Out of six divisions, one was wildly profitable. Another had respectable earnings. One was hemorrhaging cash. “Of course, I’m more than happy to consider suggestions from the board. But I will tell you this much, while the communications division has some real value, we need to divest it. The longer we wait, the more employees we lose, the longer the patents sit unused, the less it will be worth. And that affects everyone’s value. Even yours, Mary.”
“So where does Pernell stand on all of this?” another man asked.
“You’re welcome to ask him,” she said. “The bylaws grant us the authority to act without the chairman if he’s not in attendance.”
Lara continued, “To be clear and reiterate a point, I’m not asking anyone to make any decisions today. That would be unfair. I wanted you to see and hear the Donovan Worldwide proposal, and I wanted you to have a chance to meet Connor. As of Friday afternoon, he will be my husband, and therefore entitled to a seat on the board.”
Around the table, a few glances were exchanged, and one person nodded.
“We’ll convene again in two weeks.”
After Lara and Helene fielded a few more questions, Lara adjourned the meeting. As he’d suspected, there were numerous questions about the upcoming wedding.
A couple of times, he glanced across at Lara. He saw her talk to each person. She focused intently on them, actively listening.
She was a hell of a skilled communicator.
At first, the advantages of marrying her had been obvious. And now he saw the way she’d be an asset to Donovan Worldwide. She’d be an excellent hostess, as well as an adept partner. If he’d been looking to make a strategic move for Donovan, he couldn’t have planned it better.
His musings were interrupted when Mary approached him. “I don’t like surprises, Connor. And I don’t know what the hell you’ve done to move Pernell out of the way, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“Understood.”
“I’m telling you, I don’t like underhanded moves.”
He offered his business card, but she ignored it.
Other than that, and Pernell’s absence, the meeting had gone as well as any of them had dared hope.
The other members filtered out, leaving him alone with Helene and Lara.
“You’ve got
my vote,” Helene told them.
“Mary’s going to be tricky,” Lara warned.
“There’s always one,” Helene said. “I’ll have lunch with her. Maybe invite her to be part of the Friday Afternoon Soirée.” She promised to follow up with the other members of the board as well, then left them alone.
“You did well, Lara.”
“As did you, Mr. Donovan.”
“Quite the team.” He opened his arms and she went into them. Nothing felt more right or seemed more natural.
Unable to keep his hands off her for one more minute, he put one hand on her ass cheeks and drew her closer.
She looped her hands around his neck.
Chemistry throbbed, demanding consummation. “I want to get you home,” he said.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Something to make you forget, entirely, about today.”
“That’s a hell of a tall order.”
“I’m sure you’ll let me know how I do.”
Unable to help herself, she initiated the contact, brushing her lips against his.
That seemed to be all the incentive he needed.
Connor claimed her mouth and her response. He tasted of success and promise, and every part of her intuitively responded to that.
More and more, the idea of having someone in her life to count on was becoming seductive. Though she’d tried to keep Connor and his determination to have more than a business arrangement at bay, when she succumbed, things were just easier.
At the board meeting, she’d been aware of his quiet presence. Not only had he given support, he had been content to let her lead the meeting, never speaking up, except as they’d agreed. When her father hadn’t shown up, he hadn’t given any advice. Instead, he’d waited.
More than that, he’d been right when he’d said they’d been a good team.
She was beginning to wonder how she’d managed without him.
It was so, so tempting to lean in, count on his strength, but part of her knew better. In some ways, their two-year commitment seemed like an eternity. In other ways, it was only a wink of time. She had to remember to count on herself, not him.
But right now, forgetting today was a hell of an idea.
Facing her father had been necessary, and she had no regrets. But that didn’t mean it hadn’t cost her in terms of emotional energy.
Connor ended the kiss, but not until she was consumed with thoughts of him being inside her.
He had helped her clean up the conference room and power off all the electronics. Then they’d returned to her office so she could shred the financial statements and agendas that had been left behind.
While she slipped into more comfortable shoes and took off her blazer, he notified April they were ready to be picked up.
“Got everything?” he asked.
She tucked her purse and shoes into her work bag and slung it over her shoulder.
“Let me.”
Even though she objected, he took the bag from her. “Is this part of your weightlifting program?” he asked.
“I move it from arm to arm all day,” she teased back.
In the lobby, she waved goodnight to the security guard.
“It was nice to see your mom,” the woman called out. “And she brought me a chocolate chip cookie. Can’t believe she remembered that after all this time.”
“I didn’t get one,” Lara told Connor when he opened the door for her.
“Or dinner,” he said. “Do you want to stop for something, or go straight for the sex?”
“After the way you kissed me? Is that really a question?” she asked.
April was already waiting, and she delivered them to the front of Connor’s high-rise in under ten minutes.
“I could get used to this,” Lara confessed.
“It saves significant amounts of time.”
“And it’s pretty damn luxurious.” It would have taken longer to walk to the parking garage and get in her car than it did to get to Connor’s home.
Once they were inside the loft, he locked the door.
At the purposeful sound, her pulse hitched.
“Join me in the playroom, little Lara, and present for me, there.”
As always, his choice of those very specific words tripped something deep inside her. She knew he meant for her to have that reaction. Within seconds, they changed her focus and her state of mind. But it wasn’t just the words, it was his tone. It allowed for no arguments or hesitations, and warmth rippled through her. “Yes, Sir,” she said.
She followed him down the hallway. At some point, he’d moved the spanking bench so that it was almost in the middle of the floor. He’d also adjusted the platforms so that one was significantly higher than the other.
Instead of prompting her, he simply waited.
After kicking off her shoes, she removed her dress.
“You can put your clothes on top of the dresser.”
Aware of his heated gaze on her, she moved past him and did as he said. He folded his arms and watched her shimmy out of her underwear and bra.
He didn’t say a word as she went to middle of the room, near the bench, and knelt. She exhaled, spread her legs, then lowered her gaze and put her hands on her thighs.
For a long time, he allowed silence to stretch. She concentrated on her breathing, channeling her inner patience as she waited for him.
“Have you noticed how natural that’s becoming?”
“Yes, Sir.” She couldn’t deny that. Her movements were more natural, and she felt significantly less embarrassed.
“So beautiful. Come to me, Lara.”
Focusing on him and his command, she crawled to him.
“Kneel up,” he instructed.
Once she had, he softly said, “Take off my belt.”
Lara went totally still. He’d remembered her telling him about it, and he was making her fantasies come true. Even though she’d spent time visualizing it, nothing could have prepared her for the reality, the pulse of his command.
She looked up at him. He was staring at her intently. In an unguarded moment, she saw softness in his eyes. He might keep an emotional wall between them, but there was little doubt he felt something for her.
“Do it now, Lara.”
Nerves and excitement combined and plummeted through her, as if she were on a carnival ride. She fumbled with the buckle, and he stood there, not helping her. She was aware of his cock pressing against his slacks and of his restrained power.
Finally, she got the belt loose. She pulled the leather through the loops, and she shivered.
Since she wasn’t sure what to do next, she folded the length over and offered it to him.
“Exactly right,” he told her, accepting the belt. “Now, to the bench.”
She went to it and positioned herself on it, kneeling on the lower platform and putting her chest on the upper portion.
“Would you like to be secured in place?”
“It’s up to you, Sir.”
“Thank you for that. The choice is yours.”
“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”
“Maybe more than the single tail. I didn’t use a lot of force, and this will cover a wider area and leave more of a stripe than a bite.”
“In that case, please tie me,” she replied.
He put his belt on her back. The leather still bore his body heat.
After securing her, he said, “Now for the warm-up.”
This part, she was starting to look forward to. She knew it was to help prevent bruising, but it created intimacy and helped her prepare her mind as much as her body.
“How many stripes would you like, Lara?”
In her fantasies, she’d never been asked that question. “Ah… I don’t know how to answer.” What was the number between too many and not enough? “Whatever you say, Sir.”
He was still rubbing her skin, relaxing her with every touch. “Let’s start with eight, with the option of another eight before I f
uck your ass.”
“What?” She turned her head to the side. Instinctively, she clenched her buttocks. “Sir. Connor.”
He moved onto gentle smacks, and pressure built inside her. Since he’d teased her earlier, she’d already been somewhat aroused. He was a master at erotic seduction. “You’re insane.”
“Insane, Sir.” He pinched her.
“You are insane, Sir.”
“You’ll ask for it,” he vowed.
“I’ve never asked for it before, Sir.”
“Have you ever done it?”
“No.”
“You’ve had my finger up your ass.”
“I think that’s different.”
“Relax your buttocks, sub.”
Despite the instructions, his words kept her on edge.
He continued to rub her. “Close your eyes. Give up the fight.”
She did.
Then she felt him take the belt off her.
“Stay in that same place.”
She nodded.
“Eight,” he reminded her.
He gave her the first two lightly, across the fleshiest part of her rear. It was no more than a tease. Seductive. “More,” she said.
“That’s two,” he responded. “Now three and four.” He placed another one, lower, then lower still.
This was a totally different experience from the spanking or the single tail. As he’d said, it covered a larger area, not just in terms of length, but in terms of width. There was so much more surface to connect with her skin, a broader area to burn into her.
“Halfway.”
The next was harsher, and she yelped.
He paused for a moment and waited for her to nod.
The sixth, he seared across her buttocks. She screamed. It was more than she’d expected, everything she’d hoped.
“Seven,” he said, counting in advance.
He landed it on an upstroke, forcing her forward, making her grab hold of her restraints for extra support.
“Damn!”
“One more,” he promised.
It landed on top of the last, sizzling with ferocity.
He then gently stroked between her legs, made her wet. That he’d done it differently than she’d expected made the touch even more stunning and welcome.
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