by K. J. Lewis
“You’re sweet.” Her smile is genuine and it pulls at something unfamiliar in my chest.
“Enjoy your movie.” I stand and make my way across the plane to my office whistling for Nova to follow. He looks at me as if he has no idea who I am and lays down at Elise’s feet. This tickles her and I shake my head leaving them in the cabin.
I try to accomplish some work, but frustrated I close my laptop. I can’t seem to concentrate my thoughts on anything other than the woman on my plane.
This won’t do, I think as I head to the en suite to brush my teeth. I don’t have the time to be distracted by a woman, much less one that will soon be my subordinate. Not to mention that, as a rule, I don’t do relationships. I have fuck buddies and that gets me where I need to go. Why am I even thinking about this? It’s not like I can screw her to get her out of my system. Can I? Technically, I’m not her boss yet. Maybe she would be in to simply hooking up. She seems like a girl who can detach herself from the emotional side of things. She is a fixer, after all. One of the best in the business. I’ve done quite a bit of research on her. If there’s a problem, she’s who you want running the show. She doesn’t need Theo. She could have gone out on her own already, making Theo’s company the second best. Theo has admitted as much.
That’s why I went to Philadelphia today. I wanted to see her in action, see what I was really getting in this deal. Never did I expect her to walk in the door. Hips and legs that go on forever. And her breasts. God, her breasts. I close my eyes and remember how I caught her rubbing them earlier. The thought is all it takes to get me instantly hard, my balls aching for relief. I can’t walk around in this condition and am forced to take matters in my own hands- irritated I can’t control my body’s errant response to Elise. Increasing the speed of my hand, I feel the electricity shooting down my spine and landing in my balls as I come hard, stroking myself through my orgasm. Fuck! That was fast. Cursing my lack of control, I clean up and change into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. We have about thirty minutes before we start our decent. Thinking about the draw I feel to her, I enter the cabin in hopes of getting a drink. Plus, I’m curious to see what movie she has chosen.
“I see you found my Har…” I stop talking when I realize there’s no one to listen. Elise is sound asleep with her head on the arm of the leather couch. Her legs are pulled up and Nova is laying curled into her behind her legs with his head on the crevice of her knees. I watch her for a solid minute. Locating a blanket in the console, I bend to cover her. Her eyelashes fan across her cheeks, and I notice she isn’t wearing makeup. She really is beautiful. Stunning even. I place an errant lock of hair behind her ear before I run my finger over her lobe, and I can’t stop myself from placing a kiss to her temple. Her hand comes up to caress the side of my face and I freeze like a deer caught in headlights, but she’s still fast asleep. I smile at her choice of movies and head back to the office to try to work again while Harry and Malfoy fight on screen.
I wrap up my emails and exit the office when the captain signals that we are preparing to land. Elise has her legs curled under her and is petting Nova.
“Thank you,” she says lifting the blanket on her lap.
I shake my head like I don’t know what she is talking about. “Must have been Shawn. Buckle up,” I instruct and take a seat opposite to do the same. It’s a smooth landing, and it’s no time at all till we taxi to a stop.
Elise exits ahead of me. She thanks the flight crew and gives Shawn a thank-you hug on her way to exit the plane. I roll my eyes at his confused smile. He has no idea that she is thanking him for the blanket. That fucker got my hug, I grumble to myself.
We take the seven steps to the ground, and I have to stop to help Nova down. When I turn back around, Elise is in a sprint towards Theo, and I watch as she propels herself at him. He must have been expecting it because he doesn’t falter. His head is thrown back in laughter when she wraps her arms and legs around him and peppers him with kisses all over his face.
“I missed you, too, sweetheart,” I hear him say, and I see complete love on his face for this girl.
“Give a man a chance, will ya?” he says, taking his arms off her, laughing when she tightens her grip to keep herself in place. Elise places another kiss on his cheek before she slides down his body and wraps her arms around his waist.
“Reid.” He leaves one arm around Elise and offers the other one to me.
“Theo.” I shake his hand.
“God, I missed you,” she tells him.
“Never again,” Theo says. “Six weeks is too long.” He kisses the top of her head. “Need help with your bags?”
“Nah. Coop will bring them with him.” I gesture to my right-hand man. Coop’s main responsibility is security for me, my family, and my businesses. He also handles the day-to-day items.
“Was he on the plane the whole time?” Elise asked. She must recognize him as the man who put Harold Smith in an arm lock.
“Yes. It’s his job to be discreet.” For some reason my comment causes her to blush.
“Hungry?” Theo asks.
“We ate on the plane,” she answers climbing into the back of a large Tahoe. “Come on, boy.” She leans forward to help Nova up. I lift his hind legs and he settles in the seat next to her. I slide into the front passenger seat next to Theo, who is driving.
“I didn’t mind sitting in the back,” I say to Elise.
“It’s about an hour to the resort. I’m going to take a nap.”
“You just had one.”
“And I’m going to have another. I’ve had about three hours of sleep a night for the last six weeks. I’m exhausted and I plan on getting some much needed rest this week.”
Her honesty is refreshing. If she were a man in her position, she would never admit she was tired. It’s not long before we hear her slow even breathing, and I turn to see she is out.
“Dude. No,” Theo says.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” I face the road.
“Yes, you do. And I’m saying no.”
I turn to face him. “It doesn’t bother Ross how close you are?”
“Why should it? Our relationship is completely platonic.”
“You’re telling me you have no sexual feelings for her.”
“No, dipshit. I’m gay. Elise is like a partner I don’t have sex with.”
“So Ross gets your dick but Elise gets your heart.”
“What the fuck? No. Ross is my soulmate. My heart. Elise is my best friend. She will always have a place in my heart only for her. Ross understands and wouldn’t want it any other way. He adores Elise. Why are you trying to define my relationship and place parameters around it?”
“You told her about the merger. Do you know how many legal clauses you broke by doing that? I am purchasing your business. Not hers.”
“So sue me.” His I-couldn’t-give-a-fuck attitude makes me want to punch him.
“All I’m saying is I am about to take this business to the next level, and I’m not convinced of her loyalty. Does she work with the intensity she does now because she wants to please you? What if you think one thing and I think another? I will have controlling interest. Will she be able to fall in line? It’s just muddies things is all I’m saying.”
“Elise is loyal to a fault. And not just to me. If you treat her right, you will never have a more trustworthy ally.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“I think you are pushing back because of what I saw on the conference call today. And I’m telling you, no.”
The forcefulness of his voice pulls my chin up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. That said, I’m not so sure you would be okay with anyone.”
“If someone proves to cherish Els’ heart the way I do, I would gladly hand over the reins.”
“You really are a chauvinistic son-of-a-bitch.” I laugh at his highhandedness.
“I’d advise you not to talk about my mom like that.” He turns onto a secluded highw
ay leading into the mountains. “Look, I can be arrogant about Elise, because I know Elise. Better than I know myself. You won’t have any problems with her loyalty.”
I don’t offer a response, and we sit in silence as we make our way along the curve of the mountains. It’s beautiful here.
“So, where is this place we’re staying?” I attempt to bring us back to a conversation we are more comfortable with.
“It’s a luxury team retreat owned by a former BC classmate of Elise’s. Corporations use it all the time for team building and helping their people think outside of the box. This is our third time to come. The team is already there. You two are the last to arrive.”
“Please tell me we aren’t in tents in the middle of the woods.”
“I told you it was a luxury resort. There are several campsites, each with their own penthouse chalet and several smaller chalets. There was a mix-up with the booking and we are short a chalet, so Elise has to bunk with us.”
“Us?”
“Yes. I had us in the two-bedroom penthouse chalet. No one likes to bunk with Elise, so I drew the short end of the straw and she’s staying in my room.”
“Why doesn’t anyone like to stay with Elise?”
“She hogs the bed and sleeps like an octopus: eight limbs and suctioned to you,” he laughs and pulls to a stop outside of a large two-story building. “We’re here.” He turns off the car. There’s another SUV like this one in the drive. “Elise, baby.” He wakes her. “We’re here.”
“What cabin am I in?” she asks, stretching.
“We were short a room, so you are bunking with me.”
“Ugh. Really?”
I’m amused she seems so put out by the news.
“You don’t want to stay with me?” Theo laughs climbing out of the Tahoe.
Elise catches my glance and rolls her eyes. “He hogs the bed,” she whispers to me. Theo opens her door to help her out and then lifts Nova down. “There ya go, buddy.” He pats Nova’s head.
The outside of the building looks like a standard chalet, but entering through the double doors I can see what Theo meant when he said luxury. The rounded chalet is built into the mountain, and the sixteen-foot ceilings offer an unobstructed picture of the hills surrounding us. The view is breathtaking.
We enter into a large open area that has a state-of-the-art kitchen, a dining area for twelve, and a living area that is large, but made cozy by the furnishings. From here I can see a wraparound balcony. There are two doors off this room on opposite sides of each other.
“That’s the hallway to your wing.” Theo points to the left. “Elise, you and I are on the right.”
“Ross doesn’t care that you sleep together?” I raise a brow as Elise walks to their wing.
“Does she have a dick?” Theo tosses back with a growl.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“No, but you know how to be one.” I can tell he is over my pettiness about his relationship with Elise. And frankly, I have no idea why I care, other than I’m not sure it is the best situation for our business.
“Our room is amaz—” Elise is cutoff as she walks back into the living area.
“Brace yourself,” Theo tells her as the front door opens and a swarm of folks enter.
“Elise!” Several of them yell and charge for her. The volume level rises several notches. I take a step back and watch. I know from the employee files who everyone is and their role on Theo’s team. She greets each of them with a kiss and an embrace, and I’m taken with the way she makes each one of them feel special. It’s telling. About her. About Theo’s team.
The girls continue to talk a mile a minute as she is passed around from person to person. Some of the guys lift her off the ground as they hug her. It’s obvious that it’s been a while since they have seen her, and it’s clear that they respect her. The commotion settles and Elise is left standing with Ryan’s arm draped over her shoulders. Gabby is on her right holding her hand.
“Guys, I’d like you to meet our friend, Reid Beckett. He’s going to hang with us this week.”
I greet them and they respond in kind. It will be interesting to see how this team performs this week. A close knit team can be great for a business or it can be disastrous. This week should give me a pretty good idea which way this seesaw balances.
“Please tell me you’re cooking tonight,” Fran asks. “I haven’t had a decent meal since you left.”
“Fran,” Theo scolds. “Let’s give her a night to rest. I have the staff cooking for everyone.”
“I don’t mind,” Elise offers, smiling at Theo. Theo firmly mouths the word “no” to her.
“I’ll cook tomorrow night guys,” she promises and leans over to place a kiss to Fran’s temple.
“All right,” the guy I recognize as Blake says. “Let’s re-convene for dinner at seven. And then…”
Everyone shouts, “Drunk Jenga!”
“I don’t know about that, guys. Drunk Jenga on our first night? I’m still recovering from the last time we played.”
“Six weeks, Elise,” Gabby says. “You’ve been gone six weeks. I don’t care what Theo says, we are spending time with our girl tonight.”
“Fine. We have an hour and a half before dinner. Let me rest and I’ll be ready.” My smile must satisfy them because they file out one-by-one and give me a few minutes to myself before jumping into a night with my work family.
“Drunk Jenga?” I look over my right shoulder at the voice.
“It’s exactly as it sounds,” I laugh and shake my head at Reid. “Welcome to Jacobs Inc.”
I head into my room. Even though I’ve napped an hour on the plane and an hour in the car, I am still exhausted. If tonight is like the last time we played, it will be a while before we are in bed.
“Everyone leave?” Theo asks, coming out of the closet.
“Yes. They’ll be back in time for dinner.”
“I’m sorry our dinner plans got changed. I didn’t think it was right to leave Reid on his own with the team while we went to eat. Plus, I had to promise the girls dinner so I wouldn’t have to take them to the airport with me.”
“It’s alright. The team would have been disappointed we weren’t all together anyway.”
“Want to go for a run?” he asks, sliding into his tennis shoes. He’s wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt.
“Your body.” I shake my head. No other words are necessary.
“You’re a darlin’.” He gives me his mega-watt smile. “I missed you.” He wraps his arms around me, and we stand for a couple of minutes just enjoying the feel of one another. This is the land of comfort for me. Solace. It’s like being held by my dad or Knox, my brother. Like no matter what is going on in my day, I am safe and loved.
“Ready?” There’s a knock at the door. Reid is standing there.
“Reid and I are going running. See you when we get back.” Theo kisses the top of my head and they leave. I take a few minutes to unpack my bags before pulling off my leggings and climbing into bed. I hit the shades to send the room into darkness. I have really missed everyone. I wonder how they will handle the news that Theo is selling control of Jacobs Inc. to Reid.
I trust Theo and I know that he is trying to position himself so that he and Ross have more time to start a family. This is the path he thinks will get him there. Ross’ career has taken the backseat to his for the last seven years, and Theo wants him to have his chance at building his practice. With the sale of the company, Theo wouldn’t have to work ever again, but his intention is to stay on as President with a lighter workload.
Releasing a long breath, I close my eyes and try to relax into the heavenly encasement of luxury bedding. The one thing my friend Owen knows how to do is run a luxury resort. This bed is dreamy.
I replay today’s meeting in my mind again. I mentally catalog the items we need to learn from to make sure it never takes us so long to find the hidden bomb we found with Harold Smith’s company. It worked out for us th
is time, but we won’t always be that lucky.
I think about the way Reid’s hand felt on my stomach and the jolt I felt when he shook my hand. The way he looked when I caught him watching me apply lotion on the plane. The way it felt when he covered me with a blanket and kissed my head. His skin under my fingers when I caressed his face. I can still smell him after his shower, clean like the outdoors. A moan escapes me. I giggle thinking about the funny look he gave Shawn when I hugged him for the blanket Reid denied giving me.
I think idly of the soft, dark curls that frame his angular face. He could use a trim, I think. Where Theo is prep-school pretty, Reid is handsome in a powerful way. I had to stop myself from staring at him while we were eating, wondering what it would be like to lick his one and only dimple. Another soft moan escapes me and my heartbeat quickens. I was so lost in my thoughts about Reid, I wasn’t focused on the fact that my fingers have been between my legs working my clit into a hard bud.
I bring my free hand up to massage my breast while moving my exploring fingers under my panties to find myself soaked at the thoughts of Reid. Shit, this man is going to be my boss. What the hell is wrong with me? But even as I ask it, I can’t stop. My hips are already undulating on their own and my body is in control. My mind has taken a back seat.
Giving into it, I imagine Reid’s hands on me. What it would feel like to be taken by him. Knowing I am alone, I don’t censor my cries when an orgasm rips through me causing my body to bow off the bed. My chest moves at a rapid rate while my hand rests on my breast and the other rests against my sex. I do the only thing I can at that point: roll over and sleep. If I stick my head in the sand and ignore it, it’ll go away, right?
“Hey, babe.” I hear Theo’s voice from a distance. “Els.” It comes closer and I hear a chuckle. “Baby, it’s time to get up. The team will be here soon.” When I don’t respond, he brings his lips to my ears and kisses my earlobe. “I’m turning on the lamp,” he warns before filling the room with light.