by Starr, Tara
“I don’t want it to be too bold,” I tell Giovanni, who just nods patiently. “It needs to have a kind of understated elegance, but tasteful at the same time. We can visit our manufacturing floor afterwards, just so you can see exactly what I mean.”
“Hmm. I see,” he merely replies, jotting what I’m saying on his notepad. I feel so anxious about bringing him aboard—after all he’s one of the best designers in the industry—that I actually have to resist the urge to snag his notebook and read every word he’s noting down.
I want this to be perfect, you know?
This is the final showdown, and everything’s on the line now. If I screw this up, I won’t have another chance like this in my lifetime. Sure, getting to know Austin was already worth the price of admission, but it’d be a shame if I stopped there.
I mean, we’re talking about almost $2 billion. Do you even know how much money that is? Enough for me to sleep on a mattress made of 100 dollar bills, that’s for sure.
But those billions are going to sit in Austin’s bank account soon enough if I don’t crush him. I actually feel bad that I’ll have to face him again—and this time it’ll be to the death—but there’s no way around it. The Clarendon Tower job could be my masterpiece, and I’m not willing to let go of the opportunity.
“Well, Ms. Armstrong, I think I have everything I need from you.” Smiling quizzically, he gets up from his seat. “I’ll design this headboard of yours.”
“Don’t you want to visit the manufacturing floor?” I ask. “Or see some of the work Domina has done throughout the years? Just so you can see our brand philosophy.”
“I don’t need to do that. Whenever I have a potential new client, I review all of their prior work to see if we are a good fit. So I’m already very familiar with the work your company has done since its first day in business, Ms. Armstrong. And I must commend you, truly. You’ve done a spectacular job. I see a many great things in your future, if I’m allowed to say so.”
For a second, I say nothing. What do you even say to something like that?
It just feels so fake.
As if its rehearsed.
Or as if he says this to everyone he meets.
Whatever. Just as long as he gives me a headboard design that’s a showstopper.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Giannoni. I’m definitely excited about this opportunity to work with someone like you,” I tell him as he heads out, and then I return to my seat.
Grinning—and smugly at that—I open my drawer once more and grab my glass of whisky. Leaning back, I take a sip out of it and prop my feet on top of the desk. My gaze drifts outside, to the lovely street in Queens where my building is, and I start to imagine how the view must be from a high-rise office in the middle of New York.
I figure I’m going to find out soon enough, won’t I? Once I sign my name on the dotted line, a few things are going to change in this town. And I’ll start by knocking Oakmont out of their pedestal.
There’s a new Queen in town, baby.
With my hands wrapped behind my head, I let a wave of excitement wash over me. This has been a hard war, but we’re already close to the finish line. Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done—even though the centerpiece of my presentation will be the headboard, I still need to design the rest of the bedroom set.
Not that I’m worried about any of that.
I gaze down at my desk as my phone starts buzzing on top of it, and I smile as I see Austin’s name on the screen. He has quite the timing, no doubt.
“Mr. Randall, how are you this morning?” I tease him right away, unable to hide my excitement.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” he laughs from the other side of the line. “Anything you’d like to share?”
“Not particularly.” I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from revealing my plans. Although I want nothing more than to share this moment with him, I have to keep my head in the game—when it comes to business, he remains the enemy. “But it seems like you’re a good mood too.”
“I am. I have quite the surprise come competition day.”
“Makes two of us,” I say with a laugh.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to keep it under wraps. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate. What do you say about dinner today?”
Austin’s right—I definitely need a celebration.
“Dinner it is, then.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Austin
“You look stunning,” I gasp when Tess reaches me. She places her hand on my shoulder to balance, and rises onto her toes, kissing me on the cheek.
Her tits graze my chest and my muscles twitch, already aching to touch her.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she says, her breath teasing my ear.
Her tight red dress accentuates every inch of her body, and it presents her ass like it’s on a silver platter. I swear, her body was carved out by God himself, specifically with me in mind.
“Shall we?” I gesture towards the private room I reserved at Per Se. I refrain from touching her, wanting to stay a step behind her so I can keep her ass in view. I want to take advantage of this before she’s covered behind the table.
She twists her head back and shakes it when she looks at my expression. She laughs, and I can’t but laugh back. Her laugh is contagious, and I love the way she looks at me, like I’m her bad boy she needs to whip into shape. She’s the one woman who could do that anyway.
“If you didn’t want me to stare, then you shouldn’t have worn that dress,” I tease her and pull out the chair for her.
“Or you could control your urges.” She smiles, knowing exactly what she’s doing.
I reach over her, grabbing her napkin, and lay it on her lap. My lips brush against her neck and I see shivers run down her skin, her hair rising to attention.
“What’s the fun in that?” I stand up and walk over to my chair, settling across from her.
The waiter walks over, grabbing the bottle of Dom Perignon and pouring it into our respective glasses. He tells us the chef’s choice and I take the liberty and order our food, though Tess interjects placing her own order. A woman with her own mind…of course. What did I expect?
“May the best man win,” I lift my glass for her to cheers.
“You mean, woman,” She smiles and clinks our crystal together.
“I’ve never been called a woman before. But I guess there’s a first time for everything,” I wink, shrugging my shoulders. I take a sip of the bubbly and let my inevitable victory sink in.
Oh, baby. You have no idea how hard it is to keep Giannoni from her. And, to keep my win a secret from her. There’s something nagging at me, making me want to tell her, so that she can prepare or something. But the bigger, more competitive part of me shoves that feeling down into some small crevices, smothering it with my ego.
“You’re so clever,” she rolls her eyes and lets the liquid slide into her mouth.
Fuck. That’s one of the most erotic things I’ve ever seen.
“So, Ms. Armstrong, any devious plans I should look out for? Seeing as we are coming up on the final round,” I lean back, assessing her body language.
If I have something up my sleeves, I can only imagine what she has under that dress.
“Oh, Austin. Wouldn’t you like to know?” She smirks and licks up the drop of champagne at the corner of her mouth and sucking her lip in.
“That is why I asked, I do want to know,” I say.
“The point of a competition is not to reveal your secrets,” she lectures. “You should know that by now. Or do I have to remind you?”
“Oh, baby, there’s no need to remind me,” I declare. “I have my plans too, don’t you worry.”
“I never am,” she folds her elbows on the table, leaning forward. It props her cleavage up to greet me and I scoot closer, teasing my need to bury my face in those perfect tits
“Austin, my eyes.” She points her finger at me, motioning it upwards
towards her eyes. “Are up here.”
“Sorry, baby. But I like the view down there better,” I grin, and my cock stiffens in excitement.
“You’re such a…” she stammers on the last word. “You’re so juvenile.”
“No, baby. I’m a man. Remember? And if I like what I see, I go for it. It’s in my blood,” I assert, my voice lowering into a firm growl.
“So that’s why you’re so competitive? The CEO of Oakmont wants to mark his territory…everywhere,” she swirls her wrist around and rest her chin on her hand, winking playfully.
“You got me,” I tease. “No, really, I’m competitive because I had to fight for everything. Yes, Oakmont is a family business, but I still had to prove my worth. No one believed I could do this, be a CEO and make this business what it is today. Including my father. But here I am. Proving him wrong,” I toss back the champagne and the waiter rushes over to fill it up again.
A few seconds later our food arrives, and it distracts us momentarily, until Tess lowers her fork onto the table and stares at me.
“That’s admirable. The way you worked so hard and built Oakmont with no one in your corner,” she smiles and the warmth from her expression awakens something in me. But I ignore it.
“So, I have to ask. How did you become one of my fiercest competitors?” I rest my elbows on the table, focusing solely on her.
“I’m a woman. And a woman in any business needs to prove herself. Especially in this world. All my life I’ve had to fight tooth and nail for things that were handed to men. That’s why I fight and that’s why I don’t take no for an answer. I got where I am today because of that. It makes me a better businesswoman and CEO because of it. I also love that I can be a positive mentor to the women that work for me and other women looking to make it in this world.” She sips her champagne.
I clench my jaw, trying to keep it from falling open. I am in literal awe of this woman.
“It hasn’t been easy,” her smile tightens, and I see a hint of sadness wash over her.
“Hey, you ok?” I reach for her hand and she stares at it, placing her other hand over me.
“Have you ever wondered why certain things happen? I mean, is there a reason for all of this?” She asks, keeping her gaze at our intertwining hands.
“I guess…” My voice lingers, not knowing where she’s going with this.
“This contest. I’m referring to the whole competition. On the one hand, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For the both of us,” her eyes shoot up to meet mine, and the sincerity in her voice pulls at my heart. “And on the other, it brought us together.”
“And yet, we have to fight against each other,” I chime in, realizing what she’s alluding to.
“Exactly,” her body sags against the table and I get up, swiveling her chair to me as I kneel before her.
I reach up, cradling her head in my hands. “It’s a double-edge sword, baby. I know. And, no matter what, one of us is going to look like the asshole,” I say. “But tonight, for one night, can we put that aside? Forget how we came together and why we’re here, and just be together? Now?”
She places her hand on my chest and spread her fingers, looking at me with such pain in her eyes.
“This sucks,” she lets out a small chuckle.
“It really fucking sucks,” I say, agreeing with her.
She lets out a sigh.
“Ok,” she whispers. “Let’s be us, for tonight.”
Before she can say another word, I capture her mouth with mine. Passion overriding my actions and I kiss her harder, stealing every breath of hers.
“Let’s go home,” I pull away, standing up and taking her hand in mine.
She springs up, wobbling a little on her feet and grabs her purse. “Let’s go,” she says, breathlessly.
* * *
“Clarendon Tower,” I tell my driver.
Rolling up the partition, my hand slides up her thighs, fingering the hem of her dress. She squirms underneath my touch, but grabs my hand, forcing it up to her panties.
“Touch me,” she orders.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say with as a smug smile.
My hand explores her inner thighs, up to the lace of her panties. Tracing the hem, the wetness of her pussy moistens my skin and my mouth goes dry.
“God, you’re so fucking wet,” I groan.
My thumb rubs her clit over the fabric, gently, and I trace the curve of her lips, teasing them ever-so-lightly. Her hips writhe against me, moving in the direction of my fingers. I push her dress up, wanting to expose to me and I dive in, pushing the lace aside. I suck her clit into my mouth, kneading it with my tongue and I slide a finger into her slit, slowly moving it in and out of her.
“Oh my God,” she moans.
“Feel me, baby.” I growl against her, licking her dry. “It’s just us.”
My finger hooks in her, pushing against her G-spot, and my tongue slides over her clit, massaging it with my lips. Her muscles begin to quiver, and her thighs lock my head in between her legs.
“Yes, baby. Cum for me,” I finger her harder and thumb her clit, kissing up and down her thighs ferociously.
“Yes, Austin. Oh my God, yes,” she screams, and her hips buck up on the brink of orgasm. I flick my tongue across her clit and she breaks.
“Yes,” she moans, her voice quivering.
I coax her through her orgasm, kissing and nibbling at her throbbing pussy. She sighs as her body melts around me.
Her body begins to relax and her breathing steadies. I rest my head on her stomach and she runs her fingers in my hair. It so…intimate.
Is it so bad to admit that I want this? Always? Even if it’s in the back of car, I want to feel this alive, this fucking elated every day of my damn life. I don’t know what this woman is doing to me.
But I also know I can’t think about it right now.
I pull her dress down and slide her into my lap, nuzzling my nose into her neck. I turn her head to kiss me and whisper into her mouth, “God, I fucking want this. Even if it’s just for tonight.”
She tugs at me hair, pulling me closer.
“Me too.”
Chapter Thirty
Tess
It should be illegal to be this wet.
I couldn’t help it. By the time we got to Austin’s apartment, my thighs were so slick they’re slippery.
Seriously, is a woman’s body supposed to survive something like this? Can’t I die of dehydration or something? God, I hope that’s not how it goes for me. It’d be a shame if, after all the hard work I put into my business, this would be the one thing I’d become famous for.
“Tess,” he whispers against my lips, his body pressed against him. I lay my hands on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my fingertips, and I look straight into his eyes. There’s that hunger there, as always, but this time I see something more.
Maybe it’s passion.
Maybe it’s...love.
Whatever it is, it makes my pulse quicken, and my brain shuts down. I forget all about the competition, and the fact that we’re supposed to enemies is carried away by all the desire running through my veins.
Right now, we’re just...Tess and Austin.
“Make me yours,” I breathe out as I work my hands under his shirt, peeling it off his body. I let my fingers trace the contour of his hardened abs, and my insides clench in anticipation. Could he be any more perfect?
“I thought you already were,” comes his reply, his hands going up to my shoulders. Turning me around against the wall, he unzips my dress and starts pulling it down, my skin prickling as I feel the fabric going down my body, falling into a heap at my feet.
“I’ve never seen anything as perfect as you, Tess,” he tells me, his lips brushing against my ear. With his body on mine, his chest against my back, I feel him straining against his pants.
Turning around to meet his gaze, I press my forehead against his and look into his eyes. “You really know how to say all the right
things, don’t you?” I tease him as I rest my fingertips on his chest, slowly allowing them to trail down to his waist. I unbuckle his belt, unzip his pants, and then flatten the palm of my hand against his boxer briefs, his hard cock throbbing against my curled fingers.
“And I also know how to do all the right things,” he replies, kicking off his shoes and stepping out of his pants. We’re half-naked now, nothing but our underwear between us, and I feel that magnetic pull drawing me toward him.
“Then what are you waiting for?” I tease him, and he doesn’t waste a second. He picks me up into his arms, and carries me straight into his bedroom, pushing the door open with the tip of his foot.
There, he lays me gently on the bed, climbing after me. His fingers climb up my spine and he unclasps my bra, slowly pushing it off me. He leans in then, placing his lips right on my chest. His mouth hikes up the curve of my right breasts and, as he wraps his lips around my hard nipple, I left a soft moan out.
I close my eyes as he works his lips and tongue on my nipples, his long fingers gently squeezing my breasts, and then his mouth moves further down, the tip of his tongue trailing toward my stomach.
“I want to devour you,” he tells me, the sound of his voice coming at me from a distance. I can barely focus. “I want to take my time with you, and I want to taste every single inch of your body.”
Kneeling between my legs, he brushes his hands down my thighs and legs. Only then does he return his mouth to my body, his lips tenderly kissing my knee. I arch my back as I feel them trailing upward, going from my knee to my inner thigh. His kisses are gentle but hungry on my skin, softly heading toward that sweet spot between my legs, and I purr as I reach for him. I run my fingers through his hair, disheveling it, and try to guide his mouth to where I need it to be.
He fights against me, prolonging my suffering as he kisses my inner thighs, going from one to the other but always avoiding that maddening wetness in my pussy.