And her body…enough said.
That dress hugged her petite waistline perfectly, showing the womanly hips I liked to grab when she was bent over in front of me, the small of her back that was deeper than the bend of a boomerang. Her long legs were covered, but the hint of their shape was forever burned in my mind since I’d kissed them everywhere.
I watched her from the couch as she set her clutch on the entryway table and slipped off her heels.
My laptop was open on the coffee table, but I’d stopped working hours ago. Now I watched one of my evening talks shows, drinking more bourbon than I probably should have. Something about her being out with Thorn made me drink more than usual.
She set her designer shoes on the table with her clutch because they were too expensive to leave on the ground.
For a woman who wore heels anytime she was in public, she didn’t seem to enjoy wearing them.
She walked to the back of the other couch, her hands resting on the back. “How was your night?”
“Good. Got a lot done.” I was in just my boxers, preferring to wear nothing when a beautiful woman could walk in the door at any time.
She eyed me on the couch, her eyes heavy like she was ready to fall asleep. She glanced at the screen then turned back to me.
“How was yours?”
“Good. Spent time with other members of Thorn’s family and a few other business acquaintances.”
Sounded like a snoozefest to me. When she walked in the door, I’d intended to fuck her before bed, but noticing how tired she was made me second-guess it. Something about her being sleepy made her look vulnerable, and since I liked that look, I didn’t want to chase it away. I liked Titan, the fierce woman who had a big brain and a smart mouth, but I liked Tatum more…because very few people knew her. She was quiet, contemplative, and open. She was sweet, affectionate, and so soft.
I turned off the TV and left my drink on the coffee table. I joined her on the other side of the couch and came up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my face in her neck. I breathed in the smell of her perfume, the scent she sometimes wore to special functions. Normally, a light aroma of vanilla accompanied her skin from her body soap. It was subtle but fragrant.
I moved my hands up and down her arms, feeling the soft skin. My lips rested near her neck, and I listened to her breathe. It was impossible for me to be this close to her without wanting her. I could easily lift up her dress and grab her by the back and bend her over.
But I didn’t.
I reached for the zipper at the back of her dress and pulled it to the top of her ass. The fabric slowly broke apart, falling over her shoulders and slipping down her body. Without my help, it fell to the floor, revealing her in just her black thong.
I could take a bite out of that ass.
Her breathing increased now that we were both in our underwear. She didn’t turn around, waiting for my direction.
My arms scooped her up, bringing her to my body, and I carried her into the bedroom. Her arms circled my neck, and she let me carry her like a man carried his wife to bed. I set her on the bed before I got under the covers beside her. The lights were already off, so all I had to was get into bed.
I turned on my side and looked at her.
She was staring at me, her green eyes peeking behind her eyelashes. Her tits were covered by her arms, but the sexy line of her body disappeared under the sheet. She watched me like she expected something to happen.
My hand moved across the bed until I found hers. I intertwined our fingers without shifting my gaze.
Her thumb brushed over mine. “I thought about you a lot tonight.”
“You did?”
“Yeah…”
I’d assumed I was the last thing on her mind after the day we had. She’d been my slave all afternoon as I fucked her how and when I wanted. Her lips were swollen because I’d kissed them so many times. She didn’t get a chance to even open her computer because I commanded every single moment of her attention. “And what were you thinking about?”
“I missed you…” Her thumb stopped moving over mine, and she broke eye contact.
I didn’t look away.
“I was with you all day, and you even pissed me off…but I still missed you. I wished it was your hand that was on the small of my back… I wished it was your hand in mine.”
I wondered if she had too much to drink that night. She was drinking before she left, probably had a glass in her hand all night, and now she’d reached the glass ceiling of her tolerance. Instead of being aggressive or disoriented, she became transparent.
I needed to make her drink more often.
I leaned over the bed and kissed her hand, my eyes on her. “I missed you too, baby.” I kissed each of her small knuckles before I returned to my side of the bed, keeping my distance so she could fall asleep in peace. “I always miss you.”
“Do you?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes and loosened her grip. “Diesel…”
I loved hearing my name on her lips. Very few had the privilege of saying it. Jax said it to me on the phone the other day, but he was family. By birth, he was allowed to say it.
She didn’t open her eyes again, but she tugged gently on my arm.
“You want me to cross the line?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
I moved over the line and tangled our bodies together. I pulled her flush against my chest, hooked her leg around my waist, and rested my lips against her forehead. We were a web of limbs and torsos, our hearts beating together in the exact same rhythm. Our chests rose and fell together.
It was the most peaceful moment I’d ever known.
I didn’t think about anything outside the two of us. I only thought of this woman, the one person in the world who knew me better than most. And I knew as many secrets about her. This had started off as pure lust, but now I couldn’t deny how fond I’d grown of her. I cared about this woman, her happiness and her pain. I always had her back against the world—and her front.
I had all the money in the world. I had all the material possessions I could ever want. My life was simple. But it was also empty and boring. For the first time in my life, I felt excitement, a kind of high that hadn’t faded away. I felt fulfilled, like there wasn’t a single thing missing.
I felt complete.
* * *
We packed our bags and headed back to New York.
When Thorn was with us, he was a barrier to our connection. I didn’t feel as close to her, having to share her with this man she’d known longer. They were each other’s confidant, able to say anything to each other. Titan and I already had that relationship, but in a preliminary stage. If we gave it enough time, I was convinced she would pour her heart out to me in a way she never could with him.
At least, that’s what I hoped.
We returned to the city, and Thorn took his own vehicle back to his apartment.
I’d spent the last three days with Titan consistently, so I should head back to my place and prepare for the upcoming week. But the only place I wanted to be was with her.
The guys loaded our luggage into the cars, and we spoke to each other before leaving.
“Are you heading home?” she asked.
I searched her face, trying to figure out what she wanted. Did she want me to stay? Did she want me to leave? Did it really matter what she wanted when I was calling the shots? “I should probably head home and get some work done.
She nodded, but the disappointment filled her eyes.
“Unless you want me to stay.”
She quickly hid her reaction like it had never happened in the first place. “No. I’ll see you tomorrow, Hunt.” She turned away to her car.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her back toward me, not caring if anyone saw us together. “I’ll stop by in a few hours.”
This time, she didn’t hide her reaction. Instead, she smiled.
* * *
&n
bsp; I walked inside Stratosphere and took the elevator to the top floor. Whenever I walked into work, I was usually devoid of emotion. I wasn’t excited or disappointed by the prospect. It was just another day at the office, another day to make money and strengthen my reputation.
But whenever I walked into Stratosphere, I felt something different.
Knowing she would be there.
Tatum Titan, CEO of Stratosphere.
Co-CEO.
I felt the drumming of my heart, the flush of my skin, and the excitement in my pants. My eagerness didn’t only stem from my attraction. She was my favorite person in the world—and I always looked forward to seeing her.
I saw her last night—but that didn’t dampen my joy.
The elevator doors opened, and I walked onto the remodeled floor. We each had two assistants in the center of the room, each working at white desks that Titan had picked out. The office had a similar feel to the one she had in her own building, but she went out of her way to make it more masculine, knowing I owned half of this company. She did my office the same way, in the exact same tones as my penthouse.
I didn’t go straight to her office. Instead, I walked into mine and handled her emails and messages. I knew she was already there because her office door on the opposite side was wide open. For someone so fiercely private, she didn’t like barriers between her and her working space.
I needed lots of privacy.
After an hour, I walked across the room, ignoring the looks all four assistants gave me, and stepped inside her office.
But I shut the door.
She looked up from her laptop, wearing a white blouse with a tight pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled back today, in a sleek updo that made her appear more professional but just as feminine. A vase of flowers sat on her desk, pink peonies. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hunt.” She spoke to me like someone could be eavesdropping.
I didn’t care if anyone was listening in. I wanted the world to know she was mine. If only she felt the same way. “I just went through everything you sent my way. I like the changes, but I think we should keep the presentation more traditional. It’s not original, I admit, but if we don’t compete with the sleekness of our retailers, then people won’t take us seriously. Carol already did a shitty job running this place. Now we have to overcome that as well. Our rebranding should be as classy as possible.” I lowered myself into the seat in front of her desk and rested my ankle on the opposite knee. I’d rather be kissing her as she straddled my hips, but we’d agreed to be professional when we were in the office.
Even though professionalism was overrated.
Titan stared at me as she considered what I said, her eyes glued to mine. She had a remarkable talent for sorting through complex ideas without ruining the intimacy between her and the person she was speaking with. She held dominion easily, pausing without losing confidence. “You’re right. I agree.”
“I’ll get started on that.”
“Okay.” She turned back to her computer like our discussion was over. She was back to being Titan, the fierce and focused executive.
Tatum was nowhere in sight, not that I should expect her between the hours of eight and five.
I rose to my feet. “I’m heading back to my office. You know where to find me.”
“Okay.”
I didn’t look back before I walked out, knowing she wasn’t looking at me anyway.
* * *
I had a meeting with my officials and executives. My focus had always been on growing, making my businesses expand as much as possible. But lately, I’d been in a ruthless tycoon mood. I was buying small companies and flipping them, and I was growing Megaland at an insane rate.
I worked like there was no time to waste.
My goal was to be the richest man in the world, to pass the few men higher on the list—including Thorn Cutler.
I didn’t want that man to have any leverage over me. He inherited a hundred-year-old company, not doing a damn thing to earn it. I, on the other hand, did everything from the ground up. I was a true entrepreneur, making my own wealth and growing it. I was a man who stood on my own two feet, not on the bones of my ancestors.
I was in my office when Brett texted me.
Let’s get a beer tonight.
I kept in touch with my brother as often as my friends. He was the person I spent the holidays with, the one person in my life that was truly family. We were only half related, but I felt more related to him than I did Jax. In the back of my mind, I thought about Titan. I’d probably see her tonight, but I couldn’t blow off my brother. Sure. 6?
Yeah. You know the place.
After I finished my workout at the gym, I showered and changed before joining him at the sports bar. He was already there with a tall glass of beer in front of him. He’d already ordered me a scotch because it was sitting on my side of the table.
“Better not have put anything in my drink.”
Brett rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to kill you, I’d use my bare hands.”
“True.” I took a long drink as I stared at him across the table. He was in a gray t-shirt and jeans, sporting a beard due to his laziness. “What’s new with you?”
“Working on a new idea for a car.”
“Already?”
“Yep. I was working on the idea for the Bullet years ago.”
“You gonna give me one of those too?” I asked.
“Hell no, cheap ass. You’re gonna have to buy one.”
“Damn.” I chuckled before I took a drink.
“So, how’s it going with your lady?”
Of course that would come up. “Good.” I didn’t kiss and tell when it came to Titan. She valued her privacy like businessmen valued their bank accounts. I couldn’t tell him the details like I could with other women. As a famous face, she had a sterling reputation to protect. It was stupid that it had to be that way, but I understood.
“Good?” he asked. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“You asked how it was going. I answered.”
He rolled his eyes. “Are you still hooking up? Are you serious? Is this going somewhere? That’s what I’m asking.”
“I told you it was a fling.”
“Flings last two weeks, tops,” Brett said. “This is not a fling.”
It started off as one, but it’d definitely taken on a new definition.
“You do business together…you’re sleeping together…I know you like her…so what’s the deal?”
“I already told you what it was, Brett.”
His eyes narrowed. “And I think it’s all a bunch of bullshit.”
“When have I ever actually liked a woman?”
“Never,” he snapped. “Which is why you never see the same one twice. But you’ve been seeing Titan for months. What does that tell you?”
I shrugged. “She’s great in bed.”
“No woman is that great. She’s got a personality to boot, and you know it.”
I hated it when my brother analyzed me. “Why do you care, Brett?”
“I care because I want my brother to be happy. And if Titan makes you happy, don’t fuck around. Tell the woman how you feel, and be what she deserves.”
Easier said than done. “She doesn’t want to be anything more. That’s the problem.”
“She doesn’t?” he asked in surprise.
“Yeah,” I answered. “She still wants to marry Thorn.”
“Even though she’s been with you for months?”
I nodded. “She’s not interested in love.”
“Are you?”
I stared at him without blinking.
“Hunt?”
“What?” I answered.
“You want to be more than a fling, then?”
“Doesn’t matter what I want.”
“If you do, you should tell her. Come on, women like Tatum Titan don’t grow on trees. They’re once in a lifetime. You want this woman, you fucking fight for her.”
I could fight for
her like a caveman, but that wouldn’t change anything. If she didn’t want to be fought for, then it was a moot point. Her arrangement with Thorn was ideal for someone like her. It protected her reputation, gave her a partner she could trust, and she would marry one of the wealthiest men in the world. It wasn’t a bad setup. Arranged marriages were common for the rich and famous. “Brett, just let it go.”
“I can’t let it go if you’re letting it go. I know you’ve been busting your ass with Megaland and buying all those other companies. You’re growing your holdings by ten percent every single month. You’ve never been this ambitious before—and that’s saying something.”
“I like money. So what?”
“We both know this isn’t about money.”
It was about a lot more than that. “I feel like things have been different between us lately…”
Brett didn’t say anything and finally just listened.
“It’s not really about the sex anymore. We talk about things…”
“That’s a good sign.”
“But when I ask her about Thorn and the future…she still gives me the same answer. But every time, her hesitance grows.”
Brett smiled. “I like where this is going.”
“I think if I stay patient, things could change. But for now, I’m leaving it alone. It’s not like she’s marrying Thorn tomorrow. When our arrangement comes to an end in a few weeks, I’ll say something.”
“Your arrangement?”
I covered up my error. “Fling, whatever.”
“Good. You shouldn’t let a woman like that slip through your fingers.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“How so?” he asked. “I’ve never met a woman like her. And if I did, you bet your ass she’d be mine.”
“Like a woman like Tatum Titan would be interested in a man like you,” I teased.
“We both know the women love me,” he said with a smile. “And yes, that’s plural.” He drank his beer, a slight grin still on his face. “Like the threesome I had last night.”
Boss Love_Boss 3 Page 10