Boss Woman

by Victoria Quinn

  After a round of applause, the audience fired off questions. Unlike when I took the stage on my own, not a single sexist comment was fired our way. No one seemed to care about my age, my lack of children, or how tight my skirt was.

  I suspected that had something to do with Hunt.

  The moment we were off the stage and out of the spotlight, I felt a little better. Any time I was the center of attention, walls as thick as a stadium surrounded me. I anticipated the cold insults and veiled jabs. I expected to work three times as hard to be taken as seriously as a man. If I were an average woman, no one would question anything about me. But as a successful entrepreneur, my professionalism was constantly categorized as bossy or bitchy. I had to wear a smile when most men would wear a frown. I had to be perfectly manicured. Otherwise, I would be called a hag. But if a man showed up in jeans and a t-shirt covered in stains, people would laugh it off and call him ballsy.

  And I would be labeled a pig.

  Most of the time, those kinds of double standards didn’t penetrate my rock-hard exterior. But I couldn’t deny the reasons behind my layers. I was prepared for the harshness of my reality at all times. So once I was out of the spotlight, I felt like a human being again—not a human target.

  Hunt appeared beside me, and his hand rested on the small of my back.

  To anyone else, the touch could be considered professional affection between two colleagues.

  I knew it was nothing but possessiveness on his part.

  He guided me out of the conference room into the main lobby, where snacks and beverages were served. In just a few minutes, we would be swarmed with people who hadn’t had a chance to ask their questions at the end of the presentation.

  “That went well.”

  I kept my eyes forward, smiling at people who gave me a nod in greeting. “I think so too.”

  “You did great.”

  “Thanks. You did too.”

  “Well, I always do great.”

  When I looked up at him, I saw the smile on his face.

  “I did even better than usual because you were the one standing up there with me.” He dropped his hand from my back and grabbed two glasses of water. He handed me one as he held the other.

  I stared at it blankly, unsure why he thought I would have any interest in it.

  He leaned toward me and brought his mouth dangerously close to my ear. “Drink it. Or I’ll kiss you.”

  My eyes widened as I stared at him.

  “Call my bluff.” He took a sip from his glass. “I dare you.”

  I knew Hunt wasn’t toying with me. He would take any excuse he could get to kiss me in a room full of people. He didn’t like being a secret when we were together, and even now when we were apart, he still didn’t want to be a secret.

  So I drank.

  “Good girl.”

  I lowered my glass and prepared to throw the water in his face. “Don’t call me that. Makes me sound like a dog.”

  He returned his hand to the small of my back. “Alright.”

  It was rare that Hunt listened to what I said without making a smartass comment, so I knew he took my words seriously. I took another drink of my water even though I was craving something else—something stronger.

  “I’m having dinner with a few guys tonight. You wanna come along?”

  “I’ll make my own dinner plans.”

  He brought me closer into his side and lowered his face to mine. “That wasn’t a pity invite. I want you there.”

  “I knew it wasn’t a pity invite. I’m definitely not a person you should pity.”

  “Not when you’re hot as fire and hard as ice.” He set his glass down on the table before he placed his hand in his pocket. His hand stayed on my lower back, never leaving. “There’s a few people I want you to meet. One is a professional golfer.”

  “I do love to golf.”

  “And the other is the biggest cosmetics owner in all of China. I think you two will have a lot to talk about.”

  I knew exactly who he was referring to. I knew everyone in my own space. “Kyle Livingston?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I didn’t know he was here.”

  “It’s a good thing you got a pity invite, then, huh?” he teased.

  “Who’s the golfer?”

  “Rick Perry.”

  He was one of the biggest stars of the sport. He started right out of high school, made it to the pros, and now he was leading the field. “How do you know him?”

  He winked. “Baby, I know everyone.”

  “Don’t call me that in public.”

  “Fine.” He slowly pulled his hand away from my waist. “I’ll save that for tonight.”

  * * *

  Even my complicated situation with Hunt wouldn’t stop me from attending that dinner. China was a market I’d been trying to get into for years, but due to international complications, it hadn’t been as easy as I wanted it to be. There was a lot of competition from Kyle’s company, which had shelves in nearly every single store. He didn’t have the prominence that I did in the U. S, which was the bigger market. We could both use each other—if we played our cards right.

  But I was also interested in Rick Perry. I’d been playing golf for a long time. It was a slow sport, but it was much more complicated than people assumed. Having meetings on the links wasn’t always so easy because my concentration was split into two different directions.

  I sat beside Rick with Hunt on my left. His legs stretched out under the table, tapping against my knee—on purpose. He looked for any excuse to touch me, any way to get under my skin.

  Rick was young, in his late twenties. He had sun-kissed skin, a great smile, and his slender build looked great in a t-shirt. He had slim hips and broad shoulders the way I liked. His physique didn’t compare to Hunt’s, which was packed with muscle and arrogance.

  “I saw you at Pebble Beach last year for the Champions Tour.” I went to California often, and not just because I had a home in San Diego. I did a lot of work in the Monterey Peninsula. Lots of business owners had settled there to get away from the sweltering heat of Manhattan. “You’re a great golfer.”

  Rick’s face lit up with a smile like my compliment actually meant something to him. “Thanks. You follow golf?”

  “Yeah. And I play a lot.”

  “Really?” Kyle Livingston cocked his head to the side and examined me like I was a freak.

  The feminist inside me always wanted to rise to these outbursts of surprise. Men were perpetually surprised to hear I had a collection of racing cars and autographed baseballs. Apparently, sports and women didn’t mix—which was ridiculous. “Yes. It’s a pastime I enjoy.” I kept the annoyance out of my voice, knowing his opinion didn’t truly matter. Our relationship was only based on business. I didn’t get tied up in the personal stuff.

  “Are you any good?” Kyle crossed his arms over his chest, still looking at me like I’d sprouted a second head.

  Hunt was silent beside me, knowing I could handle these conversations like all the others.

  “Care to find out?” I challenged.

  Rick chuckled. “I’d like to find out. They have a great course here just five miles from shore. Are you free tomorrow?”

  “Titan and I are heading back home in the morning.” Hunt had stopped eating his food, no longer interested in the green salad he ordered. He usually ordered a beer when he was out in public, but he stuck to water again tonight—like it was just for me.

  I had a private plane, so I left whenever I felt like it. It was obvious Hunt was just trying to keep Rick away from me because he assumed the golfer was interested in me. But Hunt was paranoid and assumed every straight man wanted me—which they didn’t.

  Rick didn’t challenge Hunt’s statement. “That’s too bad. When I’m in New York, I’ll set up something. I should be there in a few weeks anyway.”

  Hunt clenched his jaw but didn’t make a comment about it.

  “Great.” I pulled out my busi
ness card and set it on the table. “Give me a call.”

  Hunt looked like he wanted to snatch it.

  Rick dropped it into a slot in his wallet. “Awesome. Never thought I’d play golf with Tatum Titan.”

  “And lose to Tatum Titan,” I teased.

  “Ooh…” Rick chuckled. “Wow. I’ve got a real competitor on my hands.” He had a charming smile that seemed genuine. Unlike most professional athletes I met, who were too arrogant to really care about a conversation, Rick Perry seemed different. He seemed like a person more than an athlete.

  Kyle finally dropped the discussion about my golfing abilities. “I liked your presentation back there, but I noticed there was no mention of your Illuminance line.”

  “Hunt and I only work together for Stratosphere.” Hunt and I never exchanged conversations about our various businesses. Everything else seemed like a conflict of interest since some of our businesses were in competition with one another, at least peripherally. We both had our own approaches to investments. I wasn’t going to give away my secrets to him, and I would judge him if he gave me his.

  “Must be hard to keep things separate,” Kyle asked. “Since you work together all the time.”

  “Not at all,” Hunt said. “Lots of business owners do business with other people. It’s not groundbreaking by any means.”

  “I have a confession to make,” Kyle said as he looked at me. “My wife prefers the foundation from Illuminance over mine. She says it’s not so oily and complements her skin tone a lot better.”

  Since it was phrased as a compliment, I took it that way. “Thank you. All of our products are organic. More compatible with the pH of the skin as well as the oils.”

  “Depends on the person,” Kyle said. “But I see your point. I’ve been wanting to branch into the American market. But honestly, it’s pretty tough with your line on every shelf.”

  Even though my heart began to race, I kept a professional smile. It was obvious Kyle and I had the exact same desires. He needed me to get into the high-end retailers, and I needed him to get into the right marketplaces in China. It could be a mutually beneficial relationship if we allowed it to be done. “It’s pretty tough to enter China when you’re overwhelming all the stores.”

  “Kyle, you’d be lucky to have a business partner like Titan,” Hunt said. “She’s the only person I’ve ever worked with—for a reason.”

  I couldn’t look at him without making it obvious his words meant something to me. He purposely arranged this meeting so I could sit down with Kyle. There was no way it was a coincidence. He was trying to push me forward, to get me to go further.

  “That’s saying something,” Rick said. “Hunt is a picky guy.”

  “The pickiest guy,” Hunt said. “But Titan’s business expertise puts her above the rest. Not only can you trust her work, but her loyalty. She won’t let you down.” His arm moved to the back of my chair, a possessive gesture that most people wouldn’t pick up on.

  Kyle wore a guarded expression just the way I did. He wasn’t as high on the Forbes list as Hunt and me, but he still possessed considerable wealth and connections. After a long stare-down, he spoke to me. “How about we set up a meeting when we return to New York? My assistant will make the arrangements with yours?”

  I was just given a key piece to my puzzle. Now I could expand even further, bring my luxury product into more hands who wanted it. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”

  * * *

  Business turned into sports, and sports turned into women. They didn’t hold back just because I was there, and that was something I appreciated. Most of my colleagues were men, and all men were the same. They thought with their brain when it came to money, but when it came to women, they thought with a different piece of their anatomy.

  “What about you, Hunt?” Kyle asked. “Last I heard, you were with some blonde outside of that club.”

  I didn’t want to hear this conversation. I did a great job pretending not to care where Hunt slept every night, but listening to him talk about the women he’d been with wasn’t entertaining to me. Even if he had to lie about it, I still didn’t like the images he painted. I never thought of myself as a jealous person, but being with Hunt made me realize I wasn’t so easygoing. All of my other partners hadn’t made a dent in my possessiveness. But Hunt created a huge hole right through me.

  “Don’t believe everything in the tabloids,” Hunt said coolly. “That woman was drunk off her ass, so I gave her a ride home.”

  “Bullshit,” Rick said. “We know you’re the biggest playboy in Manhattan.”

  I wanted to cover my ears. The last thing I wanted to hear was another blow job story.

  Hunt didn’t say anything. Instead, he covered his silence with a drink.

  “Come on,” Kyle said. “Who is she? What nasty shit have you gotten yourself into?”

  “I don’t kiss and tell,” Hunt said. “I’m a gentleman.”

  “You weren’t a gentleman New Year’s Eve last year,” Kyle jabbed.

  I knew Hunt was being quiet for my sake, and I appreciated it. I didn’t want to hear a single tale about a threesome or a foursome. “It’s getting late, gentlemen.” I rose from my chair with the same charismatic smile I had plastered on my face fifteen minutes ago. “I’m sure you have a lot to talk about—”

  “I’m seeing someone,” Hunt blurted without looking at me. “And I’m in love with her.”

  Oh god.

  He didn’t say that, did he?

  “What?” Rick asked incredulously. “You? In love? With who?”

  “Yeah,” Kyle asked. “Who are you talking about?”

  I had to get out of there. “Good night. Have a safe trip back everyone.” I turned away from the table, but the men didn’t care I was leaving.

  They were more interested in Hunt’s announcement.

  “Who is it?” Kyle pressed. “Is she an actress?”

  Hunt retained his composure. “She’s pretty well-known. She wants to keep our relationship a secret for a while so it won’t be a feast for the paparazzi.” He rose from his chair. “I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna walk Titan to her room.”

  “I don’t need to be walked,” I blurted, flustered by the sudden change in atmosphere for the evening.

  Hunt moved his arm to the small of my back and escorted me out of the restaurant until we were out of sight.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I rounded on him and struggled to keep my voice down. Luckily, no one was in the hallway.

  “I’m tired of lying, Titan.” His expression mixed with remorse as well as a lack of contrition. “I don’t want to do it anymore.”

  “We aren’t together anymore, Hunt. So you don’t need to lie.”

  “We are together,” he said quietly. “We were together last night, the night before, and you bet your ass, we’ll be together tonight.”

  My palm seared with heat as I ached to slap him. “It was meaningless sex.”

  He shook his head slightly. “How many times did you tell me you loved me last night? Five times?”

  “Only because you made me.”

  He chuckled sarcastically. “No one makes Tatum Titan do anything—and you know it.”

  His gorgeous features and devastatingly beautiful eyes couldn’t chase away my wrath this time. I was losing control, and everything was starting to spin. I didn’t like it one bit. “Knock it off, Hunt. This is a secret—and it’ll stay a secret.”

  “I don’t want to be a dirty secret anymore.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have stabbed me in the back,” I hissed. “You shouldn’t have betrayed me. You shouldn’t have fucked that—”

  “You know I didn’t do it. Your heart and your brain are at war with each other right now, but if you looked past that, you would know how you really feel. You wouldn’t have ridden me bareback last night if you thought I was getting my dick wet in other places. The only woman I’ve been plowing for six months is you.” He stuck his fin
ger in my face. “Just you.”

  I shoved his hand out of my face. “You promised me you would keep this between us. Are you going to break that promise too?”

  His jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. “I’m only obligated to keep your identity a secret. But I’m not obligated to lie about loving you, about being committed to another person. I’m tired of pretending to be America’s playboy when I’ve found my future wife. I’m sick of it, Titan. I want to grab your face and kiss you in front of everyone in that goddamn room and just get it over with. I want every man to know I’m the one fucking you every night, not Thorn Cutler.”

  My rage diminished as his words swept over me. There was so much hostility but so much sweetness in his comeback. I’d have to be made of stone not to be affected by it. I would have to be heartless not to feel weak in the knees. I’d thought about my future with Hunt many times, and every single version ended with me in a white dress with a diamond ring on my finger. I loved this man with all my heart—and he knew it. “Go back in there and continue your conversation.”

  “I’d rather be with you.”

  “Well, you aren’t going to be with me.” I walked past him, my shoulder brushing his.

  He grabbed my wrist and turned me around. “Titan—”

  “Don’t come to my room tonight. I mean it.”

  He kept his grip on my wrist, but his eyes were what squeezed me.

  “This has to stop. It’s not going anywhere. We’re just—”

  “Two people in love,” he whispered. “Two people who should be together.”

  “I don’t trust you.” I didn’t know what to think. He told me he didn’t announce his sexual conquests, but he obviously did. He’d told me he just took that woman home, but I saw him kiss her. He told me he didn’t sell me out, but all the evidence pointed to him. But I couldn’t shake this feeling in my heart. “Just leave me alone, Hunt.”

  He yanked me closer to him before he fished out his wallet.

  I watched him dig it out of his trousers and open the billfold, having no idea what he was doing.

  He took out the white keycard to his room and held it up. “I won’t come to your room tonight. But I know you’ll come to mine.” He slipped it underneath the fabric of my dress and directly into one of the cups of my bra. “I’m calling your bluff, Titan.” He shoved his wallet back into his back pocket and walked away. “And I’ll always call your bluff.”