by Megan Keith
“Oh fucking god!” She hung her head with exhaustion. The feel of him sliding in and out, his hands gripping her hips tightly as he relentlessly fucked her, had her gasping. She could feel another orgasm building and she couldn’t do anything to stop it.
“Come for me, Mackenzie. Don’t hold back. Give me what I need.” He felt her body shuddering again, her muscles gripping him and then he was falling over that cliff with her. He slowed his movement, milking both of their orgasms for as long as he could, until he had spilled every last drop into her glorious body.
After a few minutes of lying side by side on the bed, Mackenzie realized that the smile had not left her lips. She faced the man beside her and noted he was sporting one too.
“And you said we needed boundaries.” He continued to stare at the ceiling as he spoke. He was almost afraid to look at her. He hoped that he could convince her that time apart was the last thing they needed. Their run and the unbelievable sex they’d just had was him working toward his goal of keeping her.
“Nate …”
“No.” He turned his body toward her, propping himself up on his elbow. “Mackenzie, I’m done apologizing for my mistakes. We’re going to move forward as a couple. I want us to be apart for as little as possible while we work on this. We can build a really successful relationship here. Openness is key-”
“Argh!” Mackenzie shouted in frustration, causing him to jump. She rubbed her eyes before looking at him. “Why do you make everything sound so clinical? This isn’t a damn business transaction. We aren’t two companies merging – we’re fucking people!”
“God, I love it when you’re cranky.” He smiled at her and her lips curled in response.
“Stop it! … I just don’t get you. One minute you’re carefree and fun and the next you’re this-this business man. Which one are you really?”
“I’m both.” He shrugged.
“You’re like Jekyll and Hyde.”
“Jekyll and Hyde?” He laughed.
“Well, no, maybe not them.” She paused to think. “One minute you’re playing games-”
“You like my games,” he interrupted, smirking and wriggling his eyebrows at her.
“Stop interrupting me. I’m being serious.” Looking at him, his unbelievably sexy body and that gorgeous face, she lost her train of thought.
“You were saying?” Nate prompted her.
“Right, um, I need some time to get my head around all of this, and you seem to think that jumping in and becoming inseparable is the solution, but it’s not. To build a healthy relationship you need time apart too.”
“I thought you said you haven’t had much experience with relationships.”
“I haven’t, but-”
“Mackenzie, I like being around you, but if you really feel the need for some distance I will respect that.”
“Thank you,” Mackenzie replied, slightly confused at how easily he was backing down.
He climbed from the bed and went to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Mackenzie heard the water turn on and instantly wanted to follow him into the shower. Shit! Sneaky bastard! She chastized herself for being so damn needy, particularly after the conversation they just had. She needed a shower too, but it would have to wait, she was not joining him.
Minutes later, when he came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel and a sexy smirk, it was obvious he was trying to tempt her with his body. He headed toward her and she quickly moved past him, entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her. She leaned against it and heard him chuckle on the other side.
Nope. I won’t give him the satisfaction.
She took her time in the shower, washing her hair and trying to wash away her doubts. When he didn’t try to enter the bathroom at all she started to wonder if he’d left without saying goodbye. She wouldn’t put it past him. However, she was pleased to see Nate sitting on the end of her bed when she exited the bathroom. She wore her towel proudly and smiled widely when his eyes focused on her almost bare body. Payback.
He was a sight to behold, his hair still wet and uncombed, his perfectly tailored black suit, crisp white shirt, a deep burgundy tie around his neck … Mackenzie’s pulse was racing just looking at him. She gulped. He looks delectable in every damn thing he wears. And then she wanted to take it all back, the whole conversation, she didn’t want him to leave. He was too delicious to not have by her side.
“Stay with me at my apartment tonight,” he said, interrupting her stare-fest.
“What?” She blinked at him. “What happened to having some space?”
“It’s only eleven a.m. You can have all afternoon to yourself. Spend the night with me.”
“I can’t, I’m working tonight.”
“So? Come by after work, or take the night off.”
“It will be really late when I finish.”
“Night off it is then.”
“No. I’m not calling my boss to ask for the night off, just so you can have your wicked way with me.”
She glared at him, but he could see she was fighting back a smile.
“Fine. I’ll make the call for you,” he said seriously, taking his cell from his jacket pocket.
“You will not!” Mackenzie said, grabbing it from him. She held the phone behind her back. She didn’t like the disappointment on his face so she looked away.
“Okay.” He stepped toward her, lifting her chin so that she looked him in the eye. “I’ll make you a deal. Come to my apartment after work. Spend the night with me. We’ll do whatever you want to do.”
“Really?” she asked, skeptically.
“Whatever. You. Want. Remember how much fun you had,” he dipped his mouth toward hers, “the last time you were there.” He whispered his words, deliberately lacing them with intent, his tone seductive. Her green eyes gave her thoughts away and he knew he’d won this round.
“Okay,” she said softly.
“I’ll send Simon to collect you. What time?”
“Um … midnight?”
He chuckled. It was clear that her thoughts were muddled. They quite often were when she was aroused. Her eyes were wide, slightly unfocused, pupils dilated, her cheeks flushed. Fuck, I want her. He dipped his head, tasting her, gently caressing her lips with his own and when she opened her mouth for him, he had no choice but to oblige. Dipping his tongue into her hot, sweet mouth, he stroked it against hers and revelled in the soft mewling sound she made. Using his free arm he cupped her backside, pulling her into his body he deepened their kiss. Her hands came to the sides of his neck, her fingertips weaving into his hair. He was so hard and ready for her again. Fuck. He pulled away. Leaving her wanting would work in his favor, his unanswered need was something he could live with. His body was built for endurance and the wait would be so fucking worth it. She blinked at him, her cheeks even redder than before. He could see her body was thrumming with need.
“I’ll have to take a raincheck on those sandwiches.”
“Huh?”
He smiled at her, running his finger down the side of her face. “Lunch? I’ll let you have your space and see you tonight instead.”
“Oh, okay.”
She watched him turn and leave the room. She was in a daze, not only because she was so thoroughly turned on but also because he was doing as she asked, giving her some time and yet now that she was watching him walk away she didn’t want him to go. He turned abruptly and almost knocked into her. She’d been following without meaning to and they were now standing in the living room.
“One thing before I go.” He crushed his lips to hers one last time, kissing her hard on the mouth. “You never did tell me which flowers were your favorites.”
“Oh, um ...” She quickly glanced around the room looking for the right bouquet. She took a couple of steps in that direction. “These ones.”
“The Gloriosa flower.” He smiled, recalling the name the florist had said. He was pleased with her choice. It was a beautiful flower, something diffe
rent to the rest. It would stand out in a crowd just like the woman standing beside the arrangement. He was also pleased with himself when he saw the surprised look on Mackenzie’s face, surprise that he knew the name of the flower, he guessed. He loved that look on her.
“Well, I better get dressed, I suppose.” Mackenzie smirked at him before dropping the towel. She turned and sashayed down the short hallway back to her room, butt naked. “Have a lovely day at work, Sir,” she called over her shoulder. Nate shook his head, grinning widely at the beautiful sight of her bare backside, before quietly slipping out the door to head to the office.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, brother.” Tom grinned from where he was seated behind his desk. “I work here, remember?”
“I didn’t think you were coming back until next week.”
“Well, I’m nothing if not efficient. Things in Japan wrapped up sooner than expected. I brought forward a couple of meetings so I could come home sooner.”
“You missed me that much?” Nate joked.
“Oh, absolutely. I thought I better come back so I could keep you in line.” Tom gave him a pointed look, dropping his pen on the desk.
Nate hung his head low, knowing full well what was coming next. He may be the older brother but Tom was probably the more level-headed one and he knew that his whole family would be disappointed with the pictures circulating the internet. He’d purposely been ignoring their calls for that very reason.
“What were you thinking Nate?”
“I was thinking the asshole needed some sense knocked into him! That’s what I was thinking!”
“Even so, you know it was a dumb move, right?”
“I don’t need you to fucking tell me that!” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
“Nate-”
“That fucker came after me, not the other way around. He attacked Simon first,” Nate fumed.
“Yeah well, he’s not worth going to jail for.”
“I know.”
“Mom’s really pissed at you.”
“I bet. Shit Tom, how can you be so calm? After what that bastard-”
“Just let it go.”
Nate sighed. Slumping down in the seat opposite his brother’s desk.
“So where have you been all morning anyway?” Tom asked. “It’s not like you to be starting work at this hour. Stacey said you didn’t have any out of office appointments on the books.”
Stacey was Nate’s personal assistant. He should have known that Tom would check up on him. Especially as it was almost lunch time and he’d only just got into the office. Coming to work this late was a rare occurrence; he was usually the first to arrive and the last to leave.
“So I took the morning off, no biggie,” he said with a shrug, trying for nonchalance.
Tom’s theatrically raised eyebrow was a dead giveaway – he didn’t believe him, not for a second. Nate was really close with his brother and couldn’t even get the smallest thing past him. Then again, Mackenzie wasn’t just a small thing in his life, she was special, as in the ‘one of a kind’ type of special. It was inevitable that this particular conversation would happen. In fact, Nate would tell anyone that would listen about her, or shout it from the fucking rooftop considering the mood he was in. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this … if ever.
Trying to tame the shit-eating grin he was sporting, he blew out a breath before explaining, “I met someone.”
“You met someone?” Tom repeated slowly, as if he hadn’t heard correctly.
“That’s what I said.” Nate nodded, his smile broadening.
“Really?” The shock was not only evident on Tom’s face but the way he spoke.
“Yes, really.”
“You’ve got this weird goofy grin going on, this is serious.” Tom smiled widely at his brother. He sat up straighter in his seat and leaned forward a little. “It’s about fucking time! So, who is she?”
“Her name is Mackenzie.”
“Where did you meet her?”
“The Blue Room.”
“What does she do for a living?”
“She’s a waitress there.”
Tom’s smile slipped a little. “A waitress?”
“Before you say it. No. Just because she’s a waitress doesn’t mean she’s after my money.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“It’s what she does for a living, it doesn’t define her. She’s so much more than that, Tom, she could be whatever she wanted to be. She’s intelligent and witty. Sophisticated. She is beyond beautiful with the most amazing jade eyes.”
“When did you turn into a fucking poet?” Tom grinned. He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by his desk phone. “Yes,” he said, pressing the intercom button.
“I have your mother on the line again,” Stacey’s voice came through the speaker. “She wanted to speak to Nathaniel but he’s still not in his office.”
“He’s with me. Put her through.” Tom pressed the button again, putting their mother on hold for a moment. “She wants to tear you a new one,” he said to Nate in a teasing, sing-song voice, before taking the call. “Hi Mom!”
“Tom darling, has he come in yet?” their mother, Carol said.
“Yes, he’s right here. You’re on speaker.”
“Hi Mom,” Nate chimed in.
“Nate! Where have you been all this time? You haven’t been returning my calls and then you weren’t at work, I’ve been worried sick.”
“Sorry Mom, I’ve been busy.”
“I’ll say! I saw the photo, Nate. You need to stay clear of that man, you hear? I don’t want you getting into trouble with the law. That goes for both of you!”
“What did I do?” Tom spoke over the top of Carol.
“Greg is an asshole. I’d love to punch him in the face myself.” Tom and Nate both sniggered. Their mother was a petite thing, who could get blown over in the wind, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. Besides the fact she was halfway across the world, hitting someone just wasn’t in her nature, she didn’t even spank them when they were kids. “But violence is never the answer,” she continued. “I don’t want either of my boys getting into trouble. Do you hear me? You should-”
“Hey Mom!” Tom interrupted her, giving Nate a wink and effectively putting an end to her tirade. “Nate met someone.”
She gasped loudly. “No! Really?” Then her voice turned into one of a giddy school girl. “Oh my god! Spill, Nate. I need details.”
Mackenzie was daydreaming again. She couldn’t get the sight of Nate’s shocked face when she’d dropped the towel before he left her apartment, out of her head. Two can play at his game. And that’s what it was, a big, fat, game of seduction. He’d been trying to seduce her into his way of thinking. Oh, who am I kidding? He’d succeeded, I’m going to his apartment, aren’t I? She smiled, thinking of the way he’d said, “Whatever you want”. She leaned on her elbow against the top of the bar she was meant to be wiping down, her fingers playing with her bottom lip.
“Earth to Mackenzie!” Alex snapped his fingers in front of her face and she blinked up at him. “What’s with you tonight?”
She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.
“And don’t say ‘nothing’ again, because it’s clearly something. You’ve been out of it all night. You still haven’t told me what your thoughts were about unveiling Mr. Hot Shot Millionaire. Is that who you’re thinking about now?”
“Billionaire,” she mumbled.
“What?”
“He’s a billionaire, not a millionaire.”
“Since when do you care about money?”
“I don’t.” She shrugged, still staring off into space.
“Mack?”
She looked at Alex’s smiling face and found herself compelled to share with him. Nate was doing something to her, opening her up, and making her look at her life differently. She’d really kept herself cut off from everyone around he
r. She didn’t realize how lonely she’d made her life become. It was all her own doing, too. She’d sat in her apartment all afternoon contemplating the reasons why she was so withdrawn. It wasn’t something she’d done on purpose, she was just happy in her own skin, most of the time anyway. She’d only ever used men for sexual gratification and, so far, if she was honest, her time with Nate had mainly consisted of that. Sex. She was suddenly not okay with just sex and it scared the crap out of her. She needed to talk to someone. She had even hoped to catch her neighbor Andrea before she headed into The Blue Room tonight, but no luck there, she wasn’t home.
Mackenzie looked around the near empty bar. It had been a quiet night and the other staff had all gone home, only her and Alex remained. He’d have to do.
“I spent the weekend with him.”
“Who? Mr. Hot Shot?”
“Yes.” She stared at her friend, trying to gauge his reaction. She didn’t really have to guess what he was thinking though, this was Alex she was talking to, he always let his feelings be known.
“What are you doing? He’s only using you, Mack. You deserve better than being used by him.”
“I know I do. But it’s not like that. He … he wants to have a relationship with me.”
“He said that?” Alex asked, incredulously.
“Mhmm.”
“Exclusive? Because he seems pretty intent on fucking every attractive woman that enters this place.”
“Seriously? Did you have to say that?”
“What? It’s true.” Alex shrugged. “Are you okay with that?”
“Fuck no.”
“Well then?”
“He said he wants me. Only me.”
“And you believed him?”
Mackenzie started rubbing the bar top with the rag, thinking that over. “I’m not interested in anyone but you.” Yes. She believed him.
“I do,” she replied, resolutely.
She watched the last couple of clients leave through the front door and glimpsed a black car parked outside on the curb. She wondered if Simon was here to collect her already and a thrill passed over her body. She glanced at her watch. Fifteen more minutes. She’d been the one to ask for space and yet the hours of said space had been excruciatingly long. She wasn’t in a hurry to have a repeat.