by Marie Force
My dad used to say we can’t change the past. All we have is right now. Make the most of it. That’s what I intend to do. “You want to go out to eat or order room service?”
“Would you care if we stayed in?”
“I’d actually prefer it. We’re going out tomorrow night anyway.”
“Where’re we going?”
“The Austin Country Club.”
“Who are these clients?”
“It’s a high-tech firm looking for a point of contact in Marfa and the surrounding area.” I realize after I say it that I’ve told her a different story than I told Blake. I’m digging a hole for myself that could get me in trouble if I’m not careful.
“Ah, I see. Nice of them to put us up in such high style for the weekend.”
“Uh-huh.” This would be a good time to tell her why we’re really here, but I still don’t want her to know that I was so intent on leaving Marfa that I went so far as to hire a headhunter. I think that would hurt her, and I can’t do that to her. I’m going to turn down their offer and thank them for a nice weekend. No harm, no foul. That’s the plan.
We enjoy a delicious dinner delivered to our room and watch a movie in bed that doesn’t hold my interest. How could it when Lauren is soft and fragrant and naked in a bed with me? I run my hand up and down her arm, smiling at the outbreak of goose bumps that have her quivering.
“Quit tickling me,” she says, her breath warm against my chest.
“I’m not tickling you. I’m touching you.”
“Same thing.” Her dramatic yawn is a reminder that she’s tired, and I should leave her alone, but now that everything is settled between us, I want her even more than I did before. I lightly drag my fingertips over her arm, knowing that will definitely tickle her. “Garrett!”
“Hmm?”
“Stop!”
“Make me.”
She surprises the hell out of me when she pounces, grabbing my hands and pinning them over my head while crushing her breasts to my chest.
“Is that supposed to discourage me?” I ask, raising my hips to show her what her demonstration has caused.
“Does he ever take a break?”
“Not when you’re naked and anywhere near him.”
“I suppose you don’t get a reputation for being a sex god without having a lot of sex.”
“You know it, baby, so you’d better protect my reputation by seeing to him whenever he’s feeling needy.”
She rolls her eyes. “Is that what kind of wife you think I’m going to be?”
“Hell yes. You have me at your mercy. At the very least, you should be… merciful.”
“Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.” God, this is fun. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot because I get to have a sleepover with my very best friend every night for the rest of my life. I pull at the tight hold she has on my arms, encouraging her to release me, but she doubles down and slides her damp heat over my hard cock. “Lauren…”
“Yes?”
“Come on…”
“Is someone feeling eager?”
“Explosive is more like it.”
“So it’s okay for you to tease me, but it’s not okay when I do it?”
“Exactly.”
She laughs, and the light that infuses her pretty eyes stops my heart. I love when she’s happy and laughing and teasing me. “Is this what you want?” She lowers herself onto my cock, surrounding my sensitive flesh with her tight wet heat.
“Yeah,” I gasp, desperately trying to hang on to my control as she shreds me with every move of her hips, every drag of her nipples over my chest. The sensations come at me fast and furious. This is going to be over before it begins unless I can take control. I break free of her hold and wrap my arms around her, turning us so I’m on top of her.
“Hey! No fair. You can’t just overpower me like that.”
“I won’t make a habit of it,” I say through gritted teeth. “I promise.” I hook my arms under her legs, opening her to my fierce possession. I pinch her left nipple between my fingers and place the thumb of my other hand on her clit, pressing it in time with my deep thrusts.
The position renders her helpless to do anything other than take what I’m doling out. Her body is angled upward, which allows me to go even deeper. I remain deeply embedded in her as I pinch her nipple and manipulate her clit. The combination has her gasping and trembling madly. I don’t let up, playing her body like a maestro until she screams from the orgasm that rips through her.
Her pussy clamps down on my cock so hard, I see stars, but I don’t let myself go. Rather, I power through the storm of her release without giving in to my own. She returns to me in stages. First, a deep breath, then a sigh and finally a flutter of lashes as she opens her eyes to look up at me with wonder and satisfaction.
“Wow,” she says on a whispery exhale.
“Wow is right. How about another one?”
“I don’t think I can.”
“Is that a challenge?”
She groans and wraps her arms around me, encouraging me with her legs around my hips and her fingers in my hair. “I know better than to challenge you.”
I laugh and nearly lose my groove for a second before recovering my mojo. I’m determined to coax another orgasm from her before I let her sleep. This time, I use my words to cajole her. “I can’t believe you thought for one second you weren’t good at this. You’re so tight and hot and wet. Your pussy grabs my cock like a glove and squeezes. I have to fight to not come every second I’m inside you.” I grasp her ass and pound into her. “I could fuck you all night and never get enough of how it feels to be inside you. I want to spend entire days doing nothing but this.”
A flush of heat travels from her breasts to her face. Her lips part, and her breath catches. Sensing she’s close, I prop myself up on one arm and use my free hand to reach between us to coax her. It takes only one brush of my finger over her clit to send her flying.
My name escapes her lips like a broken-sounding oath.
I close my eyes, bury my face in the fragrant silk of her hair and let go. The force of my release leaves me shaking like a newborn in the aftermath.
Lauren’s hands on my back soothe and comfort me as I try to recover my bearings.
Christ have mercy.
“Your reputation is very well earned.”
Her comment makes me laugh even as I try to suck greedy breaths into my air-starved lungs. “I was in training for you.”
“That training is over now. You got me?”
“I will never again touch anyone but you.”
“Promise?”
I raise my head to meet her gaze and nod. “Easiest promise I’ll ever make. If I have you, I have everything I need.”
She looks up at me with her heart in her eyes. “Same goes.”
I’m at once relieved and euphoric and hopeful, more hopeful than I’ve been in the six long years since my life took a sudden and unexpected detour. In her arms, I’m finally back on track and right where I belong.
Chapter Twelve
At nine the next morning, I leave Lauren sleeping in the suite with a wake-up call set for nine thirty so she can eat the breakfast I ordered her before her spa appointments begin at ten thirty. In the lobby, I meet the driver who was sent to retrieve me and deliver me to the Austin headquarters of Social-NET. The company has revolutionized social media management with its all-in-one app that allows the user to be present on all platforms simultaneously.
I’ve read every word that’s been written about the company, its proprietary technology and the staggering projections for the initial public offering expected early next year. At any other time in my life, I’d want to be part of the exciting future of this company. But all at once, my future is looking plenty exciting without a major career move thrown into the mix.
The hard sell begins with the driver, who points out a variety of landmarks and selling points on the way to the glass office tower in Downtown Austi
n. Marilyn, Mr. Dutton’s pretty, dark-haired assistant, who is younger than I thought she’d be, greets me in the lobby with a firm handshake and an enthusiastic welcome.
“We’re so happy to have you with us today,” she says as we walk toward a bank of elevators where she uses her badge to gain access to the top floors.
“Thanks for having me. Before we go too much further, I wondered if I could possibly have a private word with Mr. Dutton.”
“We’re actually on a pretty tight schedule this morning. I’d be happy to see if I could get you some time alone with him after lunch.”
I sag ever so slightly against the back of the elevator, resigned to going through the motions before I get the chance to tell them that this isn’t going to happen.
The day unfolds like a natural disaster, or at least that’s how it seems to me. They are determined to blow me away, and they nearly succeed. I’m dazzled by the people I meet, the presentations, the sales pitch, the facilities and the R&D that’s being done to further expand upon the technology. It’s overwhelming and interesting and so bloody tempting that I nearly forget my resolve to say thanks but no thanks.
A catered lunch is provided to the entire team, who include me in their conversations as if I’m an old friend who’s been invited to spend the day with them rather than a potential employee. I like every one of them. They’re my kind of people—smart, ambitious, funny, clever and young. The day is like a surreal rendition of It’s a Wonderful Life, a look at what my life might’ve been like had my father not dropped dead.
And then it’s down to Gerald Dutton and me, alone in his massive corner office with its panoramic view of the Colorado River. He’s in his fifties with silver hair and vivid blue eyes that crackle with intelligence and humor and unexpected warmth. I like him as much as I like everyone else I’ve met today.
“Well,” he says, handing me a glass of bourbon as he joins me in the sitting area of his massive office. “What do you think of my team?”
“The word ‘impressive’ doesn’t do them justice.”
Judging by the big smile that lights up his affable face, he is pleased by my assessment. “Couldn’t agree more.”
“Mr. Dutton…”
“Call me Jerry. Please.”
“Thank you. Jerry… This has been a truly incredible day. My mind is well and truly blown.”
“Then we’ve done our jobs,” he says. “Before you go any further, take a look at this.” He hands me a folder that contains an offer letter. A base salary of one million per year with stock options tied to the IPO that alone would make me a very rich man. I’m speechless. I can only stare at the single sheet of paper that offers everything I’d been looking for in a potential executive-level position—and much more than I’d dared to hope for.
“Why me?” I ask him. Even if it’s not going to happen, I still want to know what drew him to me.
“Long before the recruiter reached out to us, I’d read about the success you’ve made of your father’s company. Like you, I lost my father at a critical juncture in my life, and I know what it’s like to feel set adrift by the loss of my anchor. Everything I’ve done since then has been with the goal of making him proud in the back of my mind. I’m sure you can relate to that.”
“I can,” I say gruffly, taken aback by his insight as much as his thoroughness.
“I need someone like you on my team, Garrett. The last two CFOs we hired haven’t had the vision or the drive I need in that position. You’ve turned a small-town practice into a thriving business in a place where opportunities are limited. If you can do that in Marfa, imagine what’s possible in Austin.”
I’m seduced by his confidence in me, his obvious desire to work with me and his praise of what I’ve accomplished. There’s something almost paternal about it that speaks to me in a place that’s been hungry for paternal approval for six long, lonely years.
“Take a week… Hell, take two weeks if that’s what you need. Think it over from every angle before you decide anything.”
Now would be a great time to let him know I’ve decided to marry the love of my life, who owns a thriving business of her own in Marfa and won’t want to move to Austin, or anywhere else for that matter. But even as the thoughts swirl through my mind, I can’t bring myself to turn him down when he’s sitting three feet from me.
“My wife, Monica, and I are looking forward to taking you and your friend to dinner tonight. We have seven o’clock reservations at the Austin Country Club. I hope that suits you.”
I should tell him that Lauren is my fiancée, not just my friend. “It sounds great. If I could ask a favor, though.”
“Of course.”
“Could we keep dinner strictly social? I need some time to talk to Lauren about your offer.”
“Absolutely. That’s no problem at all.”
“Thank you for everything. You’ve definitely given me plenty to think about.”
“Excellent. Is there anything you’d like to do while you’re here? I can get you tickets to just about anything.”
“There is one thing I’d love to do.”
“Name it.”
“I need an engagement ring.”
His face lights up with delight. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“I have just the guy.” He withdraws his cell phone and scrolls through his contacts before placing a call. “Henry, it’s Jerry. I have a colleague in town who’s in need of an engagement ring. Can you fit him in this afternoon?” He listens for a brief moment and then nods. “Perfect. I’ll send Mr. Garrett McKinley right over. Thanks a lot.” After he ends the call, he says, “I’ll have the driver take you there on the way back to the hotel, if that works for you.”
As someone who admires people who get shit done, I’m as impressed by him as I was by the rest of his team. The tone at the top clearly resonates in this company. “That works for me. Appreciate that and everything else.” With the folder containing the offer in hand, I rise to leave his office.
He walks me to the elevator and shakes my hand. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yes, I’ll see you then. Thank you again for an incredible day.”
“It was our pleasure.”
On the elevator ride to the lobby, I find myself thinking about a trip my family took to Galveston when I was about eight. Lola was a toddler, and my mom was pregnant with Sierra. Tommy, Colby and I loved our first visit to the beach and had spent hours digging holes and filling them with water under the watchful eye of our father. We spent a week there, and every day we became more brazen and fearless around the water as only boys who don’t know better can do.
On the last day, I got caught in a rip current that dragged me out so fast that I didn’t have time to react before I was in water over my head. I can still remember the moment when I realized I was in big trouble and the sheer panic that had gripped me before my dad reached me and saved me from going under.
The only other time I’ve ever felt panic quite like that was years later when he died and I was forced to pick up the reins at the business that supported us all. In the elevator with Dutton’s million-dollar offer with stock options tucked under my arm, my chest constricts with the same sense of panic I’ve experienced twice before.
I never should’ve come here. I shouldn’t have let them show me what might’ve been. I was far better off not knowing.
The driver is waiting for me outside and opens the door to the black Cadillac sedan. “I trust you had a nice day, sir.”
“I did. Thank you.”
He drives a short distance before taking a series of turns that deposits us into a nondescript parking lot. He points to a door. “Ring the bell. They’re expecting you.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure, sir.”
I ring the bell and wait less than a minute before the door opens to admit me into a room that looks more like someone’s parlor than a retail store. I’m offered refreshments, which I decline. Less
than five minutes later, a man in a black suit comes into the room carrying several cases that he places on the table before extending his hand. “Mr. McKinley, I’m Henry Banks.”
I shake his hand. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”
“Any friend of Jerry Dutton’s is a friend of mine. I understand you’re in the market for an engagement ring.”
“That’s right.”
“Who’s the lucky lady? Tell me a little about her.”
How to summarize the magic that is Lauren in a few words? “Lauren is… She’s sweet and fiercely loyal to the people she loves. She’s tough on the outside but soft on the inside.” Once again, a swell of emotion takes me by surprise and leaves a lump in my throat. I ought to be used to that after the overabundance of feelings I’ve had for her lately, but it still catches me off guard every time. “She has the biggest heart and is a talented florist and… She’s been my very best friend since we were in the sixth grade.”
“You know what I love about your description?”
I clear the lump of emotion from my throat. “What’s that?”
“You never mentioned her physical appearance. Most guys I work with start with appearance when I ask them that question. I like to think it’s a sign of a successful union when how she looks is the last thing you think of when describing the woman you love.”
His comment pleases me. I like to think our union will be successful. I can’t imagine any other outcome for us. “Just to be clear,” I say with a smile, “she’s stunningly beautiful.”
He returns my smile. “I had no doubt. Let’s find something as beautiful as she is to seal the deal, shall we?”
“Yes, please.”
An hour later, I leave the jewelers with a three-carat diamond ring and a staggering array of information about diamond clarity, cut, carat and color. I want only the best for Lauren, so I took my time deciding on a solitaire with a wraparound band of smaller diamonds. Because I want her to be able to wear it all the time, even when she’s working, I was careful to ensure the stone is serviceable and won’t catch on everything that it comes into contact with.