Today was a day to prove that, she could just sense it.
Denton Enterprises was about so much more than just technology, or sinking its hook into every cash cow in the market, that much was obvious by looking at their history.
Clearly, Jackson Denton had incredible instincts, sharp and on the money, able to carry the whole thing on his back, from the ground up and as a single dad to boot, having lost his wife early on in their marriage.
Honestly, she had nothing but respect for the original founder; the current CEO, however, didn’t quite have his father’s knack. On the one hand, she imagined it couldn’t be easy for him, having to fill in those shoes when the expectations were sky high, and there was also the fact that his brother seemed to think he was calling the shots, or at least that was the distinct impression she got on the phone.
Regardless, she didn’t care who did what, or what kind of repressed family issues were there. She was here to do a job, not act as the family shrink, and she wouldn’t get sucked into the insipid drama, pulling at her feet.
Sawyer shook her head, blonde hair swishing back and forth as she set her bag down next to her and crossed one ankle over the other. The view was truly something else, and she didn’t think she’d ever get tired of it.
Unlike most people, she’d never felt the need to live anywhere else, wanderlust had never claimed her as a victim, and she was happier for it, settling down in a place she knew like the back of her hand, a song she could hum in her sleep.
San Francisco was home.
Nothing could or would ever change that, and years of struggling, trying to shove her out the door into another city’s arms hadn’t changed her mind. In fact, it made her more resolute, filled her with a desire to prove herself in the very city that could make or break her career.
In the background, she could hear the soft swell of conversation, muted like she was underwater, and she ignored it, allowing her train of thought to continue. After all, she still had time until the partners got there, and she wasn’t in any kind of hurry.
Normally, she’d expect a company like this to be a bit more punctual, priding themselves on their ability to stick to the set schedule, but given the state of affairs this morning, allowances had to be made.
She’d give them a few more minutes before she started kicking up a fuss, making sure she was drawing attention to herself. Sawyer knew she wasn’t some hotshot PR, her name wasn’t well known except in certain circles where she marketed herself, but she did have an impressive resume, one she wanted them to respect.
The work would just have to speak for itself, she had to believe that because this was completely out of her hands, and she didn’t want to dwell on something that was out of her control, hovering at the tips of her fingers.
Sawyer sighed and glanced down, deciding that it was time to head inside. The least she could do was sit on one of those large yet comfortable chairs and drink a glass of cool water while she waited, the epitome of style.
She crouched down to pick up her case and lifted it up, straightening her back and running her fingers over her pencil skirt and blouse, making sure she didn’t have any creases.
Satisfied, she swung her bag back and forth, frowning when it connected with something solid. She stopped and paused, hearing a voice somewhere close, coming from directly behind her, to be exact, close enough she could smell his cologne.
“I’m sorry,” Sawyer offered, without lifting her head. “I didn’t realize someone was behind me.”
Her feet hesitated at the foot of the door, the same presence behind her.
What was happening?
“I need to pass.”
Annoyed, she spun around, a protest on the edge of her lips, but she faltered, coming face to face with a tall man in a suit who was looking down at her in amusement. With his chiseled jaw, styled hair, and an intense pair of brown eyes, he looked like he could be on the cover of a men's magazine.
Her heart did an odd little lurch, but she ignored it. This wasn’t some Sunday school crush. She was a grown-ass woman, in control of her hormones. Her eyes made it all the way to his face before she frowned.
It was the guy from the elevator.
Well, fate had a shitty sense of humor.
Chapter 3
Moxley
Well, well, well.
If it wasn’t the woman who through his morning for a loop by refusing to hold the elevator door open. She’d certainly kick-started his competitive nature and made it so he had to hold the button down.
Then again, he supposed he understood why.
She didn’t know him, so it wasn’t as if she owed him any favors and had turned her back on him. There was nothing to be cashed in, or anything to be gained. Just two strangers.
Although based on the slight color in her cheeks, he’d say she was feeling more than a little guilty about ignoring him that morning. Dressed in a skirt that rested just above her knee, showing off tan legs, and a pressed blouse, she was every inch the woman who turned heads on the street especially if he factored in the shorter hair and the soft blue eyes.
There was something quite alluring about them, a dream-like quality, and he found it hard to look away, wishing she had some kind of thought bubble above her head to let him know what was happening.
Damn it.
He had no clue, and he was usually not a loss for words around the ladies, knowing exactly what to say and what to do to win them over, a choreographed routine he’d perfected over the years, tweaking the details every so often to make sure it stayed relevant.
Thus far, it hadn’t failed him.
Until today that is.
His mind was racing, but it was drawing a complete blank, making him realize that the words eluded him. Yes, he was attracted her, that much was obvious; it was hard not to be especially with her lips parted slightly, and a doe-eyed look on her face.
But, it was more than that.
He was good at reading people, and the way she held herself let him know that this was the kind of woman who wasn’t afraid to get her knees scraped and dirt under her fingernails to get what she wanted.
No, she was definitely not meek or submissive, and the thought aroused him even more.
Moxley cleared his throat, offering her a row of pearly white teeth. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”
She coughed. “That’s because I’m new. Today is my first day.”
Moxley raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, I hope you have a good first day.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
He hadn’t even known they were hiring. Was Phoenix doing things behind his back? He wasn’t under any delusions regarding his brother’s capability and his ambitions.
Couldn’t even say that he begrudged him that.
After all, every man wanted to be his own boss, and no one wanted to work alongside their siblings, much less work for them, so he understood that it couldn’t be easy for him, but he thought they’d reached an understanding, a tentative truce of sorts, the white flag fluttering between them.
Maybe he was wrong though.
Phoenix could have every intention of telling him after the big meeting. There was no reason for him to keep it a secret, and they’d both been incredibly busy lately, so it made sense.
In any case, it wasn’t as if Moxley needed to know the comings and goings of all his employees, just one particular blonde with the most sensual pair of lips he’d ever seen.
Just thinking about them made him uncomfortable, so he shifted from one foot to the other, trying to hide it. “Which department are you working for?”
“PR,” she offered, reluctantly. “I do have a meeting to get to though.”
Moxley straightened his back. “So do I.”
“Wait, you’re Moxley Denton, aren’t you?”
Shit.
Was she another socialite who internet stalked him in the hopes she’d glean information to make her get closer? It wouldn’t be the firs
t time this happened, though he did hope it would be the last.
The last thing he needed was someone after his money.
Sex, on the other hand, was completely fine with him, as long it was with the understanding that he didn’t date. All the women he’d been with knew that already, begrudgingly accepting it as part of his personality.
“Yes,” Moxley responded, curtly. “Why?”
She held her hand out, expectantly. “I’m Sawyer Tipton. Your new PR manager.”
Moxley frowned. “What? No, you aren’t.”
Sawyer tilted her head to the side. “Yes, I am. Why would I say I’m someone I’m not?”
Moxley shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Will your brother be joining us?”
Moxley smirked. “I see you’ve done your homework.”
“I like to be prepared,” Sawyer replied, tossing her hair behind her shoulders. “So, yes I did research the company and obviously the people who are in charge.”
Moxley beckoned her to continue. “Do tell.”
She cleared throat, subconsciously leaning away from him. “Mr. Denton. I don’t think it’s the time or the place.”
Moxley glanced around. “We’re the only two people waiting here, and we can’t start without my brother, so now is the time.”
She pursed her lips and said nothing, trying to avoid staring at him. He crossed his arms over his chest and lapsed into silence, nudging her to pick the conversation back up. Moxley couldn’t help himself, it was fun getting under her skin, the way she got all riled up, her neck turning a deep shade of red.
Damn. Get it together, Denton. You’re not some hormonal teenager.
True, but I also have nothing against behind her over the table while we wait for Phoenix that would be a much better use of our time, I think.
Not at all surprised by his rather lewd train of thought, he dipped his gaze, allowing it to rake all over her body, wondering if she felt the current between them, electric.
“Let’s go in.”
Buzzkill.
Moxley uncrossed his arms and turned to face his brother. “Ready when you are, brother.”
“Ms. Tipton.” Phoenix gave her a big smile. “After you.”
***
Years spent learning the ins and outs of an empire, suffering through business school, and all those meetings his father made him attend hadn’t prepared him for this.
He couldn’t, for the life of him, properly concentrate on a single thing Sawyer was saying. It took a tremendous amount of effort on his part, more so than usual.
Sure, he understood the general premise as she took out some papers and spread them out on the desk in front of her, outlining every single plan she had for their new venture, down to the smallest of details.
By the looks of things, she knew exactly what she was talking about, and how to strike while the iron was hot. Even Phoenix was usually bursting at the seams, eager to swoop in and prove that his knowledge was superior to those in the room with him was quiet, nodding along every so often and scratching his chin.
In short, the meeting was a resounding success.
Not only was she proving the exact reason why they picked her, but she was also knocking it out of the park, proving without a shadow of a doubt that her reputation didn’t do her justice.
Actually, she was much better than he’d imagined, anticipating every single one of their questions, but that wasn’t their problem. The issue was that instead of keeping his head in the game, focused on the upcoming expansion followed by the eventual merger, his eyes kept drifting over to certain parts of her body.
Right now, she was bent over the desk, shuffling papers around, and he tried not to stare at her breasts, the rise and fall of them, straining against her blouse. One button was undone at the top, revealing a patch of ivory skin he wanted to revel in.
Papers flew out of her hand, and she bent down to pick it up, offering him a prime view of her ass, supple and curvy. His fingers twitched, an image of her writhing beneath him crossing his brain before he shoved it away.
Uncomfortably, he crossed one leg over the other, trying to hide his obviously painful erection. His brother, thankfully, didn’t have such an issue because he helped her with the papers and conducted himself with the utmost decorum.
Jesus.
Since when was he not in control of his hormones? It wasn’t as if he was just discovering an attraction for the first time, some gangly kid at a loud party with scantily clad teenagers.
No, he refused to fall prey to this.
Moxley coughed. “I think you’ve done a great job, Ms. Tipton.”
She beamed, eyes alight. “Thank you, Mr. Denton. I’m glad you like what I do.”
Oh, I’m sure I’d like it a lot better if it was just you and I then you could really show me what you can do.
As if she heard his thoughts, a flush stole across her cheeks, and Moxley leaned forward, interested. He studied her expression, the slight hesitancy, and he instantly recognized it for what it was.
Sawyer was attracted to him, too, but she was certainly doing a much better job of hiding it.
“We’re quite pleased, Ms. Tipton and happy to welcome you aboard,” Phoenix said, breaking the spell. Moxley had half a mind to throw Phoenix out of the office and lock the door behind him, leaving him and Sawyer completely alone.
But he couldn’t do that.
The conference room was made out of glass, and he didn’t think his brother would take kindly to being tossed out for no good reason. Besides, Sawyer struck him as the sort of woman who took her job seriously, working hard to get to where she was, so she wasn’t going to blow it or jeopardize that by screwing the boss.
Of course he understood that completely.
If she was interested, however, that would be another conversation entirely, one he’d gladly have. Moxley blinked, realizing that the lights were flicked back on, the blinds drawn up, and Sawyer was packing up her stuff, a look of intense concentration painted onto his phone.
Phoenix was already on his phone, no doubt thinking through every detail.
In the meantime, Moxley rose and shrugged off his jacket, draping it across his hand. “I think I should show Ms. Tipton around.”
Sawyer glanced up, shocked. “There’s really no need for that, Mr. Denton.”
Moxley waved her comment away. “I’m sure you already know the important places, but I can show you all the nooks and crannies.”
Sawyer slid her gaze over to his brother who’d stopped listening, his phone the only thing holding his complete attention. She stared at him, as if expecting him to say something about the obvious flirty behavior, but he didn’t bite.
Finally, she turned her gaze back to Moxley. “I guess that would be nice.”
One half of Moxley’s mouth rose, a half-smirk. “Great. I can’t wait to show you everything.”
He made a move towards the door, but his brother tore past him, a flurry of energy, swinging the door open and leaving it. Everyone parted for him like the red sea, and Moxley looked after him for a minute before he turned his attention back to Sawyer.
She took a step towards him. “Where are we going to start?”
“This floor first,” Moxley informed her, placing his hand on the door and gesturing for her to pass. As she did, he took the opportunity to admire the sway of her hips, and he gulped heavily.
He stepped outside after her, giving his head a slight shake. “Well, you know where the conference room is, but there’s also a break room here, just down the hallway.”
She walked next to him, her pace matching his in spite of the obvious difference in height, and he was thankful no one else was around to drag him into small talk. Sawyer’s hand brushed against his before she pulled away, her eyes fixed ahead.
“Stop,” Moxley said, suddenly.
She paused. “What’s wrong?”
“I know that you just started working here, and I’m your boss,
so I shouldn’t be saying this, but I’m going to kiss you.”
She took a step, her back hitting the wall, and her eyes widened, the desire reflected there. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and he bent his head, letting out a low moan when his mouth connected with hers.
Sawyer tasted better than he imagined.
Chapter 4
Sawyer
A ridiculous thought crossed her mind.
Mouth wash.
That morning she’d had the insane urge to gurgle a mouthful of it, swishing it around until the roof of her tongue burned, the acidity of it too potent for her. Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she spat it out and examined her teeth in the mirror, looking for the telltale whiteness.
She’d even cupped her hands over her mouth and sniffed, grinning when the minty smell registered.
Yes, she was obscenely glad she’d done that, after all.
It was as if the universe was trying to tell her that she’d end up in a dimly lit hallway with a soft carpet she could sink her toes into, kissing the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen.
Also, he happened to be her boss, but really, it hardly seemed to matter here. At the end of the day, they were two consenting adults, and it was all that mattered. Nothing else did.
Not common sense.
Not the fact that she’d known him all of two hours, and his mouth was already searing, unapologetic, his hands resting on the small of her back, hardly daring to go further,
Half of her believed this was some kind of vivid dream, a result of working too hard that she’d all but neglected that side of herself. She could barely remember the last time she’d been on a date, much less the last time a man-made her toes curl, and her blood quicken, clouding her brain with nothing but thoughts of him looming over her, dark eyes appraising and mouth quick to claim hers.
One thing was for certain, Moxley Denton sure knew how to kiss.
Those full lips of his moved against hers, subtle yet demanding, coaxing reactions out of her she hardly recognized, with the finesse of someone who was used to getting her way.
Billionaire: A Billionaire Boys Club novel Page 2