Bentley raked a hand through his hair. “Make sure he wears his suit at dinner.”
“Yes.”
“Okay then, fine. Can you at least get him some new T-shirts? Ones without holes?”
Aiden smirked. “On it.”
“And a haircut.”
“He’s a grown man, Bent. I can’t force him to cut his hair.”
“Suggest it. Offer him a bribe.”
Reid walked in. “A new wall of hi-def monitors would work. Eight of them. I’ll even wear a dress shirt once a week to show my appreciation.”
Bentley’s eyes narrowed. “Every day. Pants too.”
“Twice a week. Not on weekends.”
“I want you in here for normal hours. No more sleeping on the floor of your office.”
“Not happening. I do my best work at night.” Reid tugged at the hem of his shirt. “And that happens in these T-shirts.” He huffed out a long breath. “I like it in the office. It feels like I belong here. I’m zoned in. My apartment stifles me.”
Bentley’s gaze met mine. We knew Reid had a rough time before he started working at BAM. He rarely talked about it, but on occasion, his comments spoke volumes.
“Three times a week.”
Reid held out his hand. “Deal.”
Bentley stood and shook his hand. “Order whatever you want. After you get your hair cut.” He walked out.
Aiden whistled. “You worked that angle well.”
Reid sat down with a grin. “I would have gone as high as four days. The old broad bought me some nice shirts. I like them.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I look smoking hot in them.”
I chuckled at his antics and his nickname for Sandy. Only he could get away with it.
Reid cleared his throat. “So, ah, Becca…”
I raised my eyebrows. “Yes?”
“She is going to be here, right? In the office?”
“If we sign a deal with them, yes.” I pointed to the left. “The office beside mine.”
“Oh. Across from me.”
“She’ll be your coworker, Reid,” Aiden admonished him.
“I checked the company policies. There is no non-fraternization policy.”
I folded my hands on top of my desk. “She’ll be here as a liaison between us and The Gavin Group. As such, she’ll be a valued member of the staff and under my direction.”
He shifted. “I’m not going to bother her. I was only asking. Maybe I can help her find her way around. I know Toronto well, and I can help her get settled.”
“Reid.” Aiden sat forward with his elbows resting on his thighs.
Reid looked at him.
“Tread carefully. This is huge for us. Don’t make me regret hiring you.”
Reid shook his head, his tone uncharacteristically serious as he spoke. “I would never do anything to jeopardize your trust or make this company look bad. You all mean too much to me. I thought she was cool, and I liked her vibe. She knows my language, and I think we’ll work well together. I thought she’d like a friend in a strange place. That’s all.”
Aiden sat back. “Okay then. As long as we’re clear.”
Reid stood. “I have a wish list to compile so Bentley can approve it.” He stopped at the door. “I should look into new equipment for Becca, I suppose. I imagine she needs some major software for graphics and a couple of monitors.”
I shrugged. “You’ll have to ask her.”
His face lit up. “I’ll do that. I’ll start investigating what’s out there. She needs the best.”
He hurried out of the office. Aiden and I shared a glance.
“Friends, my ass,” I snorted. “This is going to be interesting.”
Aiden shook his head. “I think I’m too old for this shit.”
“You and me both, Aiden. You and me both.”
Maddox
The next morning, Reid sauntered into the boardroom, his typical swagger in place. I hid my smile as he grabbed some coffee and food, then sat across from Becca, smiling widely at her.
“Morning, Becca. How was your night?”
I met Aiden’s amused glance with one of my own. Reid had stepped it up today. He’d replaced his jeans with khakis, still casual, but wrinkle-free. He had on a black T-shirt, free from any band logo, and an open red and black plaid shirt over top, with the sleeves rolled up. He’d had his hair trimmed, and although it was still in disarray, he looked much more put together than normal. I leaned back, glancing at his feet.
New sneakers.
Yep. The boy had dressed to impress this morning.
And it wasn’t for us.
Becca offered him one of her shy smiles. “Great. We went to dinner, and I walked around Eaton Center.”
Bentley entered the room, the atmosphere changing. It always did when he showed up. His natural leadership and presence made everyone sit up and take notice. He placed his laptop at his usual spot at the head of the table and greeted everyone. His eyebrows raised a little as he looked at Reid, a grin making his lips turn up. He met my eyes with a subtle wink, then grabbed a coffee.
We spent the morning going over the tweaks Richard had made, discussing timelines and concepts. After lunch, we sat with Graham and Richard alone, laying the groundwork and hammering out details of the contract and Becca’s placement in Toronto. We had no doubts they were the company for us. There were hundreds of details to work through and contracts to finalize, but I was confident we would reach an agreement.
I tilted my head, curious. “Can I ask why Becca wants to move here? Or even more important, why you want to let her go? She seems to be a big part of your team.”
Richard swallowed the last of his coffee. I had noticed he drank as much of it as we did. “Becca is a huge part of the team. She came to us on an internship the first year she was at university. She was a natural. She started working part time for us, and we hired her as soon as she graduated.” He winked. “I’ve been her mentor the whole time, which is one of the reasons she’s so amazing.”
We all chuckled at his comment, and he continued. “Becca loves the big city. She loves to travel and explore, and she finds Victoria a little sleepy for her tastes.” He chuckled. “She makes me feel old sometimes.”
“Toronto is a great place if she likes the bustle of a big city. It’s a great travel hub as well,” I said.
Richard tugged on his hair. “I got to know Becca personally. My wife, Katy, met her at the office, and they grew close. She became part of my family. She’s shared holidays with us, babysat my kids. Katy has been her sounding board about guys.” He lifted one shoulder with a smirk. “I’ve scared a couple of them off myself. She’s more than a coworker. I hate to lose her, so does Katy, but we want her happy.”
Graham spoke. “When your request came to us, her hand was up before I had even finished telling the group about what you were looking for. As much as we hate to lose her, we thought this was the best of both worlds. She’ll still be part of our team, but she’ll be in a place where she is happier.” He shrugged. “We knew we would lose her eventually. She had always been open about wanting to be in a bigger city, so this seemed like the right fit.”
He met my gaze. “My company and staff are family to me. Normally, Richard would come by himself to do a presentation.” He grinned as he clapped Richard on the shoulder. “He can handle himself pretty well in the boardroom.”
Again, we chuckled and he continued. “I wanted to meet you first, so I would know Becca would be a good fit and that she’d be treated well.”
“I hope we’ve laid your fears to rest,” Bentley said.
Graham smiled. “I checked you thoroughly beforehand. Your company is first-class. I like your values and the way you treat your business affairs, especially your staff. What I’ve seen since I arrived has strengthened my opinion. I think Becca will do well here with you, and together we can create some magic.” He draped an arm over the chair, as confident as Richard. “My team is brilliant, and I have no doubt we’ll deliver
.”
I knew Aiden, Bentley, and I all agreed. We exchanged a brief glance, and Bentley tilted his chin.
“I think, gentlemen, we can call tonight’s dinner a celebration.”
Graham stood, extending his hand. “We look forward to working with you.”
I called Dee later in the afternoon. I had been so busy I hadn’t spoken to her since I left her place in the early hours of Monday morning, only communicating through texts. I wanted to hear her voice.
“Hey,” she answered.
“Hey, yourself. Calling to check you’re still okay for tonight’s dinner,” I responded.
I felt my body relax when she assured me she was looking forward to the evening. She was coming straight from work, meeting us at the restaurant.
“I’m wearing a new dress tonight.”
“Nice.” I dropped my voice, teasing. “What’s it like? Tight, red, and held together with safety pins? Easy for me to rip off with my teeth?”
There was silence, and I started to laugh.
“Relax, Dee. I was teasing. I have no doubt you will be beautiful.”
“That’s stretching the truth. I won’t shame you, though.”
I frowned into the phone. “You are beautiful.”
Had I never told her that?
“Hmm,” she hummed, unconvinced. “Okay.”
“You are,” I insisted. “Have I ever been anything but truthful to you, Dee? I think you’re incredibly beautiful, and if I’ve never told you that, then I have been remiss. That’s on me, not you.”
“Wow,” she whispered.
“You’re also as sexy as hell, smart, and feisty. It’s a remarkable combination.”
“Maddox, if you’re trying to butter me up, let’s get one thing straight. I’m a given. I’m going home with you tonight and you’re going to fuck me. No need to go overboard.”
Her husky voice turned me on.
I glanced toward my door, making sure no one was hovering in the hallway. I lowered my voice, my lips pressed close to the phone.
“Listen to me, Deirdre Wilson, and listen well. I am not buttering you up. I’m telling the truth. You are incredibly beautiful and sexy. As for fucking you, you bet your sweet ass I’m going to do exactly that. I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll forget your name. You’ll forget everything but me and my cock inside you. I’m going to fuck you until you believe how beautiful you are.” I growled. “And you know who you belong to. Understand?”
The sound of her sharp inhale made me smile.
“Maybe I’ll butter something else up later and teach you how beautiful that part of you is as well,” I promised with a dark chuckle.
“You-you can’t say things like that over the phone.”
“I can and did. Now go back to work and remember what I said. I’ll see your beautiful self at the restaurant.”
“O-okay,” she stuttered.
I chuckled. “Deirdre?”
“What?” she whispered.
“Are you wet for me now?”
There was a pause before she answered, “Yes.”
She hung up.
I set my phone on my desk and shifted in my chair, thinking of her. Thoughts of what I wanted to do to her took over my mind. Remembering how she moved under me, how it felt to be inside her, made my cock swell against the confines of my dress pants. Only she had that effect on me.
It was always her.
I grinned. I affected her as well. I had no doubt she was sitting at her desk right now, squirming and wet. I could picture her gnawing at her thumb, distracted, and thinking of me.
I picked up my phone and sent her a text.
You have no idea what I’m going to do to you tonight, Deirdre.
I waited until she replied.
I’m yours.
My response was fast.
Yes. Remember that.
I turned over my phone before I gave in and called her again or started sexting her.
The wait would be so worth it.
I arrived first and chose to wait out front. Aiden and Cami showed up shortly after, followed by Bent and Emmy. When Dee’s cab arrived, I was waiting. I opened the door, helping her out of the back seat. I thrust some bills at the cabbie, never taking my eyes off her. I had never seen her so elegant. Her dress was a dark green, complementing her coloring perfectly. Her strawberry-blonde hair had grown over the past months, brushing against her shoulders. Lace trimmed her neckline and sleeves—a hint at her love for girlie things. Her makeup was light, but her eyes seemed larger and darker than normal. Her mouth was rosy, and all I could think of was kissing her until she was breathless. Except, I disliked PDA and preferred to keep my affection private.
Our eyes locked and held, and I saw a glimmer of my own desire reflected at me.
So I did it anyway. I bent down, ignoring the fact that our friends were watching, and I kissed her. I held her tight to my body and claimed her in front of everyone.
When I drew back, her eyes were shocked and her lips swollen.
“What was that for?”
“Because you wanted me to.”
She rolled her eyes, but she didn’t deny it.
I crooked my arm. “Shall we?”
She reached up, wiping my lips. “I don’t think you need the gloss.”
I captured her hand, kissing her delicate fingertips. I tried not to smirk as we went past our shocked group.
I failed.
By the time Richard, Graham, and Becca arrived, we had been seated and ordered wine. The last one to join us was Reid. I tried not to laugh at the look of delight when he saw the one empty seat was beside Becca. He wore his suit, a white shirt, with a wildly patterned tie.
He worked the table, shaking hands and kissing the girls. When he reached Becca, he bent over her hand, kissing her knuckles with a flourish and making her laugh. He sat beside her and winked at Bentley.
Bentley sighed with relief.
Becca leaned over, patting Dee’s hand. “Your dress is gorgeous. You must tell me where you got it. I have to find all the good places in Toronto to shop.”
All our girls looked lovely tonight. Emmy was in Bentley’s preferred shade of blue, Cami in her favorite purple, and Dee rounded out the jewel tones in her green. She was the most beautiful in my opinion.
Dee smiled, touching the lace on her sleeve. “Cami designed and made me this one.”
Becca’s eyes widened as she looked at Cami. “You designed it?”
Cami nodded, her cheeks pink. “Yes.”
“Your dress too?”
“All of our dresses,” Cami admitted. “I take fashion design, and I did these as part of a presentation. Dee is my sister, and Emmy is my best friend. They’re my go-to guinea pigs.”
Becca clapped her hands. “If you need a fourth anytime, I’m your girl. You are so talented! I love these dresses.”
Aiden beamed with pride, sliding his arm around her shoulders and dropping a kiss to her head. “That’s my wife. Talented.”
Richard lifted his glass. “Here’s to talent. I think this table is filled with it.”
I raised my glass in agreement.
I shook Richard’s hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Looking forward to it.”
I wished Graham a safe trip home. He was catching the last flight out, heading back home to BC. Richard and Becca were staying one last day to go through some more details. At dinner, Becca had asked for advice on where to live, and I offered to show her an apartment I knew was coming up for rent shortly which coincided with her arrival.
“It’s close to the office—a few blocks away. The building is older and it’s one bedroom, but it’s clean, secure, and a decent size for Toronto. The rent is reasonable for its location.”
“Is the landlord nice?”
I chuckled. “He’s okay.”
Becca’s eyes narrowed. “Is it you?”
“Yes. I lived there when we were first starting BAM. I bought it as an investment. My
tenant is moving, so this would work. No pressure, but you can have a look,” I explained.
“Sounds good.”
I watched their taxi pull away and waited for the valet to bring my car. I tugged Dee close.
“You were wonderful tonight. Thank you.”
“I like Becca.” She laughed. “So does Reid. He barely took his eyes off her.”
“I noticed.”
“I think she did as well.”
“I hope it doesn’t cause problems.”
“They’re both adults. I’m sure they can act accordingly.”
“Given Reid’s, ah, goals, I hope so.”
Her brow furrowed. “His goals?”
I lowered my lips to her ear. “Reid’s a virgin. He doesn’t want to be one anymore.”
Her mouth formed a small O. “Maddox Riley—that is personal. You shouldn’t be telling me such things!” she scolded, dropping her voice. “Really, though, at his age—he’s a virgin? How do you know that?”
I chuckled, resting my chin on her shoulder. “You little gossip-lover. He told Aiden and me he was a virgin when we interviewed him.”
“What? He said that in an interview?”
“Yep. We asked him to tell us ‘all’ about himself, and he dropped that tidbit in.” I recalled the look Aiden and I had shared when he informed us of his unwelcome…situation. “He keeps us updated on his status.”
“Oh my God.”
“Aiden informed him he is never gonna lose it if he spends all his time in the office lying on the floor writing code.”
Dee nudged me with her elbow. “Maybe he will now.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “I like it on top. Maybe Becca does too.”
I threw back my head in laughter, hugging her close to my side. Dee looked sexy, relaxed, and I loved it when she was being funny. I didn’t see that side of her often enough.
“Let’s get you home. I think I want you to show me just how much you like riding me.” I wrapped my mouth around her lobe, tugging on it.
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